NX-Files

The new leader of the Nats is pushing all the right buttons so far. He’s a smooth operator which is in contrast to Dr Brash.

Although I’ve liked what John has said his speeches are full of feel good phrases and words used to appease the media and people with huge chips on their shoulders but doesn't really mean much. For example talking about ‘inclusiveness’ and ‘tangata whenua’ really means bugger all in the lives of everyday New Zealanders. It’s interesting to see Brash detractors warm to Key when all that’s change is the language rather than the policies – stupid if you ask me.

Anyway here's my favourite quote from John’s State of the Nation speech;

"For me, politics is not about the pursuit of power for the sake of it. Unlike some, I won't measure the success or failure of my political career by the number of years I hold office."

“You'll see this later today in Labour's response to this speech. A press release will come out listing a whole lot of programmes Labour has piloted and reviews it has introduced. It will tell you the cost of each of them.Well, I'm not interested in spending money simply to allow me to ease my conscience, look busy, or fend off attacks from the opposition or the media. I'm interested in results.”

From Bill English's conference speech:

"What is Labour’s plan for the economy? Here is Labour’s economic strategy, as described by Helen Clark last week.

She was asked if there was anything the Government wanted to do that it hasn’t done yet. She said: “It has taken time to work up the kitty for Working for Families. It has taken time to work up the kitty for interest-free loans and early childhood programme. So undoubtedly there will be areas we will build on for next time which will be new.”

So there it is – the economy is for Labour the way they build up the kitty for sweeteners, for giveaways in election years, using your money to buy your votes. Your money – they’ll be spending it."

• Having just one bottle of beer after each working day costs the planet 120kg in greenhouse emissions each year.
• mowing the lawn and odd jobs around the home produce almost 3.75 tonnes of emissions each year
• Australian mothers juggling child-rearing responsibilities and housework pumped out more than four tonnes of emissions a year.
• Using a leaf blower once a fortnight for 15 minutes to clear up the garden and driveway produces almost 8kg annually.
• Mowing with a two-stroke fortnightly for 20 minutes burns 29kg each year and buying a sandwich every day accounts for 120kg, including the production and transportation of ingredients.
• Daily computer use produces 240kg of greenhouse emissions each year and watching TV for four hours a week pumps out 46.8kg.
• A sedan driven 40km five days a week spews out more than 2.7 tonnes of emissions. Taking the bus would slash that to 888kg.

Basically whatever we do produces carbon.  So instead of continually scrutinising auto and air travel perhaps the spot light should be shone on those hippies who buy sushi for lunch .

"Labour's top echelon are committed internationalists. I've always found their practice of running a sophisticated agenda offshore, while stirring up domestic unease for political purposes, cynical in the extreme".  Link.

Although not universally liked I had a lot of respect for Don Brash.  In many ways he's the polar opposite of Helen Clark; polite and principled with a good sense of humour.  But in the end Dr Brash became victim to Clark's shrewd political spin machine.  This is a victory of spin over substance. 

John Key is the likely successor.  He has the makings to be popular, but I'm not sure of him yet.  He trumped Cullen in the finance debates last election.  So either way Clark's toast!

Yesterday North Korea tested a nuclear weapon under ground to the out cry of many countries around the world. Many people are contrasting Iraq's lack of WMDs with North Koreas apparent nuclear test. However the big difference is korea's next door neighbour China. North Korea is pretty much under the Chinese thumb with China providing a life line to the country. And in return China uses North Korea as a lighting rod to defect attention from it's own problems. But the erratic Kim Jong-il must be worrying for even China.

Just because the economy is doing well doesn’t necessarily mean the country is doing well. This was highlighted by outgoing Fletcher Building chief executive Ralph Waters.

Politicians tend to spin economic data to their own means, so it’s hard to get the full picture. But when a high power executive uses his farewell lunch to warn about the economy with no apparently gain to him, I took note:

The record $14.54 billion current account deficit should have shocked people out of their complacency, but that had not happened. "Strong economic activity that is consumption-driven is also a bit misleading as to how we are really traveling. The current account deficit is a reminder but, in the main, the country seems oblivious to the large structural imbalances," he said.

"Yet as a country we do all we can to discourage major manufacturing investment here, with the lack of certainty of power, its uncompetitive pricing relative to external options and the success vested interests have in making meaningful new investments very difficult, if not near impossible.

"These are false luxuries that the country cannot afford."

Makes ominous reading. I think the lack of certainty of power is a critical issue. How many more rivers are going to be damned and how much more coal is going to be burnt – both environmentally unfriendly, before NZ bites the bullet and goes nuclear? I’m not necessarily pro nuclear, but what I object to is putting the NZ future at risk for the sake of anti-nuclear political rhetoric.

This article in the Telegraph reaffirms to me why capitalism is good.

"What has caused this massive benefit to the poor? A series of government regulations? A good-looking politician with an easy smile and a "vision"? No. Capitalism.

No single individual did it. Thousands, or millions, did it. They were not directed by any central agency. They just operated in a capitalist system."

"Who invented cars? Who refined their design and manufacture to the point where they are affordable by millions of people? Not governments. The diverse, resourceful, determined power of capitalism.

Why does the system work? Because it provides incentives and motivation. If you invent something, you may get fame and fortune. If you supply food or cars cheaper, you get more customers. Simple enough."

Thanks to Capitalism I drive a refined European car instead of a crap Lada.   Sure capitalism has its faults, but I'm not going to jump on the anti-capitalism bandwagon just because it's fashionable.

Over 10,000 more civil servants have been employed by the govt over the last seven years.  This means:

• More desk space occupying over 40% of Wellington's CBD.

• Office area increases from 226,124m2 to 371,547m2

• Translates to 37 rugby fields - with 15 added on in the last 7 years.

• 34,000 more people employed in the state sector.

• Total of 280,000 people employed by the state.

Yet no increase in serves!

"Little to indicate New Zealanders are getting more services and better results for the large increase in resources....What little information exists is not encouraging"  Treasury Report, 2006.

So there we have it. There are more civil servants to moderate our lives and to collect taxes for the govt coffers. And more state sector employees to pay union fees which ultimately fund Labour's election campaign. Tidy little arrangement.