Thursday, 17 May 2007

State of the New Zealand Nation

Living away from New Zealand in some respects makes you more tuned in with the media. I have a list of favourite media sites I check into everyday.

The list includes TVNZ, The Dominion Post, The New Zealand Herald, The Gisborne Herald, Hawke's Bay Today... TVNZ allow me to watch One News, Breakfast, Close Up and Sunday just after they've gone to air. I can also stream Radio New Zealand National live through the internet. In addition, I've also subscribed to the New Zealand Police media release list so I get the news first hand at the same time as all the media. And the list of blogs I follow is endless...

So with all of these media outlets feeding into my world I've had lots to ponder about New Zealand and the state of the nation. This weeks budget has provided more food for thought.

Essentially with all this information on hand New Zealand doesn't look like such an attractive place to return home to. Taxes are very high, inflation is excessive; incomes are low; the workers are getting robbed through excessive taxes and having their income given to the unfortunate in the form of Working for Families; kids are starving; violent crime is getting worse every day; first home buyers are becoming scarce. All of these issues are overshadowed with the implications of climate change too!

John Key and his team at the National Party are starting to look like an attractive option. Irrespective of what I think Key and National are climbing up nicely in the polls. In essence no matter which type of government is more right than the next I think a change of government every few terms is essential. Each party in the government has got something to add value to New Zealand. I think though that Labour's value has dried up and it's time to go into a new phase of change with different emphasis - something I am confident National can do.

I didn't vote National the last time as I was not confident Don Brash could come up with the goods. Maybe Don wasn't a bad person and would make an excellent leader but his public relations and 'brand' was the pits. I could have just been him or maybe he had some bad advice, but he was a bit of a media disaster. John Key on the other hand is a contrast. John's got a good rapport with the media. He has his public relations skills polished too. Not to mention he is a contemporary person, young in age and outlook and is focused on the New Zealand of NOW!

I love what Fran O'Sullivan from The New Zealand Herald says about this weeks budget. "Michael Cullen's eighth Budget sports a fiscal money-go-round that would do a Virgin Islands tax-dodge designer proud."

The present government regime is a money-go-round for sure. It's collecting tax money in one hand and handing it out as 'welfare' with the other.

A favourite blog of mine Cactus Kate has a good post on the latest budget. It's worth a read and I agree with a lot of things she talks about.

I'm bound to talk more about this again soon. :)

2 comments:

riki said...

wow,, zoiks, far out,,

a nations entire political framework can be completely symbolised by a condom.

As Homer Simpson once said

"its all true."

Cole Cameron said...

Thanks Riki for stopping by at my blog. I am afraid the best way to describe the state of the nation in New Zealand right now is with that condom. Things are heading for some very hard times in the land down under. Never mind, it is election year in 2008 and I think the current left wing regime is going to the cleaners.