Paying subscribers can ask Bernard Hickey about the week’s news, including the latest election campaign news; the debates; the polls and Winston Peters as kingmaker
if given the chance I would vote for Bernard but as an interviewer for the election debates ..as he would be the most appropriate moderator and ask the important questions !
Ha! I walked into that one. Sorry but am going to keep that one to myself. It gets complicated when you’re a journalist. Simpler to not say. Be confident though i voted for lots more houses, a lot less climate emissions and some sort of tax on residential land. That narrows it down a bit.
Hi Bernard, Is there any detail on the skillset mix of the huge number of migrants? Surely the various skill gaps must be closing if we are bringing in people with the right skills?
Mostly construction, aged care, agriculture, retail and ‘services’. Largely not the medical, educational, technology and high-skilled construction we really need.
Ah well there have been a lot of engineers coming in at my work aroind where I sometimes sit there have been 3 instrumentation engineers arrived in the last year one from South Africa & two from Pakistan and all excellent
This is a good question. If I can add a point it would be how do WE go about changing these conversations. Based on your experience in political journalism, how have conversations been shifted previously?
Ultimately, it will be about leadership of people in corporate, government, civil, media and civil society. And when it becomes socially unacceptable to hold a certain view. We won’t know that moment until it’s obvious. For example, a proper advertising boycott of NZME. A worker boycott of a large corporate.
Thanks YouBeaut. You’re a beaut! I’ll keep reporting as much as I can on what’s happening in the climate, and how others are addressing it, with a focus on realistic solutions, rather than long-shots.
Thanks Bernard, I'm probably being conditioned by your excellent reporting, but the constant re-interviewing of Winston and asking the same questions seem to simplify and dumb-down the information and "news" supplied to the public. As well as giving oxygen to the wrong man. It seems we're being rendered useless by the inanity, reducing any real conversations about big-picture policy thinking to the fringes. My only hope is the NZ audience realise the treasure The Kaka is and becomes another option at 6pm.
Personally I think that any economic structure that relies on one unelected organisation eg the Reserve Bank of New Zealand whose sole economic aim is to take money from the poor and give it to the rich is a very bad structure. It is just so barbaric. There are so many other alternatives that aren’t even considered. Eg price control, increasing GST but taking it off food. Increasing taxes on the top tax rate. I can’t think of any more but others more clever than I am no doubt can.
One thing about our political media that genuinely does mystify me is the fact that no one seems to hound any politicians about supporting fiscal policy that deliberately seeks to create and maintain unemployment while simultaneously demonizing beneficiaries. It seems like such a slam dunk for the Jack Tames of the world. "Mr Politician sir, your own stated policy is for the Reserve Bank to control inflation through raising interest rates and therefore increasing unemployment." *hurls reams of notes directly into the camera.* "How, then, can you support lowering benefits and increasing sanctions for those who find themselves unemployed, due to your policy?"
That is fair, but I would counter that I’ve never seen it raised by a mainstream pols journo - either when unemployment *is* high or a few months back when economists were talking about the need to shed thousands of jobs
Also while I'm here, does RBNZ pay interest on the balance in the crown settlement account? I've looked all over for an answer on this and found one article stating that it does but I'd like to find a second reference if I can
The demographics has changes with a massive influx of new younger residents with a significant drop in the proportion of votes for the National candidate when it was Hunua.
"after acerbically criticising Labour's Michael Wood for not revealing shares he owned A National MP who may be critical to his party's post-election hopes has confirmed he owns undisclosed shares in a successful software company that contracts to govt agencies."
"CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve reached the end of this year’s election campaign - one full of white privilege, racism, misinformation, conspiracy theorists, anti-trans bullshit, terrible tax plans and a zombie apocalypse. From midnight campaigning ends. And the choice is all yours what happens next for the team of 5 million.
Don’t forget, you can rock up to an early voting place anytime they’re open and vote. You don’t need an easy vote card or ID to vote (you do for enrolling), you can be enrolled there as well. Get out and VOTE this election!"
Same as Glen no question but I have so appreciated how much I’ve learnt from the kākā and your work and also the awesome community here & what they share & the thoughtful convos ... it’s one place I’m not scared to enter into the comment section. Thank you & the subscriber crew.
Thankyou Maria. That is a sign of success. It takes me back to the early days of blogging. Very glad this is a respectful and thoughtful and human place. Nga mihi nui.
I second that Maria .. I too am so grateful for The Kaka .. And am not put off putting in my little thoughts and responses. Not so good on the economics side of things ..but poverty , housing and Tax really interest me . !
Here's an interesting one not related to the election, given the infrastructure deficit we have. It's a little before my time but it seemed we used to be able to build and maintain our critical infrastructure much more affordably and to a high quality when we used to have a Ministry of Works. Do you see any return to a model like this or similar models would help us tackle the backlog and reduce the costs of doing so?
Along with a Rent to Buy option, ie; a modern version of State Advance Loans. We threw some very good things that worked on the neoliberalism bonfire. Time to revise and revisit.
Absolutely. We had no money in the late ‘60’s, yet we capitalised our family benefit and built our own home. With today’s standards, we would be sentenced to a lifetime of renting.
There are proposals from the Greens et al for a re-creation of a Green Ministry of Works. I think it’s worth looking at to create a group of planners, engineers and project managers who can work through the ups and downs and changes of government.
Just wanted to reaffirm what other people have been saying, thanks for your work, it's informative, enjoyable, frustrating and interesting, thanks so much for what you do! Also do you give much stock to modern monetary theory? It seems like an interesting topic.
Thanks Henry. I am interested, but uncommitted. High inflation has been awkard for MMT, but there is something in it when there are plenty of idle resources sitting around, including labour. There hasn’t been so much of that recently.
This has largely gone unreported here (as has foreign policy in general in the campaign coverage) but it's now mainstream GOP policy in the US to bomb/send the military into Mexico as a "response" to the refugee/fentanyl crisis:
Ha! That sounds like hard work. Happy to. But my questioning would be way too geeky and polite for the TV showrunners. Conflict, pace and quick-fire shifts to various topics are the vogue. Not really my style or particular set of skills… I think Paddy, Jess and Jack do pretty good jobs. Mihi Forbes is also very good.
He's already answered that one
if given the chance I would vote for Bernard but as an interviewer for the election debates ..as he would be the most appropriate moderator and ask the important questions !
Ok Bernard. You call it AMA. Who are your votes going to?
Ha! I walked into that one. Sorry but am going to keep that one to myself. It gets complicated when you’re a journalist. Simpler to not say. Be confident though i voted for lots more houses, a lot less climate emissions and some sort of tax on residential land. That narrows it down a bit.
Ha ha 😁🤐😁.. Bravo B !!
AMABT Ask me anything but that! Touché Bernard, I respect and appreciate your coded response. Have a great weekend!
On Ya Bernard
Hi Bernard, Is there any detail on the skillset mix of the huge number of migrants? Surely the various skill gaps must be closing if we are bringing in people with the right skills?
Mostly construction, aged care, agriculture, retail and ‘services’. Largely not the medical, educational, technology and high-skilled construction we really need.
In other words, mostly workers who will make sure wages aren't going up as much and keep the housing shortage high enough.
Ah well there have been a lot of engineers coming in at my work aroind where I sometimes sit there have been 3 instrumentation engineers arrived in the last year one from South Africa & two from Pakistan and all excellent
Knowing what you know now, how do you intend to go about changing the election focus to be on Climate, rather than this minimalism now?
This is a good question. If I can add a point it would be how do WE go about changing these conversations. Based on your experience in political journalism, how have conversations been shifted previously?
Ultimately, it will be about leadership of people in corporate, government, civil, media and civil society. And when it becomes socially unacceptable to hold a certain view. We won’t know that moment until it’s obvious. For example, a proper advertising boycott of NZME. A worker boycott of a large corporate.
Thanks YouBeaut. You’re a beaut! I’ll keep reporting as much as I can on what’s happening in the climate, and how others are addressing it, with a focus on realistic solutions, rather than long-shots.
Thanks Bernard, I'm probably being conditioned by your excellent reporting, but the constant re-interviewing of Winston and asking the same questions seem to simplify and dumb-down the information and "news" supplied to the public. As well as giving oxygen to the wrong man. It seems we're being rendered useless by the inanity, reducing any real conversations about big-picture policy thinking to the fringes. My only hope is the NZ audience realise the treasure The Kaka is and becomes another option at 6pm.
</ end rant>
Big questions fail me today. What tipple do you turn to to celebrate/commiserate? We'll all need these lined up for tomorrow.
Ha! Some sort of gin and some sort of tonic. And on a really hot day, a crisp Pilsner thing.
Garage Project's recently-released Cali Daze would be my tipple. Lovely coppery texture and a lot of body and flavour for a 4.6% ABV beer.
And their two Tiny beers 0.5% are the most delicious non alcoholic beers on the market
I have a bottle of Irish whisky in my cupboard ready for anything . 🤭😊
What's the deal with that Krugman tweet today? It reads like a joke, is he actually claiming that inflation is down to acceptable levels?
Yep. And he’s right. Our food prices actually fell in data out yesterday.
So why exclude food, energy, shelter and used cars from the figure? It makes it sound like he's trying to pull a fast one on us somehow.
Hi Bernard. Are you still riding the Team Transitory bus or have you switched to the Higher for Longer ride?
Well I've noticed fresh spinach is now half that price it has been of late, do I thank Adrian Orr?
Personally I think that any economic structure that relies on one unelected organisation eg the Reserve Bank of New Zealand whose sole economic aim is to take money from the poor and give it to the rich is a very bad structure. It is just so barbaric. There are so many other alternatives that aren’t even considered. Eg price control, increasing GST but taking it off food. Increasing taxes on the top tax rate. I can’t think of any more but others more clever than I am no doubt can.
🤭😁👍
Maybe spinach is cheaper since we havent had any big floods and cyclones devastating horticulture for a few months
Krugman also finally announced the US had too much debt. After twenty years of the more the betta. Maybe he's had an awakening.
One thing about our political media that genuinely does mystify me is the fact that no one seems to hound any politicians about supporting fiscal policy that deliberately seeks to create and maintain unemployment while simultaneously demonizing beneficiaries. It seems like such a slam dunk for the Jack Tames of the world. "Mr Politician sir, your own stated policy is for the Reserve Bank to control inflation through raising interest rates and therefore increasing unemployment." *hurls reams of notes directly into the camera.* "How, then, can you support lowering benefits and increasing sanctions for those who find themselves unemployed, due to your policy?"
Any thoughts on this situation, Bernard?
Fair point and question. But I can see why it’s not obvious at the moment with unemployment so low, and staying there.
That is fair, but I would counter that I’ve never seen it raised by a mainstream pols journo - either when unemployment *is* high or a few months back when economists were talking about the need to shed thousands of jobs
Also while I'm here, does RBNZ pay interest on the balance in the crown settlement account? I've looked all over for an answer on this and found one article stating that it does but I'd like to find a second reference if I can
Interesting. I’ll have a dig around.
My condolences to the family of Neil Christensen, late ACT candidate for Port Waikato.
Because of NZ Election laws it triggers a by-election to choose the candidate.
Andrew BAYLY, a good man as he is, still only received %37 of the Port Waikato electoral vote.
https://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2020/electorate-details-39.html
The demographics has changes with a massive influx of new younger residents with a significant drop in the proportion of votes for the National candidate when it was Hunua.
https://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2017/electorate-details-16.html
Unfortunately
"after acerbically criticising Labour's Michael Wood for not revealing shares he owned A National MP who may be critical to his party's post-election hopes has confirmed he owns undisclosed shares in a successful software company that contracts to govt agencies."
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/national-mp-in-key-seat-didnt-disclose-big-shareholding
Given by-election generally do not tend to favour the latest incumbent Government,
there is good chance of a massive protest vote electing the candidate from Labour?
Will we possibly have to wait until November's by-election is over to truly know what side holds power?
(Yes Port Waikato is my electorate but no, I had nothing to do with the demise of the candidate )
THis is good information to see. Especially the last bit. But realistically, I doubt that electorate would flip.
Just a thank you for your excellent reporting and analysis through this dispiriting election. Let's hope for better.
I’ll keep trying. And thankyou for your tangible support, and that of others on here every day. Cheers
Sad to say but other than The Kākā & Jack Tame the best reporting on the election has been from
Paul Barlow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swOReTzjsd4
"CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve reached the end of this year’s election campaign - one full of white privilege, racism, misinformation, conspiracy theorists, anti-trans bullshit, terrible tax plans and a zombie apocalypse. From midnight campaigning ends. And the choice is all yours what happens next for the team of 5 million.
Don’t forget, you can rock up to an early voting place anytime they’re open and vote. You don’t need an easy vote card or ID to vote (you do for enrolling), you can be enrolled there as well. Get out and VOTE this election!"
The French Absurdist Election
Jean Luc Goddard would be proud
PAUL BARLOW 12 OCT 2023
https://paulbarlow.substack.com/p/the-french-absurdist-election
Same as Glen no question but I have so appreciated how much I’ve learnt from the kākā and your work and also the awesome community here & what they share & the thoughtful convos ... it’s one place I’m not scared to enter into the comment section. Thank you & the subscriber crew.
Thankyou Maria. That is a sign of success. It takes me back to the early days of blogging. Very glad this is a respectful and thoughtful and human place. Nga mihi nui.
I second that Maria .. I too am so grateful for The Kaka .. And am not put off putting in my little thoughts and responses. Not so good on the economics side of things ..but poverty , housing and Tax really interest me . !
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018909988/media-shift-blame-for-misleading-tax-policy-headlines
Too accepting of
too many inconsistencies in parties policies &
too many unanswered questions remaining
too early in the campaign ; but is it
too late to undo the damage of
too much fuckwittery?
Here's an interesting one not related to the election, given the infrastructure deficit we have. It's a little before my time but it seemed we used to be able to build and maintain our critical infrastructure much more affordably and to a high quality when we used to have a Ministry of Works. Do you see any return to a model like this or similar models would help us tackle the backlog and reduce the costs of doing so?
If only!
Models like the Ministry of Green Works proposal?
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2110/S00273/rising-to-the-challenge-a-ministry-of-green-works-for-aotearoa.htm
That’s the one.
Along with a Rent to Buy option, ie; a modern version of State Advance Loans. We threw some very good things that worked on the neoliberalism bonfire. Time to revise and revisit.
Absolutely. We had no money in the late ‘60’s, yet we capitalised our family benefit and built our own home. With today’s standards, we would be sentenced to a lifetime of renting.
There are proposals from the Greens et al for a re-creation of a Green Ministry of Works. I think it’s worth looking at to create a group of planners, engineers and project managers who can work through the ups and downs and changes of government.
and Green policy for funding for what would essentially be a resurrected Sate Advances.
Just wanted to reaffirm what other people have been saying, thanks for your work, it's informative, enjoyable, frustrating and interesting, thanks so much for what you do! Also do you give much stock to modern monetary theory? It seems like an interesting topic.
Thanks Henry. I am interested, but uncommitted. High inflation has been awkard for MMT, but there is something in it when there are plenty of idle resources sitting around, including labour. There hasn’t been so much of that recently.
This has largely gone unreported here (as has foreign policy in general in the campaign coverage) but it's now mainstream GOP policy in the US to bomb/send the military into Mexico as a "response" to the refugee/fentanyl crisis:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/03/us/politics/trump-mexico-cartels-republican.html
Can't really think of a better argument for steering clear of AUKUS than that?
I can think of a few others, including cost.
So my question could be ..
Would you consider taking part in one of those TV election debates as the moderator/ interviewer? ..in 3 years time .or ..god forbid in a rerun..?
Ha! That sounds like hard work. Happy to. But my questioning would be way too geeky and polite for the TV showrunners. Conflict, pace and quick-fire shifts to various topics are the vogue. Not really my style or particular set of skills… I think Paddy, Jess and Jack do pretty good jobs. Mihi Forbes is also very good.