Hard News: A thing that rarely ends well
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"I know it's "par for the course" when in opposition, to keep the incumbent "honest" but the way they have behaved in the last three years would be regarded a treason in a lot of countries."
Well it's a good thing it isn't here! Really all they have done is had a look at Helen and Michael from 1999, realised how effective they were and modelled themselves on them.
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Russell, everything in Auckland is swanky.
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This whole business about Owen Glenn will be now be endlessly commented on by various journalists interviewing each other, as part of the pre-determined Fin de siècle media narrative for the government. That's the hardest bit for me to swallow. Every tiny molehill is going to be relentlessly turned into a mountain by the same people who will then without a hint of irony sanctimoniously lecture Labour about its need to be less accident-prone.
As a party worker, I find this so incredibly frustrating. We've got a mini baby boom going on that tells me more people than ever are feeling prosperous enough to start a family, the economy has had its best growth since the 1950's, unemployment is practically non-existent, the minimum wage and WFF has measurably helped lower income New Zealanders, John Key has been caught telling the Keri Keri District Business Association he'd love to drive down wages and all the plonkers in the media want to talk about is middle class tax cuts, smacking and non-existent "scandals".
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tom
you poor bugger. how long have you been in this business?
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Talk about Labour cocking up a molehill into a mountain.
Personally I couldn't give a toss if the man gets appointed honourary consul to Monaco. It's a voluntary position of very little importance, and it'll just mean that he's doing some free work for us. As long as he's vaguely competent, go for it.
Impressive how Labour managed to turn a non-story into an actual story which National is now feeding off.
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everything in Auckland is swanky
is that an extraneous "s"?
OK, beat me now....
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John Key has been caught telling the Keri Keri District Business Association he'd love to drive down wages and all the plonkers in the media want to talk about is middle class tax cuts, smacking and non-existent "scandals".
Indeed. I look forward to the swivel-eyed ones frothing at the mouth over Key's remarkable statement <cough>admission</cough>. A lead on the evening news, and an incredulous 56-pt headline on the front of the Herald, for staters.
"NATS PLAN ATTACK ON WAGES" should do.
Followed by weeks of blather and journos interviewing each other about how hard they work for their current salaries, and how they wouldn't "love" seeing them driven down.
Followed by some unsolicited advice to the Nats about who should, and shouldn't be on their front bench, and which "under-performers" should be put out to pasture.
Rinse and repeat.
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Good to see an ex-pat investing some of his money back in NZ if you ask me. This seems like a typical case of "tall poppy" syndrome to another ex-pat looking in at this remarkable and unnewsworthy seeming fuss.
Its not as if the last consul wasn't a partner in a large NZ law firm as well as a National Party MP while holding that post. At least this guy actually lives there part of the year round.
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everything in Auckland is swanky.
or, according to a bunch of Cantabrians I met once, something which sounds pretty similar to 'swanky', anyway.
This whole business about Owen Glenn will be now be endlessly commented on by various journalists interviewing each other, as part of the pre-determined Fin de siècle media narrative for the government. That's the hardest bit for me to swallow....As a party worker, I find this so incredibly frustrating.
Tom, I know some National Party people who felt the same way in 1999. The economy had turned at the end of 1998; the hard stuff was over, and they knew they were on the way out and felt incredibly frustrated the media had written them off.
It's part of the deal.
As for Owen Glenn...honorary consul?? He wont' get a bloody Ford Consul now.
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I'm pretty sure the reason Owen Glenn is so loathed by the Kiwiblog right is that they see him as a class traitor.
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Owen Glenn surely is the perfect Honorary Consul for Monoco as he definately bought his honour.
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and all the plonkers in the media want to talk about is middle class tax cuts, smacking and non-existent "scandals".
There's a cluster of narratives in place now that will be hellishly difficult to break. Labour clearly had a plan to at least try and do so, but that's been upended by the Glenn story. Most people don't really think there's that much in it, but it leads the news because that's the story.
It's a bit like the last year of the Shipley government, although I'd argue that the government is performing far better at the business of government than that one was.
dc_red has a point: if the prevailing story was running the other way, Key would be crucified for that "we'd love to see wages fall" statement.
The thing is that at the moment -- to put it bluntly -- Key's shit doesn't stink. He really only has to turn up to score maximum points. He doesn't do all that much, but he doesn't shoot himself in the foot either.
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Good to see an ex-pat investing some of his money back in NZ if you ask me.
He's actually done some really fine things: shipping condoms to Africa, funding development projects in rural India. He's like one of those American alumni philanthropists, in that he likes to see his name on things, but that's not a crime.
Although I think we can really rule out a career in politics ...
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Its not as if the last consul wasn't a partner in a large NZ law firm as well as a National Party MP while holding that post. At least this guy actually lives there part of the year round.
You've got it backward, I'm afraid.
Richard Worth is the Consul for Monaco, to New Zealand (and he used to be Consul for Colombia).
Owen Glenn is being consider for the post of Consul to Monaco, for New Zealand.
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Aah ok Graeme - thanks for clarifying that. That raises an interesting question for me though about a sitting member of the opposition representing the interests of a foreign country, which at least on its face is much more bizarre than a NZer who lives in a country being the NZ representative there? Why is that not a conflict of interest?
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Richard Worth is the Consul for Monaco, to New Zealand (and he used to be Consul for Colombia).
Which was the more glamorous?
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Key -
"We would love to see wages drop," he says.
"The way we want to see wages increase is because productivity is greater. So people can afford more. Not just for inflationary reasons, otherwise it's a bit of a vicious circle as it comes back at you in higher interest rates."
"We really want to drive that out," he says.
Reducing wages, lowers the cost of labour relative to capital investment. That can actually reduce productivity by disincentivising investment in productivity increasing capital, and increasing the incentive to hire another cheap warm body.
You increase productivity by increasing the percentage in the workforce (which Labour has done significantly, not by reducing wages, but while they've increased), and through technology and investment.
We could a lot of the sting out of interest rates/inflation if we put controls on currency trading so higher interest rates fed directly back into the economy, rather than being exploited by traders. Then the Reserve Bank could do its job. (the NZD is the 16th most traded in the world). Not that it would ever enter Key's agenda.
And yes, Australia has the highest manufacturing wages in the world. And well funded universities. There's a reason people migrate there.
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Aah ok Graeme - thanks for clarifying that. That raises an interesting question for me though about a sitting member of the opposition representing the interests of a foreign country, which at least on its face is much more bizarre than a NZer who lives in a country being the NZ representative there? Why is that not a conflict of interest?
Honorary consuls don't actually do a lot of representing. But you're right, it is a prima facie conflict of interest, and if Parliament ever debates anything to do with Monaco (fat chance), then I'd expect him to declare it and withdraw.
Provided he doesn't swear an oath of allegiance to a foreign power while an MP, it's not a problem.
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"put controls on currency trading"
i'm sure that's really high on Key's list of Loyalties To Be Served
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Reducing wages, lowers the cost of labour relative to capital investment. That can actually reduce productivity by disincentivising investment in productivity increasing capital, and increasing the incentive to hire another cheap warm body.
And for those wanting an example, just look at the 90's. The ECA and high unemployment kept wages low, which reduced investment in productivity. Why bother when you can just hire another warm body?
This is not a policy which in the long-term will make New Zealand richer; long-term sustainable economic growth depends on productivity gains. But it will make business-owners richer. In other words, it is primarily about redistributing wealth from the many to the few.
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Tom S
"I'm pretty sure the reason Owen Glenn is so loathed by the Kiwiblog right is that they see him as a class traitor."I'm pretty sure the reason John Key is so loathed by the left is that they see him as a class traitor.
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Just when I was thinking about voting National... the last few weeks of nonsense have turned me right off.
I just can't imagine Key round a table at APEC or whatever. Shame, because he's an intelligent, well meaning bloke. So clearly not intended for Politics...
BTW, I hope there isn'y anyone from the citylet of Arbitrageur or Vivo suggesting that Auckland joints are swanky?
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I'm pretty sure the reason John Key is so loathed by the left is that they see him as a class traitor.
Pardon?
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The govt has five Honorary Consul-Generals throughout Japan. All the reps are Japanese nationals and captains of industry--just the kind of guys that you need to grease the wheels and make introductions. Owen Glenn's profile seems perfect for the backdrop of Monaco.
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I'm pretty sure the reason John Key is so loathed by the left is that they see him as a class traitor.
Pardon?
Well, let's see. Brought up in a state house, got a free university education, went overseas to make his fortune, came back to help his rich new mates rape and pillage, threatens to reduce the wages of the working class. Nuff said?
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