Thread: John Key's shock resignation as prime minister of New Zealand

What short memories people have. The deregulation of the NZ economy, market-led restructuring and floating exchange rate were introduced by the Lange government in the mid-80's - normally associated with the political right, this was a Labour government. Roger Douglas, the architect, and Lange's finance minister, later joined the ACT party - generally regarded as NZ's 'furthest right' political movement.
I was involved in the transportation of many members of that government around at the time, and had the opportunity to chat with some of them. David Lange was, indeed, a very nice man, though had the habit of throwing his empty cans of Fresh-Up on the floor. Helen Clark was also very amenable, and Mike Moore was always up for a good yarn.
Many people thought it was the end of days then - a bit like now. It wasn't, and it won't be.

Originally Posted by Barty

I have strong view on the whole charade that looks like it doesn’t match ENT’s point of view.

*to be fair I am probably not remembering some of this correctly either.

Fair enough, it was 30 years ago, and without looking on the net, the details of the event escape me too.

Originally Posted by Plan B

[ Post-match interviews of Lange years later showed NZ was pretty much bent over a barrel by the big boys and royally shafted.

Yeh right

Interesting thread this... opinion seems divided about Key here - which reflects NZ talk-back radio.

My view is that he was very good (for the already established generation/baby boomers) house long since paid off... great for the wealthy Chinese, who he has let in droves and given free reign to buy land/houses/farms with little restriction...

Queen Street (near my apartment) already looks like China town.

He allowed in far too many unskilled immigrants - without first making sure our infrastructure, could cope.
House prices are a joke...

With the money I have right now, I could buy a much nicer house in semi-rural Japan, than my mother's 2 million Kiwi dollar abode.
I'm not willing to put a hefty deposit on a 1.5 million dollar house - put my balls in a sling with a million dollar mortgage...

Anyway, sorry I got sidetracked... point is, our PM should represent all our interests, not just the rich or big business.

Originally Posted by NZdick1983

^ Wanker left us with the highest house prices in the world....massive gap between rich and poor.
Nany state, media is nowadays just a mouthpiece for the government...


Took the easy road, instead of forging our way to an export led economy
he opened the floodgates to immigrants. (which in large part, overheated the housing market).
1,000 new immigrants flock to Auckland each week! it puts enormous pressure on our infrastructure (roads, housing, hospitals, etc)..
When I left NZ, our population was around 3 million, now it's 4.5 and rapidly climbing...


Currently, we are in large part importing growth, rather than creating it.
Our economic growth is connected to population growth due to immigration.

Key (aptly named) means shit in Thai... is the big greedy rat - jumping off a sinking ship..

According to myth, Māui hauled up the the land of NZ... Key has pulled the plug and we are sinking.


"Rock Star Economy" famous last words fucker...

You damn tin-foil hatter!

^ Right you are, Trump..

Originally Posted by NZdick1983

^ Right you are, Trump..

He's the man!

Are you a Kiwi, JJ? you could run for office...

Originally Posted by NZdick1983

Are you a Kiwi, JJ? you could run for office...

I'm 44, they wouldn't let me in.

Friend of mine is trying to get in. He was refused because of his age. However, he's now under consideration due to his wife's qualifications.

A bit like being allowed into the ladies' toilets because I'm wearing my wife's nickers.

Originally Posted by Barty

Originally Posted by thaimeme

During his time, he was quite adamant regarding nuclear war ships visiting NZ and it's and offshore limits - U.S, U.K, French, Russian, Canadian, etc........fuck 'em all!

Ruffled a few feathers amongst the so called traditional allies and foes. And they still didn't get it.

Remembering that time and the controversies with the French in the Pacific - was down in Mt. Roskill [from Kerikeri] visiting extended family that morning of the sabotaged bombing of the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland harbour.....and the insipid ensuing politics [Frogs/Kiwis] that followed.

I think that you are misremembering some of the details* and its late at night and I can’t be bothered looking it all up but what I remember is; In the early 80’s under the Lange government NZ declared itself as a nuclear free zone and USA decided to test NZ. The US purposely sent the USS Buchanan to visit NZ, which NZ basically said your welcome into our ports if you can confirm that you have no nuclear capabilities on the ship. The captain had a line that went something along the line of “we can neither confirm or deny that we have nuclear capability… blah blah blah”. So, the US navy was basically told you cannot dock in our ports if you cannot confirm that you do not have nuclear capability on board the ship. This seriously pissed the Americans off and made them essentially cancel or suspend the ANZUS treaty. Which pissed the Australians right off (not because of their very poor rugby skills or their great ability to bowl underarm but they thought the ANZUS treaty was something worth having).

The French and the Rainbow Warrior is something that I need to address tomorrow while I am somewhat more sober than I am now, but I have strong view on the whole charade that looks like it doesn’t match ENT’s point of view.

*to be fair I am probably not remembering some of this correctly either.

Splitting hairs, mate.
Very late night/early morning.
The blast occurred about 3:30 AM.

Cheers.

David Lange was the acceptable face of the Labour party in the 1980's - a great speaker, but the non-nuclear to anti-nuclear policy was a bit of a smokescreen. NZ's geopolitical position allowed them the indulgence of a bit of grandstanding, which was perfectly understandable. Things were not so simple in the Northern Hemisphere.

Roger Douglas, Richard "Mad Dog" Prebble and David Caygill were the real movers and shakers during that period, and they opened the doors ...

Gareth Morgan's divisive policy to tackle inequality

Gareth Morgan chose to announce his taxation policy outside John Key's "mansion" in Parnell, Auckland, on Wedneday

The nation's newest political party leader has a dim view of what departing Prime Minister John Key will be remembered for.

"Unfortunately John Key's legacy will be that he allowed the second round of expansion in inequality," economist, philanthropist and now aspiring-politician Gareth Morgan said.

Morgan launched the Opportunities Party (TOP) in November, with a vow to reduce the gap between New Zealand's haves and have nots.

He proposed a Robin Hood-style tax policy on Wednesday; a capital tax on home owners that will offset reductions in income tax across the board.

​"I want to hold house prices - not collapse them - and give incomes a chance to catch up", he said.
This will boost the brass of 80 per cent of the population and leave the wealthier 20 per cent to "fund an increase in fairness in New Zealand", he estimated.

For the latter group, Morgan is the first to admit his policy proposal would be "like a cup of cold sick".
"This policy is one you do have to go away and think about - and then have a whisky and think about it again.... And then overcome your rage", he said.

"It's a very radical, fundamental reform for New Zealand."

TOP's next policy announcement would "probably be on immigration, probably next week", Morgan said.

As for a Universal Basic Income he hinted at earlier in the day, Morgan said it wouldn't be on the cards this time.
"[That would be in] phase two, if we're still about," he said.

He hoped to have all his current policies delivered by March next year, when he would glean the public's interest in TOP running in 2017's election.
Gareth Morgan's divisive policy to tackle inequality | Stuff.co.nz

National's dilemma: Status quo or change?
There are few things more destabilising and potentially divisive than a leadership stoush.

What was supposed to be an easy handover in National has turned into a leadership brawl as MPs are shaken out of their complacency that the next election is a done deal.

After the shock of Prime Minister John Key's sudden departure, National's MPs are contemplating life not just after Key but the possibility of life back in Opposition – a prospect that seemed almost fanciful just last week.

Finance Minister Bill English is still the front-runner to succeed Key, but the emergence of two more contenders, Judith "Crusher" Collins and Health Minister Jonathan Coleman are the first rumblings of opposition to a status-quo candidate.

Wednesday, a further sign of a mood for change in the caucus.
For most of Key's MPs, leadership contests are something they've not had much experience of – it's been a decade since National's leadership last changed hands.
But as some of the old hands will tell them, there are few things more destabilising and potentially divisive than a leadership stoush.

Key's anointing of his Finance Minister Bill English as his likely successor was an attempt to stave that off. But English may have squandered his early advantage by appearing unprepared for questions from media, despite having advance warning weeks ahead of the rest of his colleagues that Key was planning to resign.

English was almost diffident, where any other contender would have been expected to come out of the blocks with a plan to take National into a new era.
It raised eyebrows even among some of his strongest supporters.
.
After the shock of losing Key, they are now feeling the fear that anything is possible.

National's dilemma: Status quo or change? | Stuff.co.nz