Easter Bunnies

Another Side To Shearer?

David Shearer's rather odd behaviour, following the late disclosure of money stashed away in a New York bank, cannot be explained  in my opinion, solely by memory loss. I suspect he was told that somebody knew about it and that he had better come clean asp. 

I am sure he has once again confirmed the low esteem many people have for politicians in New Zealand. Can any of them be trusted when parliamentary leaders show such a bad example? It is perhaps time for Shearer to go and make way for someone with more integrity, someone who has a better alternative approach to  government than memory fade and policies not so very different to those of Phil Goff - who was soundly rejected by voters. A tarnished and lackluster Shearer will probably suffer the same fate.   

Unsettled Business

Shane Jones has been been reinstated into Labour's Shadow Cabinet after an Inquiry found him innocent of serious charges of corruption as Minister of Immigration. However, even Shane admits he could have done better and for some, there are still many unanswered questions hanging over him.

As a person, Shane comes across as a likable man and a very capable politician - most of the time. He will hopefully recover from this episode, as he did from the "Porn Tapes In The Motel" episode and re-emerge, a lot wiser and ready to help Labour shore up its Maori and Working class support. Despite his obvious flaws, they will certainly need him if they are to retake the Treasury Benches. 

Tripping Out !

I find it hard to understand John Key's enthusiasm to send NZ investment overseas at a time when NZ itself is suffering from  shameful levels of underinvestment at home that has contributed so much to our high levels of unemployment. Latin America competes directly in the World Market with almost every thing we export, so what is the point of dangerously exposing our technological lead by helping them out?

As far as I know, John Key has never worked in a productive enterprise in his life - instead he has got his millions from trading currencies. What worries me about this man is that he cannot stop trading - but as Prime Minister, it could be at our expense.

Looking Down The Barrel At Unemployment

Taking jobs in businesses with prisoners does seem a bit counter productive when high levels of unemployment are without doubt a contributing factor in the national crime rate. Far better perhaps to set up skill based courses within prisons and give prisoners guaranteed work on their release in socially needed work before letting them complete in the job market.

Slipping On A Greasy Poll

Sadly, the coverage of David Shearer reshuffling his shadow cabinet was somewhat poorly timed as the it competed with the headlines of his declining popularity. The reshuffle was hardly radical, out with some old and in with some old - along with the new. Typically timid and pragmatic choices by Shearer, hardly the stuff to light the fires signaling a new and dynamic party.

In my view, as long as Shearer remains at the helm of Labour, the Party will continue to look like Goff mk2 and that is hardly an election winner.

Winston Loves Red Herrings

Richard Prosser quite rightly, in my opinion, deserved to get dragged over the coals for his rather shallow comments about how dangerous young Muslims are. However I am sure there are many Kiwis who would agree with his point of view in a less extreme way. Mind you, there have been times in European history where crazy Christian extremism behaved in very much the same manner as we see Muslims doing today.

Fortunately the Age Of Reason came and religious bigots were sent back to the powerless loony fringe of society where they belong. From this point of view perhaps we will have to wait for enough educated people born in Muslim families to take power from the extremists and stop the assassinations, murder and religious wars - in the same way they did in Christian Europe and recently in Communist Russia and China. Winston's Red Herrings make much better reading - especially how the master showman attracts the media's attention to the squandering of public funds.