Talk Elections

I used to lecture there, and wonder if their are any kiwi's or aussies on this board.

With national playing the race card again I think they'll  unseat Helen Clark's government.

I have no idea, but from your description it sounds like their ideologies must be nearly identical!

i'm an aussie, and suggest you lok at my farce! thread :D

I thought that NZ Labour was actually pretty left? Maybe that was just when it was in coalition with the greens. Either way, they'll win. the Nats are just too far gone.

I think both partys are really trying to appeal to the centre. I'd say that, labour is more central in NZ than Mark Latham in aussie but I'd venture anyone is better than howard.

I'm working for my local member, Michael Danby (ALP) this election. Not because I like Latham, or like him (although he's a great bloke, coincidentallY) but because I am so sick of Hoard. He's been PM for my whole politically aware life, from about 8-9 (he's been in power since 1996)-almost half my life.


We need a socially progressive government, and we need it niow. And that's why i'm going to help get rid of Howard.

Anyway, soprry to hijack the thread, back to New Zealand.

I though the elections were next year?

They are, but there is talk of snap elections.

What are the polling numbers like?

Well, about 3 months ago Labour (the incumbent since 96) was about 14 points ahead in the polls. They had thrashed the national party in the last election who lost like 8 seats (in a 120 seat parliament).

Then the new leader of the national party who was formerly the equivalent of Alan Greenspan over here (Federal Reserve chair), and equally as boring, gave a rousing speech stating that the Maori (new zealand's native people) get far too much in the way of affirmative action type schemes, quotas and fiscal help under the treaty of waitangi (kind of like NZ's founding document)...

This racial issue has become rather hot, culminating with a Maori claim for ownership of the foreshore and seabed, which seemed to piss off middle new zealand. as such the government (labour) took an appeasement approach to maori, and suffers as a result.

If polling is correct National could secure as many as 48 seats and with the support of third parties could form a government.

I am totally rooting for ACT New Zealand.  One of a few free-market, libertarian parties in the world that actually wins elections - and I think one of only a couple with seats in national elections.

And on a sidenote, I could tell hughento was an Aussie when he said "heaps" in another thread.

lol, why? don't they use that term in the US?

It's a heaps good term ;)

Heh, it's just very Aussie to say heaps.  Just like it's very Deep South to refer to a group of something as a "mess" and not have it mean something disorganized.

whereas a Kiwi would say "Wikkad lots!"

I can't say I've ever heard a kiwi say that... and my wife is kiwi mind you.

YOU'RE MARRIED TO A KIWI?!?

Guv hir my bust wishas.

:)

I like New Zelanders, and they do say 'Wikkad luts!'

especially when they ask 'fur sux dullas wuth if fush an chups' :)

remember that half of New Zealand is in Australia collecting welfare, so....


I'll end this post on a positive note-us antipodeans really so like each other. The whole ANZAC spitrit thing. Good to know there is sorta-another one here.

Will Do.

I'll remind my self when im next in Sydney to buy a 'seeex pack of VB maaaate'

I'm Melburnian.

We're "Kulchad".

:D

New Zealand? What is that? Oh wait, those are those tiny little islands near Australia were nobody lives, aren't they? ;)

Seriously, I know very little about NZ politics, but I don't think Clark is hugely unpopular there (I could be wrong, I dunno) so I think Labour will retain power, and the National party will be duvastated!

OK, I'll keep quiet now. :D