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Like all good soap operas, it’s good to keep a political story bubbling this close to an election. That’s what Judith Collins has done since raising the likelihood of a wealth tax if a Labour-Green government is elected, at the week-end.
Jacinda ruled it out on Hosking on Monday morning, stating naively that the largest party always makes the decision on taxes. There she goes making things up again! Since when?
The BFD. Photoshopped image credit Boondecker
An emboldened James Shaw seeing a chance to boost his ‘tax is love’ support base, came out of his corner strongly announcing he would not rule out negotiating a wealth tax if he were in a position to do so. So now you do have a bottom line James? More than one, perhaps?
Judith had successfully placed the subject in the public arena and got the two protagonists forced into a public argument/‘conversation’.
Next the Green Party’s Maungakiekie candidate Ricardo Menéndez March sparked fresh speculation on Twitter, making a pointed reference to Ardern’s comment:
“The great thing about [Government] negotiations is that it’s not up to a single person to ‘rule out’ a wealth tax, guaranteed minimum income or better protections for our oceans. It’s up to the voters whether to give us [the Greens] the mandate to take these issues to the negotiating table.”
Ricardo is not afraid to start a war with the Sainted One. Brave man, we are cheering him on!
And to add insult to injury Chlöe Swarbrick challenged Ardern on the Ryan Bridge Drive Time, agreeing with her Greens colleagues, saying they would not rule anything out, and negotiation happened after the election.
Ardern has been forced to shut down the Opposition leader’s speculation again and again, saying:
“I have said the same thing on this policy no less than probably 50 times. I have ruled it out, It is not our policy. What you’re seeing from the National Party, frankly, is desperate.”
A clearly agitated Ardern has got it wrong. This has become a story because her potential coalition partners have grabbed control of the narrative, which differs from Ardern’s, and are running with it.
Collins has also seized on Ardern’s (very generous) promise to work with the Greens whether she needs them or not saying, “Labour wants someone to blame for unpopular policies”. I tend to agree.
Judith’s stand ups on the campaign trail have become compelling viewing online with her humour, quick repartee, ability to swat away petty questions (mainly from Tova) and her complete lack of political correctness. The reporters seem to enjoy them just as much as I do.
Her comment on Chris Lynch’s show on Monday that people must take personal responsibility for weight issues (and that obesity is not an epidemic because you can’t catch it) has caused a furore with some in the MSM. Magic Talk and Kerre on Newstalk ZB chose it as a discussion topic with most agreeing with Collins’s stance.
Newshub, determined to make a drama out of it, did research and some creative editorializing. A suitably shocked Sam Hayes took a stand for public decency and demanded an apology from Judith Collins after a weight reduction group was disgusted (just like Sam) that Judith could utter such blasphemy, that a person was actually responsible for their own choices.
Easy Sam. A cup of tea and a lie down usually works.
Much of the MSM, particularly Newshub, has become the official propaganda machine for the Labour party. The news item was unadulterated bullying of Collins, which of course will only spur her on, now she has the bit between her teeth.
And calling Ardern a liar, regarding gross border testing inaccuracies, was not before time. You go girl!
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