Quick Hit: Petty and Pathetic, by the Numbers
Hipkins called Luxon’s education attack “petty and pathetic”. The ministry’s own figures show regular attendance fell from 64 per cent to 39.9 per cent while he was minister, and it was falling before Covid arrived.
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Quick Hit: The Greens’ Plan In Numbers
The Greens promise $3b more for health at each of four budgets, a surplus a year later and $26.6b more debt by 2030/31, paid for with nearly $29b in new taxes. The Taxpayers’ Union says 17 other promises, worth $176.4b, are missing from the plan.
Quick Hit: What the Court Actually Said
The High Court struck down the puberty blocker ban on consultation and discrimination grounds. It also found the minister had a rational basis to act, made his own decision and did not act for an NZ First purpose.
Quick Hit: An Overhang Is Not Cheating
Luxon and Hipkins both said engineering an overhang is cheating. The Electoral Commission says it is how MMP works, and parliament has had one in five of the last seven terms.
Quick Hit: He Was Chairing It
Hipkins says he isn’t sure the Mob’s $2.75m ever went to cabinet. The Taxpayers’ Union says his own cabinet turned down a plan to stop gang contracts in July 2023, while he was prime minister.
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A Promise at Eberswalde
A democratic nation that fails to offer its crisis-stricken people a coherent choice between left and right will struggle to remain one.
These Are Stupid and False Claims
The economic effects of private companies can be measured in jobs, exports, tax paid and private gifts to hospitals and community facilities. The effects of organised gang activity appear in police statistics, hospital presentations, court lists and the documented use of intimidation and extortion.
Opportunity Needs a Reality Check
The centre-right option has many, many faults, but with economic growth finally starting to gather some momentum, we’d be crazy to put the brakes on – the way that Labour, the Greens and Opportunity want to.
Interest, Yes. Pressure, No.
A senior officer swore parliament was merely interested in Brian Tamaki. The emails she was shown, and the protests nobody chased, tell a different story.