Gordon Campbell On Budget 2025
Underwhelming, as promised. All week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis had actively reduced public expectations by saying that her second Budget would not be filled “with […]
Budget
Gordon Campbell on Nicola Willis and her surplus fetish
So…. according to the Treasury, we’ll have to borrow $17.1 billion by June 2028, to help fund ( among other things) a nearly $10 billion […]
Gordon Campbell on Nicola Willis’ impersonation of a Finance Minister
“I don’t make merry myself at Christmas, and I can’t afford to make idle people merry. I help to support [the poorhouses]…. They cost enough, […]
Gordon Campbell on National’s (lack of) plans for El Nino
Debate time: In contrast to most debates, political debates aren’t simply about winning on points of logic, but are also about looking likeable on television […]
Gordon Campbell on using contractors as an election bogey
The demonising of consultants and contractors in the public service assumes that their functions can readily be added to the work burdens of the existing […]
Gordon Campbell on the “GST off fruit and vegetables” saga
To be clear…. Any package that offers people relief on the cost of healthy food (plus a boost to Working For Families entitlements) is welcome, […]
Gordon Campbell on gender posturing and mis-using PPPs in public health
What is it with right wing politicians getting standing ovations for doing the bare minimum? As in… Florida governor and presidential hopeful Ron De Santis […]
Gordon Campbell on Winston Peters’ troubled tango with the ACT Party
In line with its ideological mission to destroy any and all of the creative partnerships between the state, business, science and public health, the ACT […]
Gordon Campbell on ACT’s links to Big Pharma
Economists are weird. People are having trouble feeding their families. Yet the obvious solution – reduce the tax burden on their food – is treated […]
Gordon Campbell on National’s law and ordure policy
So here we are… Barely 75 days out from election day, and National STILL hasn’t revealed how it is going to pay for its stupendously […]
Gordon Campbell on the Budget
Heaven help us, but this year’s Budget is what a “targeted” and “no frills” response to the financial hardship facing hundreds of thousands of New […]
Gordon Campbell on trying to pass National on the right
It may be naïve to expect any politician to be consistent, but Christopher Luxon really is in a class of his own. One day, he’s […]
Gordon Campbell on the endless spending on Defence
Defence is the one area of government spending where the politicians never, ever demand – but how on earth do we propose to pay for […]
Gordon Campbell on AUKUS and Australia’s decision on nuclear subs
Update: Evidently, Reuters were correct in the major details reported below on Werewolf, prior to the official AUKUS announcement. Yes, the US will begin to […]
Gordon Campbell on disaster politics
Most of us have been the CEOs of our own lives for long enough to realise that Cyclone Gabrielle has done a massive amount of […]
Gordon Campbell on the price tag for closer US military ties
So far, the closer military relationship envisaged by Jacinda Ardern and Joseph Biden at their recent White House meeting has been analysed mainly in terms […]
Gordon Campbell on Budget 2022
At base, the political biffo back and forth on the merits of Budget 2022 comes down to only one thing. Who is the better manager […]
Gordon Campbell on the Emissions Reduction Plan non-event
Clearly, the attempt to take the politics out of climate change has itself been a political decision, and one meant to remove much of the […]
Gordon Campbell on the Tame interview, and Macron’s endless challenges
National truly is the party of aspiration. Any centre-right voter who watched their champion’s trainwreck interview with Jack Tame on last Sunday’s Q & A […]
Gordon Campbell on sending a Hercules off to Europe
Yesterday’s decision to dispatch one of our ageing C-130 Hercules cargo planes to Europe for two months will – hopefully – help to get essential […]
Gordon Campbell on Luxon’s tired tax plan
Like a broken record, National Party leader Christopher Luxon is offering a 40 year old formula of tax cuts that (inevitably) will be paid for […]
Gordon Campbell on Budget 2020
Welcome to the breadline. Treasury’s best case scenario sees unemployment reaching 9.8% by September and yet… the coalition government seems to have decided it can […]
Gordon Campbell on the argument over whether lives or livelihoods are more important
It is hardly business as usual, but this week is shaping up to be all about business and its needs, how the economy will emerge […]
Gordon Campbell on Labour’s timidity, and the temporary outrage over Syria
What an odd post-Cabinet press conference that was yesterday, from PM Jacinda Ardern and Finance Minister Grant Robertson. Overall, it was like hearing from the […]
Gordon Campbell on National’s fake news onslaught
Can National succeed in lying its way into a fourth term of office? Given its entirely fictitious claims of a $11.7 billion hole in Labour’s alternative budget, it won’t be for lack of trying.
Gordon Campbell on yesterday’s Budget
Budgies, so their Wikipedia page says, are popular pets around the world due to their small size, low cost, and ability to mimic human speech. […]
Gordon Campbell on Treasury’s plans for Kiwirail
Is there any more terrifying phrase in the English language than “Treasury recommends”? The latest idiotic idea to emerge from the Treasury – lets close […]
Gordon Campbell on Budget 2015
From the outset, the slogan for yesterday’s Budget – “The Plan Is Working” – begged to be mocked. There’s actually a plan for the national […]
Gordon Campbell on the government’s belated moves on property speculation
Is it a property tax on capital gains or a capital gains tax on property? The Jesuitical distinctions in the government’s spin about its latest […]
Gordon Campbell on the token boost to elective surgery
Political tokenism comes in many shapes and sizes, but the $98 million boost in elective surgery is a cynical example of it. The pre-Budget package […]