The Nation and Q+A review

Ratings
Wow, look at them q+a up to 195 640 - that's the highest they have been EVER and look at the Nation and the impact of Sean is clear 88 150. More people watching current affairs than ever before.

The Nation
It was the debate between Len Brown and John Banks. If you don't know who you are voting for now, you shouldn't be voting. Banks weird robotic performance matched his interview with ALT TV in 2008...


Postal ballots are with you now for the Auckland Super City elections and now is the time to fill them in and post them back. Whanau, I’m not going to tell you who to vote for, one of the few real freedoms you have in a democracy is to tick whomever you want to represent your political views, but I will tell you why I am going to vote.

I’m not going to vote because I believe in the system, the manner in which Auckland has been annexed with ACT and National’s mates appointed to run 75% of Aucklands assets means the entire process is a farce and we will not see any real democracy under the Super City, I am voting because dependent on who wins, the new Mayor and Super City council can put a brake on the mass privatization process about to start. That’s all Aucklanders can hope for until a new Government can be elected to review the Super City set up.

That said, good luck Len Brown and City Vision and remember whanau, you aren’t a real Aucklander until you’ve destroyed a C&R billboard.


Q+A
Guyon is attacking Bill English with my favourite critique of the Government - their ridiculous claim that NZers will be better off after the tax cuts for the rich being funded by the rise in GST. The Government will be panicking, John Key told NZers that they would be better off, I note the change in English's tone, he is now saying it will be 'long term' gains - that is NOT how the electorate will read it when they are feeling the pain in their pockets EVERY WEEK.

John Key TOLD NZers they would be better off, they won't be, justifying the crumbs the majority of people will be left with while the Merchant Bankers of NZ do very well out of the tax cut will be a source of anger that will bake slowly until the election.

English is trying to wipe off the 3rd quarter drop in GDP from .7 to .2, and is claiming things will get better in the 4th quarter - HOW? Look at the Christchurch earthquake and the massive loss in lambing the storm caused, those factors will destroy any GDP growth, alongside the October 1st impact of the GST rise on retailing - how English can pretend things are going to get better is extraordinary, could we in fact see GDP go backwards in the last quarter?

Guyon is now chatting with David Cunliffe, he points out that 2 thirds of the tax cut goes to the top 1 third, it is a fact that will make those on the bottom angrier as the full impact is felt. Guyon is having David on about Labour's GST pamphlets, any point against the pamphlets gets lost in the ocean of concerns against the GST rises. Labour are going to remove GST off fresh fruit and vegetables - ABOUT TIME! Great idea that many NZers can see the wisdom in.

The Panel (the healthy looking people's hero Matt McCarten, the brilliant Fran O'Sullivan and Q+A's resident political expert Jennifer) all put the boot into English's claim that unemployment will go down or that NZers will be better off under the tax cuts, National Party Research unit spin Dr's will be sweating this response. They rightfully kick Cunliffe over the pamphlets and how unnecessary their spin is when the reality will be damning enough, but its English's claims that really show up the Emperor has run out of clothes. National told the nation they would be better off after the tax cuts, the reality is looming they won't, to try and change the narrative as English is now that these 'good times' will be long term won't wash the weekly pain away.

This Government has run out of answers, all they have is tax cuts for the rich and bitter cuts to Public Services, no manner of smiling and waving will cover that fact up.

Interesting to see the viewers responses, and it was all about anger over the GST rise. NZers are starting to wake up to the reality of October 1st and the National Party Research Unit will need to be posting a lot more anonymous posts to try and turn the rising reality of Government Policy.

John Key said NZers would be better off, they won't be and that will be the first time they can directly trace a lie from his lips to their pockets - National will be eyeing up an early election next year to minimize the erosion in support.