By: Larry Williams | Monday, July 02, 2012 5:33 PM

Drug Tests

Beneficiaries who fail or refuse a drug test while applying for jobs will have their welfare cut from next year.

This was in fact part of National's election policy.

The policy is a reasonable expectation. If you want the dole you can't refuse to apply for a job because you’re on drugs.

Most folk would think that requirement is fair. Unless your a naive Labour MP like Jacinda Ardern. She says it won't work. She goes on about wanting more rehab programmes and that's fine, but she really is in the "cuddle the junkies club".

Ardern might think it’s acceptable to pay the dole to people who won't apply for a job because they have had a weekend on the 'hooch', but mainstream NZ doesn't get this at all.  New Zealanders are fair minded people and I don't think they will find this policy unacceptable at all.

Ms Ardern's defence of paying 'junkies' not to work is indicative of her parties approach to welfare.

Carbon Tax

The introduction of a carbon tax across the Tasman has not been received well. The polls indicate that the tax is the nail in the coffin for Julia Gillard's Labour government.

The problem for Ms Gillard is not just the carbon tax but the fact she broke a promise to introduce it.

Tony Abbott's opposition is promising to repeal the tax.

There is no question that Australians are more staunch against the tax than we are here. I'm not sure why that is because the tax is a con of giant proportions.

Like if you are pinging business who just pass the tax on and then give tax cuts to consumers to compensate, it seems to me nothing more than a money-go-round that does absolutely nothing for so called climate change.

In this country our greenhouse gases are a little above zero on the world scale.

Dotcom

The media and celebrity infatuation with Dotcom continues.

The big German pretty much has the media in his pocket. They follow him around and recite whatever he wants them to say. The celebrities line up to get photographed. Indeed I see at least one politician, and it's not John Banks, was photographed with Dotcom over the weekend. Dotcom's PR is brilliant. He's got who he wants in the palm of his hand.

The latest shock horror news is that the Prime Minister's office got some sort of tip off. Well blow me down.

In Sport

The Warriors took apart the Cowboys and are still in with a chance of making the finals.

Euro 2012 ended in a one sided win to Spain over Italy 4-0.

It was good to have the Super 15 back after the tests and the Hurricanes in beating the Crusaders were outstanding.

The word is that SBW is off to Japan and then to the NRL.

After giving it more consideration I still come to the conclusion that he should be cut adrift from the All Blacks if he goes.

I just don't see the point in playing a guy who wouldn't have rugby as his first priority.

It’s not like there is a drought on mid fielders. We have plenty of talent.

The Black Caps v West Indies in Florida was a concept I had some doubt over. However, it looks like it was a success. Good crowds both days boosted by the large numbers of ex pat West Indians living in the area.

 

Fortunately the West Indies batted first both times and posted great scores. So the crowd got their money's worth.

 

The Black Caps were beaten up rather badly. It was no contest. They were crushed.