By: Larry Williams | Friday, May 25, 2012 5:34 PM

The reaction to Bill English's budget hasn't been kind.

Tags like 'nickel and dime' and 'the departure lounge' budget have been embraced by the media. Political reporting in the papers and on television echo's the Labour and Green parties’ line. That line is more or less borrow and spend I believe.

I think Labour does actually have a case for a capital gains tax and compulsory superannuation and increasing the pension age.

The projections in the budget for superannuation payments are unsustainable long term, ignoring the elephant in the room borders on recklessness.

However, the left’s prescription is as always for more tax so they can fund their election bribes, mostly to tax the so called rich. Make no mistake about that. If they are to be taken seriously they have to also address the expenditure side of the ledger. And that's there problem. They will not touch interest free student loans, middle class Working for Families, welfare. That is their voter base so that's off the radar no matter what the cost. National are clearly not far behind them as displayed by their tinkering.

The budget was a frugal one.

It was also highly optimistic on the numbers.

There is virtually impossible get GDP averaging three percent over the next four years. How can that be possible based on previous trends and with the meltdown going on around the world?

To think that this economy is not dictated to by what happens globally defies belief.

 

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SHANE JONES

 

The fact that Mr Yan got off his fraud charges in court does not mean that Shane Jones’ decision to approve citizenship should not be investigated.

The judge was at pains to point out that the court case had nothing to do with the politician’s decision.

Mr Shearer has called in the Auditor General and it appears Mr Jones is not that happy with that decision going by what was on the TV news last night.

The Auditor General is still to make her mind up as to whether she will look at this. If it’s just a look at the process then forget it. Any investigation needs to also look at the link Mr Yan had with the Labour Party and its MPs and issues around that.

A shallow investigation will not cut it.

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UREWERA FOUR

 

 

Jail terms for two and a half years for the Urewera Four.

Tame Iti didn't look too happy in court about this. He clearly expected to walk. After the jury couldn't reach a decision on the 'organised criminal group charge, Iti thought he was safe.

His lawyer argued for discharge without conviction but the judge wasn't blind to the facts.

What was any judge to do when he is confronted with irrefutable evidence of guns, Molotov cocktails, military gear, and talk of killings?

There was only one outcome and a jail sentence was appropriate. 

The defendants have never explained what they were up to and that's because there was no reasonable explanation.

Their supporters are of course trying to make it a race thing. They are irrational. They're out of control. If there's any race issue it’s with them not the police.

 

Photo: NZ Herald

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