Transtasman Political Letter – 23 April Digest
Transtasman is a subscriber newsletter published weekly and read widely in New Zealand and abroad. The following is a
summary of this week's edition. To subscribe and read the full newsletter see.. http://Transtasman.co.nz
April 23rd 2008
Labour continues its practice of shooting itself in the foot just when things are looking up a bit...Michael Cullen is
caught between a rock and a hard place as bad economic news looks set to push tax cuts back to next year...John Key
thinks getting a broadband connection to every home is a winner...Current polls make it hard to tell where the parties
really are...And the Govt decides to defer tariff reviews.
National Gets Gifts From The Govt
Has Labour squandered the good start it made this year? It looks like it, with the row about party President Mike
Williams’ latest blunder which closely followed the dreadfully counter-productive song those cabinet Ministers put on at
the annual congress deriding National’s John Key.
It’s The Economy, Stupid!
Okay, it’s an old Bill Clinton line but it’s a new deal for NZ politicians. After arguing about the Electoral Finance
Act for months and trying to score points with cheap shot personal attacks, something real is happening in the corridors
of power.
Polls Cloud The Real State Of The Parties
Puzzled by the latest polls? You’re not alone, politicians aren’t sure what to make of them either.
Economic Debate – Is Inflation Really So Bad?
Radio NZ’s Checkpoint team gives new meaning to “roaring.”When March-quarter CPI figures were released last week,
listeners were advised: “Roaring inflation is dashing hopes of any early cut to interest rates.”
CAPITAL TALK
PM Helen Clark heads for Sydney this weekend to unveil a bronze sculpture of a Kiwi WWI soldier on ANZAC Bridge, New South Wales
premier Morris Iemma will be there as well.
Play Of The Week: Economic Chill
Economic news has dominated the past week and it has all been bad. Factory closures, cutbacks by a number of firms,
warnings of higher interest rates and more finance company-related collapses have all captured the headlines.
Transtasman is a subscriber newsletter published weekly and read widely in New Zealand and abroad. The above is a
summary of this week's edition. To subscribe and read the full newsletter see.. http://Transtasman.co.nz