“After the video introduction, watch Nicola Willis (National’s Deputy Leader and Finance) grill Grant Robertson (Labour Finance Minister) in parliament. Robertson, looks more and more like a diverse clown every day, than an economic financial whizz kid. This is what you get when a government is chosen on diversity rather than skills and ability, so in the first instance, you can blame Jacinda Ardern, and in the second instance, you can blame the caretaker Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, for keeping her disaster flowing.

“Kiwis are going to be hit very hard financially, with current fuel prices soaring, followed by planned Labour Government increases in fuel tax, and don’t forget GST on top of all that. The great team of 5 million can do something about this mess, on Saturday 14 October 2023.”

comment by Geoffrey Churchman

This government’s arrogance about the Cost of Living is the main reason why I expect Labour will lose major support.

At the end of June like many others I filled up the car at Waikanae Mobil when it was $2.44 a litre for 91 octane. About 3 weeks later — whoa! the price had gone from $2.44 to $2.81 for a litre of 91 octane. My Mobil Smiles card brought that down to $2.71 but it was still an ouch moment. Now it’s over $3. I asked the guy at the service station if they were selling less now, and they are.

Oil company profiteering from Joe’s war is a factor, but it’s this government’s attitude to the economy that is to blame now.

What effect has the government’s refusal to buy the Marsden Point refinery had?

Then a visit to the supermarket (I normally leave the shopping to Eva) and the same shock was repeated at how much more prices on the shelves have grown from what I remember them being 2 or 3 years ago. The other interesting feature was the frequency of gaps on the shelves, items either not being replenished or not available.

Have wages kept pace with inflation? Everyone knows they haven’t.

The standard wisdom is that if the economy is doing well the incumbent government’s chances of being reelected are improved — and vice-versa. That in itself means the Chippy government’s chances don’t look good — the polls show a sizeable chunk of the support the Jacinda regime got in 2020 will go back to National, and some to ACT.

The economy is not the only factor determining who people vote for — but it’s the biggest. Many are resentful about this government coercing people — at the threat of job loss — to be jabbed with that useless dangerous substance and making them wear equally futile face nappies. Those people may vote for one of the splinter parties rather than the ones in Parliament.