Labour Wants Old People Working

"There are three types of lies - lies, damned lies, and statistics" - Old English proverb

I'll start by saying that I don't necessarily support this, I appreciate the merits of doing so, but I also know of the human cost that may be involved, knowing of people around this age that actually can't work. But Labour wants Kiwisaver to be compulsory, and wait for it - raise the pension age to 67 from 65.

That aside, Labour is going to make really good opposition against National next term! I've already blogged on the idea that Labour needs to prove themselves now as a worthy opposition in order to get support, now they're just showing how weak they are as an opposition and how terrible that would make them as government.

When the nation is in a hole, apparently you don't sell your ladder - Phil Goff's actions have said keep digging! Not only has Labour cancelled their campaign launch to prevent Goff getting any more exposure (all news is bad news for that guy), but they've taken this bizarre approach in copying ACT and National's ideology. ACT strongly supports raising the age, National would do it even though John Key has said he wouldn't, and with the current financial picture, it seems that this could become a likely move in the next term. Nice to see Labour will defend its core constituents by letting National walk all over them. David Farrar has mentioned this will be opposed by unions, Māori, laborers, and other disadvantaged people. Lifelong Labour supporters should turn their back on Labour for turning their back on them! 

The constructive thing for Labour to do, is to show that this is part of being good economic managers, that they can be fiscally responsible. This may be a ton of shit since Farrar has also mentioned that Labour's policies since they will need an extra $9bn of borrowing to fund their expensive taste in policy.  If Labour is only going to purport the same policies as National and ACT, you might as well vote for the parties that thought of them first, plus you don't get a goofy leader and incompetent cronies.

Back to the Future union policy, plagiarism of ACT and National policy, communist asset-retention policy, anti-investment policy, anti-jobs policy. Where does it end? Like the saying goes,"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." Any more economic conservative policies and they'll make a sizable coalition partner.