Key, Goff and Apiata - one of these things is not like the other
An alternative look at the New Zealand election, with writing from the 3news.co.nz team.
By James Ryan and Dan Satherley
From Melissa Lee's fraught by-election campaign to the sensitive issue of the role of our troops in Afghanistan, here's the top backtracks, backdowns and flip-flops from our politicians during the last three years of Government.
With the election looming, the integrity of our politicians is coming under scrutiny.
We let you be the judge.
Watch the video by clicking the 'view video' link on the left.
THE MINIMUM WAGE
One of the most contentious election issues is National's policy to lower the minimum wage. They want to lower the youth rate from $13 to $10.90.
The idea behind this is that any raising of the wage rates will cost jobs as they say employers will not be able to afford to employ people at this or a higher rate.
Labour disputes this claim, and wants to raise the overall minimum wage rate to $15.
National released Department of Labour documents in support of their claim stating that a "rise in minimum wage will cost 6000 jobs".
But 3 News recently obtained Treasury documents that dispute this claim. These Treasury documents are quoted as saying "This (rise in minimum wage) has not been true in the past. The balance of probabilities is that a higher minimum wage does not cost jobs."
RETIREMENT AGE
Raising the age of superannuation from 65 to 67 is one of Labour's bold new election policies, designed to decrease public spending.
The policy is to increase the age of retirement by two months per year from 2020 so that it will have reached its mark of 67 by 2033. This would bring New Zealand into line with Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom. This policy however, is a u-turn on Labour's previous stance not to increase the retirement age.
In 2008 Labour finance spokesman David Cunliffe said: "The party is committed to retaining the age of eligibility at 65."
But Phil Goff says: "Policy evolved as circumstances changed", referring to the uncertain global financial situation.
MELISSA LEE
Ms Lee has been one of the most gaffe-prone politicians in recent years.
She has been accused of a conflict of interest over her ownership of Asia Vision Limited and her use of taxpayer money to produce a National Party advertisement and an election special featuring Pansy Wong, another Asian National MP.
She was also ordered to pay back $100,000 of unspent contingency funds after NZ on Air uncovered what she described as a "technical accounting mistake".
Just before the new internet Copyright Amendment Bill was passed under urgency she tweeted she was going to bed to "listen to a comp a friend did for me of K Pop".
One of her biggest gaffes came during a meeting in the run up to the Mt Albert by election, which she unsuccessfully campaigned for. She was quoted as saying "the new motorway will stop criminals coming from South Auckland and committing crime in Mt Albert". She was forced to back down after widespread public outcry.
She apologised by saying "I was wrong to imply crime is a solely South Auckland problem, I sincerely regret my comments."
AFGHANISTAN
The role of our defence forces in Afghanistan was called to question after two SAS troops were killed in firefights within the space of a month.
Lance Corporal Leon Smith and Corporal Doug Grant were killed in what appeared to be frontline action.
The Government consistently described the SAS as being in a "mentoring" role to the local Afghan forces, not unlike the provincial reconstruction team based in Bamiyan province. The Prime Minister was accused of "sugar-coating" the role of the SAS and misleading the public.
After the two SAS deaths, media pressed Defence Minister Wayne Mapp to clarify. He was forced to admit that they were indeed involved in a "substantial combat" role.
The same day, Prime Minister John Key was asked the same question and denied this.
CANNABIS
New ACT leader Don Brash made a surprise move when he voiced his opposition to current cannabis laws during an ACT Party meeting.
The shift in policy caught his own party off guard, notably high-profile party member John Banks who is hoping to secure the vital Epsom electorate.
Mr Banks is well known for his social conservatism and strong stance on law and order. He exploded in vocal opposition, causing embarrassment and a public rift between the two lynchpins of the increasingly fragile party.
HARAWIRA BY-ELECTION
Disenchanted with the Maori Party-National coalition government, Hone Harawira left the Maori Party and set up his own, the Mana Party.
Mana brought together anti-capitalist and ultra left-wing ideologies and Maori protest movements.
The renegade MP announced a by-election in the seat of Te Tai Tokerau just hours after saying this was not his plan.
"That's not my agenda at the moment," he told TV3's The Nation, just hours before announcing the by-election.
He apologised to the media and anyone he had misled.
GST INCREASE
One of the most contentious decisions taken by the National Government has been to raise GST (Goods and Services Tax) from 12.5 to 15 percent.
There was much opposition to this, at a period when households are already struggling with a higher price of living.
Before the 2008 election National issued their policy of tax cuts, pledging not to increase GST.
John Key was quoted as saying: "It would take a lot of convincing [to raise GST]."
SOCIAL WELFARE PAYMENT CARDS
Social Welfare Minister Paula Bennett rubbished the idea of a payment card for youth before backtracking and introducing it after the Prime Minister championed the idea.
The payment card is intended to be used by young beneficiaries to buy food and other household items, and stop them using taxpayer money to buy cigarettes and alcohol.
Ms Bennett had previously written in a letter: "Such oversight by the Crown would be highly intrusive and rob individuals of their freedom of choice."
John Key, after National announced the social policy, explained; "If it sounds a bit hands on for you, I make no apologies."
Labour labelled the affair as "hypocritical".
KEY ON THE BRAIN DRAIN
One of the most widely talked-about promises from National during the 2008 election was to stop the "brain drain", or siphoning of skilled New Zealanders to Australia, seeking highly-paid employment.
Mr Key promised he would stem this flow, but statistics show more New Zealanders are going offshore to work now than ever before.
Statistics New Zealand records show during the month of July 2011 alone, 3200 Kiwis left New Zealand to live in Australia, the highest number ever recorded.
In the past year 84,000 Kiwis left New Zealand, with 48,000 destined for Australia.
Before the 2008 election Mr Key blamed the flow on Labour, saying: "I think it’s pretty sad when New Zealand starts becoming world champion for exporting people to Australia. What it shows is that it is an increasing number of New Zealanders are fed up with being underpaid, over-taxed and having a Government that constantly tells them what to do with their lives."
National is blaming the increase on the economy, saying that we suffered a much greater recession than what was felt in Australia.
Opposition leader Phil Goff called the Government's failure to stem the tide “embarrassing”.
“They’ve failed absolutely," said Mr Goff. "Under John Key’s watch 100,000 New Zealanders have left permanently for Australia. The wage gap hasn’t narrowed, it’s got wider.”
WINSTON PETERS ON ASSET SALES
The leader of a resurgent New Zealand First Party, Winston Peters, is, like Labour, strongly against the sale of state-owned assets this election.
The New Zealand First election manifesto states: “Strategic state asset sales will cease. If considered appropriate and only when absolutely necessary, management by private contracts under public ownership will replace the policy of state asset sales.” Also read on the NZ First homepage: “We pledge to do everything possible not to sell off our revenue generating assets like the power companies.”
Yet in 2008 Peters wanted to privatise Kiwibank, one of our best-performing state assets. In a speech given in Tauranga on October 24, Mr Peters proposed Kiwibank be used as stand-alone commercial bank, separate from the Government. Furthermore, the bank would handle business by the Government, which he estimated at $55 billion, and only New Zealanders could hold shares in the bank.
He claimed that this would force interest rates to lower by keeping profits from this business in New Zealand. Green co-leader Russel Norman claimed the move would lead to overseas ownership. Jim Anderton, leader of the Progressives, even labelled Mr Peters a “serial asset-seller”.
PHIL GOFF ON ASSET SALES
Phil Goff has made a strong stand against National's proposed partial sale of state-owned assets. The Labour party has made this the backbone of their current election campaign. National wants to sell up to 49 percent of assets such as power companies like Mighty River Power to free up $5 to $7 billion for future investment.
John Key says; “National will put the proceeds of mixed ownership which as I said is between $5 and $7 billion into a new fund called the future investment fund.”
However, back in 1988 Mr Goff was part of of a Labour Government under David Lange that implemented far-reaching free market economic reforms. During this time Mr Goff voted against a bill that would have "guaranteed the ownership of assets strategically important to New Zealand" (Hon Warren Cooper, Otago).
Mr Cooper wanted to keep Government ownership of asset sales at a minimum of 75%.
Mr Goff, according to Hansard, voted "no" over the Petroleum Corporation Of New Zealand Limited (Retention of New Zealand Ownership and Control) Bill. This bill was created by Mr Cooper and others in opposition to the proposed sale of publicly owned Petrocorp to overseas company British Gas.
CREDIT DOWNGRADES
Prime Minister John Key made a comment during Parliamentary debate that under a Labour Government, New Zealand's credit rating would suffer.
Apparently Standard and Poor's made this comment during a meeting at which one of Key's unknown "sources" was in attendance.
The claim turned out to be false.
This year, under Mr Key's watch, Standard and Poor's downgraded New Zealand’s credit rating, following a decision by Fitch to lower the country from a AA+ to AA.
Standard and Poor's downgraded New Zealand's long-term foreign currency ratings from AA+ to AA and its long-term local currency rating on New Zealand to AA+ from AAA.
Labour leader Phil Goff says the downgrade is proof of the Government's economic mismanagement.
"The downgrade is a clear judgment of National's failure to get the economy growing and to deal with New Zealand's long term problems."
He said it showed why Labour's plan to introduce a capital gains tax to redirect investment into the economy and pay back debt without selling assets was so important.
Mr Key has made no apology for his comments and repeatedly stated it was his source, not he, who was he was privy to the meeting with Standard and Poor's.
He refused to name his source.
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