G News - The good news

The economy slipped into a technical recession as GDP fell 0.1% ( - 0.1% ) three months ago in the December 2023 quarter ( Oct 23 - Dec 23 ) .

The annual GDP so far is 0.6% and pretty much as forecast in a flat world economy. This news is likely to cause much false rhetoric from Luxon and Willis for the next few days as they pretend it was all Labour's fault and that a war on the poor is the only solution - as Todd has no FTA with India and Winston messes everything up.

However most people know that Luxon and Willis are spinning and everything they touch is a big clusterf*ck...all those holes and Nicola's hole just keeps getting bigger.

The flat GDP was well signalled and there's no excuse to pretend she did not know last year.

In other news - RNZ reported today that :

"Ministers repeatedly insisted smokefree legislation passed by the previous government would increase tobacco-related crime, even after senior health officials told them it could have the opposite effect."

The regulatory impact statement received by Dr Cigareti said before Luxon made a dick of himself with Chris Bishop told them clearly - as a result of the entire suite of smoke free laws coming into place, "dairies and other small businesses may be less subjected to robberies".

Plus advice provided to associate health minister Casey Costello and copied to Dr CigaReti a few days later said the low nicotine policy - "was also expected to significantly reduce the incentive to steal tobacco from approved retailers".

But despite all the offical advice to the contrary Christopher Luxon ignored all that advice and doubled down, making no apologies, refusing to be lectured, he had seven houses and he did not know how to be any clearer - about the imaginary massive crime spree "Tobacco Industry talking points" he had memorised and was sticking to :

"We believe very strongly [the smokefree laws] would have driven more criminal activity and it would have created a black market," Luxon told Morning Report in February.

"Clearly this is akin to a mass murderer defending their actions by ignoring all the evidence levelled against them", said an organic punga who was not one for hyperbola.

"Research found that illicit tobacco trade has actually been decreasing" said a Flax Bush, "Clearly Luxon needed the money after botching up his "rock solid" numbers".

"The Black Market will explode" warbled a majestical Tui before flying off to peck at Chris Bishop over "one store" in Northland.

"The idea that 8,000 New Zealanders had to be killed off by extenuating smoking was always about raising cash for tax cuts and it was not campaigned on", said G from G News.

"Thou shalt not kill" read Monty from the Bible before saying "Hell is empty and all the devils are here".

I'd heard that before from some English playwright, but it still rang true as the evil Coalition made massive errors at every step and caused neoliberal harm whatever it did.

In better news, Grant gave a warm, heartfelt valedictory speech yesterday and in it he referred to his "political conscience" - Marion Hobbs - who had guided him along - the bed and breakfast quote was funny.

Applause for Marion who reads G News - you did real good and were a great politician a tower of strength for the Labour movement - and Grant turned out to be a very great man.

A memorable quote from Grant was :

"The lives we saved trumped any hate on social media".

True dat. Plus the economy is a means to an end and you gotta give them hope - sprang to mind along with "the othering is despicable".

Grant will be missed cos there's nothing like a true man in his element. It was good to see the long hug between Grant and James Shaw too...a couple of greats in my book.

Gerry had another shocker yesterday and was exposed by a sustained attack of points of order as he tried to run defence for the ghouls and goblins of the neoliberal right.

Nobody Reading this is Gerry Brownlee!!!

Hooray !!!

The IMF launched a blistering attack on the Three Headed Taniwha warning them that their ridiculous tax cuts will be inflationary - and as per usual the shrew Willis - scoffed and ignored the experts.

Moana was back this week and I watched her episode as she talked with the folk and professors about Te Tiriti - and noted that we have not forgotten that fight - as we all stand in solidarity with Te Ao Māori.

Winston can fool some morons all of the time - but there's been a big reaction to his BS - which Bomber Bradbury says - even if for one moment you ignore all the evidence and admissions from Winston himself that proved he had changed his story - does anyone believe that a few tongue and cheek remarks made by Te Pati Māori playing up to camera - was really - in any universe - equivalent to Nazi Germany and the horrors it carried out on jewish people, gays and the disabled?

If you believe in that you may need a history lesson and a course of critical thinking therapy.

The UK Band - Winston is abusing - reckons they can sue him - but back home Penny Simmonds has been meddling with the most vulnerable who are being driven past a breaking point - just to pay for those mega landlord tax cuts.

As you know Rod Oram passed away a couple of days ago as a result of a cycling accident. Rest in peace - a big loss to all who value factual research - gone too soon.

In better news - you probably heard that none of the students at Freyberg School will be expelled or suspended after public pressure on the school to do the right thing and not side with Seymour.

The war on the poor and vulnerable is unnecessary and the result of neoliberal ideology which leaves white collar crime to rage on and the dodgy coke smacked folk at the top alone - but sticks the boot in at the very bottom, punching down hard - and that harm is what National Party voters are all about deep down.

There was plenty more like the way the Grand Eftpostle shut down the Trans folk reading to the kids in a library in Rotorua - after Tamaki's thugs intimidated the community and Luxon did nothing as per usual.

The sheer incompetence and harm caused by Luxon and Willis is terribly sad - especially when people continue to support it - but it's a good thing that you and I stand against that and make some noise.

One day - we'll put all this harm right and I was heartened to hear that any "environmentally harmful Oil and Gas mining projects" fast tracked through now - will be canned without compensation by a future left Government.

Take that Shane Jones! Trample on us, and you get trampled on back.

G News - The Good News

G