LOL as a 10 bob a place punter I am not interested. However 6 guns at 40 paces would be ok. at least one of us would no longer be posting1
westerly
Printable View
Since mmp there has been up to a 14% difference in voter turnout. 88% in the first mmp election and 74% in 2011. Unions total membership in 2013 was 371613 ( interesting unions must return their membership annually. ) Looking at the list of unions it would seem that quite a few would have members who would not be natural left supporters eg junior doctors, airline pilots, etc. I
With 12 to 26% of non voters in mmp elections I would have no idea which way they would vote but would suggest that to say the average Labour supporter is driven by ideology is a bit off the mark. As with National supporters what is in it for me is probably more a measure of support if they are not
totally committed to one party.
westerly
there is also 600,000 smokers that are a bit peved with the last 4 years of massive tax hikes.
will be interesting to see if they vote with their pockets........
That figure gives us smokers as one in 7.5 of the population? If you rule out almost everyone under 14 years, then that figure looks more unlikely. And how many smokers are thick enough to think that a vote for Labour would improve their position?
The official definition on the stats page was anyone who has smoked at least ONE cigarette in the past month/year and one hundred cigarettes in total in their lifetime? Talk about manipulation or misuse of numbers - that takes the cake. I inhale more smoke than that lighting the fire every day. Somehow I can't see Cunliffe making any rash promises to smokers.
A pretty picture of dear David in the letter box today .... with a big smile the message is 'I got into public service because I want every New Zealander to have the same opportunities I had' ... jeez the photo was as scary as the message
I was grass cutting at the time and put the card on the grass and let the line trimmer do its thing .... good mulch
Shame really - cant vote for the Key and his mates ... and Dave sends a chill up my spine
the problem with stats is they can be and generally are twisted to suit the required outcome from those who need stats for their publications.
here is a link....
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/...ectid=11170102
from the census...... no bias from the census folks.
as you read the article it states 16.5 % of kiwis are smokers.
most smokers smoke more than one a day....... lets face it ...... they are addictive.....
4million / 16.5 = around 600,000.
times that by $20 and compare that to the tax take of some 1.3 billion dollars
and you get a picture of the cash windfall to the government.
as a side note...... all the SOEs in NZ ..... the divis from these all combined is about 2/3s of the tobacco excise tax.
and remember this tax came from the disposable income of the smokers....... so it is alot of money.
also from the stats, maori are the highest uses per category , as a poor folks, they generally dont vote national, even the Maori party that brought in the massive tax
is going to struggle to reclaim votes.
the rest of the smokers ....the majority of users are labourers and tradesman type of folks... ie the working class and they swing their vote generally.
in the meantime..... obesity and diabetes is racing ahead in numbers with no taxes insight..... same a booze.
smokers know they are being screwed by politics..... whether rightly or wrongly.
question is...... will they vote a government out because their pevved ...... like most folks vote governments out.
or will they vote another government "in" thinking the tax will drop?
we know the tax will not drop..... but that might not stop voters voting from their pevved off pockets.
interesting times ahead.
forgot to add this link...
http://www.health.govt.nz/publicatio...adults-2011-12
interesting numbers and future trends
Did anyone see Campbell Live last night? Much seemed to traverse John Keys relationship with the newly appointed head pf GCSB Ian Fletcher. If indeed it turns out that JK did mislead Parliament what are the ramifications of this, does he actually have to resign from Parliament?