Free Press 9 Feb 2016
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Free Press
ACT’s regular
news bulletin
Parliament
Resumes
After giving the country a two month
break, parliament will resume tomorrow. Your property is no
longer safe. The parliamentary year begins with debate on
the Prime Minister’s Statement, set down for 13 hours.
ACT’s Agenda
David Seymour is
scheduled to speak for ACT in the debate a little after 3pm.
New Zealand is stuck in a Holyoakian period of policy drift.
At least there will be one voice in parliament for improving
New Zealand’s policy settings with lower taxes such as
indexing tax brackets to inflation, reigning in damaging
regulation such as that strangling the housing market, and
choice in social services such as Partnership Schools.
Ride the Tesla
A generous donor has
gifted rides in a Tesla S at ACT’s February 27 conference.
It is an electric sports car that accelerates from 0-100 in
3.2 seconds (faster than most Ferraris).Find out how you can get a ride
here.
Don’t Forget
There
is a brisk trade in conference registrations but it is not
full yet. With less than three weeks to go, please remember
to register for ACT’s 2016 Conference.
A New Column
David Seymour has
started writing a weekly column versus Jacinda Ardern in the
SundayStar Times. Alternating each week, one writes
the main column and the other writes a response. David’s
first column (on shifting the Waitangi celebrations) can be
found here.
A
Pity
There were bright spots such as the dawn
prayer but overall Waitangi 2016 was unfortunate. A week of
speculating about speaking arrangements can dampen a
national day. So can the Prime Minister calling the hosts
Mickey Mouse. New Zealand deserves better.
Let’s Have Some Competition
ACT
has long said competition is the cure for bad behaviour. We
don’t understand why one Iwi (Ngapuhi) gets to monopolise
the celebrations when the treaty was signed not only at
Waitangi but at around 20 locations throughout 1840.
A Humble Suggestion
The
commemorations should be held at a different signing site
each year. They could follow the original order of signing
locations. There were about 20 so by the time it gets back
to Waitangi they should have worked out how to put on a
better show. Why shouldn’t folks in the South Island, for
instance, be able to host the National day some times?
Government Should be Proactive
The
Free Press is aware of tautoko (support) for this
initiative from other iwi. The Prime Minister’s office
should begin discussions with the Iwi Leaders’ Forum. Next
year’s celebrations could take place in the first new
location.
More Partnership School
Success
Vanguard Military School have released
pass rates of 100 per cent for NCEA Level II and 93 per cent
for Level 1. The school has a very high proportion of Maori
students. ACT’s policy is doing more to raise Maori
achievement than any TPP protestor. Free PRess wonders if
Partnership School naysayers must be getting worn down
yet.
Outcomes not
Intentions
Milton Friedman always said that
public policies should be judged by their outcomes rather
than their intentions. Scotland’s free university policy,
which is similar to Labour’s proposal, is one of those
well intended policies that has backfired. 100 per cent
government funding has meant caps on funding and student
numbers. The sharp elbowed middle classes get better access
than poorer Scots and Scotland has greater inequality than
England. Ironic, but Uncle Milton is usually right about
these things. (Hat tip, David Farrar)
ends
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