Who Gets The Cheese?

I caught a bit of John Key on Campbell Live tonight (about 7 minutes into the video clip I've linked to). I had to check myself, as it seemed like the world Key was describing was wholly different to my own. So I went back and watched the whole thing on the Interpipes.

Campbell points out in the interview that when in opposition Key was derisory of Labour's "block of cheese" tax cuts, even though it turns out that (according to some PWC whiz accountant) one of the families surveyed by Campbell Live will only be $11 better off. You'd have to wait for a special at Foodtown to buy a one kilo block for $11*.

To my astonishment Key tells Campbell we have to have a plan and it has to be right across the economy. Oh, I thought. Tell me more. A plan? A PLAN!

But Key wouldn't tell us what the plan was. Bugger. Perhaps it's a secret only The Blessed may know. We mere muggles are not fit or worthy to have this powerful knowledge. It would probably destroy us.

Campbell then grills Key about his 2025 pledge. Key tells Campbell "I don't want to get into a pedantic debate about that," then reels off a number of very selective statistics that, if he were a seller using those numbers to flog a product, would have him up for breaching the Fair Trading Act.  He uses these stats to claim we are already narrowing the gap, which if I might be so vulgar, is UTTER BULLSHIT. Even John Campbell is laughing at this point in the interview.

Key then delivers the big guns - systematically, portfolio by portfolio, National is delivering change. These changes will deliver a stronger and more productive economy.

It's the old productivity fairy again. Trust us and everything will be better. You are feeling very sleepy. Veeeery sleepy. 

* Being an out of touch lawyer, I only know this because my servants tell me. Of course, we don't eat cheese, unless it's flown in from France on our private jet and sliced lovingly by the Buddhist monks we keep to bless our food.