Posted by Blogger Name. Category:
Bill English
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David Cunliffe
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John Key
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Russel Norman
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The Budget 2014
Here's what the three "double-figure" party leaders had to say about yesterday's Budget. First up was David Cunliffe:
Mr Cunliffe's speech was predictable, but his delivery remains wooden and stilted. After watching the Campbell Live "At home with.." piece on Monday night, we've noticed that the Labour leader's voice when speaking in public in considerably deeper than his normal tone, and yesterday he seemed to be overdoing that. And his lines were unoriginal; "fudge-it Budget" was used by Mr Cunliffe to describe Budget 2010, and even then it had been pinched from Rodney Hide in 2002!
Next up was Prime Minister John Key:
The PM's speech was far more relaxed than that of the Leader of the Opposition, and John Key took a few moments to gently chide his nemesis suggesting that Mr Cunliffe was as effective as Benji Marshall had been at the Blues, and had as many supporters in the Labour caucus as Brendan Horan had in his caucus. He used the rest of his time to extol the virtues of the Budget and the return to surplus, and was lavish in his praise for Bill English's stewardship over six demanding years.
Finally, there was Russel Norman:
We can only conclude that Dr Norman's speech was written prior to the Budget being presented. His constantly referred to it as the "Cabinet Club Budget", the the point where had viewers been playing a drinking game, they would have been legless after two minutes! Far from being a Budget for the PM's "rich mates" as Dr Norman alleged, the most commen criticism we have seen of the Budget is that it leans too far to the Left!
If the far Left and the far Right are critical of the Budget handed down by Bill English yesterday, then he probably got the mix about right. The surplus is somewhat larger than forecast, and with growth of 4% being forecast in the out years, New Zealand is in good economic shape, especially when compared to our trans-Tasman neighbours.
