0 Easter good news #5

This post has nothing to do with New Zealand politics. The good news to which we refer is the celebration today of the resurrection of Jesus.  Here's how the story played out:

After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God’s angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn’t move. The angel spoke to the women: “There is nothing to fear here. I know you’re looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.
“Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.’ That’s the message.”
The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. “Good morning!” he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. Jesus said, “You’re holding on to me for dear life! Don’t be frightened like that. Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I’ll meet them there.”

Matthew 28: 1-10 (The Message)

At church services throughout the world over the next 24 hours, ministers and pastors will declare to their congregations "He is risen". The reply from the congregations will be "He is risen indeed".

The story of Easter is one of a miracle; the miracle of God's grace to his people, and of his amazing love. That's the best news of all this Easter weekend.

0 Easter good news #2

Well; this one is a mixed news story. For those who want the current Government re-elected on 20 September, it's fantastic news. For David Cunliffe, Russel Norman and Metiria Turei and their MP's and supporters, it make make Easter a little less palatable.

The latest Roy Morgan poll is out. And as Morgan polls tend to do, it has lurched again; here's the commentary:

Today’s New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows a large jump in support for National (48.5%, up 5.5%) now with its largest lead over a potential Labour/Greens alliance (40%, down 5%) since July 2013 as New Zealanders celebrated the visit of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge.
Support for Key’s Coalition partners is little changed with the Maori Party 1% (down 0.5%), ACT NZ (0.5%, unchanged) and United Future 0% (down 0.5%).
Support for the Labour Party has fallen to 28.5% (down 3.5%) – clearly the lowest support under new Labour Leader David Cunliffe, and the lowest Labour support since April 2012, the Greens have fallen to 11.5% (down 1.5%), New Zealand First 5.5% (unchanged), Mana Party 1% (up 0.5%), Conservative Party of NZ 2% (down 0.5%) and Internet Party (1%, up 0.5%) while support for Others is 0.5% (unchanged).
If a National Election were held now the latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows that the National party would regain Government for a third term.

And it's not just the party figures; New Zealanders are feeling very, very optimistic just at the moment; read on:

The latest NZ Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating has jumped to 143pts (up 10pts) with 65% (up 4%) of New Zealanders saying New Zealand is ‘heading in the right direction’ compared to 22% (down 6%) that say New Zealand is ‘heading in the wrong direction’.

It's the confidence rating that is Labour's biggest hurdle now. When three times as many people think New Zealand is heading in the right direction than think it's not, where is the mandate for change? 

So as David Cunliffe, Russel Norman and Metiria Turei eat their hot cross buns and Easter eggs they will doubtless ponder this poll which came out as Parliament went into a school holiday recess. Sure, Roy Morgan polls tend to be all over the place, but after a string of poll disasters, it was the one skerrick of hope they had. Where do they turn now?

0 Easter good news #1

The Easter weekend is just hours away. And it's great to head into the weekend on the back of some welcome good news; Stuff reports:

The labour market is taking off, with more jobs advertised in March, continuing a run of rises for three months in a row, a bank survey shows.
A strong economy is now being accompanied by rising employment, that will provide a backbone to household income growth over the months ahead.
The latest ANZ job ads survey points to unemployment falling from 6 per cent at the end of last year to 5.7 per cent at the end of March and dropping even more in coming months.
The number of job advertisements lifted 1.1 per cent in March, seasonally adjusted.
"This bodes well for an ongoing downward trend in the unemployment rate." ANZ said. 

This is the news that New Zealand needs to hear. Job growth is the last remaining plank of the economic recovery to become firmly embedded, but there are some definite signs of that happening. We expect the March Household Labour Force Survey which will be released in early May to confirm that unemployment has fallen below the 6% mark.

The Government has a very good story to tell when it goes to the hustings in a few months. The economy is recovering strongly, the budget will be back in surplus next year, growth right across the economy is strong, and employers have the confidence to create new jobs and invest in their businesses.  

Why would any sensible voter put that at risk?

0 Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone, I hope you are having the same cholesterol filled, artery clogging time as I am.
:) Going to take it while it lasts. Its exams session after that. And I have to write a letter to the European court of human rights in Strasbourg as an assignment from my intern job. Ah well can't be all fun and games I suppose.