My first thought was "they can?", then I saw "New polling from 1News-Verian shows a Green surge and the left bloc able to win government - presuming National refuses to work with the Opportunity Party."

I love it. The media telling Luxon that his refusal to build bridges is going to cost him the election.

As bad as it sounds, I feel like it may be better for the objective of Opportunity if they end up siding with National. They can help limit the impact of Act, and they won't get typecast as part of the Left.

[–] Saljid@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

TOP feels more like a slightly different version of National. Same corporate and landlordy over-focus and I expect them to erode the democratic process in the same manner as National. If you're suffering from the cost of living crisis, want a functional democracy that gives you services for your tax dollars instead of distributing them to their donors, TOP has little to offers besides the same old trickle down. Too often they voted for the same crap as National did.

[–] rimu@piefed.social 6 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

the same old trickle down

No, TOP is offering universal basic income. https://www.opportunity.org.nz/tax-reset

That's revolutionary. That is why National cannot work with them.

According to the tax reset calculator on that page, my household would be $22k better off each year. That's substantial. Give it a try.

[–] Hal@piefed.nz 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The thing Luxon has failed to see, is that a small party like Opportunity does not get to implement all their policies. There's no way National would go for this policy, it's a pretty firmly left wing policy. But they can work with Opportunity on other policies. That's why they have a bunch that cover all their bases.

[–] rimu@piefed.social 3 points 2 weeks ago

Yep no way in hell is the smallest minor coalition partner going to get to redesign the tax system, lol

Even if the bigger party in the coalition is Labour instead of National. Tax is just too fundamental - minor parties get a few crumbs, the main party gets the core stuff - finance, health, education.

Still I love how TOP has put UBI on the map, it gives Luxon the willies and makes him behave irrationally which is a win.

[–] Hal@piefed.nz 5 points 2 weeks ago

Not sure what you mean. TOP have never voted, they haven't been in parliament.

The idea of TOP is to give something that is an alternative to NZ First. I don't agree that their policies are a version of National, for one all their policies that I've seen have some sort of evidence rather than the vibe-governing that National does. But they aren't there to replace Greens, they are there to try to work with either side. They need policies that either side would work with.

[–] Ilovethebomb@lemmy.nz 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Too often they voted for the same crap as National did.

What are you talking about? They've never been in government, they haven't voted for anything in the past.

[–] JandalsAweigh@lemmy.nz 3 points 2 weeks ago

Right? What are they on about?

[–] quixote@mastodon.nz 5 points 2 weeks ago

@rimu Maybe more people are finally noticing their very intelligent tax proposal, the one where they point out it applies to over 10.5 million/year.

Couldn't be. Way too reality-based.

[–] ogy@fedia.io 3 points 2 weeks ago

Green has wildly better policies imo:

wealth tax
public transport
free dental
an actual commitment to the environment (the thing that makes NZ really special)

only thing they really seem to suck at is marketing themselves, though I do admit I prefer seeing less gauche billboards

[–] Ilovethebomb@lemmy.nz 2 points 2 weeks ago

Green are polling at more than half of what Labour are, and it looks like they would be less than half the seats in a coalition government, although still the biggest single party.

They just aren't inspiring people, are they?

[–] Fizz@lemmy.nz 1 points 2 weeks ago

Hoping for a labour national coalition and cut out all the horid minor parties.