Here's our summary of key economic events overnight that affect New Zealand with news all eyes are on the US non-farm payrolls report due out tomorrow, and market activity is hesitant in advance of that.
US jobless claims came in at +210,000 last week, a good decrease from the prior week. But it was not as large a drop as the seasonality suggests it should have been, so it counts as a 'rise' on the headline basis. Continuing claims were 1.66 mln and that fall was more than the seasonal effects expected.
There are still very few announced job cuts in this huge labour market.
So that will probably mean the US November non-farm payrolls report will be a positive one when it is released tomorrow morning. Markets currently expect +200,000 more jobs filled.
The US Fed's November Beige Book describes a moderately expanding overall economy.
US exports came in at US$266 bln in October, about the 2024 monthly average even though they slipped from the prior month. But they were +1.9% higher than the same month a year ago, in a rising trend that started in June 2023. Imports slipped in October too from the prior month, but these also stayed at about the 2024 monthly average. The US trade deficit in both goods and services reduced in October and runs at under -3% of GDP, a level easily absorbed in such a large country, especially one whose currency is the standard for international trade.
Canadian exports and imports both rose in October, and their trade deficit - although on a rising trend - has an even smaller impact on their economy.
In Europe, although it slipped in October from September, the volume of EU retail trade was up +2.1% from the same month a year ago. This is perhaps a surprising show of resilience for an economy that is being widely panned as struggling.
On the global logistics front, perhaps we should note the Global Supply Chain Pressure Index that the NY Fed monitors. In November, it eased slightly. After the sharp pandemic pressures it eased noticeable in April 2023 and has seen no return since then, despite the ups and downs of things like the major canal stresses. The global logistics network has been remarkably resilient, the pandemic excepted.
And last week, global container freight rates rose +6% from the prior week to be +150% higher than pre-pandemic levels still. There were sharp rises in the China-to-Europe trade, more than enough to offset sharp fall in the China-to-USWC trade. Going the other way there was a very sharp drop in bulk cargo rates, down -22% from the prior week to their lowest since September 2023 and actually back to levels first reached in 1987.
The UST 10yr yield is now at just on 4.18%, down -2 bps from yesterday. The key 2-10 yield curve is still positive but less so, now by +3 bps. Their 1-5 curve inversion is unchanged by -15 bps. And their 3 mth-10yr curve inversion is also little-changed, now at -34 bps. The Australian 10 year bond yield starts today at 4.29% and up +1 bp. The China 10 year bond rate is at 1.96% and -1 bp lower. The NZ Government 10 year bond rate is now at 4.46%, and up +4 bps from yesterday.
Wall Street has opened its Thursday session with the S&P500 little-changed. European markets were all positive, up about +0.4%. Tokyo ended its Thursday session up +0.3%. Hong Kong was down -0.9% but Shanghai firmed +0.1%. Singapore was up +0.6%. The ASX200 ended up +0.1% and the NZX50 rose +0.5% following Wednesday's big dip.
The price of gold will start today at US$2637/oz and down -US$15 from this time yesterday.
Oil prices are -US$1 lower at US$69.50/bbl in the US while the international Brent price is now just under US$72.50/bbl. These low prices forced OPEC to delay its planned output hike in January.
The Kiwi dollar starts today at 58.7 USc and unchanged from this time yesterday. Against the Aussie we up +10 bps at 91.2 AUc. Against the euro we have dipped -10 bps to 55.6 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just on 68.3, and again unchanged from yesterday.
The bitcoin price starts today at US$100,825 and up +6.0% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been very high at +/- 4.7%. At one point it reached US$103,000, at another back under $100,000.
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98 Comments
Nice!
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/05/climate-crisis-insu…
Pleasing to see that many of those states with the greatest concentrations of Republican voting/climate change denying populations are suffering the most.....
“The cost of insurance will start to change people equations,” said Hoffman. “Somewhere like Florida is warm, there’s no income tax, it’s a strong draw for seniors. Insurance might not stop people moving there, but if you’re selling you might not get any buyers.
“Insurance is so important for the economy. Sooner or later we are going to have to have a serious meetings of minds about not building in certain places because it just won’t get insurance.”
Interesting to see what happens when the "I" bit if the FIRE economy is so reduced by retreat and unaffordable premiums as to practically disappear.....
You're overlooking the possibility that climate-change deniers may blame any Extreme Weather Events in their states on the woke-commie Democrats.
Yes - they believe Woke-Commie Dems control the weather with their Laaserrrgun
"may blame"? no doubt about it.
"Yes, they can control the weather," claimed Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, an ardent supporter of Republican nominee Donald Trump, just days earlier. Her tweet has since been viewed over 43 million times.
https://www.dw.com/en/are-man-made-hurricanes-being-used-to-harm-republ…
Surprised that peeps still deny that direct weather and climate control has been a major scientific project for many decades. The papers are all there in public, and that's just the non-classified stuff.
Do you mean cloud seeding technology, or being able to make a hurricane appear and go where you want it to? Your comment is very open to interpretation.
Do your own ‘research’.
Deny, defend, delay
Not sure why anyone here is gleeful at the US insurance industry doing more of what it does best: maximising shareholder profits by ripping consumers off.
Bigger profits, and executives getting millions in bonuses. Net premiums up 12% but net claims only up 5%. It's all good news for the insurance companies. Bad news for everyone else.
Don't worry, privatisation of the NZ health system is not Shane Reti's overt policy.
Insurance is so important for the economy
The FIRE economy or debt growth forever economy maybe.
For those of you who still believe the RB created all our inflation during and post pandemic, take a look at the link David posted showing global supply chain pressures when the pandemic hit. There's your answer.
It was a joint effort. Demand was definitely a factor and that is due to the RBNZ.
[CONF tries to reconcile the rapid rise in NZ's existing houses due to cheap money and zero LVRs with global supply constraints ... Nope. Can't do it.]
[CONF tries to reconcile the massive increase in demand for imported toys with global supply constraints ... Nope. Can't do that either]
[CONF tries to reconcile the increases in price for imported toys that people seemed happy to pay with global supply constraints ... Nope. Can't do that either.]
[CONF consider whether it could it be that there was so much cheap money sloshing around that consumers just ignored the price? ... Yup. Cheap money has a solid track record for doing exactly that.]
[CONF ignores the comment.]
The Olsen property didn't sell yesterday. Not sure why you thought it sold.
Corrected to say 'passed in at'.
The RBNZ didn't create all our inflation over that period but they really pumped up the housing asset inflation.
Nope, Adrian Orr blames that on us too (Reserve Bank's Orr on housing market 'infatuation', Covid era decisions):
What people went and did with that money is a disappointment," Orr said of the cheap lending environment during the pandemic's height.
Too many people saw that as an opportunity to punt or stag the property market. Other people used the cash flow to stay in business or stay afloat as human beings.
Banks being asked to prepare for negative interest rates was not a request by him for people buy at all. Given this country's investment allocation history, you can understand why someone of his intelligence was surprised when they did indeed pour money into housing hand over fist. The man has yet to take a wrong step and the sooner you learn that the better.
In other news Orr disappointed that petrol decided to burn when he poured it on fire.
Exactly.
In other news Orr disappointed that petrol decided to burn when he poured it on fire
Given that Lord Orr enabled cheap funding to banks specifically for the Ponzi, I think that he should accept some responsibility. That's what an accountable leader would do.
F'more, given that he has a small army of pointy heads at his disposal, they should perhaps invest some of their time and effort to research attitudes and behaviors instead of staring at their existing data sets for answers.
Excellent post. So sooo dripping in sarcasm. Well done.
Ldv edeliver3 been advertised at $ 29k, could be a game changer in the courier / delivery business.
And a game changer for their competitors. Non Chinese car brands will be almost extinct in a few years, maybe Toyota will survive. Not sure about Tesla, I guess they have a good market for half of America.
Tesla's superfactory in Shanghai is operating well and Tesla remains one of the top car brands in China. VW and Jeep not so much.
BYD was second only to the combined sales of VW's two joint ventures in China last year.
https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/chinas-car-sales-…
Actually, might have been a scam, can't find it anymore, apologies
Still on Trade Me - but ex demo most likely?
ex-demos going for almost half price... when it's the current model does seem fishy. As does the private sale going for only 10K 400kms on the clock. Is there something wrong with these vans?
Everyone lists vans at that price this time of year expecting tourists to pay for it but there's less tourists this year than last. My brother has made a killing off of these sales for years. Buy van for $1500-3k, fix it up, make it look and smell nice then flog to a tourist for 8-10k. Two years ago they were going for $14k-ish with camping stuff included, but there isn't the demand this year like previously. Probably more tales on travel blogs now of tourists getting sold lemons with chassis rust issues etc that were bogged over by a kiwi looking to make a buck
but these are brand new vans. only 300 or 400 kms on the clock, less than 12mnths old.
$59k on their website -> https://ldv.co.nz/price-list/
Aside from being available NZ New, is this any different to the Nissan eNV200 that has been on our roads for quite a few years now?
e.g.: https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/nissan/e-nv200/listing/47593782…
4.2m3 vs 4.5m3 of cargo... pretty similar.
40kW vs 52.5kW battery also
Name one asset that has outperformed Bitcoin over the last 15/10/5/1 years. And we're just getting started.
Not too late to start learning about it. Good first steps for anyone are:
- Buy Bitcoin
- Create Self-custody wallet. Custody own Bitcoin
- Buy a few things with Bitcoin (plenty of places it can be done online)
Then you realise that if it walks like money, talks like money, and can do everything money can....it is money.
This is a finance blog, don't let pride leave you behind on this. Every criticism you see parroted about Bitcoin/crypto was said when price hit $10, $100, $1000, $10000, and now $100,000. Same criticisms will be squawked when it hits $1,000,000.
But if going to criticise crypto, first critique the currency you're comparing it to. For NZD, here is the RBNZ inflation calculator: Inflation calculator - Reserve Bank of New Zealand - Te Pūtea Matua Play around and see how much value the NZD has lost since various points. If you've truly seen, compare the median wage to median house price in NZD then denominate it in gold price as the classic inflation hedge.
Fiat is broken. It has been tried before and always ends the exact same way: excessive degrees of inflation then abandonment. Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Agree that people have made plenty of money out of Bitcoin, and may continue to do so. But I would be wary of anything that makes so much return without producing anything, it is 100% speculative. It is a gamble, and a very good one to date, probably worth the risk if you are the gambling type.
Disagree that fiat is broken. It is designed to deflate in value to encourage you to spend. It is primarily a means of exchange, not an investment.
Ask yourself this: If we all quit our jobs, sold everything, and invested in Bitcoin, will we all be rich? The answer is no, we will all be poorer. You can't make real value out of nothing.
Disagree that fiat is broken. It is designed to deflate in value to encourage you to spend. It is primarily a means of exchange, not an investment.
Stupidest comment I have read all year.
(Which on this site is a grand feat)
Understanding Bitcoin is a IQ test
The RBNZ is mandated to keep the NZD decreasing in real value at 2% on average per annum. You stash money under your mattress and expect it to increase in value?
I don't expect it to decrease in value, so if it is then it must be broken?
Your talking about inflation which is theft, another topic altogether. We are talking about FIAT. Stay on point Jimbo..
Inflation is when the value of fiat deflates isn't it?
So why save FIAT in your world?
I don't, I borrow it! But if you do save it, you want to earn interest to counteract inflation.
Sounds broken to me ..
Fiat is primarily a medium of exchange. It is also a store of value, your wage you get paid today will buy pretty much the same thing in two weeks time. But it is not meant to store value over a long period of time.
"Money is a store of value. If I work today and earn 25 dollars, I can hold on to the money before I spend it because it will hold its value until tomorrow, next week, or even next year. In fact, holding money is a more effective way of storing value than holding other items of value such as corn, which might rot. Although it is an efficient store of value, money is not a perfect store of value. Inflation slowly erodes the purchasing power of money over time." https://www.stlouisfed.org/education/economic-lowdown-podcast-series/ep…
Bitcoin is much more broken, its value changes wildly on a daily basis which makes it a terrible medium of exchange. A few years ago you couldn't buy a pizza with a Bitcoin.
Bitcoin was the best-performing asset of the decade. The data examined the 17 top-performing assets between 2011 and 2021 and found that since 2011, Bitcoin's cumulative gains have exceeded 20,000,000%.
Jimbo lets end this conversation (you think money is FIAT only?) - but I would recommend you read this book - which can debunk your points better than me.
Broken Money
Why Our Financial System is Failing Us and How We Can Make it Better
By Alden, Lyn
Bitcoin has been good as a (speculative) investment, but terrible as a medium of exchange. Can you imagine running a shop and having to reprice everything on a daily basis? When you are trying to exchange, the value of the currency increasing is just as bad as the value decreasing.
Fiat (in proper countries) is good as a medium of exchange but terrible as a long term investment (which is not its purpose). Billions of people use it every day to exchange things without issue.
Surely both of these points are quite obvious! If you put $100 under your pillow in 1970 and expected it to be worth the same today, you were wrong.
A boy asked his bitcoin-investing dad for 1 bitcoin for his birthday. Dad: What? $82,554? $102,354 is a lot of money! What do you need $95,782 for anyway?
You realise there are many large companies that allow you to save in Bitcoin/crypto and then they can handle conversion to fiat at time of purchase, right? Here's a big one for you to have a look.
Bybit Crypto Debit Card | Unlock Rewards | 10% Cashback
So this entirely sidesteps this whole set of complaints. You can save in an appreciating currency and spend in a depreciating currency.
You can also buy direct with cryptocurrency at many stores and also buy giftcards with it:
Who Accepts Crypto? 250+ Stores Where You Can Spend Bitcoin + Crypto | BitPay
But let me guess, this doesn't count or something.
The depth of ignorance about cryptocurrency and the cryptocurrency industry on this website is staggering. So many convinced they know so much when they don't even know the basics.
EDIT: And to be clear, ignorance is acceptable. But when the ignorant don't even realise how ignorant they are and refuse to learn or even consider they are wrong, it becomes pathetic and no different from any religion etc.
I made a pile of money out of companies in 86/87. Chase, Equitycorp.. and the rest.
Others lost big. Some died.
Overall, despite that some made big dollars, it was fundamentally stupid. But many thought it was smart. They even preached about it. It was exciting one year, but the next year it wasn't.
Baywatch, don't get too excited. This year's dollars can get folk overexcited.
Nothing to add to this stream than old antidotes about shares? How's the packing going ..are you taking the Lazyboy and bowls to Sydney?
The only reason you are buying bitcoin is because of the history of its price. That behaviour has happened many times before in history, with always the same result.
You come on here saying everyone else is stupid for not buying Bitcoin, yet show yourself up as an intellectual lightweight in comments. You fail to show any understanding of what fiat money is, what it is used for, and why it is purposely designed to do what it does.
The only reason you are buying bitcoin is because of the history of its price.
I buy because of the fundamental advantages that Bitcoin has over fiat money. Those advantages led to the creation of a narrative about what the final pricing/value of this asset will be in the context of the existing financial system. The rising price (including 4+ recoveries where the asset exceeded the previous ATH 'bubble' significantly) indicates that this narrative is not bs but likely correct (so long as the blockchain remains technically sound).
Let's start from the facts here: Bitcoin fits all the classic definition of currency/form of money. This currency has had an exchange rate that has consistently improved overtime against every. single. currency. in. the. world. including. gold.
If you think it is a bubble, please identify the other asset class that has had >80% crashes four times in a 15 year window that has then recovered and comfortably exceeded previous ATH. I'll wait.
Your abuse is not a reply Baywatch.
That's frazz's usual MO when he reaches the limit of his capacity to debate. Pretty standard and has been booted off here in the past because of it.
Baywatch - your link says this
"Broken Money answers these questions by examining the current mix of technology that has led to these limitations, and then explores emerging technologies that may be able to provide us with a monetary system that is fit for the modern era."
Which shows he doesnt actually understand what the economy is.
Stupidest comment I have read all year.
I don't think it is as stupid as you think. If fiat currencies are designed to lose value over time, that encourages people to spend not save. Live paycheck to paycheck / spend like drunken sailors, etc. That underpins the Anglosphere economic model.
Also, inflation is not just the price of goods and services. It's about broad money supply. One of the key reasons why broad money supply growth is greater in Aotearoa than say Japan is because of the Ponzi.
In many ways, the ol' rat poison is a life raft for many who can see the issues for what they are. And given that the ruling elite have proactively suppressed the price of alternative money such as gold, it's no wonder it's powering ahead like it is.
Most of the people here have never lived through real hyperinflation. Dmitry Orlov tells the story of his wife visiting Russia in the 1990s just as the ruble collapsed. She withdrew her entire life savings from the bank - and bought a pair of shoes. She knew that if she waited just one or two more weeks, her life savings wouldn't be able to cover even that.
"Stupidest comment I have read all year."
Fiat currencies are designed to increase in total quantity. They are not designed to inflate in value - ever - although they do for very short periods. Are they designed to deflate in value - in the ideal world? Not really. We don't live in the ideal world (our real world is far too complex) so they do deflate - at various rates, at various times - in value due to inflation, increased supply, etc. etc. Some on fringe believe this is to encourage spending - but this is fringe view. They are primarily a medium of exchange, and secondarily a temporary store of value. (When converted to fixed term interest baring deposits - they can hold their value - especially if the 'fixed term interest baring deposit' can be traded and has increased in value due to its interest rate being higher than the prevailing interest rate.)
"Understanding Bitcoin is a IQ test"
As is understanding Fiat Currencies. Probably even more so as fiat currencies aren't limited to just 21 million units. And the Bitcoin supply isn't the political plaything that fiat currencies are in the hands of politicians and bankers, both central & commercial.
Ask yourself this: If we all quit our jobs, sold everything, and invested in Bitcoin, will we all be rich? The answer is no, we will all be poorer. You can't make real value out of nothing.
What an incredible strawman argument. Replace the work "Bitcoin" with "USD" and tell me if the answers any different?
people don't 'invest' in cash.
people don't 'invest' in cash.
They invest in USDT though. Because they're told that it's a prudent thing to do.
You mean tether, or US goverment bonds? The bonds at least pay interest.
"excessive degrees of inflation then abandonment"
1 Bitcoin being worth 1 million of this abandoned currency would be kinda meaningless at this point no?
Bitcoin might be a temporary fomo inflation hedge - like Auckland property was (!) - just keep the buyers coming - but it leads to the same place
The world functions on a wage-exchange economic system - we extract stuff and make that into things, sell those things, throw them away and start over - paying each other wages as we go. And it depends on extracting-selling more this year than last year.
Underpinning the currency in these transactions is the energy base. And Eureka! - herein lies our underlying problem.
Good first steps for anyone are:
- Buy Bitcoin
Yup great investment advise. Buy now, think later.
Gosh, I wish I could think. Maybe you can do it for me!
So tell me, what is the process by which new blocks get added to the Bitcoin blockchain? I'm also a bit confused about what a utxo is, how atomic swaps work, and also what a seed phrase is. Maybe you could clear these up for me, Mr. deep thinker?
While you're doing that I'd also be curious to know what the current hashrate is and how it is distributed globally, the current usage rate of the lightning network, and plenty of others.
So please educate me Mr. #deepthinker, I really need some help here understanding all this stuff.
Maybe in your case you should stick to buying dirt you can squat on and leave the future for the rest of us.
"Yup great investment advise. Buy now, think later."
Agreed. I really want to see how this ends.
Will it become a noteworthy point in foolishness? Or will Bitcoin end up playing a real role in our financial system? Or something else? Anyway, it's quite nice to be sitting on the sidelines having made a few bob while being in at the beginning when they were worth less than $ and we were encouraged to spend them to get them into circulation. Now a purely academic exercise from my point of view. (But just quietly - some of the 'new coins on the block' - see what I did there? - are just scary.)
If its so deflationary why would you ever use it to purchase anything?
Ata Marie e hoa ma.
Political influence and corruption doesn't come any more blatant than this from our friends in the "Look, what i'd say to you is" coalition. (21 of those in the Jack Tame interview btw)
At the very last minute, the coalition have flipped and allowed commercial fishing to be continued in the new Hauraki Gulf marine protection reserves. That's right, the kids can't put a line in to catch a snapper but a 250 tonne trawler can drift through there in the night with nets out. What functioning country allows a commercial drag net to operate in a marine protection zone? They aren't marine reserves, they are Profit Protection Reserves.
Corruption manifest.
https://www.doc.govt.nz/our-work/revitalising-the-gulf/new-marine-prote…
Can you explain what you mean in your first sentence?
2nd sentence sorry.
Luxon started a sentence with "look, what i'd say to you is" 21 times in his recent interview with Tame. The guy is incapable of spontaneous thought, it's become "what can be unburdened by what has been" in its insipidness and lack of originality.
got it thanks.
Dd you notice his facial expression at the end, ugly.
It was a very poor interview by Luxon who is looking increasingly out of his depth. I thought Tame was impressive
It's just a technique to give you 3 seconds to think of your answer before you give it. I agree that Chris does not impress in front of the camera or microphone. He needs better advisors on his style of speaking, or his "preferred prime minister " percentage will fall even further. I'm not a huge fan of Winston Peters, but was very impressed when he spoke live on tour. He speaks his mind, often unfiltered, and it makes what he is saying much more interesting.
Ingrained corporate "verbal cues". John Key is the same, starting every reply with "look" to draw attention and create an authoritative tone. Even Simon Bridges did the same when he was in the spotlight, mimicking John Key's speaking style and mannerisms.
I think it's taught as part of the curriculum at Buzzword Bingo Retreat.
"Look, at the end of the day..." - John Key
"Look, what I say to you is..." - Christopher Luxon
This craven capitulation to commercial interests was announced mid October "minister Shane Jones referred to in an interview with the Sunday Star Times. He cited the cost of living crisis and the provision of protein to Māori and Pacific Island communities in South Auckland as reasons to allow this fishing."
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/conservation-minister-tama-potaka-was-tol…
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/16-10-2024/why-last-minute-changes-to…
https://legasea.co.nz/2024/10/14/conservation-is-just-an-excuse-to-excl…
Jones is a shambles of a human (and I don't say that lightly).
The capitulation was announced in the last few days and has nothing whasoever to do with protein to Maori and Pacific Island communities. Does Tiff look like tangata whenua to you? Infact, it is local iwi who are most outraged at this change.
This is purely about being at the beck and call of your commercial fishing masters.
Also: "250 Tonne trawlers"? Has something changed - in the Spinoff & Herald links Potaka said “a small number of known fishers who operate on very small waka no bigger than six metres” would be allowed to ring-net fish between March and August in protected areas to supply four species to local communities."
Did you read the NZ Herald article you posted the link to? No bigger than 6 metres, that's quite funny.
The marine reserves are small, it would be very easy to operate outside them. Under cover of night the large trawlers will drift through, I watch them at night.
Of course. Where is the info on 250T trawlers you state?
Edit: saw your last comment edit above, & while I agree with you on the political capitulation to commercial interests, I think that the inshore area is easy to monitor for blatant breaches
I edited my comment. I'd love to see a sub 6m net trawler but the reality is that the trawlers only ever fish at night. I see them all the time drifting through. Have they explicitly banned any commercial boat >6m?
The reason the Gulf's fish stocks are so compromised is trawlers and dredgers.
I look out over one of those marine reserves and in 20 years I have never seen a commercial circle netter <6m fishing.
On a more optimistic note, here in Wgtn the south coast marine reserve has been an outstanding success over the last decade or so.
Its revitalized fish stocks surrounding the area, for everyones benefit. However it took quite a while to recover.
Yes, they are an awesome initiative and I would argue are of greater economic benefit than if commercially fished.
Which is why this last minute capitualtion in the Gulf is so moronic and reeks of corruption. I look out over one of these, there are no iwi commercial fishing there and there are no trawlers under 20m and they only ever fish at night. the full time residents are always laying formal complaints over the trawlers behaviour for years. They should be banned from the gulf, yet here we are with recreational fisherman banned while they continue.
Commercial fishing are responsible for the destruction of the Gulfs fish stocks, not recreational. The rec fisherman eat at local restaurants, stay at campgrounds, stay in hotels and accom, use local stores.
Those are the trawlers I see, never seen one under 20m.
Where do they get this <6m trawlers, I mean seriously. Show me a photo of one. Trawlers only ever fish at night and are always in closer than permitted. The whole thing is a joke and always has been.
21 times, lol
Tame owned him in a way you rarely see and I think that's why he kept reverting to that as a defence mechanism.
The MSM were so keen to have him as a PM even before he was in politics. Are they very poor at picking PM's or did they want him in there for other reasons?
Ha! I was just thinking this morning that a game of Luxon Bingo (or a Luxon drinking game) would have that line as one of the boxes to tick.
Also, "Well I'm just happy that we live in a country where..." when it doesn't address the question put to him.
PS. Labour/Greens/TPM don't get my vote either.
21 shots, can you imagine it! Is there a more robotic politician anywhere on the planet ? (I voted for him so feel entitled to criticise)
Shocked.
Really, you didn't see him coming?
I didn't vote for him because it was manifestly obvious before the election he was the worse National leader in living memory. The anti-Labour/Jacinda suckers ate a big pile of dogshit because they didn't like the taste of Labour's cabbage sandwich. Winning.
The fact that the National Party apparatus parachuted in this no-hoper carpet bagger was shocking. Or maybe not.
Yeah, but look at the MPs they had to choose from otherwise. Who would you have picked?
I'd have gone with Simon Bridges, er I mean Todd Muller, sorry I meant to say Judith Collins. Hmm, I wonder what Bill English is up to?
Looks like a case of "I never thought leopards would eat MY face", exclaims man who voted for the Leopards Eating People's Faces Party
Eww. You reminded me of the awful Ren & Stimpy episode where people were lining up to have their brains eaten by a celebrity Praying Mantis. Disgusting show, but maybe it was satire?
I would like to see more gov spend on autopilot use next year
tbh the whole bloody government appears to be on autopilot
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