Pork Watch

Audrey Young and her colleagues at ther Nz Herald last week introduced a new dimension to the political landscape with Pork Watch, and the Porkometer, designed to capture that election-year phenomonen, pork barrel politics. Today Audrey brings us a post-budget update:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10512629

Here's the latest:

"The Herald's Porkometer of Labour and National election-year promises ballooned after last week's Budget.

The centrepiece was Labour's promise to spend $10.6 billion over four years on tax cuts.

The tax cuts, with other highlights announced on Budget day, have added $12.29 billion to Labour's brag-bag of policies.

When added to the previous $3.99 billion identified on Pork Watch, Labour's Porkometer has reached $16.28 billion."

We will be watching this with interest. Cullen's budget was cynical in the extreme, and with no reduction in government spending to compensate for his hated tax cuts, he will push the economy into deficit from next year. His post-budget comments make it clear that this was his sole objective - to cut National off at the pass, and give them no room to announce any policy initiatives. The hypocricy of the Helen Clark government is now such that they don't even try to conceal the deception any more, which is an insult to the intelligence of the electorate.

C'mon Helen - do us all a favour, and go to the polls now. Give us the chance to say who we REALLY trust to run the country. Meanwhile, the Porkometer will tick on, and Keeping Stock will keep you informed!