Posted on 11/07/2008 10:42:20 PM PST by george76
Helen Clark, the prime minister of New Zealand who has governed the country for almost a decade, is expected to be swept from office on Saturday in a general election which could leave the balance of power in the hands of the Maori communuity.
If she is defeated, the victor will be John Key, 47, a political novice who has revitalised the opposition National Party ...
While Labour is laying claim to being a safe pair of hands as the international economic crisis rages, the Centre-Right National Party has campaigned on the theme "it's time for a change", ...
Although Miss Clark, 58, has presided over the longest period of growth in a generation, the economy is in recession and Mr Key has lured voters with a more generous package of tax cuts than Labour's.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
How’s your gun-control, immigration laws and employment situation (he asked, hoping for a trifecta)?
In 1993 The Canadian liberals promised to repeal a new tax, they were lying too.
Gun control laws are similar to Canada’s: here gun ownership is not a right it is a privilege. Very high rate of gun ownership per capita, mostly for hunting, target shooting and pest control. Pistols by special permit only, and only if you belong to a club or are a collector. No automatic right to use guns for self-defense.
Police do not routinely carry sidearms.
The military is small but focused on key delivery capabilities. Thanks to Auntie Helen we have no airstrike capability. However, we do have excellent elite troops with the NZ SAS — arguably the best in the world.
Urban crime is an issue: increasingly so. Property crime is quite high, as is violent crime — not so much with firearms as with knives and blunt instruments. P-methamphetamine is the illicit drug-of-choice. Marijuana is very commonplace: here it grows like a weed.
Immigration is fairly straightforward, particularly if you have good skills that the economy needs, or if you marry a Kiwi (even easier). Otherwise excellent border control, thanks to miles of shark-infested Pacific Ocean.
The economy is quite good. Export dependent, and largly based on the farming sector (that is changing). Generally well-educated populace, one of our top exports is medical professionals (we are trying to change that).
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