Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Is National's new student debt policy really going to stop our brain drain?

Jeez, I'm not going to lie, I love the punitive part of National's student debt policy.

In case you missed it, it is essentially this: go easier on people with student loans who still live in New Zealand and crack down harder on those with loans who live overseas. National says it's a bid to keep our brightest graduates here.

Bob Edlin: The Nats (like Labour) have ruled out a streaming tax....

....but they have put their message on repeat

Those of us who keep an ear to proceedings in Parliament should have been left in no doubt this week about National’s policy position on a streaming tax. They are agin it.

Fair to say, they comprehensively laboured the point: after three days of hearing the PM and Paul Goldsmith banging on at Question Time about ruling it out of the National agenda, those listening would have been yearning to hear what they will be doing to improve our well-being rather than what they will not be doing.

Ryan Bridge: Land, inheritance taxes incoming?!

Everything in this election's just been turned on its head in 24 hours for three reasons.

And it's not because of National.

Firstly, yesterday, Chris Hipkins was asked if he'd tell us how he would deal with TOP, what the caveats would be.

Andrew Dickens: Food security should be an election priority

As if the world hasn’t already got enough to worry about what with war, and fuel crisis and inflation, there comes another concern.

This weekend The Independent published a piece on UK Farmers warning that food shortages are just 10 days away for the UK and there are signs that suggest they’ve already arrived.

Ryan Bridge: Banning and taxing won't solve the problem

This week the Tony Blair Institute warned Andy Burnham that you can't tax your way to prosperity.

Some of our politicians could use a similar lecture.

We have parties wanting new taxes to fund what is basically a Universal Basic Income, even though AI hasn't yet stolen the number of jobs they claimed it would.

Clive Bibby: Politicians and Your Money

As the general election draws nearer, politicians of all persuasions are hitting the streets in an effort to bribe us with our own money.

For the rest of the year, we might as well not exist.

I accept that this appearance on street corners is part of the ritual we must endure in order to get a handle on who is promising value for money but it would be so much easier and a less debilitating process if they all actually did what they promised when in charge of the Treasury Benches.

Ryan Bridge: Labour takes huge election gamble

So let's talk about that weird interview yesterday.

No not the one with Winston Peters, the one with Hipkins.

He has planted Labour in an almost impossible-to-justify position on NZ Super.

Robert MacCulloch and Leonard Hong: National's Plans for Compulsory KiwiSaver

The National Party’s KiwiSaver announcement is one of the most significant shifts in New Zealand politics and economic policy in a generation.

"We are delighted that the Prime Minister has agreed to implement compulsory KiwiSaver if re-elected in this year’s election."

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Another Labour health policy where the numbers don't add up

So, we’ve had yet another Labour health policy announced - and, once again, it has problems with its numbers.

This one is a revival of the free prescriptions idea. You’ll remember Labour introduced this in 2023 when it was in Government. It scrapped the $5 fee you pay when you pick up a prescription.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: We've learned not to underestimate Barbara Edmonds

Okay, so we’ve had the first little parry of the election campaign, with Nicola Willis calling a news conference to accuse Labour of numbers that don’t add up, and then Barbara Edmonds responding.

I’m going to call this - by the slimmest of margins - for Edmonds. I think she actually won this exchange purely by holding her ground, sounding confident and pointing out that she doesn’t actually have to have public numbers that add up just yet.

Ross Meurant: K.I.S.S.

Once Upon a Time I had command of 60 front line police officers.

I also managed 63 personnel in a private security company I jointly owned with a fellow police officer, sergeant Josh Liavaa – a NZ Kiwi League representative.

Addendum: Josh was shot dead in an incident in Hawaii 2014 – and NZ lost a really good bloke.