Election bribes par for the course for Labour

The desperation swirling around the Labour Party at the moment leaves me with deep pit of emptiness in my stomach.

Labour are well behind in the polls at present, their leader has been enveloped in lies and corruption over the Owen Glenn Winston Peters donation saga and Michael Cullen has gone feral on John Key's connection to Merrill Lynch.

The emptiness comes from the past history of how Labour operates to buy voters before an election.

Before the 1990 election the kitty was raided by Labour to the point where people thought the country was in a surplus economic position but after the books were revealed post election it turned out that we were deep in debt.

In 2005 of course was the mother of all bribes when Labour announced free money to students and increased welfare via working for families and some other state assisted lollies.

We have already had the following before the 2008 election:

1. KiwiRail purchase - cost NZ $665 million, plus hundreds of millions to "upgrade it" and keep it running. Altogether, including missed economic growth from keeping the money in taxpayers hands, $2 billion plus. Election bribe.

2. $10 billion in "tax cuts" mostly focused on those on welfare-working for families -and at an average of $16 per person hardly worth legislating for. Election bribe.

3. Increase in working for families-$200 million plus per year, 600 million over a 3 year term. Election bribe.

4. 1.7 Billion in lost capital value for Auckland International Airport shareholders because Labour stopped the sale of this private asset to buy votes. Election bribe.

5. Corporate welfare for research and development, cost $700 million. Election bribe.

6.Universal student allowances. Cost $728 million. Mooted but it will go ahead. Election bribe.

7. South Auckland "University". Cost, $25 million to purchase land and hundreds of millions more to develop. Not needed as Auckland already has 4 universities. Election Bribe.

8. Mt Eden Prison, Cost, well north of $250 million and unnecessary. Bunk beds will do. Election bribe.

Other costs with some merit but nonetheless some of the better ones could have been done earlier in Labour's term.

* $750 million in new health spending (includes first year of $160 million announced over weekend for elective services).

* $621 million in total over five years to boost Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

* $446 million over four years to boost funding for community organisations.*
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* $164.2 million over five years for a cervical cancer immunisation programme.

* $150 million a year on educational changes to keep young people in school or training until they are 18.

The cost so far to the taxpayer?

Just over $18,000,000,000.00 , that is Billion with a capital B folks. You will have to pay this out of your taxes should Labour buy their way into power.

There will be more bribes with your money just before the election, probably targeted at students again and the elderly.

Watch for a possible surprise bribe. One that has been circulating around the traps is a cut in GST.

Watch your wallet folks, Labour is going to use it to buy your vote.

c Political Animal 2008