The population is higher than 2017, which would most likely impact the percentage.

It's probably been on the cards a while it seems. 

Mostly it's the loss of his experience with various portfolios which would be missed. He always left me feeling a bit.... Uneasy..

By-election in Tauranga now eh? I wonder if Winston will run there again?

Good riddance. Bridges was far too comfortable around Filipino fascists for my taste.

Rikkitic:

 

Good riddance. Bridges was far too comfortable around Filipino fascists for my taste.

 

 

 

I never liked him. Same old whinging. BUT... when he was taken to task over mistakes he owned it. That was quite candid. The reasonably lengthy video I watched  was insightful. Now, IMO he has value, experience, made mistakes and admitted them. That's often rare these modern days. IMO its an alpha male issue. Luxon vs Bridges. 

At least Bridges has followed the time-honoured tradition that when you have achieved leadership of your party in Parliament and been deposed, with no realistic prospect of rising again, you move on at a time of your choosing.  Yes there will be a gap in National's fortunes caused by your departure, but it will be filled and probably well before the next election.  Goodbye Simon and good luck with your future.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/national-leader-christopher-luxon-announces-nicola-willis-as-new-finance-spokesperson/LV24K5V5WXQOK5TUJJS24SDMGY/

Nicola Willis has taken over the Finance portfolio.

I quite liked Bridges. 

For a politician he seemed a bit more honest than most and certainly owned his (many) mistakes.

I think ultimately he has no path back to the top, Luxon is Alpha dog and Bridges will probably have been told what his future looks like and didn't like it. 

I don't think it'll hurt National too much in the medium to long term, but Simon was popular in TGA and that'll be a hard seat to fill for any incoming newbie. 

Luxon is quite confident National will win it. Maybe Winston will though?

quickymart:

 

Luxon is quite confident National will win it. Maybe Winston will though?

 

IF he ends up King Maker, it will be interesting to see which way he goes this time. He has not exactly made himself friends with Labour since he left office. He has been more than a little critical. I note however, that Labour have been very quiet in refuting those claims, probably because they know he is a vengeful vindictive sort and they will try their best to not burn any bridges.... 

quickymart:

 

The population is higher than 2017, which would most likely impact the percentage.

 

Seems more is making the news now

" There's a 5-year unemployment low, and a 5-year welfare high. What is going on? It may sound counterintuitive, but the New Zealand labour market reached a five-year unemployment low and a five-year high for welfare dependency at the same time. The two seemingly opposing statistics have allowed politicians to argue past each other.

Then there’s benefit rates – people in receipt of any main benefit – which can also include people who are employed. The Opposition has picked up on a record high rate for long-term benefit use, which topped 266,000 people at the end of 2021. But the Government can point to Stats NZ figures, which show the country edging closer to full employment – with unemployment reaching a five-year low of 91,000 people. To further complicate matters, the growth in benefit dependency is led by people on the Jobseeker Ready for Work benefit – effectively New Zealand’s unemployment benefit. According to the Ministry of Social Development, 106,400 people were on that benefit at the end of 2021."

More here: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/explained/300535840/theres-a-5year-unemployment-low-and-a-5year-welfare-high-what-is-going-on

JPNZ:

 

Seems more is making the news now

 

" There's a 5-year unemployment low, and a 5-year welfare high. What is going on? It may sound counterintuitive, but the New Zealand labour market reached a five-year unemployment low and a five-year high for welfare dependency at the same time. The two seemingly opposing statistics have allowed politicians to argue past each other.

 

Covid. While many employers held employees with the wage subsidy, many businesses failed, or reduced staff. So of the ex employees now on the dole, the jobs arent there as business employment has dropped during Covid. So employment is at a record low as the jobs are largely filled.

tdgeek:

 

Covid. While many employers held employees with the wage subsidy, many businesses failed, or reduced staff. So of the ex employees now on the dole, the jobs arent there as business employment has dropped during Covid. So employment is at a record low as the jobs are largely filled.

 

Ummmm No.

28/02/22 Job listings site Seek records all-time-high job listings in January, A record number of job ads was posted on one of the country's leading labour market websites last month. 

The number of job ads rose 9 percent month-on-month, which was 42 percent up year-on-year and 36 percent more than in January 2019, which was the year before the pandemic hit.

"Businesses returned quickly to the search for talent in the new year and by the second week of January ads were tracking 48 percent ahead year-on-year," Seek country manager Rob Clark said.

05/10/21 NZ jobs market runs hot, untouched by lockdown, says Trade Me, 

Salaries have hit record highs and job listings continue to rise, an analysis of more than 78,000 vacancies listed on Trade Me Jobs shows.

Job listings had remained strong and appeared unscathed by lockdown restrictions in the quarter ending September 30, Trade Me jobs sales director Matt Tolich said.

“Following on from a solid first half of the year, we saw a 46 per cent year-on-year increase in the number of jobs advertised on Trade Me in Q3.

“We have seen a remarkable year-on-year increase in the number of job listings onsite since most of the country came out of lockdown, with a 26 per cent year-on-year jump in September alone. In fact, since most of New Zealand entered Alert Level 3, we have seen an average of over 1000 jobs listed on Trade Me every weekday,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.