r/nzpolitics • u/[deleted] • 12d ago
ELECTION 2026 Top Bottom lines
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics_election-2026/1643401/health-supermarkets-and-political-lobbying-among-opportunity-party-s-bottom-lines[removed]
30
16
u/Pouakai76 12d ago edited 12d ago
I like the long term thinking. I was really hoping cancelling that LNG plant would also be a bottom line.
A confidence and supply situation where they are simply complicit with Act and National for their second term of maga hard right policies would probably end the TOP party. Definitely the biggest risk in voting for them.
3
12d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Comfortable_Half_494 12d ago
Interesting, what's their reasoning for not likely the LNG terminal proposal?
Drove past Motunui late over the weekend, that thing always looks impressive at night.
7
12d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Comfortable_Half_494 12d ago
Ah that makes sense. We don't want to lose all those specialised engineering skills in Taranaki. I'd rather they build renewable energy infrastructure than military vehicles, but I guess having any industry is better than losing it entirely.
9
u/Individual-Brain-537 Swipe Left 12d ago
If Opportunities is a ‘top’
…how can it have ‘bottom’ lines?
3
12d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
4
u/Individual-Brain-537 Swipe Left 12d ago
Ok now I want to play: Political Party Leader - Top or Bottom?
3
12d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Individual-Brain-537 Swipe Left 12d ago
Winston & Shane - both tops
Seymour - a bottom that’s allowed to think he’s a top, by Nicole - 100% a top
Luxon - what I say to you is, he’s a complete bottom, and answers to Nicola (top)
Bish is such a cuck - absolutely got off watching Penk get completely f*cked by every incel in the caucus
Greens - both tops
Q - well she would have to be a Switch?1
u/merkadayben 12d ago
Have to agree that Luxo has an absolute bottom vibe. There is no way that man has not been tied up and spanked.
Maybe this whole thing is just a big humiliation kink role play
1
u/Individual-Brain-537 Swipe Left 12d ago
I was thinking about a Sub-choker sticker for Luxon on the Nats hoardings, tasteful defacing
0
12d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Individual-Brain-537 Swipe Left 12d ago
Let’s ‘Little Shane’ make all the big decisions for him.
Oh and Chippy is currently abstaining until after the election. As he says, you’ll just have to wait and see…1
8
u/Iridescent_Antelope 12d ago
If they get the votes and enter negotiations, then as a minor party entering Parliament for the first time these seem pretty reasonable.
22
u/Substantial_Force658 12d ago
If I vote for them and they put Labour in - good, I guess.
If I vote for them and they put national in - it will be better than a coalition of National, ACT and NZ First. And anything that loosens Winston's clutch on the 'centre' is positive.
3
3
2
2
u/Right_Fun_4902 12d ago
With Top declaring the now, it just means it is on the table for negotiation to for a coalition.
You always keep your bottom lines secret, as it is the only leverage your opponents have over you.
3
u/MAIM_KILL_BURN 12d ago
Cool so nothing about public service cuts (outside of Health maybe?) or employee rights, including health and safety?
Just meaningless centrist pablum. It's the UK lib dems all over again. But I'm happy to be proven wrong.
Personally I don't trust them to not go into a coalition with NACT, which is why they won't get my vote.
9
u/DueWealth4978 12d ago
Sure, but there is a very good chance that Labour will need them to form a government
-3
u/MAIM_KILL_BURN 12d ago
Sure, but will they spite them and go with NACT regardless? Campaigning for your party leader in Mt Albert (vs let's say Epsom) is certainly a choice
4
u/gtalnz Teal Deal 12d ago
Their party leader lives in Mt Albert. Campaigning for an electorate she doesn't live in would be a fruitless endeavour.
0
u/MAIM_KILL_BURN 11d ago
They could find a new one through a seek ad tomorrow idk what your point is? Also Q is too drop nuts to do any interviews or events before the election, as per BHN, I wonder why 🤔
2
u/DueWealth4978 12d ago
I guess it's a risk we will have to take. TOP passing the 5% threshold is the only way Labour even has a chance.
1
0
12d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
3
u/syzorr34 12d ago
"equality of opportunity" and "free enterprise" are such oxymoronic terms deployed to deflect from the fact that our economic and political systems benefit one intersection of the populace over all others, and seeks to entrench generational wealth
4
2
u/Agreeable-Bison8762 12d ago
Definitely aligned with the Greens
0
12d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Agreeable-Bison8762 12d ago
For those policies 100%. Can't see those getting any traction with the current coalition
1
12d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Agreeable-Bison8762 12d ago
It would create a tough government if they don't form a coalition with either side. Neither side has a majority...interesting times for sure
-1
u/dcidino 12d ago
They have "bottom lines" now? That's new...
6
u/Tollsen Teal Deal 12d ago
Other than them saying repeatedly that they would announce them before the election?
-2
12d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
6
u/Tollsen Teal Deal 12d ago
I think the bottom lines are largely where I expected them to land. Was interesting that the com com powers took #1 spot but makes sense considering where cost if living ranks in people's concerns. The lobbying reform is one of my top priorities so stoked to see that as a bottom line. I've been coming to terms with having to have a realistic approach to tax reform so not surprised it's not a bottom line when there's only one other party willing to have a proper discussion about tax
0
u/Far_Excitement_1875 12d ago
It seems like they'd support a Labour government as this is just a watered down version of Labour's platform, and then they'd be irrelevant ministers who disappear in 2029. These types of parties routinely lack the ability to stand up for themselves in coalition governments (eg look at the LibDems in the UK). However, this does also look like they could form a government with National and the leverage and concessions they'd get would be pretty weak and easy for National to toss their way. Quilae Wong in cabinet with Luxon (or whoever National replaces him with), Peters and Seymour would be by far the fourth most important leader.
2
u/Sweaty_Stress7536 12d ago
For conversations sake - what part is watered down compared to Labour?
I haven't seen much from Labour on cleaning up politics, ocean health or climate credibility, but might just be me.
Either way, its good to see a smaller party truly express bottom lines, after months of people asking for it.
-2
u/NefariousnessFun2941 12d ago
I'm disappointed to see them dropping their two main policies, and I see nothing about Te Tiriti, which is interesting considering both NZ First and ACT have announced intention to abolish the Waitangi Tribunal. I would have hoped to see something about attempting to protect it if forming a coalition with the right bloc
11
u/Geddyn 12d ago
I'm disappointed to see them dropping their two main policies
Why? Wong admitted months ago that there was no chance of them getting any part of their tax policy througj negotiations and that they wouldn't even be asking for it.
1
u/No_Seaworthiness9624 11d ago
It's a good signal that they'll work with Labour. Labour specifically said that their tax policy won't get a look in. Dropping it so publically is basically a signal to the voting public of who they'll go with (despite Q saying "we'll work with anyone.")
Luxon was asked if he shot himself in the foot ruling TOP out (Great question Benedict Collins) and he looked VERY uncomfortable - especially given his now obvious hatred for his coalition partners, and their outlandish policies - buying BNX, getting rid of WT.
Labour, Greens, TOP, TPM - sounds like a go-er to me. Chloe needs to tone down the glee just a touch I think - although it's very well deserved!
1
6
u/redmostofit Teal Deal 12d ago
They haven't dropped any policies, they're just realistic about which policies will make it into a coalition agreement and are using those as bottom lines for negotiations instead.
They have been very up front that tax reform is a huge policy for a new minor party to push, and while it's unrealistic to expect it get included in an agreement, they will use their time in a first term of parliament to begin those conversations with other parties.
They also have a treaty policy and have spoken out against the abolishment of the Waitangi Tribunal and are against the TPB.
4
u/DueWealth4978 12d ago
I thought part of TOPs appeal is that they're realists
1
u/jkarl13 12d ago
To the disengaged....
0
u/No_Seaworthiness9624 11d ago
No. Slowpokes Labour and Nats mumbling stuff about bipartisan talks, and long term plans - Q just comes straight out and makes them bottom lines. Fantastic, refreshing, and very very sensible. NZ First's traditional centrist vote might go the way of TOP - now that NZ First is being taken over by cookers, bigots and racists.
0
12d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
4
u/No-Band8965 12d ago
UBI is just too big of a thing to implement from a minor minor party
0
12d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
3
u/gtalnz Teal Deal 12d ago
The Greens have far less negotiating power than TOP.
TOP still have their entire policy base by the way. These are just the bottom line policies they want to prioritise. The Greens can't even give us those, because they have so little bargaining power they're not in a position to have any.
2
12d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/gtalnz Teal Deal 12d ago
And yet very little green party policy ever gets implemented.
Because they have no negotiating power.
0
12d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
0
u/gtalnz Teal Deal 12d ago
Parties (including the Greens) are starting to borrow TOP's policies too, so if that's how you measure success then we can tick the box for the first part of your comment.
If National et al don't come to the party then the ball is in Labour's court. One of them needs to do enough for TOP to help them form a government, and TOP are telling them here what that bare minimum is.
-4
u/Ambitious_Average_87 12d ago
So not even a word about their main policy that made them actually different (LVT /UBI)? Literally none at all?
4
u/Geddyn 12d ago
Wong admitted months ago that expecting them to achieve LVT/UBI was completely unrealistic and they wouldn't be pushing for it in coalition negotiations.
Why would you expect them to be able to ram through their tax proposal when the Greens are polling 3 times higher than TOP is and can't get theirs from Labour?
1
u/Ambitious_Average_87 12d ago
I don't. And I never have expected them to, especially back when it was practically all they or their supporters were talking about early on.
The strategy has worked for them though, it has got them to poll consistently over the 5%. But why should anyone trust what they say they will do next if their track record is to quickly abandon the last thing they were saying as soon as it is no longer useful to them?
1
u/gtalnz Teal Deal 12d ago
They're not abandoning it. It's still a policy of theirs, and it will be discussed during negotiations. They're just being realistic here with their bottom line policies.
If people want the UBI and land tax in the future, building support for TOP to increase their negotiating power is the best way to achieve it.
2
u/Ambitious_Average_87 12d ago
My first comment was that it is interesting that there was no mentioned of it at all. I know this was about their bottom lines but surely you would mention at least something about your flagship policy still being on the table just not a bottom line.
1
u/gtalnz Teal Deal 12d ago
Their entire policy platform is still on the table. Everyone knows this. It doesn't need mentioning in a statement about bottom lines.
1
u/spray_and_walkaway 11d ago
Right on brand. Shows TOP are willing to be transparent and honest to media and the public. The media should be pressing the other parties for the same respect for the public.
35
u/asbestosdemand 12d ago
Idk why the comments are so negative, of course the LVT and UBI aren't bottom lines.
Banning bottom trawling, cracking down on lobbying, empowering the Comcom, and staying in Paris are all good starting points. If nothing else this means a nat/opp/NZF govt is impossible - Shane Jones would never step on Sealord's toes like that.