Predictions for 2018
Once again I emulate the annual Fairfax predictions, with my own. Here’s my 20 for 2018:
- NZ First will be on or below 5% in most public polls in 2018
- Bill English will remain National Party Leader
- By the end of 2018 the Government will not have achieved even 1% of its ten year targets for houses or trees
- At least three National List MPs will retire in 2018
- Eugenie Sage will be elected Greens female co-leader
- The End of Life Choice Bill will pass its third reading
- At least one Minister will be gone by the end of the year
- The official cash rate will stay constant in 2018
- A new political party will be registered in 2018
- Geoff Simmons will be annointed or elected Leader of TOP
- The Green Party will have a new Chief of Staff in 2018
- The Government will increase the operating allowances for future years in the 2018 Budget
- Lance O’Sullivan will be elected male co-leader of the Maori Party
- The Tax Working Group will recommend a Capital Gains Tax
- There will be a leadership spill in the Australian Liberal Party
- NZ First will declare there were no donations received over $15,000 to the Electoral Commission
- Lisa Owen will be the next Political Editor for Newshub
- The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September 2018 will be the same or higher than September 2017
- An electorate MP will resign their seat in 2018 triggering a by-election
- An MP will get pregnant in 2018