From Stuff this morning. The richest 1 per cent of the population owns three times more than the combined cash and assets of the poorest 50 per cent.
Though it is often lauded overseas as an egalitarian society, New Zealand’s income inequality statistics are much worse than those of most other developed nations. More than 200,000 Kiwi children live below the poverty line.
One can only conclude looking at the Polls that we are a heartless venal bunch of bastards. Or maybe just idiots for siding with the crapheads who promote this type of society.
The Dominion Post has investigated the group’s claims to measure just how big the gulf is here between the haves and have nots. A Statistics New Zealand report says the richest inhabitants’ net wealth runs into tens of millions of dollars, but is “likely to be underestimated”.
The report’s 2004 data – the latest available – reveals the richest 10 per cent collectively possess $128 billion in wealth, with median individual wealth of $255,000. In contrast, the poorest 10 per cent collectively possess $17.2b, with median individual wealth of $3200. While the richest 1 per cent held 16.4 per cent of the country’s net wealth, the poorest 50 per cent owned just 5.2 per cent.
Data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development shows New Zealand’s income inequality climbed dramatically in the 1980s and 1990s after sweeping economic reforms and deregulation of labour markets.
Disparities have plateaued since 2000, largely thanks to Working for Families tax credits, bigger pay packets for middle and low-income earners and declining investment returns for the rich.
But the gap between rich and poor still ranked ninth worst in the developed world in 2008.
And at the bottom of the article is the response from each party to this news/situation.
National/Key’s response is all waffly aspirational, grow the economy and jobs. Act/Brash’s is also fairly waffley. Labour/Goff and The Greens/Turie are more specific, mentioning their policies to change the situation.
Such disparity is clearly the result of the country’s regulatory and legislative settings in areas like taxation, wage rates, welfare support, employment law, union restrictions and wider commercial regs.
The settings have been set and the water has found its level ….. at these ridiculous and frankly completely rude differences.
If the settings mentioned above are all adjusted appropriately then the water will find a new level ….. at differences that are more reflective of the contributions each person makes to society.
It (this enormous gulf, not a general gulf) is nothing to do with who works harder or takes the greater risk or creates the most benefit for society, it is all to do with the government rules and regs.
Yeah, but wealth controls the discourse, so the settings will always be optimal for wealth concentration with just sufficient for the rest to prevent outright civil disintegration.
Maybe that’s why the PM can refuse to discuss tea drinking because the ‘public’ are only interested in ‘the economy’, while at the same time National doesn’t even attempt to provide policy answers on the Q & A site, or go on RNZ to discuss said policies.
Yes well it wrong that wealth controls much of the discourse. That is why we have a form of democracy. That is why we must be ever vigilant against this type of creeping change. After all, most of the world for most of its history has been under the control of heavily concentrated power.
Such disparity is clearly the result of the country’s regulatory and legislative settings in areas like taxation, wage rates, welfare support, employment law, union restrictions and wider commercial regs.
vto
Below is some tax policy that that begins to address this disparity:
MANA MEDIA RELEASE
18 November 2011
MANA Finds Friends in Strange Places
MANA economic justice spokesperson John Minto says MANA is surprised to find friends in strange places with no less than 39% of major New Zealand company chief executives supporting a Financial Transactions Tax in the New Zealand Herald’s “Mood of the Boardroom” survey released yesterday.
He says the CEOs were asked for their attitude to an FTT involving “a low tax on transactions involving equities, bonds, currency deals and derivatives”, and an astonishing 39% agreed.
“We thought the wealthy 1% would be the last to join the MANA call for a Hone Heke Financial Transactions Tax,” Mr Minto said.
“But these businesspeople are responding to international momentum building up behind this tax.
“Debate has taken off around the world and the FTT is now elbowing its way to the centre of economic debate in New Zealand where such a tax would have major benefits.
“When even the most right-wing businesspeople are seeing the benefits of such a tax then neo-liberal parties like Labour and National should take notice.
“An FTT on currency speculators would have the effect of stabilising and reducing the value of the New Zealand dollar (we have the 11th most traded currency in the world) which will bring in more money from exports as well as bringing in enough revenue to abolish GST.
“GST is a tax on the poor and has to go. The bottom 10% of income earners pay 14% of their income on GST while the top 10% pay just 4% of their income on GST.
“An FTT which abolishes GST will enable New Zealand to shift the tax burden from the poor to wealthy individuals and parasitic financial institutions.”
“GST is a tax on the poor and has to go. The bottom 10% of income earners pay 14% of their income on GST while the top 10% pay just 4% of their income on GST.
Although I believe it (it’s why National put GST up to 15% while cutting taxes for the rich) I’d like to see the research and figures that prove it.
…and parasitic financial institutions.
Wouldn’t it be better just to ban the parasitic institutions?
Carol, surely this is a joke? No self respecting report would have put their name to this drivel? For instance:
“But the gap between rich and poor still ranked ninth worst in the developed world in 2008”.
Given that earlier in the article the writer stated “The report’s 2004 data – the latest available”, how can a judgement be made that we are ninth in 2008, given there is no data for 2008? Warning bells, surely?
Oh, and on the 04 data, wasnt this after 5 years of Labour government, and during a period of the best economic conditions of a generation?
Given that earlier in the article the writer stated “The report’s 2004 data – the latest available”, how can a judgement be made that we are ninth in 2008, given there is no data for 2008?
Easy. Extrapolate decreasing wages for the majority with the fact that the top 151 people increased their net wealth by $7b in one year.
Oh, and on the 04 data, wasnt this after 5 years of Labour government, and during a period of the best economic conditions of a generation?
You may not have noticed but the increasing gap started after the neo-liberal reforms of the 1980s. It’s been getting worse ever since except over the time from 2000 to 2008 when it closed slightly. Then the GFC happened and it widened again.
So Draco, you propose that the conclusions drawn by the journo responsible for the article are by “extrapolation” rather than factual information? Now I see where you get some of your left field views from. You make stuff up!!
I note that you have mentioned the top 151 people increasing their wealth by $7billion. I assume these numbers have come from the NBR rich list. Best you have a look through, say the top 20 on that list. Tell me how many actually live and have business’s in NZ.
For eg: Graeme Hart’s wealth is almost entirely generated offshore and taxed accordingly, since it is unlikely that he is a tax resident of NZ. The Chandler brothers, Richard and Chris, have lived offshore for years. Again, their business interests are offshore and taxed in the jurisdictions where the income is earned. To that you can add Owen Glenn, Sir Michael Fay, David Richwhite, Eric Watson. There, I’ve done some of the legwork for you. What you need to do now, is sort out the actual numbers re those left in NZ, and their relative increase in wealth to get an accurate perspective.
Also, do some reading on the time value of money. When you have some, put it in the bank at an interest rate, do nothing and it actually increases! Amazing!
The decreasing incomes for the majority and the increasing net wealth of the minority is observed fact.
Also, do some reading on the time value of money. When you have some, put it in the bank at an interest rate, do nothing and it actually increases! Amazing!
Money in itself has no value. Interest is theft, a way to gain without work.
Shamubeel Eaqub says, in relation to the rich/poor divide, “The big issue isn’t in terms of whether low income people have assets, but whether they have enough to live decently.”
While he is right up to a point, he does not take into account the fact that a lack of assets in a place like NZ plays a big part in being able to live decently – in fact the wealth gap is probably a bigger driver of inequality than the wage gap. NZ used to have a very high proportion of home ownership, supplemented by a stable state housing policy, both of which have been seriously eroded over the past 20-30 years. Being subject to the changing whims of landlords and policies may not cause starvation, but does deprive people of a base upon which to build a life, even a modest life. The realistic appraisal that all industry is under threat and underpaid here, and that there is little hope of getting a foothold in the place if you do not already have one are the two main factors driving the exodus to Australia.
I may not have made myself clear enough Draco. I meant that people need assets in the sense of security of dwelling, whether through widespread home ownership or some other model. The lack of this, in a country where home ownership has decreased, casual landlording has increased, and state housing is under threat, plays a large part in locking people into poverty. I certainly did not mean that if we could all be rentiers then we would all be well off.
Where does Campbell get off thinking it valid journalism to resurrect
the worm for assessing public opinion on his show, when the worm,
in this case, is a downloadable app on smart phones that only a few can afford?
Some group some where in our “monitoring-of-practice-around-election-behaviour”
should be on to this one. Particularly as there was “serious” analysis of the results
on his programme …
Paul Goldsmith at last night’s Epsom candidate meeting while the “elephant in the room” was being talked about by David Parker: http://i42.tinypic.com/30hog0n.jpg
I hate to see a grown man cry, but it looks as though Goldsmith is about to break into tears with the news that he is still leading in the polls and is likely to win Epsom for National and not ACT.
Good to see the politicians tightening their belts and only accepting a 1.5% payrise and 5k bonus.
Leading by example that’s what we like to see.
MPs ‘don’t deserve’ pay rise
The Remuneration Authority, the independent body that sets politicians’ pay, has given MPs a salary increase of 1.5 per cent plus a $5000 payment to compensate for their scrapped international travel perks. The changes have bumped up a backbencher’s pay from $134,800 to $141,800, backdated to July 1 this year.
a increase of 20 cents a hour like Key gave to minimum wage earners- i earn a bit more than minimum wage but still is fuk all and i resent that MP’s r gona get 7k increase a year
r u that dumb?
Interesting that Joyce says on RNZ that their internal polling says that 80%+ people think that there are more important issues to discuss than tea-tapes. Wow! Fancy that. Most people would say that but the credibility/stability of our PM is also important. Joyce says we should be discussing the important issues like the economy. True but why won’t Key, who has been made the focus of everything, front up for serious interviews on those serious issues? That man is arrogant and treats the voters with contempt.
Where are the Government Ministers for interview and could they front for more than just reading statements?
Where is Key on serious interviews?
Afraid to face the Nation?
if Policy is so important to them, why won’t they answer the RNZ Q+A Policy questions?
These guys are just sitting there with middle fingers raised high.
I do not put it past them to have rigged something that they retain power no matter what the ballots say.
I do not trust these self serving arse-licking maggot spewing lap dogs of the Industrial-Military-Corpocracy,
(apologies to maggots everywhere which are, as we all know, very useful little critters)
Unfortunately with the “Over the teacups” gossip, Labour’s policies, asset sales, CGT, Phil Goff’s meetings, etc, etc, are getting sidelined and not reported. Was this the initial strategy that has just got out of hand?
My friend keeps telling me the Jesus Christ was the first socialist in the world and the consertave government of the day did not like his message and crucified him.
That was how anxious they were to close down a socialist view, I am beginning to think she is right, here we have another conservative government trying to close down the socialist view.
Are they any different than the Romans, they have different methods these days but….. would they call themselves christians and look upon Jesus as their savour…. go figure they don’t know what they are talking about.
Well said Deborah Hill Cone. I share the very same thoughts with regard to the Zac Guildford issue. I was also struck by the contrast between the reaction to Guildford and that meted out by this National Government to run-of-the-mill “criminals”.
Deborah Hill Cone
‘While Zac Guildford gets forgiveness and life coaching, run-of-the-mill crims get locked up and ignored.”
“National does not seem to see this double standard. It has run an increasingly punitive law and order policy which seems to have been ghost-written by the Sensible Sentencing Trust.”
Exactly. Reflected also in the example of hypocrisy by ACT and Sensible Sentencing over their hard stance on crims and soft stance on David Garrett’s crimes.
Another example – name suppression for high profile or rich crims because it “would affect their life so much” whereas the ordinary worker down the road gets no suppression even though it “would affect their life even more, relatively”.
People notice these things and the slow downward slide in standing of the supposed upper-echelons of society continues and is increasing ….
it is pretty daft to say that the media are abusing their power because they want to bring to the public’s attention what the pm of nz is saying and doing – it’s the media’s job to tell us all what’s going on and it’s hardly an ‘overuse of power’ if a lot of people in nz really want to know what sort of person their pm really is…..
Must say, whatever you think of his politics and methods, Winston Peters certainly has the gift of the gab. It’s been refreshing to hear a fluent speaking style on the radio after all the bland waffle of the last 3 years.
Winnie’s not everyone’s cuppa but at least you know what you’ll get from him and I agree with a previous blogger that at least he’s got kudos from the Winebox saga.
Which is more than the NACT can claim in terms of honesty or achievement as all they’ve done in 3 years is take a zero nett debt position they inherited from the fiscally prudent clark/cullen era and plunder it for their mates and backers benefits at the expense of hard working struggling kiwis.
Hoping beyond hope for this scenario…..tied election with Winnie back……Key and Goff approach Winnie who says, “Hey guys, my price is that we re open the Winebox, push through legislation with massive penalties for corporate fraud etc etc etc………”!
Downton Abbey…..pretty settings, costumes and photography….crap dialogue and pathetic story lines….sort of reminds me of John Key and his cronies really. Here the Guardian climbs into it politically.
Act: “James and I have actually entered into a deal: I’m telling ACT voters to vote for Shaw, and he’s telling his supporters to party vote ACT.”
of course it is a joke but in a soundbite world these guys need to be more responsible
politics in NZ is a bloody joke,
it’s off down the rabbit hole for us all
“Britain’s jobless young people are being sent to work for supermarkets and budget stores for up to two months for no pay and no guarantee of a job, the Guardian can reveal.”
Much as I gave up on The Listener years ago, Toby Manhire has an online blog at the Listener site which is updated throughout the day on the campaign and media developments which I found very useful for keeping up with the play. Probably way behind others in finding the site!
Anyway, he has posted a link to this weekend’s 60 minutes promo = and scary!!!!
Another link found via Toby Manhire’s blog to a TV3 video. Really found Goff’s natural and appropriate reaction at the end of the video a delight compared to Dear Leader’s performance this week.
Interesting. Taken from your good friend the Whale’s site (but not written by him):
1.You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.
2.What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.
3.The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
4.You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!
5.When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.
Your proportions were a bit off for #5. Should read:
When 1% of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other 99% is going to take care of them, and when the other 99% gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.
Your figures are somewhat skewed McFlock. Over 40 % of households in NZ are net beneficiaries. How does this equate with 99% working to support the 1%?
The top 10% of households in NZ pay over 70% of income tax already. So to say that the 99% support the one percent is just plain nonsense and an unsustainable argument.
The candidates all (except for Brendon Burns) look a bit…odd. Cosgrove looks like he has no upper lip. Dyson looks like she has a shrunken head. Woods looks like shes wearing somones couch and Dalziel looks like shes seen a ghost.
Is it really that hard to get/take a half-way decent photo?
RUGBY NEWS
Phil Goff almost broke the national conspiracy of silence tonight
Radio New Zealand National “Checkpoint”, 6:25 p.m., Friday 18 November 2011
The Friday night political round-up is not exactly the context you’d expect for this incident. But there you are: football is always on the minds of Kiwis, even the Leader of the Opposition during the heat of a campaign. What follows below constitutes a tantalizing near-miss in the maintenance of the national blackout….
JULIAN ROBINS: There are just over seven days left before election day. It’s a very big task ahead of you.
PHIL GOFF: Yes, but then the French team were underdogs five minutes before the World Cup final last month—and look what happened.
ROBINS: But they lost.
GOFF: Yes but… [long, long pause] …I will do it differently.
* * * * * * * * * *
That was extremely close. Phil Goff NEARLY did it. He nearly broke ranks and said: “Yes, but …. [long, long pause] … the National Party can’t count on a Craig Joubert to deliver them the result they want.”
But during that long, long pause, Goff’s finely honed political instincts kicked in and he (not for the first time in his career) suppressed the urge to state the truth and almost certainly unleash a political furore about his lack of patriotism. So he uttered the lame and unconvincing Plan B: “I will do it differently.”
We wonder who in New Zealand will be the first establishment figure to commit the heretical act of admitting what rugby fans all over the world already acknowledge: that the All Blacks were gifted the World Cup by the (possibly corrupt) non-referee.
I don’t know how to break this to you but no matter if anyone says it it isn’t going to change anything. The All Blacks still won – probably time to move on, everyone else has.
I don’t know how to break this to you but no matter if anyone says it it isn’t going to change anything.
Of course the All Blacks will keep the Cup for the next four years, so you’re right in that narrow sense. But millions of fans all over the world—and especially in France, a country that has always held All Black rugby in high regard—saw the All Blacks gifted the final because a possibly corrupt (non-) referee refused to penalize their cynical, repeated, blatant fouling.
So, in fact, the unfairness of Joubert’s astounding non-performance has left the All Blacks’ victory tarnished. In the euphoric afterglow of victory, it’s not something many of us feel able to comment on, however. It will take a while.
The All Blacks still won – probably time to move on, everyone else has.
No, “everyone else” has not “moved on”. This is a major story in France, and it’s only going to get worse. If you’re a fan of the All Blacks, you will feel angry that Joubert’s outrageous display has devalued this victory.
A couple of comments from Matt McCarten on iPredict tonight:
He saw Phil Goff yesterday and he was alive and vibrant – his head’s in a very good place compared with Key looking tired and stressed.
he confirms Hooton’s comment that Key disparaged the Greens in the teapot conversation: Key allegedly said, in the election the Greens won’t score as high as they have been in the polls because the Green supporters are losers and won’t get out to vote.
Key allegedly said, in the election the Greens won’t score as high as they have been in the polls because the Green supporters are losers and won’t get out to vote.
Key is as arrogant as he is indolent. The Green voters will come out in force next Saturday, and it looks like Winston’s Army will too.
Hooton is a keen and intelligent monitor of the airwaves, so he will have heard the alarming (for Hooton and his cronies) item on National Radio this morning, which pointed out that Auckland’s vast Pacific Islands community is going to vote in force for Labour next weekend, and will not be boycotting like it did in 2008.
Also McCarten made a “measure of the man” kind of comment about Goff. He said that Goff has spent 3 years being slammed in the media, and every day he gets back up and is out there doing his job, and he still looks eager. In contrast, Matt said, Key has had a dream run with the press, and he gets a bit of flack from them and he starts to cave.
Its true I have doubts now, I used to think National would be able to govern alone. Now I think they’ll need one of either the maori party, peter dunne or act
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TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
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From Stuff this morning.
The richest 1 per cent of the population owns three times more than the combined cash and assets of the poorest 50 per cent.
Though it is often lauded overseas as an egalitarian society, New Zealand’s income inequality statistics are much worse than those of most other developed nations. More than 200,000 Kiwi children live below the poverty line.
One can only conclude looking at the Polls that we are a heartless venal bunch of bastards. Or maybe just idiots for siding with the crapheads who promote this type of society.
Yes, I just read the article:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5989843/Revealing-the-gap-between-NZs-rich-and-poor
And at the bottom of the article is the response from each party to this news/situation.
National/Key’s response is all waffly aspirational, grow the economy and jobs. Act/Brash’s is also fairly waffley. Labour/Goff and The Greens/Turie are more specific, mentioning their policies to change the situation.
Yes National, your youth rate is really going to close that gap…
Such disparity is clearly the result of the country’s regulatory and legislative settings in areas like taxation, wage rates, welfare support, employment law, union restrictions and wider commercial regs.
The settings have been set and the water has found its level ….. at these ridiculous and frankly completely rude differences.
If the settings mentioned above are all adjusted appropriately then the water will find a new level ….. at differences that are more reflective of the contributions each person makes to society.
It (this enormous gulf, not a general gulf) is nothing to do with who works harder or takes the greater risk or creates the most benefit for society, it is all to do with the government rules and regs.
Yeah, but wealth controls the discourse, so the settings will always be optimal for wealth concentration with just sufficient for the rest to prevent outright civil disintegration.
Maybe that’s why the PM can refuse to discuss tea drinking because the ‘public’ are only interested in ‘the economy’, while at the same time National doesn’t even attempt to provide policy answers on the Q & A site, or go on RNZ to discuss said policies.
Yes well it wrong that wealth controls much of the discourse. That is why we have a form of democracy. That is why we must be ever vigilant against this type of creeping change. After all, most of the world for most of its history has been under the control of heavily concentrated power.
Below is some tax policy that that begins to address this disparity:
MANA MEDIA RELEASE
18 November 2011
MANA Finds Friends in Strange Places
MANA economic justice spokesperson John Minto says MANA is surprised to find friends in strange places with no less than 39% of major New Zealand company chief executives supporting a Financial Transactions Tax in the New Zealand Herald’s “Mood of the Boardroom” survey released yesterday.
He says the CEOs were asked for their attitude to an FTT involving “a low tax on transactions involving equities, bonds, currency deals and derivatives”, and an astonishing 39% agreed.
“We thought the wealthy 1% would be the last to join the MANA call for a Hone Heke Financial Transactions Tax,” Mr Minto said.
“But these businesspeople are responding to international momentum building up behind this tax.
“Debate has taken off around the world and the FTT is now elbowing its way to the centre of economic debate in New Zealand where such a tax would have major benefits.
“When even the most right-wing businesspeople are seeing the benefits of such a tax then neo-liberal parties like Labour and National should take notice.
“An FTT on currency speculators would have the effect of stabilising and reducing the value of the New Zealand dollar (we have the 11th most traded currency in the world) which will bring in more money from exports as well as bringing in enough revenue to abolish GST.
“GST is a tax on the poor and has to go. The bottom 10% of income earners pay 14% of their income on GST while the top 10% pay just 4% of their income on GST.
“An FTT which abolishes GST will enable New Zealand to shift the tax burden from the poor to wealthy individuals and parasitic financial institutions.”
Mr Minto says it’s a win-win tax for New Zealand.
For further information contact John Minto
MANA Media Liaison: Peter Verschaffelt
Email media@mana.net.nz Web http://mana.net.nz
Not all business people are hard right-wingers.
Although I believe it (it’s why National put GST up to 15% while cutting taxes for the rich) I’d like to see the research and figures that prove it.
Wouldn’t it be better just to ban the parasitic institutions?
Carol, surely this is a joke? No self respecting report would have put their name to this drivel? For instance:
“But the gap between rich and poor still ranked ninth worst in the developed world in 2008”.
Given that earlier in the article the writer stated “The report’s 2004 data – the latest available”, how can a judgement be made that we are ninth in 2008, given there is no data for 2008? Warning bells, surely?
Oh, and on the 04 data, wasnt this after 5 years of Labour government, and during a period of the best economic conditions of a generation?
Easy. Extrapolate decreasing wages for the majority with the fact that the top 151 people increased their net wealth by $7b in one year.
You may not have noticed but the increasing gap started after the neo-liberal reforms of the 1980s. It’s been getting worse ever since except over the time from 2000 to 2008 when it closed slightly. Then the GFC happened and it widened again.
That is in fact why The Powers That Be launched the global neoliberal reforms.
So Draco, you propose that the conclusions drawn by the journo responsible for the article are by “extrapolation” rather than factual information? Now I see where you get some of your left field views from. You make stuff up!!
I note that you have mentioned the top 151 people increasing their wealth by $7billion. I assume these numbers have come from the NBR rich list. Best you have a look through, say the top 20 on that list. Tell me how many actually live and have business’s in NZ.
For eg: Graeme Hart’s wealth is almost entirely generated offshore and taxed accordingly, since it is unlikely that he is a tax resident of NZ. The Chandler brothers, Richard and Chris, have lived offshore for years. Again, their business interests are offshore and taxed in the jurisdictions where the income is earned. To that you can add Owen Glenn, Sir Michael Fay, David Richwhite, Eric Watson. There, I’ve done some of the legwork for you. What you need to do now, is sort out the actual numbers re those left in NZ, and their relative increase in wealth to get an accurate perspective.
Also, do some reading on the time value of money. When you have some, put it in the bank at an interest rate, do nothing and it actually increases! Amazing!
The decreasing incomes for the majority and the increasing net wealth of the minority is observed fact.
Money in itself has no value. Interest is theft, a way to gain without work.
And, Draco, on that same note, Socialism is theft.
Well, if we are getting that fundamental:
Capitalism is theft from the poor by the rich;
Socialism is when the poor “steal” it back.
Shamubeel Eaqub says, in relation to the rich/poor divide, “The big issue isn’t in terms of whether low income people have assets, but whether they have enough to live decently.”
While he is right up to a point, he does not take into account the fact that a lack of assets in a place like NZ plays a big part in being able to live decently – in fact the wealth gap is probably a bigger driver of inequality than the wage gap. NZ used to have a very high proportion of home ownership, supplemented by a stable state housing policy, both of which have been seriously eroded over the past 20-30 years. Being subject to the changing whims of landlords and policies may not cause starvation, but does deprive people of a base upon which to build a life, even a modest life. The realistic appraisal that all industry is under threat and underpaid here, and that there is little hope of getting a foothold in the place if you do not already have one are the two main factors driving the exodus to Australia.
Actually, it is. People with assets can be rentiers and increase their income even without working. People without assets can’t.
Capitalism creates poverty by by shifting the communities wealth into the ownership and control of a few.
I may not have made myself clear enough Draco. I meant that people need assets in the sense of security of dwelling, whether through widespread home ownership or some other model. The lack of this, in a country where home ownership has decreased, casual landlording has increased, and state housing is under threat, plays a large part in locking people into poverty. I certainly did not mean that if we could all be rentiers then we would all be well off.
What the story only implies:
John Key is a 1%-er.
Polling.
Where does Campbell get off thinking it valid journalism to resurrect
the worm for assessing public opinion on his show, when the worm,
in this case, is a downloadable app on smart phones that only a few can afford?
Some group some where in our “monitoring-of-practice-around-election-behaviour”
should be on to this one. Particularly as there was “serious” analysis of the results
on his programme …
Paul Goldsmith at last night’s Epsom candidate meeting while the “elephant in the room” was being talked about by David Parker:
http://i42.tinypic.com/30hog0n.jpg
It looks like he’s just finished a big piece of turd pie.
I hate to see a grown man cry, but it looks as though Goldsmith is about to break into tears with the news that he is still leading in the polls and is likely to win Epsom for National and not ACT.
a pisstake on jokey hens life and
Go and listen – its farkin funny and spread it thru yr networks guys n gals 😛
http://www.robroynz.com/
Good one except who knows what charities his (increased) goes too?
Would love to know what charities get his salary ?- considering alot of them run on the smell of a oily rag aye
Not many if any– springz 2 mind
He is too greedy to donate all of his salary
National’s Waitemata Trust.
Have you seen this one….so true!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEiZPWeQcis&feature=player_embedded
Good to see the politicians tightening their belts and only accepting a 1.5% payrise and 5k bonus.
Leading by example that’s what we like to see.
MPs ‘don’t deserve’ pay rise
The Remuneration Authority, the independent body that sets politicians’ pay, has given MPs a salary increase of 1.5 per cent plus a $5000 payment to compensate for their scrapped international travel perks. The changes have bumped up a backbencher’s pay from $134,800 to $141,800, backdated to July 1 this year.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5989505/MPs-don-t-deserve-pay-rise
Still far too much
how bout 20 cents a hour? like the rest of us on minimum wage
You earn 20c per hour Kris, really.
a increase of 20 cents a hour like Key gave to minimum wage earners- i earn a bit more than minimum wage but still is fuk all and i resent that MP’s r gona get 7k increase a year
r u that dumb?
Interesting that Joyce says on RNZ that their internal polling says that 80%+ people think that there are more important issues to discuss than tea-tapes. Wow! Fancy that. Most people would say that but the credibility/stability of our PM is also important. Joyce says we should be discussing the important issues like the economy. True but why won’t Key, who has been made the focus of everything, front up for serious interviews on those serious issues? That man is arrogant and treats the voters with contempt.
Where are the Government Ministers for interview and could they front for more than just reading statements?
Where is Key on serious interviews?
Afraid to face the Nation?
How many times has Joyce refused morning report interviews?
if Policy is so important to them, why won’t they answer the RNZ Q+A Policy questions?
These guys are just sitting there with middle fingers raised high.
I do not put it past them to have rigged something that they retain power no matter what the ballots say.
I do not trust these self serving arse-licking maggot spewing lap dogs of the Industrial-Military-Corpocracy,
(apologies to maggots everywhere which are, as we all know, very useful little critters)
Unfortunately with the “Over the teacups” gossip, Labour’s policies, asset sales, CGT, Phil Goff’s meetings, etc, etc, are getting sidelined and not reported. Was this the initial strategy that has just got out of hand?
My friend keeps telling me the Jesus Christ was the first socialist in the world and the consertave government of the day did not like his message and crucified him.
That was how anxious they were to close down a socialist view, I am beginning to think she is right, here we have another conservative government trying to close down the socialist view.
Are they any different than the Romans, they have different methods these days but….. would they call themselves christians and look upon Jesus as their savour…. go figure they don’t know what they are talking about.
Well said Deborah Hill Cone. I share the very same thoughts with regard to the Zac Guildford issue. I was also struck by the contrast between the reaction to Guildford and that meted out by this National Government to run-of-the-mill “criminals”.
Deborah Hill Cone
‘While Zac Guildford gets forgiveness and life coaching, run-of-the-mill crims get locked up and ignored.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10766918
“National does not seem to see this double standard. It has run an increasingly punitive law and order policy which seems to have been ghost-written by the Sensible Sentencing Trust.”
Exactly. Reflected also in the example of hypocrisy by ACT and Sensible Sentencing over their hard stance on crims and soft stance on David Garrett’s crimes.
Another example – name suppression for high profile or rich crims because it “would affect their life so much” whereas the ordinary worker down the road gets no suppression even though it “would affect their life even more, relatively”.
People notice these things and the slow downward slide in standing of the supposed upper-echelons of society continues and is increasing ….
Is the media munting our democracy? They certainly seem to overuse and abuse their power.
it is pretty daft to say that the media are abusing their power because they want to bring to the public’s attention what the pm of nz is saying and doing – it’s the media’s job to tell us all what’s going on and it’s hardly an ‘overuse of power’ if a lot of people in nz really want to know what sort of person their pm really is…..
Pete’s having another Rodney King moment, “can’t we all just get along”.
And, meanwhile, United Follicles continues to ‘peter’ out.
They’re doing their job for once and holding power to account you feckless fucking courtesan.
http://www.guerillamedia.co.nz/content/freedom-speech-and-using-phone-post-facebook-are-crimes-nz
Nope you dickhead
Your mate Key is
Grist: The push is on to discredit clean energy investment.
Questioning Bill English
Over the last couple of days I’ve been asking a few questions of Bill English through his website…
Must say, whatever you think of his politics and methods, Winston Peters certainly has the gift of the gab. It’s been refreshing to hear a fluent speaking style on the radio after all the bland waffle of the last 3 years.
Winnie’s not everyone’s cuppa but at least you know what you’ll get from him and I agree with a previous blogger that at least he’s got kudos from the Winebox saga.
Which is more than the NACT can claim in terms of honesty or achievement as all they’ve done in 3 years is take a zero nett debt position they inherited from the fiscally prudent clark/cullen era and plunder it for their mates and backers benefits at the expense of hard working struggling kiwis.
Hoping beyond hope for this scenario…..tied election with Winnie back……Key and Goff approach Winnie who says, “Hey guys, my price is that we re open the Winebox, push through legislation with massive penalties for corporate fraud etc etc etc………”!
Fantastic to see more of the 1% coming out.
Somehow, does the piece sound like it is akschully written by the stated author?
Great to see he has spare time, like the cops do, to work on John Key’s campaign.
Owen Glenn on the joys and miracles of selling our assets
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10766751
Hey you 99%, go on, you know you want to vote for your serfdom 🙂
Downton Abbey…..pretty settings, costumes and photography….crap dialogue and pathetic story lines….sort of reminds me of John Key and his cronies really. Here the Guardian climbs into it politically.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2011/nov/17/downton-abbey-kirstie-new-boring
Occupy streams from around the globe so the revolution will
notbe televised.http://www.ustream.tv/theother99
12:22 on the Stuff live debate we have Greens announcing a deal with Act
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/election-2011/wellington-electorates/5987798/Wellington-Central-candidates-live-forum
Act: “James and I have actually entered into a deal: I’m telling ACT voters to vote for Shaw, and he’s telling his supporters to party vote ACT.”
of course it is a joke but in a soundbite world these guys need to be more responsible
politics in NZ is a bloody joke,
it’s off down the rabbit hole for us all
Yeah, I’m pretty annoyed with Stephen about that.
Young jobseekers told to work without pay or lose unemployment benefits
“Britain’s jobless young people are being sent to work for supermarkets and budget stores for up to two months for no pay and no guarantee of a job, the Guardian can reveal.”
Much as I gave up on The Listener years ago, Toby Manhire has an online blog at the Listener site which is updated throughout the day on the campaign and media developments which I found very useful for keeping up with the play. Probably way behind others in finding the site!
Anyway, he has posted a link to this weekend’s 60 minutes promo = and scary!!!!
http://www.3news.co.nz/The-Facegoff—a-dystopian-future/tabid/1620/articleID/233184/Default.aspx
Another link found via Toby Manhire’s blog to a TV3 video. Really found Goff’s natural and appropriate reaction at the end of the video a delight compared to Dear Leader’s performance this week.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Defacing-Labour-billboards-with-Goffs-face/tabid/419/articleID/233120/Default.aspx
Thats just mean
Interesting. Taken from your good friend the Whale’s site (but not written by him):
1.You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.
2.What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.
3.The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
4.You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!
5.When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.
You cannot substitute intelligence by intelligence substitute cannot you.
Your proportions were a bit off for #5. Should read:
When 1% of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other 99% is going to take care of them, and when the other 99% gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.
Your figures are somewhat skewed McFlock. Over 40 % of households in NZ are net beneficiaries. How does this equate with 99% working to support the 1%?
The top 10% of households in NZ pay over 70% of income tax already. So to say that the 99% support the one percent is just plain nonsense and an unsustainable argument.
i just want to touch on 4 because i am still pissing my pants laughing at the rest of them
“4.You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!”
What do you think fractional reserve banking does ?
Whats up with Christchurch MP pictures
The candidates all (except for Brendon Burns) look a bit…odd. Cosgrove looks like he has no upper lip. Dyson looks like she has a shrunken head. Woods looks like shes wearing somones couch and Dalziel looks like shes seen a ghost.
Is it really that hard to get/take a half-way decent photo?
their pictures DONT get photoshopped like Keystone the bully does mate
god u RWNJ aint that bright eh
Tell you what sunshine go have a look at Dalziels pic and tell me its not shopped
http://www.ownourfuture.co.nz/candidates/lianne-dalziel
and do you think this image is shopped or real?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Helen_Clark_2.jpg
Helen Clark’s a ChristChurch mp?
Excuse me, sir, your desperation is showing.
Well to be fair I was a bit iffy about putting her in but in the end I decided I was ok with it.
My comments arn’t about the MPs themselves more about whoevers taking the photos, choosing the clothes etc etc
I did say that Burns didn’t look bad
Token faint praise duly noted.
RUGBY NEWS
Phil Goff almost broke the national conspiracy of silence tonight
Radio New Zealand National “Checkpoint”, 6:25 p.m., Friday 18 November 2011
The Friday night political round-up is not exactly the context you’d expect for this incident. But there you are: football is always on the minds of Kiwis, even the Leader of the Opposition during the heat of a campaign. What follows below constitutes a tantalizing near-miss in the maintenance of the national blackout….
JULIAN ROBINS: There are just over seven days left before election day. It’s a very big task ahead of you.
PHIL GOFF: Yes, but then the French team were underdogs five minutes before the World Cup final last month—and look what happened.
ROBINS: But they lost.
GOFF: Yes but… [long, long pause] …I will do it differently.
* * * * * * * * * *
That was extremely close. Phil Goff NEARLY did it. He nearly broke ranks and said: “Yes, but …. [long, long pause] … the National Party can’t count on a Craig Joubert to deliver them the result they want.”
But during that long, long pause, Goff’s finely honed political instincts kicked in and he (not for the first time in his career) suppressed the urge to state the truth and almost certainly unleash a political furore about his lack of patriotism. So he uttered the lame and unconvincing Plan B: “I will do it differently.”
We wonder who in New Zealand will be the first establishment figure to commit the heretical act of admitting what rugby fans all over the world already acknowledge: that the All Blacks were gifted the World Cup by the (possibly corrupt) non-referee.
I don’t know how to break this to you but no matter if anyone says it it isn’t going to change anything. The All Blacks still won – probably time to move on, everyone else has.
I don’t know how to break this to you but no matter if anyone says it it isn’t going to change anything.
Of course the All Blacks will keep the Cup for the next four years, so you’re right in that narrow sense. But millions of fans all over the world—and especially in France, a country that has always held All Black rugby in high regard—saw the All Blacks gifted the final because a possibly corrupt (non-) referee refused to penalize their cynical, repeated, blatant fouling.
So, in fact, the unfairness of Joubert’s astounding non-performance has left the All Blacks’ victory tarnished. In the euphoric afterglow of victory, it’s not something many of us feel able to comment on, however. It will take a while.
The All Blacks still won – probably time to move on, everyone else has.
No, “everyone else” has not “moved on”. This is a major story in France, and it’s only going to get worse. If you’re a fan of the All Blacks, you will feel angry that Joubert’s outrageous display has devalued this victory.
A couple of comments from Matt McCarten on iPredict tonight:
He saw Phil Goff yesterday and he was alive and vibrant – his head’s in a very good place compared with Key looking tired and stressed.
he confirms Hooton’s comment that Key disparaged the Greens in the teapot conversation: Key allegedly said, in the election the Greens won’t score as high as they have been in the polls because the Green supporters are losers and won’t get out to vote.
Key allegedly said, in the election the Greens won’t score as high as they have been in the polls because the Green supporters are losers and won’t get out to vote.
Key is as arrogant as he is indolent. The Green voters will come out in force next Saturday, and it looks like Winston’s Army will too.
Hooton is a keen and intelligent monitor of the airwaves, so he will have heard the alarming (for Hooton and his cronies) item on National Radio this morning, which pointed out that Auckland’s vast Pacific Islands community is going to vote in force for Labour next weekend, and will not be boycotting like it did in 2008.
Maybe that’s why Goff seems positive?
Also McCarten made a “measure of the man” kind of comment about Goff. He said that Goff has spent 3 years being slammed in the media, and every day he gets back up and is out there doing his job, and he still looks eager. In contrast, Matt said, Key has had a dream run with the press, and he gets a bit of flack from them and he starts to cave.
Its true I have doubts now, I used to think National would be able to govern alone. Now I think they’ll need one of either the maori party, peter dunne or act