English not even trying any more

Written By: - Date published: 7:04 am, May 24th, 2015 - 71 comments
Categories: bill english, tax - Tags: , , ,

Because I said so, that’s why!

National has denied it misled voters before last year’s election, when it vowed not to introduce any new taxes, by announcing two new taxes in this week’s Budget.

The Government has consistently denied its changes to taxing the capital gains on property and the introduction of a new airport levy are new taxes, with Finance Minister Bill English today accusing anyone calling them a tax of playing “word games”.

Anyone remember departure tax?

71 comments on “English not even trying any more ”

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  1. Conor Jeory 1
    24 May 2015 at 7:18 am

    And that wasn’t a ponytail – that were a mobile bell pull, I was just…slurp…summonsing the help.
    How else on Planet Keyreepy are we supposed to get a waiter…no, I mean wait person to serve us?
    This is proving most taxing on one.

    • b waghorn 1.1
      24 May 2015 at 8:46 am

      And its much more polite than clicking you’re fingers or loudly saying don’t you no who I am? when summonsing the help

  2. ianmac 2
    24 May 2015 at 9:00 am

    I remember paying about $25 to leave from the airport for overseas. Had to pay cash and have the receipt attached to ticket. I thought Labour gave it away because the cost of processing wasn’t worth the income. And remember the tax you had to pay on leaving hospital that National had imposed in the 90s? Canned because the cost of processing, and the awkwardness to patients was too high a price.

    • Colonial Rawshark 2.1
      24 May 2015 at 10:19 am

      300 people on a jumbo jet. $7500 per flight. How is the processing not worth the income? How is processing a $15 parking ticket worth the income?

  3. Upnorth 3
    24 May 2015 at 9:04 am

    I have no problem with this levy/tax – it wont effect tourism and I want to be safe on a plane (I travel alot) and I want bio security in this country.

  5. Colonial Rawshark 5
    24 May 2015 at 10:26 am

    What exactly is the Left’s message here? That new taxes are bad? That it won’t implement any new taxes itself? That it prefers that well off Kiwis – who are the ones who do most international travelling and own the most property – should not be taxed more?

    I mean WTF is the Left on about?

    • les 5.1
      24 May 2015 at 10:58 am

      continual broken promises …I guess.

      • Colonial Rawshark 5.1.1
        24 May 2015 at 11:03 am

        And I think that’s probably what Labour is driving at…but who would know its so mixed up and negative.

        • felix 5.1.1.1
          24 May 2015 at 2:24 pm

          I agree. Just stand up and say it straight, the govt are lying through their teeth.

          • Colonial Rawshark 5.1.1.1.1
            24 May 2015 at 2:49 pm

            Sure. And maybe stop acting like a government deficit, tightening up rules on capital gains and putting a levy on international air travellers are all bad things.

            • Tracey 5.1.1.1.1.1
              24 May 2015 at 5:28 pm

              Like put up policy to add $60 a week to the incomes of the need? Stuff like that you mean?

              • Colonial Viper …
                24 May 2015 at 5:38 pm

                you mean Labour has been talking about that this week to clearly contrast themselves against National? Great! Where did they do that, by the way?

                • Tracey …
                  24 May 2015 at 5:44 pm

                  You are writing as though they never campaigned on it…

                  You mean the media that attacked Cunlife for offering $60 bucks a week but cheers Key for giving a mythical $25 have honestly reproduced all press releases this last 3 days

                  • Colonial Rawshark …
                    24 May 2015 at 5:58 pm

                    So can you think of a valid reason why Labour hasn’t highlighted that policy up this week to provide NZers a clear contrast to National’s tight fisted budget?

                    • Tracey …
                      24 May 2015 at 5:59 pm

                      Nope. I know the Greens managed to get a bit of traction with their derision of it though.

                    • Colonial Rawshark …
                      24 May 2015 at 6:04 pm

                      Indeed. The Greens still need to break through that cultural disconnect with the average Kiwi voter if they want to break through the 10%-12% mark. It’s not about watering down their policies, it’s about positioning, positivity and approachability.

                    • Tracey …
                      24 May 2015 at 6:09 pm

                      And the Greens are in the press today about the joke that is this Govt’s lies that it gives a shit about climate change. I am wondering if the CC issue is the young folks of today’s nuclear issue?

                      It seems, anecdotedly, that the Greens lost the polled gains because people believed the good economic manager lies of the Nats and at the last minute fell to the fear-mongering.

                      The way round this is to run a few, short and easy lines to sum up the duplicity of the economic masters line and repeat them for 2 years.

                    • weka …
                      24 May 2015 at 6:33 pm

                      “It’s not about watering down their policies, it’s about positioning, positivity and approachability.”

                      Which the GP already happen to be experts at 🙄

                      Great advice from someone whose main strategy currently is relentless negativity.

                    • Colonial Rawshark …
                      24 May 2015 at 6:37 pm

                      Hey weka. The Greens are doing just fine as they are, is that it? OK if you say so.

                    • Tracey …
                      24 May 2015 at 6:39 pm

                      The Green Party is probably the most positive political party we have. Concerned about getting the change they feel is required without the bullshit ego need for the baubles of office.

                      LP , every interview since the budget should have said how thrilled they are to see National adopting their housing plan, their beneficiary/poverty plan (or parts of it) and how much better NZ would be with more of what Labour has been campaigning on. And repeat it ad infinitum. Regardless of what they were asked.

    • Stephanie Rodgers 5.2
      24 May 2015 at 2:28 pm

      I mean WTF is the Left on about?

      That the Nats are liars. I would’ve thought that was pretty obvious to anyone not persistently pushing a line that everything Labour says is proof it’s sold out and useless.

      • Colonial Rawshark 5.2.1
        24 May 2015 at 2:47 pm

        OK, so after 9 years of repeating that, do we have anything new to try?

        • te reo putake 5.2.1.1
          24 May 2015 at 5:23 pm

          Do you have anything new to try, CV? Seriously, your relentless negativity has its bleak charms, but unless you’ve got practical solutions, why bother? What specific, measurable, realistic and time bound ideas do you bring to the table?

          • Tracey 5.2.1.1.1
            24 May 2015 at 5:29 pm

            I must say it has been pretty relentless this past few days. I am assuming it is to try and shame the Labour Party for standing for something more palatable to CV, and those whose views he is reflecting?

            • Colonial Viper 5.2.1.1.1.1
              24 May 2015 at 5:40 pm

              And I’m just getting started. As I said, the next two Roy Morgans are going to set the tone for the remaining 18 months of the pre-campaign period.

              • Tracey …
                24 May 2015 at 5:46 pm

                Whatever vents your spleen.What you hoping to achieve? That you were right to predict the next 2 polls will still love Key?

              • te reo putake …
                24 May 2015 at 5:49 pm

                So you’ve got nothing at all? Just the whinging?

                • Wolfgang …
                  24 May 2015 at 5:50 pm

                  What am I going to say?

                • Tracey …
                  24 May 2015 at 5:51 pm

                  Given this is the most misleading PM (or lying to be more unkind) I can recall in my 40-odd years of political awareness, and the polls keep loving him, I fail to see why this budget wouldn’t see him soar… it’s been a great few deceptions indeed… with man on the Left buying the smoke and mirrors too.

                • Colonial Rawshark …
                  24 May 2015 at 5:54 pm

                  So you’ve got nothing at all? Just the whinging?

                  I don’t fucking report to you, mate. Why don’t you go ask caucus why they are still discussing ways to screw around with NZ super.

                  • te reo putake …
                    24 May 2015 at 6:04 pm

                    So, nothing then. Good to know.

                  • The Murphey …
                    24 May 2015 at 6:08 pm

                    CR you understand very well the reasons why super is being targeted

                    We live inside a manufactured reality of which the NZLP is part of the political theater playing the role they are instructed to act out

                    • b waghorn …
                      24 May 2015 at 6:16 pm

                      Might be time for you meds mate that sound deeply paranoid!

                    • The Murphey …
                      24 May 2015 at 6:24 pm

                      Might be time for you meds mate that sound deeply paranoid!

                      Says the bloke who believes the cashless society us a ‘natural evolution’

                      Q. Do you understand fundamental financial concepts ?

                      Q. Do you understand what ‘monetary scarcity’ is ?

                    • b waghorn …
                      24 May 2015 at 6:38 pm

                      No to both to be honest , and I’m quit prepared to be wrong and to learn . but I would be astounded if cash isn’t fazed out probably the only thing that would stop it is a total break down of society , which with GCC that’s a possibility.

                    • The Murphey …
                      24 May 2015 at 6:43 pm

                      No to both to be honest

                      Fair play with the honesty BW

              • felix …
                24 May 2015 at 6:13 pm

                What do you mean “pre-campaign period”? Those don’t exist any more.

                The Nat campaign started last year on the 21st of September.

                • Tracey …
                  24 May 2015 at 6:17 pm

                  and when they lost elections they abandoned parliament for all intents and purposes for the campaign trail.

                • Colonial Rawshark …
                  24 May 2015 at 6:53 pm

                  The Nat campaign started last year on the 21st of September.

                  Yes. And that’s also what this Budget was all about.

        • Stephanie Rodgers 5.2.1.2
          24 May 2015 at 6:43 pm

          Whoosh, look how quickly the goalposts shift.

          • Colonial Rawshark 5.2.1.2.1
            24 May 2015 at 6:51 pm

            You think that the message about the Right being liars cut through successfully to voters? I don’t. I think they tuned the Left out as repeating a framing that was mixed up and which they didn’t quite catch.

            Oh well, I’m sure the next two Roy Morgans will let us know.

            • Tracey 5.2.1.2.1.1
              24 May 2015 at 6:52 pm

              Do you think the LP should become the better liars?

              • Colonial Rawshark …
                24 May 2015 at 6:55 pm

                I think the LP should tell us what they truly think about NZ Super and many other issues, and what they intend to do about it.

                • Clemgeopin …
                  25 May 2015 at 12:06 am

                  Do you even realise that all the Labour policies are still under detailed careful review, then they need to go to the members to discuss, debate and vote on before becoming policy or do you want the Labour leaders to unilaterally just make up policies on the hoop? I think you need to be a little patient for a little longer.

            • te reo putake 5.2.1.2.1.2
              24 May 2015 at 6:54 pm

              Yep, nothing but negativity. CV has no answers.

  6. marty mars 6
    24 May 2015 at 11:33 am

    I thought Gower skewered English quite well this morning on The Nation. Soft tones made the incongruence of bills statements stand out like the proverbial.

    http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/thenation/interview-finance-minister-bill-english-2015052311#axzz3b0XOmPtb

    • b waghorn 6.1
      24 May 2015 at 5:18 pm

      Yes he asked a few tuff questions but there was none of the pushy rude frothing at the mouth that he gives to labour members , and did you notice right at the end the very warm hand shake between the two hardly a sign that English had been skewered.

  7. Tracey 7
    24 May 2015 at 5:36 pm

    The disabled amongst us continue to be relegated to under-class with nothing in the budget to lift them from mere subsistence living.

    I have a friend with CP. She is now in her mid thirties and is physically deteriorating quickly. Mentally sharp as a tack. She has been working full-time but in recent months that has become physically impossible in recent months forcing her to drop to part-time. This has meant that she has less income to meet her mortgage. She is in danger of losing her house. To try and get temporary reprieves she has to make WINZ appointments and travel in to the office… and then it seems to depend on who she speaks to.

    She has borrowed money from us, which we happily lent, so that she could get ahead of the debt for a short time.

    Meanwhile ACC holds a very big surplus investment…

    THIS is the NZ we live in.

    • Colonial Viper 7.1
      24 May 2015 at 5:42 pm

      We have to do much better as a society. No more managerial tinkering around the edges.

      • Tracey 7.1.1
        24 May 2015 at 5:49 pm

        Even amongst the beneficiary bashers you’d think those born with (or attain) disabilities preventing work beyond a minimum wage or thereabouts would be seen as deserving of the safety net…

        It’s become such a game between LP and Nats that they have truly all forgotten who they are supposed to be standing up for.

        • Colonial Rawshark 7.1.1.1
          24 May 2015 at 5:52 pm

          How do we unequivocally remind them.

          • Tracey 7.1.1.1.1
            24 May 2015 at 5:58 pm

            I honestly dont know CV. I do rack my brains from time to time cos this stuff matters.

            I had hoped more people would take their vote from Labour in 2014 to send a strong message (but not take it to the Right)… As you know I have turned my back on voting Labour as an answer. I have donated more to the Green Party in the last 12 months than to all causes in the previous 10 years cos I want them to have the means to advocate.

            People want to believe the best in each other. They don’t want to believe that Key is not telling the truth cos they have to admit being duped, they don’t want to think he has lied to them… and their hope is misplaced…

            I agree with you that grassroots has to be the answer. LP has spent the last decade or more almost embarrassed to have the Unions on their side rather than using the ground infrastructure they provide. I would be utlising those networks to get MP’s on the ground, all the time, day after day, talking to people about the real stuff, including pointing out the lies.

            Little has publicly courted businesses… I see a need for that but not at the expense of those in need, and most of them are represented by Unions, CTU etc NOT the LP.

            • Colonial Rawshark 7.1.1.1.1.1
              24 May 2015 at 6:02 pm

              Little needs to be courting SMEs with say 50 or fewer employees, also independent contractors (many of these people are all being shafted by current arrangements), not the big corporates.

              I agree with you that grassroots has to be the answer.

              This has got to be the way to go. The privileged establishment on $160K pa needs to be pressured and reminded and in fact, hounded to do the right thing on behalf of the people.

              • Tracey …
                24 May 2015 at 6:07 pm

                Isn’t this what Clark did in 1998/1999 ? Spent the year on the ground talking to kiwis? BUT I want to see every List MP on the ground every day talking to the people… people like Clayton fucking Cosgrove working hard for his money not fighting hard for some press exposure.

                There are hundreds of volunteers working the streets for their parties for nothing while some MPs get paid shitloads to do whatever they do.

                Create rosters, so it’s shared around. When Nats were in opposition they unashamedly abandoned Parliament and spent the time campaigning.

                It’s as much about creating a message as clearing up the misconceptions about their message, and that takes eyeball to eyeball chats

            • b waghorn 7.1.1.1.1.2
              24 May 2015 at 6:11 pm

              “. I would be utlising those networks to get MP’s on the ground”
              I have never meet a polititian in my life . Or a union member the closest I came was once watching a local body one from my kitchen window drop a flyer in my letter box that said “” I called in while you were out sorry to have missed you”

              • Tracey …
                24 May 2015 at 6:15 pm

                My union (TEU) emails me once a week.

                I have met several politicians but only through my partner’s free tickets to certain events. I met Helen Clark though a meeting at Unitec once and at her office. She was not the cold hard person so many painted her as when in person.

                The ones I met at cricket or Halberg gatherings were swarmed by business folks practically drooling and falling over their tongues to get a word and the pollies drooling over the rowers or all blacks…

                Oh, Rodney Hide came to my door a couple of elections ago and lied to me. I wish I could recall the exact lie, but I cant

                • b waghorn …
                  24 May 2015 at 6:19 pm

                  “”Rodney Hide came to my door a couple of elections ago and lied to me”
                  Yuck how long did it take to scrub the grease patch off the door step.!! .

                  • Tracey …
                    24 May 2015 at 6:21 pm

                    I had been phoned in a poll a few days prior and they wouldn’t tell me who the poll was for. I asked twice, and when I asked if it was for ACT, they thanked me and rang off. It was incredibly unprofessional. The questions were very loaded which got me suspicious. I suspect I challenged him at the door. He was wearing his yellow jacket, whatever year that election was.

                    Oh, we had a leaky home, he fit right in….

                    I was struck then and a couple of times when I have seen him at Halberg awards at how short he is…

  8. Jim 8
    28 May 2015 at 12:54 pm

    Its the Fourth Reich- run by the same global bankers that financed Hitler’s Third Riech. Lets be honest. These criminals and serial child abusers need to rounded up and put on trial.

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