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Open mike 13/06/2025

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 13th, 2025 - 102 comments
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102 comments on “Open mike 13/06/2025 ”

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  1. Todays Posts 1
    13 June 2025 at 6:00 am

    Today's Posts (updated through the day):

  2. bwaghorn 2
    13 June 2025 at 6:17 am

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/563955/kiwisaver-fund-manager-slams-disturbing-social-media-hacks-to-falsely-access-funds

    Kiwisaver needs to be strengthened, no more hardship withdrawals , it needs to be compulsory as well

    Government needs to to do stuff that that's right for the people even if it's not popular.

    • weka 2.1
      13 June 2025 at 9:04 am

      there's also a problem with using KS to buy a first home. If KS is meant to be a retirement savings scheme, then this either undermines that, or ties retirement into the property market which in turn fuels the housing crisis.

      • bwaghorn 2.1.1
        13 June 2025 at 12:31 pm

        Found myself borderline homeless with a child at college last year , being able to access the deposit for a house was a savior, second time rounder who's determined to not make the same mistakes again.

        Also renting sucks in every way.

      • SPC 2.1.2
        13 June 2025 at 12:48 pm

        If young people cannot access such savings to own a home they will not sign up.

        To make it compulsory without withdrawal would reduce home ownership, stifle family development and result in more poverty in old age (require a job to pay rent).

        • weka 2.1.2.1
          13 June 2025 at 2:28 pm

          there are other, better ways to make having a home (buying or renting) affordable again. KS home buying is predicated on the ladder that keeps some people permanently poor. By that I don't mean individuals like b above are doing that, I mean the government is actively relying on the housing crisis. It would design a different system, but it doesn't.

          • SPC 2.1.2.1.1
            13 June 2025 at 2:36 pm

            I'd make those changes to improve housing affordability (these include better incomes policy and more state houses) before tampering with KS.

            • weka 2.1.2.1.1.1
              13 June 2025 at 2:45 pm

              anything that supports the ever expanding property market is going to be a problem. If we raise the minimum wage and benefits, why won't landlords keep raising rents? If we build more state houses, then in some areas that will take the pressure off, but unless it's a really large number of builds, I can't see it making the kind of difference that is needed.

              I'm not arguing against the government contributing to savings for home ownership, that's a really good idea. But when it's tied to retirement and the property ladder, it's more petrol on the fire.

              • weka …
                13 June 2025 at 2:47 pm

                along with climate, and social/political polarisation, this is our biggest political problem. The more people who own homes via the property ladder, the more NZ will vote in neoliberal centrist governments that favour the wealth classes and won't solve poverty but will tinker instead.

                • SPC …
                  13 June 2025 at 3:19 pm

                  Fair Pay Agreement (Industry Awards) and pay equity are the pathways to affording home ownership.

                  And it is home ownership that prevents poverty in old age.

                  The concern that increasing MW or benefits "just" transfers money to tenants to pay rent more to landlords is one created by business and the TU to de-legitimise higher incomes at their expense.

                  This is true only where there is a housing shortage that allows both CG and high rents (rationing of a shortage of supply).

                  The counter to this circumstance is more state house building and discouragement of landlord ownership of existing property*** via debt (and buy up of this housing*** for income related rent^^^).

                  This funded (funded via a stamp duty at 5% on property over $2m and a 1% surcharge on landlord mortgages***).

                  ^^^equity to own and leasehold land arrangements after 5 years or so).

              • Tricledrown …
                13 June 2025 at 3:45 pm

                [display:none]

                The Big Banks are happy to indebit our country to play monopoly they rely on house prices continually rising to profiteer.

                Increasing immigration less houses being built perfect no need to invest in modernizing our economy improving productivity.

                No chance for the average NZer to have a reasonable priced house to buy or rent.

                Even Labours QE and masive borrowing to prop up banks during covid only accelerated the impoverishment of future generations of the Median average NZ er.

                No chance of even getting a deposit.

                The system is rigged the Banks know this holding even the Labour Party to ransome.

                Labour prior to the mid 1970's gave home loans to average and low income NZers at a guaranteed low interest rate allowing families to flourish.

                Now especially since Covid the jungle mentality has taken over everyone for themselves divide the population with conspiracy theories and yellow press pushing an avalanche of lies with our lord haw haw Hosking their quisling amplifier.

                [lprent: see my previous note and the chain of previous notes in comments back to 2024

                https://thestandard.org.nz/my-food-bag-co-founders-tend-health-marks-health-privatisation-milestone/#comment-2036158

                Next one, I just add you to the permanent ban list as being capable of writing, but incapable of reading – therefore incapable of engaging in robust debate. ]

    • SPC 2.2
      13 June 2025 at 12:45 pm

      The ability to access savings if necessary – such as difficulty with maintaining home ownership – is important.

      More so, if compulsory.

      • bwaghorn 2.2.1
        13 June 2025 at 4:48 pm

        Maybe but do you know not one person has actually checked that I moved into my house (i did)and didn't just rent it out, what is the penalty for rorting kiwisaver?

        • SPC 2.2.1.1
          13 June 2025 at 4:53 pm

          AI says

          Yes, when withdrawing Kiwi Saver funds for a first home, there's a requirement to intend to live in the home you purchase, and you must actually live there. If the intended residency isn't met, you might be required to repay the funds.

          I doubt the check involves visiting the home though. Electoral, ratepayer rolls etc.

    • Kay 3.1
      13 June 2025 at 10:55 am

      Even the women in this government hate women. But there’s still (some) women who continue to vote for them.

      • Phillip ure 3.1.1
        13 June 2025 at 5:53 pm

        Not 'some'…a lot ..

        • Incognito 3.1.1.1
          13 June 2025 at 6:07 pm

          Some say some..

          You say a lot…

          I say you’re semi-illiterate and don’t understand language enough to understand what others are saying. Alas, this doesn’t stop you from commenting as if you’re Delphi’s oracle.

          • Phillip ure 3.1.1.1.1
            13 June 2025 at 6:28 pm

            Heh..!…and you have a nice day too..

            ..and delphis oracle comparison..?

            You flatter me..

            And if you are trying to bait me..it’s a fail there too..
            I got some new weed today…
            ..and my head is up around the ceiling..

            Give it your best shot ..
            I’m always up for a laugh..

  4. Bearded Git 4
    13 June 2025 at 7:07 am

    Another Brooke van Velden triumph. Workers are just cannon fodder to the ACT Party.

    "Ministers are being warned that watering down workplace health and safety laws will likely cost ACC more because it’ll result in more injuries, and therefore more payouts to cover the cost of treatments.

    It could also result in higher ACC levies for businesses, official documents show, despite one of the aims of the reforms being a reduction in compliance costs for them.

    There are also concerns from some Pike River families that the current law – brought in following the 2010 coal mining disaster that killed 29 men – will be weakened so much, it could see more people killed in workplaces."

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360720213/acc-warns-van-velden-your-reforms-will-cost-us-more-payouts

    • Drowsy M. Kram 4.1
      13 June 2025 at 8:46 am

      New Zealand Profit First – there's zero resistance to ACT ideology in our craven CoC.

    • Tiger Mountain 4.2
      13 June 2025 at 9:12 am

      Yes, the changes to health and safety legislation followed the Pike River Inquiry and covered things like assigning one company or person responsible for a whole site or enterprise, rather than allowing sub contractors to weasel out of accountability.

      Crooke Van Velden wants employers to be able to evade setting standards and providing a safe environment at work.

    • gsays 4.3
      13 June 2025 at 11:00 am

      I was going to post this anyway but you give it context BG.

      I am working outside today on a very wet day in the 'Tu.

      In my world, one quarter of the next Labour coalition cabinet has calluses on their hands.

      Weather it's be from the Greens, TPM or Labour itself. Government is lacking this perspective.

      • Bearded Git 4.3.1
        13 June 2025 at 11:37 am

        +100

      • weka 4.3.2
        13 June 2025 at 2:29 pm

        that would be so good. Joining a party and getting involved in the selection process for candidates is empowered political activism.

        • gsays 4.3.2.1
          13 June 2025 at 2:43 pm

          Yep, just after I posted that, I was reflecting on it while I supervised the first fire in our school hangi pit.

          That it comes down to the likes of me putting my hand up.

          It's just so much easier if someone else does it ..😉

          Anyhoo, 3pm approaches, time to uncover and pull up the inaugural Hangi. It's a test drive for next week when we aim to feed 1300 students for Matariki.

  5. Dennis Frank 5
    13 June 2025 at 8:21 am

    He got called a genius by Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and Elton John. https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/12/entertainment/paul-mccartney-brian-wilson-tribute

    My all-time favourite Beachboys song is this one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Saga/California but it was written by another guy in the band. It's all about water as in the ole sun/surf/sand formula (triads make things happen).

    Dunno if he ever went public about what he got from doing all those LSD trips. Being a psychedelic adventurer was the ethos of the time for leading-edge folk, but he got wierded out like Syd Barrett & Peter Green from overdoing the thing. I did enough to see the writing on that wall & retreat to safer cultural terrain…

    • Bearded Git 5.1
      13 June 2025 at 3:00 pm

      Only With You is my fave.

      • Dennis Frank 5.1.1
        13 June 2025 at 3:13 pm

        Simple yet elegant was my impression watching it on youTube just now. I heard the album incidentally when out visiting sometimes but never got to know it. They did an excellent cover of Devoted To You (Everly Brothers classic) which was a fave of mine in the late sixties.

  6. Tiger Mountain 6
    13 June 2025 at 9:05 am

    What next in the USA? Senator Padilla manhandled, cuffed and removed from press conference for asking a question…

    https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/12/alex-padilla-noem-dhs-handcuffed.html

    Lets see how Trump’s birthday tank parade through Washington DC goes, it looks like a country on the brink.

    • Phillip ure 6.1
      13 June 2025 at 9:17 am

      What's next .?

      Martial law/elections suspended…and this before the midterms…

      That is where this is going..

      And this has been the plan all along..

      ..none of this is random..

    • SPC 6.2
      13 June 2025 at 10:39 am

      One can see the preparation.

      The 250th anniversary of the American military and his birthday being on flag day. That explains his campaign fundraising last year – hawking off a Trump bible, flag and constitution set.

      In a land with no state religion, that launched the kingdom come takeover of the constitutional republic play.

  7. Stephen D 7
    13 June 2025 at 9:48 am

    A look at the Integrity Institute.

    https://archive.li/fCYkJ

    ”In the days after the Government released its so-called Growth Budget, Bruce Edwards, the politics academic-turned director of The Integrity Institute wrote about the coalition’s cornerstone policy targeted at businesses, “Investment Boost”, in his “Integrity Briefing” newsletter.

    “Investment Boost may indeed boost investment, but at what cost to fairness and integrity? The Government has chosen to prioritise wealth over work, capital over labour, donors and lobbyists over citizens.”

    Whichever way you cut it, we have the Wild West here. Lobbyists need to be named and regulated.

  8. Dennis Frank 8
    13 June 2025 at 11:17 am

    Gav issues a reality check: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gavin-newsom-sarah-huckabee-sanders_n_684ae23de4b0cf5f0c9b5a4b

    BuzzFeed found that Newsom was pretty much on the nose. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics, Arkansas has a homicide rate of 11.8 per 100,000 people while California’s is 5.9 per 100,000.Newsom delivered a similar clapback to Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), a former Auburn coach who said Newsom should be locked up and that the “rule of law is nonexistent” in Los Angeles.

    “Alabama has 3X the homicide rate of California,” Newsom wrote back on X. (Alabama’s rate is indeed almost three times that of California.)

    Laura Norder can be done by the left as effectively as by the right, so long as you base your propaganda on reality. Gav can do that, as shown. Trump's model features an alternative reality, he has claimed – but that only exists within the minds of adherents.

  9. joe90 9
    13 June 2025 at 11:41 am

    Some years ago my SO was involved in efforts to help a young anorexic so a few tears in the 90 household over the plight of this kid and their whanau.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/563855/teenager-starves-to-death-alone-in-emergency-accommodation

    • Terry 9.1
      13 June 2025 at 12:30 pm

      That’s a terribly sad story, I’m autistic myself and I had very difficult times through puberty and teenage years. Looking back I was very fortunate that my parents understood what was happening and I had access to a psychiatrist and counselling. However the high school guidance councillor was pretty useless and seemed to discount what the qualified professionals were saying. I think we have moved backwards in this regard especially with young children who have autism and ADHD. There are too many self educated “experts” who are very much out of their depth.

    • Karolyn_IS 9.2
      13 June 2025 at 4:45 pm

      That's a very distressing story to read. It must now be particularly hard for the teen's family and other close associates.

      It seems like the parents might be correct that there were multiple systems/agency failures. I think the buck stops with governments that have been underfunding health services, and mental health services in particular for way too long.

      The childhood sexual assault, complicated by the autism seems like important factors that were not dealt with adequately by various agencies. Puberty can be tough for a lot of people, but I think especially tough for females even without these extra factors.

  10. Dennis Frank 10
    13 June 2025 at 12:18 pm

    Hey I just heard the RNZ newsreader saying the govt has decided to change the power system so that folks with surplus power-generating domestic installations can feed power back into the grid. Chalk up a win for the bluegreens.

    This is local resilience infrastructure design being implemented. Almost certainly the top story of the day, which is why RNZ ran it last in their noon bulletin.

    • SPC 10.1
      13 June 2025 at 12:37 pm

      About time. Now businesses will put solar on their buildings.

    • Bearded Git 10.2
      13 June 2025 at 3:07 pm

      I thought you had always been able to feed back into the grid-its just that the rates were crap. I think I heard on the radio that they were just increasing the rates paid-this is indeed a good idea.

      It may be related to the fact that yesterday on RNZ I heard that farmers were increasingly going solar with battery storage. This makes total sense given that their power usage would be quite high compared to a residence and the remote location of many farms. With battery storage power outages would be mitigated. Once battery storage is charged excess power can be fed into the grid.

      Farms usually have quite a few buildings with roofs suitable for solar panels.

      It's somewhat ironic that the farmers are leading the way to sustainable power given their tardiness in relation to recognising climate change as an issue.

      • Dennis Frank 10.2.1
        13 June 2025 at 3:18 pm

        You could be right about that. Those who went for the thing in a rush some years ago got screwed by their service providers, I vaguely recall.

        Do you mean Tesla batteries? I posted here about their plan to develop domestic batteries years ago but not sure how far that's gone. I agree re irony but farmer take up was always going to hinge on market forces.

        • Bearded Git 10.2.1.1
          14 June 2025 at 10:01 am

          Yes Tesla batteries…but I think other suppliers are now in the market and that there are dozens of options.

    • lprent 10.3
      13 June 2025 at 3:29 pm

      That has been in place since the 90s through power companies. My parents did that with their solar systems back in the 2010s.

      Meaningless without some decent pricing and some legal controls about the process – which doesn’t exist.

      When I finally get around to putting in a solar+wind+battery system whenever we move, I’m currently not even planning on connecting to the grid. I could do without the technical issues, and the ridiculously high line charges that I’d have to pay to provide the power to the grid.

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/564053/government-moves-to-boost-household-solar-power

      Ummm.
      Note that they don’t appear to be providing more money to harden the grid for those power variances.

      Line charges are currently the fastest rising part of my power bill.
      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/563994/rising-line-charges-hit-power-consumers-hard

      Lines allow power company scams like this one where the power company runs your purchased battery like ‘virtual power plant’
      https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-09/claims-agl-drained-household-batteries-spark-trust-warning/105234050

      Simplest way to operate a solar system efficiently around Auckland is to buy a property with a decent exposure. Load up with enough panels of batteries. Run it isolated. Add a small windmill. Plus drop off the grid. Make sure you have a thermal heating system as backup. They keep upgrading as the prices for hardware drop.

      • Dennis Frank 10.3.1
        13 June 2025 at 5:12 pm

        Hmm. For a moment there it looked like the govt was doing something intelligent for a change. After reading that RNZ report I must revise that impression: it looks like they think they are doing something intelligent. So it will depend on the extent of consumer upgrading when the new scheme takes effect.

        I agree about off-grid being the most robust option but I admit not being Green enough to do that myself – I've been paying Mercury for as long as I can recall and it never feels like a problem. If there was a govt-mandated resiliency design at a reasonable price I could be tempted…

        • Phillip ure 10.3.1.1
          13 June 2025 at 6:11 pm

          I have been off-grid for about nine years…

          ..a simple/basic set-up..

          ..rechargable lights/speakers etc etc..

          ..it's not hard to do..I spent about $1,200-$1,500…

          Haven't had to look at a power bill for nine years…

          I highly recommend giving it a go…

          • Dennis Frank 10.3.1.1.1
            13 June 2025 at 7:35 pm

            Well done! You clearly have a good head for technicalities and economy. Have you ever thought of standing for parliament? They need people with such natural expertise. Alternatively, you could submit a column on electrical resilience design for TS to publish. I can't think of a better way to scale up Green left thinking than via such practical application of good ideas…

    • Phillip ure 10.4
      13 June 2025 at 5:58 pm

      @ d. Frank..10..

      Um..!…speaking in their defence..it has been a big day in news ..

      ..a major plane crash…and Israel has attacked Iraq…

      ..so..y'know..!

  11. Sanctuary 11
    13 June 2025 at 12:21 pm

    And now Israel is attacking Iran.

    • SPC 11.1
      13 June 2025 at 12:26 pm

      A substitute for tariffs.

      Timed for the roll out of 4700 NG and marines in LA and POTUS 47 Flag Day parade.

      And this love letter to Russia.

      https://www.state.gov/releases/2025/06/russia-national-day/

      The optics security threats, herding people out of Gaza into Sinai and out of LA into Latin America.

      Russia getting parts of Ukraine and Israel de facto annexation of the WB.

      It’s as if Stephen Miller was orchestrating a white race nationalist agenda within a greater axis of these 3 “strongmen”.

      (diverting 20,000 anti-drone missiles promised to Ukraine onto the ME to enable this play).

    • Dennis Frank 11.2
      13 June 2025 at 1:56 pm

      Looks like they decided to ignore Trump: https://www.timesofisrael.com/witkoff-said-to-warn-iranian-response-to-israeli-strike-could-lead-to-mass-casualties/

      According to Hebrew media reports on Tuesday, Trump told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call a day earlier that a strike on Iran must be “taken off the table for now,” as the US continues to pursue diplomatic talks. Channel 12 news reported that Netanyahu did not receive a clear answer from Trump as to whether the US would give Israel a green light to act alone against Iran, or whether Washington would want to participate in or lead a strike.

      So it looks like some kind of calculated gamble, and we now await Iran's response to see how well it worked…

      • lprent 11.2.1
        13 June 2025 at 3:06 pm

        Since Israel did a preemptive attack and act of war. Israel is now a war target at any time from now and into the future. Others who intervene are also subject to the international rules and laws of warfare.

        If the US or any other nation with ships around the Red Sea and Persian Gulf wants to get involved in Israels war, all they have to do is to shoot down missiles that aren’t aimed at their ships, but are targeted at Israel. Same for Iraq and Syria – but that is less likely.

        This could get ‘interesting’, especially if Iran decides to send irregular troops, drones, and missiles through to the Israeli borders in quantity.

        Plus of course by going to war with Iran, Israel has now given Iran a complete reason to manufacture atomic weapons, and they’re clearly ready to do so.

        • Bearded Git 11.2.1.1
          13 June 2025 at 3:26 pm

          I don't thing we should buy into Israel's "preemptive" framing of the attack. There is no evidence that Iran was about to launch an attack on Israel.

          This is just Netanyahu and his loony right wing mates warmongering again.

          They seem to be somewhat unhinged.

      • SPC 11.2.2
        13 June 2025 at 3:29 pm

        The US said it would not participate in any attack on Iran.

        The pretext is here

        Global watchdog finds Iran failing to meet nuclear obligations. This for the first time since 2005.

        https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce3v6w2qr12o

        Iran does not recognise the state of Israel's existence and has declared an intent to eliminate it.

        • lprent 11.2.2.1
          13 June 2025 at 3:46 pm

          A wafer thin pretext

          https://armscontrolcenter.org/countries/israel/

          Israel is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and has not accepted IAEA safeguards on some of its principle nuclear activities.

          What exactly is their reasoning again? That the Israeli government is made up of hypocritical genocidal racists?

          https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce3v6w2qr12o

          Under a landmark 2015 deal with six world powers, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities and allow continuous and robust monitoring by the IAEA’s inspectors in return for relief from crippling economic sanctions.

          Iran also committed to help the IAEA resolve outstanding questions about the declarations under its Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Safeguards Agreement.

          However, US President Donald Trump abandoned the agreement during his first term in 2018, saying it did too little to stop a pathway to a bomb, and reinstated US sanctions.

          Since 2019, Iran has increasingly breached restrictions of the existing nuclear deal in retaliation, particularly those relating to production of enriched uranium.

          I’d say that there lies the real problem. As I remember it, that particular action by the US was at the personal bequest of Israel’s PM at the time.

          • SPC 11.2.2.1.1
            13 June 2025 at 4:02 pm

            No it is not a party.

            The process towards the Treaty was 1965-1968.

            Following the ratification of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 1968, all non-nuclear powers are required to negotiate a safeguards agreement with the IAEA, which is given the authority to monitor nuclear programs and to inspect nuclear facilities.

            Israel had a nuclear power plant (1962-1964) and nuclear weapons (by 1967) before 1968.

        • Muttonbird 11.2.2.2
          13 June 2025 at 5:29 pm

          Link, please.

    • lprent 11.3
      13 June 2025 at 3:22 pm

      This is a really stupid time to do it. Israel is starving Gaza, doing ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, and attacking a country for the ostensible reason of Iran building nuclear weapons in secret for their defence – when that is exactly what Israel did in the 1960s or 1970s.

      They’re also doing it when Israel’s only clear ally is the US. The nation of the TACO president and a disordered military under a dipshit Secretary or Defence has been running loyalty purges. Their only other supporters now that they have managed to piss off most EU democracies, are… can’t think of any that would be effective.

      I can think of a number of ways that Israel’s effective declaration of war against Iran is going to backfire, and I’d start with looking at the Iraq and Syrian governments.

      • Dennis Frank 11.3.1
        13 June 2025 at 3:31 pm

        It's definitely a regional power-play, just a question of whether their military intelligence prevailed over their machismo or not. I just wish these people, on both sides, would learn how to do peaceful coexistence. Defaulting to warfare due to the normalcy of tradition doesn't strike me as genuine Darwinism. The notion of fit was not meant to imply that he who does the most push-ups each morning wins. It was meant as the relation of the jigsaw piece to the puzzle.

      • SPC 11.3.2
        13 June 2025 at 3:41 pm

        There has never been a better time to do it.

        Iran's allies are gone. With Assad out, Hezbollah is being brought to heel under the Lebanese government.

        Iraq is not a front line state and it is unlikely Syria will allow Shia militias to operate there as Syria is reliant on the end of sanctions (which the US has agreed to).

        Well, no one likes what they are doing in Gaza, there is that.

        But the EU has a grudge with Iran over the drones they are sending to Russia to attack Ukraine.

        • Psycho Milt 11.3.2.1
          13 June 2025 at 5:45 pm

          Exactly, there has never been a better time to do it. Hamas, Hizballah and the Houthis are seriously damaged, the Assad regime's gone and the IAF proved recently that it can operate with impunity in Iranian air space. And that this needed doing is a given.

          Will be interesting to watch the Gulf states. My money's on some denunciations of Israel for domestic consumption, coupled with quiet, private satisfaction if Iran's nuclear programme does get smoked.

    • Muttonbird 11.4
      13 June 2025 at 5:37 pm

      Israel is claiming they are targeting the nuclear program, but apparently the head of the armed forces and the head of the revolutionary guard have been killed. Were they part of the nuclear program, or are Israelis a bunch of lying pricks?

    • joe90 11.5
      13 June 2025 at 6:32 pm

      Nope, nothing to do with Haredi parties threatening to leave the coalition and dissolve the Knesset with a no confidence vote.

      https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israels-coalition-survives-vote-dissolve-parliament-over-army-draft-tensions

  12. bwaghorn 12
    13 June 2025 at 4:41 pm

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/360722458/new-ute-owners-warned-looming-tax-grenade

    Gee I can't wait till the woeful willis has to explain this pickup to her voters

    • bwaghorn 12.1
      13 June 2025 at 4:54 pm

      Cockup that is

    • SPC 12.2
      13 June 2025 at 5:06 pm

      Back of the envelope pre government budget "ball-park" planning is difficult when one lacks staff. So large errors are likely.

      The political complexity of budgets involves silos.

      Those who knew about the largess of the Investment Boost were (obviously/apparently) not involved in the effort to gather more business sector tax revenue to afford it.

      It is important that left hand silo and right hand silo have some joint oversight, someone who knows that there are two sides to an equation.

      Orr and others leading organisations wonder about when the consequences of losing the wrong staff bites. And bite it will.

      https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/bugger-toyota-hilux-commercial-1999

    • Ad 12.3
      13 June 2025 at 5:26 pm

      It may well have been unintentional on the behalf of Willis and the IRD, but landing right in the middle of Mystery Creek week when all those farmers were supposed to have their wallets open for the new utes, after complaining for years about Jacinda's "ute tax", would have been quite a blow.

      On the other hand it puts a real focus on non-vehicle mechanisation getting the most of the tax break from Budget 25, which again may well be unintended but also a good thing.

    • Muttonbird 12.4
      13 June 2025 at 5:34 pm

      Regional Ford dealers will be reeling tonight.

    • Incognito 12.5
      13 June 2025 at 5:52 pm

      That’s one sensational headline.

      See my comment from a week ago: https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06-06-2025/#comment-2035513.

      • SPC 12.5.1
        13 June 2025 at 6:03 pm

        It only covers

        Public views are sought on options for simplifying fringe benefit tax obligations and minimising compliance costs.

        This aint about the amount of tax liable.

  13. gsays 13
    14 June 2025 at 7:47 am

    When the initial protests at the local MPs over the Pay Equity scrapping were called, I put an email out to all staff informing and encouraging attendance.

    Not 10 minutes later the principal found me and let me know the school was apolitical in a gentle rebuke.
    Organising at the school Matariki Hangi would be a step too far.