Open mike 15/09/2023

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 15th, 2023 - 47 comments
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For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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Step up to the mike …

47 comments on “Open mike 15/09/2023 ”

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  1. bwaghorn 1
    15 September 2023 at 6:32 am

    Why arnt people outraged that national wants to hock off houses to foreigners in a housing crisis??

    • Cricklewood 1.2
      15 September 2023 at 7:25 am

      The short answer is if you already own a house price increases are good, that and a heap of people have given up. The massive increase over the last 6 years and the higher interest rates have essentially made home ownership impossible for huge swathes of people.

    • Graeme 1.3
      15 September 2023 at 7:34 am

      Pretty much getting told to fuck off around Queenstown. I haven't met many who think it's a good idea long term. A few who need it to save their sorry arses, 'cause they will have to sell very soon ( or now), but most are WTF.

      Nicola got a hard time last night over it,

      Ms Willis argued there were more than 95,000 houses valued at more than $2million in New Zealand, and that only a small number of those would need to be sold to overseas buyers for her projections to be achieved.

      Her comments were greeted with rumbles of discontent from the full house, and open scorn from some of her opponents.

      Greens co-leader James Shaw said Ms Willis’ policy was a continuation of "the war on renters" and would price first-home buyers in places such as Queenstown out of the market.

      It's going to be a transformational policy for Queenstown and Central Otago, but obviously not in a good way.

      Biggest criticism is that price changes will be supply side driven, everyone will want $2 million for their house leading to a huge gap in the market below that, effectively freezing the middle and below out of the market.

      • Ad 1.3.1
        15 September 2023 at 10:07 am

        Queenstown under National government becomes the accelerated form of what New Zealand is becoming already: grossly unequal, foreigner dominated, and real estate obsessed – to the exclusion of all other values and all other people.

        Queenstown's tourism and density strategies are going in the opposite direction to that.

    • Mike the Lefty 1.4
      15 September 2023 at 12:07 pm

      Because they have decided that "Labour bad, National good" and don't want any inconvenient truths to unsettle them.

      Boy, the real estate industry must be positively salivating at the thought of a NACT victory with the inevitable sky rocketing in house prices that will result.

  2. SPC 2
    15 September 2023 at 7:45 am

    Gurner climbs down

    But later, Mr Gurner said in a post on LinkedIn that he had "made some remarks about unemployment and productivity in Australia that I deeply regret and were wrong".

    He said there were "important conversations to have in this environment of high inflation, pricing pressures on housing and rentals due to a lack of supply, and other cost of living issues".

    He said his comments were "deeply insensitive" to employees, tradespeople, and families "across Australia" who are affected by cost of living pressures and job losses.

    Mr Gurner added that he appreciated that the loss of a job "has a profound impact" on workers "and I sincerely regret that my words did not convey empathy for those in that situation".

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66803279

    Full mea culpa.

    Meanwhile here we have David Seymour stating the intent to make 15,000 people redundant before Christmas.

    Will people note who the unrepentant psychopath is?

    Will Luxon say whether that is something National would enact?

    • PsyclingLeft.Always 2.1
      15 September 2023 at 8:08 am

      Oh yea, I did reply on Daily Review….and yep IMO I see Gurner…and Seymour as Narcissists. Possessing Zero Empathy..but maybe if enough Public distaste served on them…and close media scrutiny they can be shown for what they are.

    • Sanctuary 2.2
      15 September 2023 at 8:54 am

      Tim Gurner basically endorses the theories of Marxist economist Michel Kalecki…

      • SPC 2.2.1
        15 September 2023 at 9:24 am

        Posing capitalism as dependent on neo-liberal policy settings – using monetary policy to cause unemployment to control inflation, welfare at poverty levels as a work incentive, preventing industry awards (Fair Pay Agreement), migration to sustain a surplus domestic workforce and of course, wages below levels to afford property … needing to work to pay rent

  3. Barfly 3
    15 September 2023 at 8:19 am

    Has anyone asked Greypower if they have an opinion on Seymour wanting to take money out of their wallets/purses?

    • weka 3.1
      15 September 2023 at 8:28 am

      can you please expand on that?

      • SPC 3.1.1
        15 September 2023 at 9:30 am

        Part of the ACT cost savings plan is to increase Super by the CPI permanently (not just when the CPI is higher than the increase due with the link to net average wage).

        • Brigitte 3.1.1.1
          15 September 2023 at 1:25 pm

          For quite some time NZ Super has been increased by CPI (see s15 of https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2001/0084/latest/whole.html#DLM114216)

          However, there is an override (s16 of above) which states the married rate must be between 66% and 72.5% of average wage (net of standard tax). Normally the lower bound bites so NZ Super increases by more than CPI. Except last year where it was just CPI (so the override didn't apply).

          Oddly Labour took credit for increasing Super by more than wages even though they did nothing of the sort. Even odder was that National didn't call them out. They should have known as the Nats 2017 tax cuts meant the lower bound for Super went up and so would have given an increase to pensioners – the reversal of the tax cuts took that away so Labour effectively swapped it for the winter supplement.

          So Act will repeal s16 so Super will increase by CPI (as now) but is very likely to fall as a percentage against the average wage over time. At some point too many pensioners will be struggling so an ad-hoc increase will be granted (or a party will reinstate s16 although not necessarily the same percentage upper and lower bounds).

  4. Barfly 4
    15 September 2023 at 9:03 am

    fudged up the reply button

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/winston-peters-sounds-alarm-on-acts-proposed-changes-to-superannuation/IDBTQYV32RHXDL4ABVBCGIQVMY/

    From the article

    Switching to CPI indexation will also ensure that the cost of the pension does not continue to grow inexorably as the economy grows.”

    Act’s budget said the switch would save $1.13 billion across the period to 2026/27. The CTU’s analysis found an additional $1.36b would be saved in the 2027/28 financial year, bringing the total savings to more than $2.8b using revised inflation data.

    Billions of 'savings' to be achieved by reducing what Superannatants receive

    • AB 4.1
      15 September 2023 at 10:17 am

      Elder poverty is coming back. The 'strong economy' demands it. Climate change will turbocharge it. As the insurance industry walks away or hikes prices stratospherically, uninsured people will have whatever meagre assets they own wiped out in weather events.

  5. Blazer 5
    15 September 2023 at 9:08 am

    Every trick in the…book..NZH-'

    'In a day when National was accused of having a $2.1 billion hole in the costings of its tax policy, Willis came under pressure to release the modelling behind the plan, which National had not yet done.

    Speaking to TVNZ’s Breakfast this morning, Willis said she would resign if a National Government couldn’t deliver on the tax cuts it’s promising.

    ”I would resign because we are making a commitment to the New Zealand people and we intend to keep it,” she said when pushed about whether the foreign buyers’ tax would work.'

    Covered her arse.

    [please supply a direct link for this quote. Please also read this post about moderation and let me know you have read and understood. https://thestandard.org.nz/moderation-notes-in-election-year/ – weka]

    • AB 5.1
      15 September 2023 at 9:59 am

      That's just evasion – they'll make the tax cuts one way or another, just not via the means they have described (a $750M pa contribution from the foreign buyers tax).

      If she took personal responsibility seriously, she would say that she will resign if the foreign buyers tax does not deliver within (say) 15% of target. But as we know, Tories love to accuse other (usually poor) people of failing to show personal responsibility as a way of denying any obligations towards them. But they seldom exhibit any themselves.

    • Macro 5.2
      15 September 2023 at 10:22 am

      It's just sound Tory economics B.

      Promise them everything.*

      Give them nothing**

      And before they get it – Take it of them.***

      * Tax cuts for all, **Oops the cupboard is bare, just tax cuts for those with over $250kpa income – therefore we keep our promise, *** Cuts to Education, medical, social welfare, etc, etc,

    • weka 5.3
      15 September 2023 at 10:29 am

      mod note. Please attend to this before commenting again.

    • Blazer 5.4
      15 September 2023 at 10:41 am

      Here…as quoted NZH…

      Election 2023 live updates: Grant Robertson, Nicola Willis, David Seymour and James Shaw trade criticism in finance debate – NZ Herald.

      I'll save your bloodlust and ban myself.

      Yesterday you started with insult,then patronage…and here you are at it..again.

  6. SPC 6
    15 September 2023 at 10:19 am

    SoftBank owned Gannet media is hiring reporters/correspondents/social media gossip columnists to cover celebrities – for USA Today (Beyonce) and Tennessean (Swift).

    I would have thought SoftBank (big in robotics etc) would have used AI and deep fake tech to do the coverage.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/us-news-site-hiring-dedicated-taylor-swift-beyonce-reporters/ZYX5UNLESVFRVAP2E5NL2NQXRQ/

  7. Chris 7
    15 September 2023 at 11:42 am

    Simeon Brown sent me an email today. Un-bloody-believable:

    "Hi Chris,

    When Chris Hipkins claimed he’d focus on ‘bread and butter issues,’ New Zealanders probably didn’t expect him and his ministers to take this quite so literally.

    Today it was revealed that the government has splurged more than $52,000 on extravagant breakfasts.

    The Ministry for Pacific Peoples spent more than $52,000 to promote Labour MPs at four post-budget breakfasts.

    Just this morning, senior Labour minister Ginny Andersen defended the spend as "pretty typical" – this is an insult to New Zealanders across the country who are struggling to pay their bills and figuring out how to cover their mortgage.

    It’s also the second instance of lavish spending from this government agency recently – after it spent $40,000 on a farewell party for its Chief Executive.

    In a cost of living crisis, it’s clear that Chris Hipkins and Labour are wildly out of touch.

    Labour has no respect for taxpayers' money.

    The economic outlook this week showed the Treasury is forecasting a prolonged economic slowdown, combined with high inflation and interest rates – all driven by Labour's reckless spending. When $52,000 on breakfasts is “pretty typical” for Labour, what hope do Kiwis have that Labour will stop the waste?

    Only National can end the wasteful spending, respect taxpayers’ money, balance the books and rebuild our economy to reduce the cost of living so Kiwis can get ahead

    Party Vote National to get our country back on track!

    Simeon Brown
    National Party spokesperson for Public Service"

    https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/09/15/national-targets-ministry-for-pacific-peoples-50k-breakfast-spending/

    [news link added]

    • SPC 7.1
      15 September 2023 at 11:47 am

      That's just lazy, getting his lines from ACT and the Taxpayers Union …

      Meanwhile Luxon had a post budget breakfast with business …

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/490202/watch-national-party-leader-christopher-luxon-gives-post-budget-speech

    • bwaghorn 7.2
      15 September 2023 at 12:03 pm

      Thing is if these spend ups are true we should be pissed,

      • SPC 7.2.1
        15 September 2023 at 12:18 pm

        Events in community centres to identify relevant budget initiatives, just basic comms,

        • bwaghorn 7.2.1.1
          15 September 2023 at 1:32 pm

          Must be expensive halls to hire!!

        • weka 7.2.1.2
          15 September 2023 at 2:01 pm

          $14,000 per event. I want to know the details too, especially because of this,

          It follows Public Service Commissioner Peter Hughes criticising the ministry last month for spending more than $40,000 on a farewell for its departing chief executive last October.

          https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/09/15/national-targets-ministry-for-pacific-peoples-50k-breakfast-spending/

          I want to know how those figures compare to other government department spends on similar events (ie is it normal) and I want details of the events (eg are they large, in which case the spend makes more sense).

          • weka 7.2.1.2.1
            15 September 2023 at 2:02 pm

            Nat and Act are obviously double teaming an attack on the Ministry for Pasific Peoples, which is fucked up and needs addressing. To do that the left needs to be transparent about spending, not just casually excuse it.

            • bwaghorn 7.2.1.2.1.1
              15 September 2023 at 3:39 pm

              Yip if mostly pakeha departments are doing it to ,

              A; this is a racist beat up,

              B; it does point to a culture of largesse that needs to be stopped,

              • Descendant Of Smith …
                15 September 2023 at 4:53 pm

                Is it really that high in todays dollars?

                These were community meetings to explain and answer questions about the budget to communities who do not normally get that well engaged with.

                I would imagine hall hire, tea, coffee, light snack, facilitator, kitchen staff, etc would come to that sort of cost.

                It sucks when we expect poor communities to meet those costs themselves as government agencies have done for so long – government should pay for meetings they organise.

                It is the same with consultation – councils, government etc all expect iwi advice and support for free yet agree quite happy to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees to KPMG, etc.

                This issue was highlighted in several places way back in 1988 in Puao Te Ata Tu. A document that should be more widely read.

                https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/archive/1988-puaoteatatu.pdf

                (d) That funds be allocated to Social Welfare district offices with a high Maori population to provide some remuneration to Maori people who provide assistance to Social Welfare staff in dealing with Maori clients;

                “Get no recognition and or pay for performing special Maori duties.”

                In the area of social work, there were many calls for Maori people to do the work of the “professional”workers. Whereas community workers saw themselves as being on call 24 hours a day, social workers were seen by some to work for only the prescribed hours. The complaint was strong that valuable skills were often used but not paid for when volunteers or community workers were used as a cultural resource for dealing with Maori people.

                (c) District Executive Committees should be formed in each Social Welfare Department district. Each Committee shall consist of up to 9 persons appointed to represent the community on the nomination of the Maori tribal authorities and the nominations of other community interests. The Director of Social Welfare (in person) and the Director of Maori Affairs are to be members. The Chairperson should be one of the non-public service members. ‘Members are to be paid in the normal way.

                It is also worth noting the home ownership levels in this report.

                45% of Maori own their own houses (with or without a mortgage) and 50% are renting whereas for non-Maori the comparable figures are 73% owning and 24% renting.

                • weka …
                  15 September 2023 at 5:17 pm

                  Is it really that high in todays dollars?

                  No idea. I guess it comes down to how big the events were. I can't see any reason to automatically assume the amounts are excessive (although the $40K send off to an exec is raising my eyebrow). But I do think the issue should be managed transparently and MSM once again are failing us here. They could explain all that. We will see if they over the next few days.

                  My beef is that I remember in the 90s Treasurry spend $70,000 redecorating one of their offices. Later WINZ spent some godawful amount rebranding. I think when some people are used to having those kinds of budgets they see things differently.

                  It certainly jars against the CoL crisis. The left need a good way to respond to this that doesn't buy into the cut govt spending bullshit and that pushed back against the targeted racism.

                  • Descendant Of Smith …
                    15 September 2023 at 6:06 pm

                    I had the impression that the cost was high predominantly because of the gifts from each individual group that MPP represents. There are not too many agencies that cover off so many different but linked cultures with their own rivalries/sense of face.

                    The key in the the decision process I suspect was MPP's choice to fund the gifts as opposed to the groups funding them themselves. Once that call had been made the cost was always going to be high due to the number of gifts.

                    While I would have left it to the groups to fund their own gifts it is a bit like no school uniforms. The wealthier groups would have better gifts and the poorer group either lesser gifts or would have to sacrifice more. The Ministry paying would help ensure some evenness.

                    Again while personally I don't think much of the whole thing about well paid public servants getting gifts when leaving I accept others have a different view.

                    I just think there are nuances that need to be explored before drawing too many conclusions.

                    I am much more supportive of meeting with the community than CEO farewell's.

                    Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds told Newshub the post-budget breakfasts were community events and around 700 people attended in person across the country plus others attended online.

                    "Pacific communities have long been overlooked in post-budget communication and are not always aware of how initiatives in the Budget affect them," Edmonds said.

                    700 attended which catering wise comes to $35-00 a head. Haven't organised an event for a long time but that seems to me a little high but I'm clueless about current costs.

                    Much of the cost seems to be the three sets of AV equipment to presumably stream. I have done this recently and commercial equipment is expensive to hire.

                    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/09/ministry-for-pacific-peoples-under-fire-for-spending-over-50-000-on-budget-breakfasts.html

                    What does seem obvious from the tone of the headlines is that it is primarily a racist attack with little investigation or even notice of what the Ministry actually said in response. Certainly ACT don't refer to it as a series of three community meetings – you get the impression it was the staff at MPP having a fancy shout in the office on government funds.

          • Michael P 7.2.1.2.2
            18 September 2023 at 4:49 pm

            Why can't they just have a morning tea with cake and sausage rolls like we used to?

    • Anne 7.3
      15 September 2023 at 12:39 pm

      Have you provided both the Greens and Labour with a copy of his claims? There are so many outright lies I'm sure they could turn the tables on the weasel.

      It might even be one of those “[insert MP’s name here]” electorate communications that the John Key Nat government was so keen on producing.

  8. Joe90 8
    15 September 2023 at 11:47 am

    Another day another lie.

    .
    Deborah Russell MP 🐝

    @BeeFaerie
    Posted without comment

    https://twitter.com/BeeFaerie/status/1702040255199854634

  9. Bruce Ellis 9
    15 September 2023 at 1:07 pm

    Just heard that Kim Hill is retiring – apart from some in depth interviews. Radio listening will never be the same. She is a real treasure.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/498069/host-kim-hill-leaves-rnz-s-saturday-morning-show-it-is-time-for-a-change-for-me

    • gsays 9.1
      15 September 2023 at 5:14 pm

      I've just heard that on the 5pm news.

      I agree about being a treasure, from time to time the transistor got hollered at but more often than not Kim Hill made great radio.

  10. rod 10
    15 September 2023 at 3:08 pm

    Where would the National Party and Act be whithout their army of right wing

    sycophants, toadies, stooges, poodles, lackeys, puppets, bootlickers, cronies, lapdogs,

    and snipers, who infest and operate in the msm ??

    Well the answer is, no fecking where, IMO

    • Barfly 10.1
      15 September 2023 at 3:15 pm

      Well overtime the MSM's corrupt lack of balance is adding voters to the right wing parties. Looks like

      Liars, thieves and politicians …..should be

      Liars, thieves, politicians and reporters

      /Shrug

  11. dv 11
    15 September 2023 at 4:57 pm

    What is the cost to run parliament? Tried to look, but nothing forthcoming?

  12. adam 12
    15 September 2023 at 5:22 pm

    God bless the UAW and lets help them in their Strike.