Open mike 20/12/2024

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, December 20th, 2024 - 29 comments
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29 comments on “Open mike 20/12/2024 ”

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  1. Bearded Git 1
    20 December 2024 at 7:13 am

    Biden leaves office supporting measures that will lower carbon emissions. (Trump will trash these of course.)

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/19/biden-carbon-dioxide-emissions

    But as the article says Biden has heavily supported increased fossil fuel production:

    "As well as boosting renewables, Biden leaves a thriving fossil fuel sector – under his presidency, US oil production rose to record levels, and the country became the world’s biggest exporter of natural gas. Last year, the US issued a record 758 new licences for oil and gas extraction projects – almost as many as in the previous three years combined."

    • bwaghorn 1.1
      20 December 2024 at 12:06 pm

      What ever happened to peak oil, ?

      • Cricklewood 1.1.1
        20 December 2024 at 12:23 pm

        Chicken Little comes to mind

      • joe90 1.1.2
        20 December 2024 at 12:26 pm

        New exploration/extraction/production technology.

      • weka 1.1.3
        20 December 2024 at 3:12 pm

        you know how we pay $2.30+ per litre for petrol? That's Peak Oil. We're over the other side of the curve, and so it's more expensive to extract the remaining oil. As Joe points out, tech improvements have delayed the crisis.

        Longer answer is the degree to which sustainability experts were over-estimating how much PO would mitigate climate change 🙁

        • bwaghorn 1.1.3.1
          20 December 2024 at 4:47 pm

          It's a shame peak oil is happening harder and faster, we adapt but unfortunately the greedy ones and the morons won't until they have to.

          • weka 1.1.3.1.1
            20 December 2024 at 8:00 pm

            yeah, we could adapt to peak oil ok, climate collapse is beyond what we can manage. We still have time, but for some reason most humans just won't face facts.

        • Cricklewood 1.1.3.2
          20 December 2024 at 6:23 pm

          Nah thats not peak oil, sure extraction is more expensive but the main increase we see here realates to tax including tax (gst) on top of other taxes. The barrel price hasn't changed all that much.

      • gsays 1.1.4
        20 December 2024 at 3:24 pm

        Speaking of oil, that sound is Biden scraping the bottom of a barrel.

  2. aj 2
    20 December 2024 at 8:22 am

    The criminal underworld is far wider than the gangs usually portrayed by politicians.

    https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/guns-cocaine-meth-seized-otago-raids

    Police have seized guns and drugs, including cocaine and methamphetamine, in a series of raids across Otago.

    Search warrants were executed in Cromwell, Alexandra, Clyde, Hawea, Wānaka and Queenstown from Tuesday to Thursday this week, said Inspector Paula Enoka, Otago Lakes Central Area Commander.

    She said firearms, ammunition, drugs, and items consistent with drug supply were seized.

  3. tWig 3
    20 December 2024 at 9:29 am

    Plenty of business people get involved in drug financing in NZ: high returns, no tax.

  4. tWig 4
    20 December 2024 at 9:46 am

    Interesting explainer of how 'rent maximiser' software has driven rent rises internationally via cartel pricing, strategic evictions to automatically force rent rises, and paradoxically, squeezing supply by not renting all your stock (10 min). It explains something I had been strugglIng to understand, why rents were going up and up everywhere internationally, with no apparent hand behind it. But there is a hand – of the crooked market.

    ProPublica has been following the issue in the US, where now half of people can't afford their rent. With the return of no-fault evictions, this will help nz landlords and letting companies to follow the rip-off paybook better.

    Unaffordable rent is the single most poverty-making economic tool, and is why the first Labour government set up social housing as keystone government policy.

    Legislation to address this issue should be targetted by lw parties for the next election, starting by educating the public now. First off, letting agencies can only charge flat fees, not a percentage of rent.

  5. Ad 5
    20 December 2024 at 9:54 am

    Rest in Peace Michael Leunig. Fly your big warm humanist soul.

    • Jilly Bee 5.1
      20 December 2024 at 11:10 am

      Ditto to that Ad – he was one of a kind. Will miss his 'cartoons' – illustrations more apt.

  7. joe90 7
    20 December 2024 at 12:10 pm

    The alternative housing policy is to cancel 60% of social housing projects planned for 2025.

    /

    Moreover, the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), which manages the public housing waiting list and the Emergency Housing Special Need Grants, are placing barriers in the way of those who are urgently seeking housing.

    There are credible reports that to verify applicants seeking housing because they are victims of domestic violence, staff at MSD Community are encouraged to phone the abusive partner to confirm that their partner did not contribute to the violence. Community advocates report that the criteria for state housing help are becoming less and less transparent and people are increasingly having to reapply.

    Community providers are increasingly having to turn away applicants, who are desperate for sustainable housing, but not counted in formal statistics as in need of housing.

    Meanwhile the Government does not have an alternative housing policy and keeps no record of housing need.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/homelessness-in-nz-the-christmas-reality-is-theres-no-room-at-the-inn-for-kiwis-needing-help/BPRSLBGA5ZDHFNKWFKCN6FNC2Y/

  8. Res Publica 8
    20 December 2024 at 12:31 pm

    Good to see the government is remaining laser focused on things that matter the most to ordinary kiwis: like ensuring that the Manawatū and Rangitīkei District Councils can't use the correct spelling of their own names for checks notes reasons

    Another triumph of localism over central government overreach!

    I vote we collectively and deliberately misspell Chris Pīnk's name for the rest of his political career. Since spelling things correctly is now unacceptably woke and all.

    [link fixed – Incognito]

  9. joe90 9
    20 December 2024 at 12:32 pm

    When you lose Roger…..

    /

    Act founder Sir Roger Douglas has expressed disappointment at his party’s response to this week’s bleak Treasury forecasts.

    He says the libertarian direction Act has taken has meant it is not proposing the right solutions for New Zealand’s fiscal challenges and he warned that the party might be “sending NZ bankrupt”.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/roger-douglas-disappointed-with-act-praises-nz-first-on-response-to-fiscal-challenges/R6WTJYVUH5GXRB5JUEMMRI3PZM/

    • SPC 9.1
      20 December 2024 at 4:28 pm

      Sure, ACT supported the government of 2008 to 2017, which made no provision for future cost of tax paid super and reduced the number of state houses – despite selling half its shares in power companies.

      BUDGET STUFF

      I support OBEGALx. But to be consistent, ACC assets need to come out of government assets as well.

      Thus the "new debt" figure (NZSF assets included) replacing net Crown debt in 2022, should be adjusted again (to be sans ACC assets).

      The articles stated cost of NZS rise to GDP in the future does not account for the NZSF's existence to contribute to that future cost.

      There should never have been any tax on the NZSF (and it should have been a 1% employer and employer contribution funded from the get go). The tax on the NZSF should at least end when contributions cease (when pay out begins).

      As for irony, the government currently contributes and takes back in equal measure

      For the year to 30 June, the NZ Super Fund posted a return of 14.94% after costs and before NZ tax. The strong investment returns meant the Fund paid $1.5 billion in New Zealand tax on 29 July 2024, in relation to the 23/24 financial year. Government contributions to the Fund during the year were $1.6 billion

      The rise in cost of health (aging population) is not yet provided for, nor the cost of aged care.

      Then there is the to government cost of those retiring (unable to work) and without home ownership – facilitating granny flats/small build factories and planning for small build villages for the retired is long overdue.

      This is related to the decline in state/social housing to the total population (even as the population ages and a lower number reach age 65 owning housing).

      BUDGET OPTIONS

      Include more income support (short term industry unemployment and work related sickness of workers) in ACC.

      Bring in couples income insurance, with support to the partner unable to claim unemployment benefit paid at the MW rate.

      A surtax on the work income of those over 65 (excluding those who not own their own home or equivalent assets) once the contributions into NZSF end.

    • tc 9.2
      20 December 2024 at 4:42 pm

      Where does one start with this joker.

      He put his snout back in the parliamentary trough in 2007 so must have been to plead his case for a non-liberatarian agenda eh ?

      A hand wringing filler piece of airbrushing from granny….must be xmas.