Open mike 25/09/2010

32 comments on “Open mike 25/09/2010 ”

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1. millsy 1

   25 September 2010 at 7:32 am

   Labour to announce removal of GST from fruit and veges

   If Labour are going to take this stupid, clumsy and inadequate policy into the next election, they have lost my vote. This will be a very complex and difficult idea which will be of little benefit to those who are meant to help (who are struggling with high rent/utility costs with bugger all income).
   • Zeebop 1.1

     25 September 2010 at 7:59 am

     You were never going to vote Labour. GST is about to rise, GST is a general tax levied accross the economy, inflationary and dampening on economic activity as the same money flows through the economy gets greater chunks taken off by a rise in GST. Now you saying you won’t vote Labour, well how can you vote National when they basically raise general taxation on everyone to give the few at the top, thousands of dollars worth of bonus income tax reduction – yet had the gall to call it fair and balanced. We will soon all be feeling much poorer, as customers can buy less, employers cut wages or staff, businesses buy less stock, less freight travels the roads.

     And then to tell us GST is too complex, though value added taxes exist all over the world with exemptions. That’s
     says our educational system is either incapable of producing staff who can buy upgrades to their tellor machines, or that you are one dumb person.
     • felix 1.1.1

       25 September 2010 at 9:02 am

       When did millsy say anything about voting National?
     • jcuknz 1.1.2

       25 September 2010 at 11:14 am

       To me it just shows how brilliant Sir Roger Douglas was to change from a mess of sales taxes to a simple GST on everything. Other countries have fallen to pressure groups … the basic thing SRD won out against. How I will vote will be decided at the ballot box.
       • Herodotus 1.1.2.1

         25 September 2010 at 2:22 pm

         So a major Labour policy is to give an average family less than $2/week as a response to the GST increasing, or by anther cut $0.06/day per person?
         It is interesting that Lab only comment on the $200m that will be fed back into households, not the gold coin per week. Ansd that is if the GSt is all passed back to the consumer, can we be guaranteed this?
         “Why not have less tax on those things that the Government might regard as being good for people – that would make sense,” says Mr Goff.
         When will some here raise their expectations on what Labour should deliver to the voter?
         If this was not so pathetic it could be considered humour from Labour
         Where are some real policies 🙁
2. Zeebop 2

   25 September 2010 at 8:14 am

   Its disappointing that after two year of economic collapse the right still employ the bravado that got us into the crisis.

   That paying less tax, nexted to no tax, is a medal of honor, a machismo moment.

   Government needs to be paid for, if the taxes fail to be paid for by a few then they should get FEWER
   services of government, higher fees for their uses of government.

   The argument is made that the wealthy create the wealth, this is stupid, the wealthy usually inherit, reinvest, and basically channel weath rather than create new wealth. In fact they invest in new ideas rather than have them themselves. So the notion that wealth should be rewarded, not the actual wealth creator should worry us a lot.
   But it does explain much, it explains why we’re told routinely that wealth should be rewarded, that lower
   taxes for those already wealthy is better than lower taxes to incentivise more to create wealth, why the global
   financial system has become one big casino, and the debt collectors carry guns and are not averse to beating you out of house and home – well useless you are excessively wealthy.

   We live in corrupt times.
   • Lanthanide 2.1

     25 September 2010 at 9:56 am

     “reinvest … rather than create new wealth.”
     Investing is what creates wealth. Investing means you are giving your money to a company to do something with, in exchange for some of their profit. The company puts that money towards growing the company, which in turn employs people who otherwise wouldn’t have jobs.

     Investment = wealth creation. Obviously investing overseas rather than investing in NZ is helping overseas companies and not NZ ones, but it is still creating wealth somewhere.
     • Draco T Bastard 2.1.1

       25 September 2010 at 3:35 pm

       Except that’s not what happened. People “invested” in already existing companies and houses expecting the share price/value to go up not blue skies investment that create new wealth. These actions produced the bubble that burst giving us the GFC.

       Speculation should be taxed @ 110% or more
       • Lazy Susan 2.1.1.1

         25 September 2010 at 3:50 pm

         Not just companies but real estate, derivatives, fine art etc.. None of this is “investing” it’s speculating and ties up enormous amounts of capital in non-productive speculation. All of this is cheered along by the banks because they stand to make a shitload of money out of it e.g. lending money to people to mortgage themselves up to the eyeballs to buy investment properties.

         To make the problem even worse the NZ government refuses to implement any form of capital gains tax so that any gain made from such speculation isn’t taxed whereas the profits from productive enterprise are. The system is very, very broken.
3. ianmac 3

   25 September 2010 at 9:31 am

   A survey a few years ago showed hat a majority of people favoured paying taxes if it meant better health services better education better security. Wonder what would happen if a survey was taken now? We are already one of the lowest taxed countries. So how were we “persuaded” that lower taxes = good?
4. Lanthanide 4

   25 September 2010 at 9:57 am

   I’d much rather see GST taken off local government rates before it was taken off fruit and vegetables, for the simple reason that it kills dead in the water all the hand-wringing about how “difficult” it is to take GST off fruit and vegetables, because clearly taking GST off local government rates is a very simple thing to do.
5. joe90 5

   25 September 2010 at 10:11 am

   Solar paint that turns every surface into solar power collection material and something way out there in the if only it would come true category, solar highways..
   • The Chairman 5.1

     25 September 2010 at 11:42 am

     Transpower is warning customers to expect “double digit” price increases

     The company is planning a $3.8 billion spending programme.

     http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/personal-finance/4166686/Transpower-plans-double-digit-price-rises

     Looks like we could all do with some of that ‘solar paint’
6. The Chairman 6

   25 September 2010 at 11:35 am

   Short-changed by the media

   Why are there only two candidates in the TV3 (The Nation) Auckland mayoral debate?
   • Lindsey 6.1

     25 September 2010 at 12:03 pm

     Because there really are only two candidates with any sort of chance. Everyone else is polling around the margin of error.
     Its is Brown or Banks. A vote for anyone else but Brown is a vote for Banks.
     • The Chairman 6.1.1

       25 September 2010 at 12:23 pm

       Ponder this:

       Perhaps the reason why everyone else is polling around the margin of error is due to the lack of media coverage.

       The media has forgotten its role in democracy, hence why we are losing it.
7. Salsy 7

   25 September 2010 at 11:44 am

   Liking Winstons Bait and Switch Term

   there has been a new development in politics in New Zealand. It is called “bait and switch”, an old idea born in the United States as a tactic for selling in retail stores and since then redeveloped as a political tactic….The National government with John key at the helm has perfected the art of bait and switch. read more
   • felix 7.1

     25 September 2010 at 5:40 pm

     Yeah but FFS Winston, you don’t build a website out of PDFs alone.

     #crikey
     • Salsy 7.1.1

       25 September 2010 at 8:37 pm

       True, one of the real issues is that search engines wont find his material which is a shame – there are so many lame journo’s out there looking to steal someone elses research – er.. I mean ideas

       #nobody
8. NickS 8

   25 September 2010 at 12:28 pm

   http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/student-union-bill-likely-become-law-3800449

   Oh yay.

   If this does actually go through, I’ll be supporting which ever UCSA board candidates want to make UCSA facilities and services members only, or charging greatly increased fees to non-members. Which given what the they help fund, is pretty much every single club + providing cheap (or free if you’re a NZ resident) on campus health-care and mental health services.

   Ah, soo sweet shall be the potential hypocritical whinging from the students that thought voting National/ACT was a brilliant idea.
9. NickS 9

   25 September 2010 at 4:38 pm

   /sigh
   http://tvnz.co.nz/health-news/one-in-five-gay-men-us-has-hiv-3800824

   The problem, the media are ignoring the social and economic factors that have given rise to this in the first damn place in favour of “zomg AIDS!”. Which as ERV notes is not only right there in the fucking CDC report, but also highlights the problems caused by shit public healthcare in the US.

   But I suppose noting that socialised healthcare would help take care of this wouldn’t go very well with teh tea-baggers and the FOX crowd, as it’s “all teh homo’s own fault!11!!”.
10. prism 10

    25 September 2010 at 4:54 pm

    There is a fight between two groups going for council positions in Auckland. One uses a commercial distribution company which sends out their emails. But that company adds its own promotional adverts into the content of the email with a prize to be won.

    If this company has already been paid for its services by the political group, it is not entitled to use their communication as a vehicle for an advertisement. Unless the politicals got a cheaper rate on that basis? This looks bad for both the politicals and the possibly free-riding web co.
11. BLiP 11

    25 September 2010 at 5:13 pm

    Great news – Wellington has thrashed Auckland in the 2010 Helen Clark Cup rugby match at Williams Park in Mangere!! First time in five years. The party starts now!!
12. Draco T Bastard 12

    25 September 2010 at 5:20 pm

    Statement by Julia Marton-Lefèvre
    Director-General, IUCN
    New York, 22 September 2010 (PDF)

    IUCN has been working on the development paradigm for many years, and especially since the 1980 World Conservation Strategy which stressed the interdependence of conservation and development, thus first giving currency to the term ‘sustainable development’.

    The concept is now commonplace, but it seems as though 10 years after nearly 200 nations agreed to integrate environmental sustainability into all major policy decisions, we are still trying to make the case for it, rather than getting on with the actual task in hand.

    IUCN echoes the concerns of many in this hall that despite progress made in some areas and in some regions, the achievement of MDG7 and the MDGs overall may be compromised.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, we have five years to make a difference.

    Not much I can add to that really. We’ve known for decades that we couldn’t keep going the way we have and yet we haven’t changed. Now we’re looking at 6 degrees of warming by the end of the century bringing about cataclysmic climate change and we’re still not doing anything.
13. pollywog 13

    25 September 2010 at 5:31 pm

    Fat kids get no love…

    …and we’re breeding a generation of fatties

    Glad somebody’s taking notice of my posts, now if only the gov’t would take notice of my solutions…

    …FAT CHANCE !!!
14. prism 14

    25 September 2010 at 5:45 pm

    I read somewhere that low income people form the highest proportion of overweight people apparently because they have less money to buy quality protein foods, and prefer those that are calorie rich and filling. They also I think make less changes in their diets, certainly the traditional soft white bread is the favourite more than wholegrain if the supermarket bread trays are an indication.
15. gobsmacked 15

    25 September 2010 at 7:10 pm

    Looks like there’s going to be a big boost for National in the One News poll tomorrow.

    It was taken after the Canterbury quake, and One News just reported very high levels of support for the government’s response (as you’d expect, it’s been very professional, though that has far more to do with Civil Defence and the relevant authorities than any party label).

    Key has been all over the media on this (full marks to his PR team), and that will rub off on his polling. No point getting down about this, it was bound to happen. Disaster = unity = incumbent benefits. (Katrina being the exception, but a rare one).

    Look on the bright side … artificial highs mean steep falls!

    Anyway, this is just a heads-up. I’ll try not to choke on my tea, 6 pm tomorrow …
    • Salsy 15.1

      25 September 2010 at 9:42 pm

      Hopefully Labour step in and steal some glory, building codes, no loss of life etc.. I was in the UK when the earthquake struck but I have to say, I was surprised at just how much Goff I saw in the online reporting…
    • axeman 15.2

      26 September 2010 at 1:34 am

      But that sagacious pundit mickysavage said the gap between National and Labour in the polls,/has been closing.

      Well done Greg!

      Anti-spam ‘buried’
16. Jeremy Harris 16

    25 September 2010 at 10:41 pm

    Here are some of candidate blurbs of the “talented” people standing for Mayor in the Auckland voting booklet:

    Aileen AUSTIN – Independent

    ‘A new broom sweeping the decks Clean. Listening. Business, expo culture, Parks, (open spaces), trees, (and children), ETS – Free; savings, Governing; Rates, Debt, Reviews, Budget, Service, Contracts, Pests, Ports, Wharfs, Bio-Security Borders, Liquor Controls, Water tanks, Sewerage, Infrastructure Maintenance, Rubbish, Pollution, Politicians, Bridges. Gardens, Markets, Amazing Grace, etc, etc

    It goes on for two bloody paragraphs like that…

    The next one is great I wanted to vote for him simply for the honesty:

    Nga DAVE – Independent

    Hello. Ngatokoa Tina Dave. I am also known as Nga Dave and to those in the know as Kam. I was born on Mauke, part of the Cook Islands. I came to N.Z. about 47 years ago with my mother, who was pregnant and my older sister Bern.
    Formal education played a very small role in my life. I left school at 14 once I discovered marijuana and I have walked with marijuana for 30 years.

    Truck driving has been my main source of income but I have been employed as a manual labourer in many forms.
    I am a criminal in the sense that I smoke illegal substances. But in my heart I know I am not bad.
    I am one of the people I want to represent. The common people. I want to resurrect democracy of the people, for the people, by the people.

    Where do I sign up..?

    Willie MORTON – TEMNAK

    Auckland super city in its diversity belongs to all peoples and needs the involvement of all ratepayers and stakeholders to share responsibility of care with good management of our beautiful city, to invest ideas and commerce that all grow and advance together.

    My term as Mayor will offer freshness and you will see rightful power restored to the ratepayer with transparency. Proof of which will be seen in increasing wellbeing of our citizens commensurate with reciprocal respect, goodwill and engagement of the people with their super city. Properly allocated benefits in the hands of our ratepayers will be evidence of our good city planning resulting from the generation of increasing economic energy and activity.

    Good leadership at the helm in Auckland super city will move our other mayors to share our vision and engage. I believe I have the right mix of understanding and maturity to lead our supercity.

    Um, what he said…

    Wayne YOUNG

    To be honest the salary of a quarter of a million dollars for Mayor appeals…….

    Maybe Nga DAVE wasn’t the most honest candidate…

Links to post

1. The Standard: posted on 24 September 2010 at 6:13 pm
2. thestandard: posted on 24 September 2010 at 6:13 pm

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