The anxiety and emotion that pours into the headsets of crisis advice workers in this crowded fifth-floor Sheffield call centre offers a snapshot of the UK’s worsening homelessness crisis. Advisers at Shelter’s helpline are processing more calls than ever. Last year there was a 15% increase in the volume of calls – a reflection, staff think, of the degree to which people are struggling with rising house prices, soaring rents, cuts to housing benefit and the long shadow of the recession. A day spent at the centre provides a clear picture of the kinds of housing problems people face, as pressure on council house stock intensifies and radical changes to benefit entitlements are introduced.
Just, depressing stories of people – mostly with insecure incomes – with nowhere to live: people with partners who have left and now there’s no-one with an income to pay the rent; someone on a zero hours contract that landlords won’t let to because their income is too precarious…. on and on the stories go…..
The neolibs know no limits; they are both short sighted and disconnected. And despite the warnings of the Arab Spring, they view all these proles, their own people, as nothing except disposable. Days of destruction, days of revolt.
Makes NZ look great doesn’t it, this proves the NATIONAL govt are doing a grand job.
What’s even worse this is also a reflection on Europe , many Europeans have travelled to Britain searching for scarce work which has had the effect of forcing wages down.
Wages in Britain are sagging , a tradesman friend of mine was earning 2 pounds an hour less than when he was in Britain 3yrs earlier.
Another sign the NZ
The bottom line to all of this
The only great job NAct is doing is keeping these stories off the tv and out of the newspapers. They can do it because we lack a Guardian, although we don’t lack our equivalent of the Murdoch gutter press.
Makes NZ look great doesn’t it, this proves the NATIONAL govt are doing a grand job.
What’s even worse this is also a reflection on Europe , many Europeans have travelled to Britain searching for scarce work which has had the effect of forcing wages down.
Wages in Britain are sagging , a tradesman friend of mine was earning 2 pounds an hour less than when he was in Britain 3yrs earlier.
Another sign the NZ
The bottom line to all of this
Makes NZ look great doesn’t it, this proves the NATIONAL govt are doing a grand job.
What’s even worse this is also a reflection on Europe , many Europeans have travelled to Britain searching for scarce work which has had the effect of forcing wages down.
Wages in Britain are sagging , a tradesman friend of mine was earning 2 pounds an hour less than when he was in Britain 3yrs earlier.
Another sign the NZ
The bottom line to all of this
????? , IT WENT WRONG.
Anyway to finish the numbers of NZers returning home is skyrocketing , all of this proves we have done reasonably well in the last few years when it all could have gone horribly wrong.
Its a lie karol. The standard for povertg is indias dump pikes. Se the uk and we are just being silly. Record shopping on boxing day so there cant be anyone suffering in godzone
however collins defined poverty on boxing day as a single parent bringing up 7 kids and cutting short their education to help feed the family… she and bennett really should talk.
So the definition of poverty in New Zealand is a single parent on the benefit with 7 children.
Does that mean to qualify for a benefit in future a couple will have to have 14 children? And just how did the “single parent” end up with 7 children? And what sort of accommodation can they expect, given that Housing NZ is down-sizing all it’s units?
I just love the spin this Government puts on things.
Perhaps we’ve just found New Zealand’s next Minister of Social Development – the caring, crusher Collins. Say good-bye to the evil, ranting, uninformed, former beneficiary, Paula Bennett.
“just how did a “single parent” end up with 7 children?”.
I don’t think you paid enough attention to the sex education classes you should have had at school.
Alternatively perhaps you went to a church run school and they didn’t teach you at all.
Oh well, perhaps it is best to leave you in a state of blissful ignorance about these things and let you think that they were found in the cabbage patch..
Well we all know “how” under a National-led Government a single parent can end up with 7 children. You’ve stated it so eloquently elsewhere alwyn, that the “woman’s place” is in the home, barefoot, pregnant, and under her master’s rule. And woe-betide her standing up to him, she deserves nothing but a slap. Not for her in an egalitarian society the comfort or security of the DPB. As for the “cabbage patch”, it’s just her duties to tend to masters needs, 24/7 each and every day.
OK Loud mouth. Put up or shut up.
Where did I ever say that a woman’s place is in the home, barefoot, pregnant etc?
A citation or an apology please you jerk.
The only thing I did here was to make a joke about the silly question you asked.
You’ve said on more than one occasion, you’d like to go back to the days before the DPB, which was a time when women were essentially “kept” at home, as almost domestic servants. Up until the advent of the Pill, most women gave birth, in one shape, form or another, every 18 months.
National fought tooth and nail to stop the introduction of the DPB, even today this Government has used it to victimize beneficiaries. Rape then, was not recognised within marriage.
I had a friend who fled an institution after being committed by her husband because she “stood up to him”, by walking out in her dressing gown and getting into a taxi, and going to her parents house. Her parents were unaware of what was going on.
Judith Collins says the “poverty” line starts with 7 children – wow, what a statement. Never heard of irony, alwyn? My uncle in the 70’s had a sister whose husband walked out on her, leaving her to raise 5 children – before the DPB came about – ask our whanau about poverty – everyone reached out to help her. So if you think you have all the answers, get off your smug arse.
I repeat my statement. Give me a citation to where I said what you claim?
All you mutter now is that “You’ve said on more that one occasion, you’d like to go back etc”. Come on Will. Where did I say I want women to stay home as domestic servants?
Put up or shut up. I’m certainly not the husband of the friend you mention and I certainly don’t hold any of those views. Now a reference to me saying any of these things or an apology please.
WW the definition of poverty in NZ is relative to median household income. It is essentially useless. Currently if your household earns somewhere between 800 and 1000 $/week or less (after tax) you are living in poverty. Which is rubbish. Accordingly if boom times next year meant average h/h incomes doubled you’d be in poverty at $2,000 net /wk. By definition we must always have the same number of people (give or take) in poverty.
If you can show me families with no mortgage, no TV, no car, no booze, ciggies, pokies who can’t feed their kids in NZ then I would admit that’s poverty. If it’s more than 4 kids you’ve got to ask some questions.
The Monitor shows a steady rise in children’s hospital admissions for a group of diseases sensitive to living in poverty. These include asthma, pneumonia, rheumatic fever and serious skin infections.
This group of diseases has risen in New Zealand children of all ethnicities since the recession began in 2008. Pacifica and Maori children are hospitalised at far higher rates than other children with proportionately more Pacifica and Maori children hospitalised now for these diseases than there were a decade ago. These statistics reflect deepening poverty and worsening inequality.
Child Poverty Action Group welcomes the inaugural Child Poverty Monitor and congratulates the Office of the Children’s Commissioner, the JR McKenzie Trust and the University of Otago’s NZ Child and Youth Epidemiology Service.
The Monitor puts all the known statistics about child poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand in one place along with current statistics on health outcomes. It provides New Zealanders with yet another reminder of our scandalous treatment of the nation’s poorest children and the severe, sometimes fatal consequences.
The report shows that 25% of New Zealand children fall under the standard 60% income poverty line and of these 10% are in severe and persistent poverty.
There was a rapid rise in child poverty in the early 1990s and then a fall in the late 1990s. The report says after “1998 however, as economic conditions improved, median incomes again rose, while incomes for many low-income households with children did not, resulting in a rise in child poverty up until 2004.”
[…]
“The fall in child poverty rates from 2004 to 2007 for children in one-Full Time -one-workless 2 Parent households was very large (28% to 9%), reflecting the Working for Families impact, especially through the In-Work Tax Credit.”
“From 2007 to 2012, [the poverty rates were] around six to seven times higher for children in workless households. This to a large degree reflects the greater Working for Families assistance for working families than for beneficiary families.”
Hide assumes that all households below the poverty line are getting the rate just below the poverty line cut off. Some are getting considerably less.
The Child Poverty report shows that 25% fall below that 60% cut off, with 10% being in “severe and persistent” poverty.
Because the poverty line in NZ is generally taken to be 60% of the median disposable household income, after housing costs, the amount of people below that line will differ, depending on the spread of such incomes: ie the people just below the poverty line (the one’s Hide are referring to, could be quite high for a small number of households, in comparison with the household disposable incomes of the rest.
Hide does not make this assumption but agreed there will be varying levels below this threshold. My point is someone in the upper level of “poverty” is earning an income which should be more than adequate.
You have avoided my challenge to provide examples of what you call “severe and persistent poverty”. I have visions of African babies with bloated bellies and flies in their unblinking eyes.
Helen Clark recently stated something along the lines of “No child in NZ lives on $2 a day. In fact no child in NZ lives on $5/ day”. HC is referring to poverty.
It doesn’t need to be famine level poverty to be poverty. The concerns are about poverty that impacts on health and life chances in education and work, length of life, etc. And this in turn impacts on our economy. The poor quality of housing has an impact on health for the least well off, too.
Income poverty: 265,000 children (one in four). This looks at the amount of money families have to pay bills and purchase everyday essentials. This is defined as having less than 60% of median household income, after housing costs are removed.
Material hardship: 180,000 children (17%). This means regularly going without things most New Zealanders consider essential – like fruit and vegetables, shoes that fit, their own bed and a warm house.
Severe poverty: 10% of children. This means they are going without the things they need and their low family income means they don’t have any opportunity of changing this. These are the children experiencing material hardship and who are in families in income poverty.
Persistent poverty: 3 out of 5 children in poverty are in poverty for long periods. These children are likely to live in poverty for many years of their childhoods. Persistent poverty is defined as having lived in income poverty over a seven year period.
Some people above the poverty line experience more hardship than those below the poverty line – though the ones above the line probably have more opportunity to get out of poverty.
Persistent poverty is more likely to result in negative impacts on things like health, education, etc.
I would say going without things you need means: missing meals; meals that lack sufficient nutrients; unable to afford sufficient electricity, heating, etc; poor sleeping arrangements that continually impact on sleep; and unhealthy living environment (overcrowding, damp etc causing illnesses); unable to afford medical attention and/or to travel to places where they can get the right attention;……. etc.
PS; You seem more concerned to find there is no poverty, than to attend to the actual struggles people in a relatively wealthy country like NZ. Like you are looking for a reason to deny poverty and hardship exists in NZ.
There are plenty of stories around – yet all the righties do is deny, deny, deny….. and no compassion or empathy.
I have plenty of empathy for people in genuine poverty. I have none for those in perceived or self imposed poverty. My years as a sheep shearer gave me an insight into a lot of things in a small rural community. There are workers and there are shirkers. And this has nothing to do with race just to save you the time.
There is a big difference between poverty and bad parenting and AGAIN you fail to give me an example of poverty whereby parents cannot feed their children in NZ. If this is not poverty then what is? Not having a TV? Not having an iPad?
I worked at Akld City Mission (sorry volunteered) and there are a lot of people who CHOOSE to live on the streets. Some are unfortunately addicts but you can’t blame the government for that. The Mission makes warm clothes and blankets free so somehow if the welfare state has failed them there is a backstop.
If we’re really talking about what I think we are then it’s multi-generational dependency on benefits and this will only be addressed by breaking the cycle. NOT throwing more money after bad. Sorry but it’s tough love.
I don’t agree with you’re views, but don’t accuse me of being in denial, having no compassion or empathy.
Northland was significantly impacted by the 2008-9 economic recession resulting in unemployment, mortgagee sales, business failures and bankruptcies. Despite the recession being officially ‘over’ there is a strong sense amongst the Whangarei community that things are not getting better. Tai Tokerau Emergency Housing Charitable Trust, the Salvation Army, Women’s Refuge, and several budgeting agencies are all facing increasing demand. Schools and community groups report growing numbers of families who are unable to provide enough food.
[…]
Due to the level of demand food parcel providers have had to develop criteria and put processes in place to limit the amount of food being distributed.
[…]
Recent data on the number of recipients by benefit type for Whangarei show that the numbers of those on unemployment benefit (UB) are relatively flat (2,002 in January 2010, 1,796 in September 2010 and 1,941 in September 2011). But the numbers receiving Domestic Purposes benefit (DPB) show an increase (from 2,874 in January 2010, to 3,030 in September 2010 and 3,259 in September 2011) which is likely to reflect the current lack of employment opportunities.
Latest research from the University of Auckland supports recent claims that many low-income families are unable to afford even a basic nutritious diet for their children. A paper published in Nutrition and Dietetics in December 2010 found that low-income families may not be able to afford meals recommended by the national nutritional guidelines, especially if there are teenagers in the household whose meals cost a lot more.
[…]
Professor Asher says, “In reality, rent is the highest cost faced by most families, closely followed by unavoidable expenses such as electricity, transport and school-related costs. This leaves little for a good diet, especially for older children who eat so much more.
Nutritious food for children is beyond the reach of many low-income families, especially those thousands of families ineligible for the full Working for Families package. This study clearly highlights that using food banks and purchasing cheap poor-quality food is not always a matter of choice. ”
There’s plenty of evidence out there. Open your eyes. And not an Ipad in sight!
My point is someone in the upper level of “poverty” is earning an income which should be more than adequate.
Only in your opinion – the research tells us otherwise (you really didn’t think that percentage of the median income had been pulled out of a hat did you?).
Helen Clark recently stated something along the lines of “No child in NZ lives on $2 a day. In fact no child in NZ lives on $5/ day”. HC is referring to poverty.
That’s probably because it’s impossible to do so. In fact, I’d say it’s impossible for a child in NZ to live on less than $20 per day.
Adequate Food: about $100 per week
Clothing: A low guess I'd say $20 per week
Then there’s doctors visits and other emergency bills associated with them.
Thing is, we already know that a number of children have less than that spent on them.
Your opinion really isn’t worth much. In fact, it should be actively avoided because it’s BS.
You may want to take a look at this from the another angle.
Raising a child to the age of 18 will cost the average parents almost $250,000.
The calculation, included in a draft study for the Inland Revenue Department, covers only expenses. It doesn’t count parents’ loss of income or childcare costs.
The income lost by one parent staying at home during that period would be almost $165,000, based on the national average wage calculated by Statistics New Zealand
An excellent point RL. “Raising a child to the age of 18 will cost the “parents” 250k.”
So who’s going to pick up the tab if the parents can’t. 4 kids = 1 million. It must take a lot of tax payers to pay for a single child when the parents can’t.
so what’s your alternative, saggy? Let’s go to the tory worst case and say someone chooses to be poor and raise, say, 4 kids. Other than the government picking up the tab, I see only a few options:
A) forced adoption,
B) forced abortion, or
C) punish the kids for their parents’ decisions.
Am I missing an ideal solution that doesn’t make you look like an arsehole? You’ve apparently identified a serious problem that is costing our country millons a year, so what solutions do you have for the problem?
Take a simple course on statistics, Saggy. The number of people stays the same if the distribution keeps the same shape. The median is the point where 50% lie above and 50% below. The “triumph” of neoliberal economics is that the distribution is heavily weighted towards the lower values, with a long tail at the top. Please feel free to comment when you have studied this sufficiently to reach the level of understanding of a moderately bright fifteen year old. At the moment, you are not even close.
The fact that you, and other readers of Kiwiblog, are not statisticians is what allows Farrar and Hide to get away with writing such rubbish. A contributor to The Standard has to know what they’re talking about (generally) because they’ll get pulled up by experts if they stray too far from accepted practice. It makes participating in this blog rather more challenging than, for example, commenting on WhaleSpew, where anything more sophisticated than “Rooting mayor. Lying lefty. Boardroom table. Sky dish. Judith Collins, oh my god…” gets you labelled as part of a pretentious liberal elite.
Ug, that article is an almost complete objectification of people who are homeless.
“Squatting was a “transitional problem” for the city, Sutton said, and it would improve as more life returned to the CBD and vacant homes were demolished.”
That’s right Mr Sutton, all those people will suddenly find homes when their squats are demolished and the CBD is revitalised.
hmmm, I think it’s more complex than that. For some reason we have this idea that MPs should be voted in and then left to it, as if they are competent to run the country by themselves. I’ve heard the argument that most people aren’t interested in politics… I’m not sure that is true, but if it is then isn’t that a problem? Shouldn’t we be aiming for direct engagement? Wasn’t MMP supposed to give more representation?
Who voted in the MPs that all these people no longer trust?
I also think it’s naive to think that MPs won’t have to compromise on their promises. People need to look at why that happens. We also need to look at the system we now dislike so much and what privileges it affords us that we might have to give up to get something better.
I don’t agree with Bomber’s framing of ‘fault’ but I do think it’s food for thought in terms of civic responsibility. When we abdicate our responsibilities we let power-mad money grubbers take over.
The govt should be our servants not a bunch of whatevers who can do what they like for 3 years. If they’re not doing what we want, what is OUR responsibility in this?
It’s a UK survey. Specific questions on the survey show that Labour voters are most angry, as well as northerners, young people, and men.
In England the north (and Scotland & Wales) is another country/ies that doesn’t get as much media and political attention as the south east – it’s all focus on Westminister & the city of London. Northerners tend to be more Labour, in the old industrial centres – more traditionally working class. I have heard – from a friend up there, that generally they are more left and feel ignored. I’m not sure how they can go about getting themselves heard.
Protests, campaigns, etc, don’t seem to have much impact on the political and media centres in the South East.
This is very telling:
“Israel considers Gaza a “hostile territory” after it was taken over by the anti-Israel Islamist Hamas movement in 2007″ – I thought they won a democratic election?
Neither side is in the right but only one side has the power and opportunity to be the first one to put down their big stick and actually make changes that might lead to a lasting peace.
“Neither side is in the right”? Israel is operating a brutal, illegal, internationally condemned blockade of Gaza, and you seem to be suggesting the victims of this crime are in some way culpable. I know you are not flippant or indifferent, but you need to be careful about using such glib and thoughtless phrases. The fact is: one side is wrong here; “neither side is in the right” is the kind of thoughtless comment one hears from talkback radio hosts and indolent politicians.
Who in their right mind would say yes to more taxes, the only way this result could be valid is if by some chance 40% of the participants are shop owners.
On another note, I notice David Parker sticking his oar in regarding overseas purchases, I assume from that nonsense he uttered that whacking gst onto overseas purchases is official labour policy.
Whats the tally so far.
Capital gains tax
Massive increases in environmental taxes
Gst on overseas purchases
Raising the age of super.
Wow, you’d have to be mad not to vote labour in 2014.
I will happily pay any and all taxes if it gets funneled in to government initiatives to raise the standard of living in this country rather than passed over to Sky City or other capitalist cronies.
It’s funny how the Righties believe in fiscal responsibility and are willing to paint the Left as the economically illiterate overspending bunch – but when it comes down to it, we’re the only ones willing to actually do what it takes to pay the piper.
The only reason the left needs to raise so much tax is because the left wants to turn NZ into some hard core socialist state, it has absolutely nothing to do with paying the piper.
Fuck that, anyone who values their freedom has to vote blue at next years election
Do you think that people are freer when they have an income from a job? Or when they don’t have a job and are receiving welfare?
How do governments ensure that all people have jobs without addressing anomalies as the above example?
They have to create a situation where the local businesses and foreign import businesses are on the same footing by being charged the same amount of tax (they could lower the tax of local businesses, not just raise the tax of the foreign ones) or they are creating a situation where local businesses have less custom/go out of business due to unfair advantage = job losses for NZers.
@BM “anyone who values their freedom has to vote blue at next years election”
I presume that your definition of freedom does not include freedom from surveillance of your metadata, or ability to protest within 500m of oil drilling rigs at sea or inability to make submissions on the TPPA before it is signed off by the cabinet.
If you vote blue at the next election, and the inequality continues to grow, then might I suggest that you may have to express your freedom by erecting razor wire around your private castle to keep out the starving hoards.
Let’s look at a different picture- one of a society in which all people are paid a decent wage so that they can support their families and afford housing. There would be less need for the razor wire. Can you honestly tell me that this would not INCREASE your sense of freedom and security?
Let’s look at a different picture- one of a society in which all people are paid a decent wage so that they can support their families and afford housing. There would be less need for the razor wire. Can you honestly tell me that this would not INCREASE your sense of freedom and security?
The only way to achieve anything like that is if we move heavily into mineral and oil extraction.
To have full employment the only way that is going to happen is if the government expands the public service massively, the only way that can happen is if the government brings in a ton more money.
From what I’ve read here that is not going to happen which leaves the only other option of taxing the crap out of the population which is just not going to fly.
Unfortunately for Labour, NZ is a capitalist country now, people do not want to have their arses taxed off and any government that tries to push that line will be voted into oblivion.
How else will the country raise money to pay for full employment.?
Pie in the sky stuff like “just create a huge tech industry” or some how massively expand tourism by 5000% just won’t cut it, you have to be realistic and go with the tried and true.
Oil and mining or massively intensifying our dairy industry are the only realistic way of achieving the full employment goal.
BTW, I’m a very creative person, but I try to temper my ideas with a bit of realism.
Pie in the sky stuff like “just create a huge tech industry” or some how massively expand tourism by 5000% just won’t cut it, you have to be realistic and go with the tried and true.
The “tried and true” has now been proven to be destroying the world’s ecology bringing about an extinction event eliminating 90%+ of life on Earth. That 90%+ would most likely include us.
Time to go for a sustainable economy and not continue with the delusional BS that we have now.
Oil and mining or massively intensifying our dairy industry are the only realistic way of achieving the full employment goal.
No it’s not as both will only produce another few thousand jobs and not the 170,000+ needed. The actual solution is to share the jobs around a bit more – I suggest 32 hour weeks with triple time paid for anything over that and that includes salaried positions as well.
BTW, I’m a very creative person, but I try to temper my ideas with a bit of realism.
Never seen anything real coming out of you. Take that BS about continuing as is despite it provably not working.
You’re a typical RWNJ completely divorced from reality.
Hate to break it to you, but all your ideas are complete bull shit.
The “tried and true” has now been proven to be destroying the world’s ecology bringing about an extinction event eliminating 90%+ of life on Earth. That 90%+ would most likely include us.
Over the top bull shit, waste of time discussing it.
Time to go for a sustainable economy and not continue with the delusional BS that we have now.
Ideological driven bull shit , reminds me of the same Chairman Mao wankery that ended up killing 50 million people,waste of time discussing it.
No it’s not as both will only produce another few thousand jobs and not the 170,000+ needed. The actual solution is to share the jobs around a bit more – I suggest 32 hour weeks with triple time paid for anything over that and that includes salaried positions as well.
Ridiculous pile of bullshit, waste of time discussing it.
Trans-national corporate capitalism is a global system of human and environmental destruction. I’m not surprised that you wish to avoid talking about it.
I think you are over compensating if you truly are a creative person.
Along with DTB’s points, the ‘tried and true’ way also is leaving some people with vastly greater sums of money than the majority of people.
These people with vast wealth apparently feel they have more to lose and in response are constantly looking for the most risk-free ways to ‘make money on their money’. This is leading them to invest on betting whether a business or commodity is going to fall or rise in value rather than genuinely creating value by investing in that business or any other productive enterprises.
Vast wealth quickly transforms into political power. The people with wealth are lobbying and supporting government policies that protect their wealth. They are disconnected from the common good for their communities because they no longer consider themselves part of the ‘common’
community – being extraordinarily wealthy and all.
This is all adding up to why, despite there being plenty of resources and money for all, there is a glut in one area and a famine in others and why resources that are being depleted continue to be used and our rivers continue to fill up with shit despite there being alternatives we could be developing yet are not.
The only reason you write a comment here believing that oil drilling ‘is the only way’ or that voting for policies that causes unemployment could in anyway ‘lead to freedom’ because somewhere along the line you have bought into the misinformation that people currently in power have fed you.
Wealth disparity is a large reason for why there are not enough jobs for all; why they are not being created.
Address this problem and you address the employment issues, environmental issues, energy issues et al.
Why do we not address this pivotal problem?
Because those with clout want to keep profiting in the industries and financial games that they are reaping profits from and are oblivious to how their fortunes are intimately connected with everyone elses’.
If we continue in the way we are going – the people with clout will lose that clout because they are thoroughly dependant on this society – they have gathered their wealth from this society, after all – if this society fails their fortunes go with it.
I suggest that you stop believing in the nonsense about ‘freedom’ that your masters spin, BM. It is a free-for-all mentality, that they speak of and you repeat, BM, not freedom.
Only very few in a society can enjoy a free-for-all. This is because one person’s freedom can cause anothers’ lack of it. If you wish to vote for freedom – vote for policies that allow freedom for everyone – not simply some.
“Fuck that, anyone who values their freedom has to vote blue at next years election”
,BM What are you john Keys personal arse Kisser and flag waver ?? Because i’l tell you this for nothing, voting for that fucking bunch of megalomaniacs is just asking for financial trouble. Key will be the second Nat thief to take too much cash out of the till, until the bills can’t be paid. Another Muldoon, a drunken incompetent, who has not got a clue.
Actually I’d be in favour of GST being charged, but only IF it could be done in a simple straightforward manner.
What I REALLY object to, is that you get charged duty, then GST charged on top of the duty, shipping and then a final fee to cover their collection costs.
It it were only 15% GST, I wouldn’t have a problem.
Example calculation from whatsmyduty.org.nz (Customs website):
This is on $227 NZ of menswear:
Duty calculation
Description Rate Est. duty
Original value 227.00 NZD
NZ$ value 1 227.00 NZD
Freight NZ$ 0.00 NZD
Duty 0.10 22.70 NZD
GST (val+dty+frght) 37.45 NZD
Sub total 60.16 NZD
IETF* 46.89 NZD
Estimated cost: 107.05 NZD
*Import entry transaction fee:
Once the threshold of $60 of duty and/or GST payable is reached, then an import entry transaction fee (IETF) of NZ$46.89 (GST inclusive) is also payable. This includes the Ministry for Primary Industries biosecurity system entry levy of $17.63 (GST inclusive).
This adds up to a 47% tax, not the mere 15% of GST.
They generally don’t have a choice. Retail in NZ is already a razor-thin margin business.
International suppliers simply charge higher prices to NZ (and Australia) and the only option is to buy the product at the price they specify or go without.
Which is why parallel importing is so important to NZ, because it allows retailers to go around the usual suppliers and buy off 3rd parties. But this still doesn’t make up for the high prices the suppliers charge.
Who in their right mind would say yes to more taxes,
That’s a load of BS. A lot of people realise that it’s taxes that support society and that increasing taxes is probably a good idea. That said, I think you’ll find that a lot of people get rather pissed by people bypassing the taxes that they’re supposed to be paying.
I don’t support an extension of GST at all. I’d rather see it done away with altogether, although I notice that David Clark, the neoliberal Labour mouthpiece on this, wants to extend it. Ah well, if they want to be government, they’ll need to get someone else’s vote, because I’m so sick of their unchallenged Rogernomic bullshit and they won’t be getting either of mine.
A belated Merry Christmas to all. 🙂
As a society we are understanding the effects that alcohol has on us as: an individual and society. Millions are spent both to change our culture, laws etc yet here we have
“Getting drunk with Duncan Garner”. – from what one could say is a leading mag
“…After a dinner that included five bottles of red wine,”
Is this how we now achieve depth in reporting??? Get our subject plastered and pump them for info ?
Whats interesting to me is when the issue of why people don’t vote is brought the same old reasons are trotted out whereas what the poll is suggesting its the MPs themselves (on both sides of the house)
While its a UK poll I wouldn’t be at all if a poll was held here and we got similar results, the question is how to change it
for mp’s to win back respect from those who hold them in such (entirely-justified) contempt..
..i don’t think more randite-neo-lib is the answer..
..and this ‘but what can we do?’..helplessness-line is just utter bullshit..
..we look at those countries that are the most equal/happiest..
..and we do what they do..
..and a good income-generator to kick things off..of course..
..is a financial transaction tax on inter-bankster-dealings..
..(remember treasury research showed that would raise enough revenue to enable us to do away entirely with gst..if we so chose to use the income for that..so..?..)
..so..contrary to that rightwing-spin..
..there is much we can do..and it ain’t rocket-science..
..it is just monkey see..monkey do..
..but of course..the rightwing/neo-lib monkeys have their hands over their eyes..
Blinkered Monetarist
Those who pay no tax are being subsidized by those who pay tax.
Those who pay tax have to pay tax at a higher rate to make up the shortfall.
So your argument is flawed.
For starters, a full employment policy for those 25 and under. Secondly, a requirement that anyone contracting services to the government must do so with no less than 90% NZ staff. Thirdly, increase the minimum wage to $18/hr and enforce penalty rates to ensure the work available is spread around more fairly.
As an employer, I would be happy to see CV’s suggestions implemented. Full employment policy where one works for their income is something nobody could object to. I also cannot envisage anybody being worth less than $18ph. I think the effect on the economy would be positive and the effect of self esteem and crime very worthwhile.
Full employment policy where one works for their income is something nobody could object to.
The business people objected quite strenuously back in the 1970s and early 1980s. Once the neo-liberal paradigm had been set in place by Labour though and we now had an (undeclared) official policy of 6%+ unemployment they were quite happy as they drove down wages. Then they started to complain that the UB was too high and so Ruth Richardson cut those as well plunging us immediately into a recession. Now they’re still complaining that the UB is too high, to easy to get and that the minimum wage is too high.
The inevitable result of these complaints by business people is that all these things will be cut especially with a National government in power.
You do realise that this government is running policies that ensure 6%+ unemployment so as to fit the mythical NAIRU don’t you?
It’s not the beneficiaries draining the life out of NZ but the policies followed by all governments since the 1980s. Such policies inevitably get worse under National.
BM. Just watched The Tax Free Tour again. You might want to have a look – it might help you from continually making all these mistakes on the comments.
Bumptious Midden
Try cutting all beneficieries.
What happens is unemployment
goes up exponentially like in Argentina 1996-97 (ACT promoted this policy until the stays came in Prebble was saying cut all benefits and change our currency to the US dollar it failed completely.
ACT never mentioned it again)
But unfortunately Bleak Minion didn’t read the inhouse newsletter.
Well, I’ve had a read through of the festive time articles on TS, and taken on board some thoughts but what I am really curious about is the continuous presence of the regular RWNJ’s.
Don’t you folks take a break, or do you love TS so much you can’t tear yourselves away?
I thought you may have had baches to visit, jet skis to play on, or mall trawling to do.
If you’ve got the cash to splash, Rosie, games galore to be had. Mall trawling, now there’s a revelation, the modern elixir, the cure all for the modern day stresses, just chuck a few coins at some “poor” shop keeper.
As for a simple bach, “The Herald” ran a story on modern day baches. Rosie, in the “old day’s”, a bach was a simple get away, now is competes with an extensive mansion, nothing under a $1million will do. I hope yours is freehold – can we all come and stay – pot luck lunch will do?
And as for water sports around the beach, remember when body surfing was all the rage – cost nothing, but a costume to participate. Now jet skis, heli skis, the latest this and that, and don’t forget, if you really want the best, make sure the beach you’re at is really exclusive.
As I said at the start, if you’ve got the cash to splash, why not invite some poor urchins around to wash and tidy the place, let them swim in the sea before others in your gated community get to see, you’ve flaunted the rules of who gets in and who doesn’t, and maybe before you send them on their way, give them a feed, let them know there’s more to life than two-minute noodles and stale bread.
Good bless ya, Rosie.
I always see the mass appearance of the RWNJ’s as a sign that the discussion poses danger to them and we can’t be left unattended over the breaks. Some of the RWNJ’s on here are likely to be paid to do so, others are I suspect the wannabees. They admire the RWNJ authoritarian style, have a desire to control the lives of others starting but not ending with women, maori, beneficiaries, poor people and so on. Probably they conceal these attitudes poorly which will decrease their economic outcomes.
They gain their own internal feelings of satisfaction by actively putting others down to inflate their own sense of self worth and to convince themselves that they are not bottom of the heap. Such attitudes do not mean they are wealthy merely aspiring and often failing. Attitudes that mean they are probably lonely over the holidays, deprived of the usual sources of their fix so come here.
The rest of us see this as a chance to indulge in the alittle discussion unhindered by work.
Well, what got me started on baches was some RW’er expressing some smugness about his/her well appointed “bach” on karol’s “how was the year for you?” article awhile ago. It’s bigger than the first family home doncha know!!
And in the vein of karol’s articles, (‘shop till we all drop’) and your narrative above, how about that starve/binge dichotomy we have going on our little ol’ country these days. How about it eh.
TV and Poor people: the rule is don’t mention how they/we got that way, don’t mention the redundancy, don’t mention the lack of or substandard accommodation, don’t mention the unfair tax, don’t mention the unemployment, don’t mention the war on the poor, followed by the indigestion that was the boxing day mall sale frenzy coverage.
How much of that goes on a credit card anyway?
And lol, beach toys. As a kid back in the 70’s we were lucky enough to grow up over the road from the beach. Edgy fun was surviving a rip and and avoiding all those blue bottle stingy things
And I’m about the only one here who thinks that the rich need to be taxed out of existence because we can’t actually afford them. The rich truly are the one thing that no society can afford.
Mcgrath scottish aye.
You drive a cheap car have a cheap house obviously a cheap education so you want a cheap nasty govt.
Rarely do you get good things cheap.
You never get anything cheap. The RWNJs haven’t learned that yet despite the Leaky Building Saga (courtesy of them) and the Chorus Saga (also courtesy of them).
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People aged over 50 with innovative business ideas will now be able to receive support to advance their ideas to the next stage of development, Minister for Seniors Ginny Andersen said today. “Seniors have some great entrepreneurial ideas, and this programme will give them the support to take that next ...
A cross government target for relevant government procurement contracts for goods and services to be awarded to Māori businesses annually will increase to 8%, after the initial 5% target was exceeded. The progressive procurement policy was introduced in 2020 to increase supplier diversity, starting with Māori businesses, for the estimated ...
77,000 fewer children living in low income households on the after-housing-costs primary measure since Labour took office Eight of the nine child poverty measures have seen a statistically significant reduction since 2018. All nine have reduced 28,700 fewer children experiencing material hardship since 2018 Measures taken by the Government during ...
Deputy Prime Minister Kamikamica; distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Tēnā koutou katoa, ni sa bula vinaka saka, namaste. Deputy Prime Minister, a very warm welcome to Aotearoa. I trust you have been enjoying your time here and thank you for joining us here today. To all delegates who have travelled to be ...
$2.9 million convertible loan for Scapegrace Distillery to meet growing national and international demand $4.5m underwrite to support Silverlight Studios’ project to establish a film studio in Wanaka Gore’s James Cumming Community Centre and Library to be official opened tomorrow with support of $3m from the COVID-19 Response and Recovery ...
Transport Minister Michael Wood has today launched the first national EV (electric vehicle) charging strategy, Charging Our Future, which includes plans to provide EV charging stations in almost every town in New Zealand. “Our vision is for Aotearoa New Zealand to have world-class EV charging infrastructure that is accessible, affordable, ...
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment Priyanca Radhakrishnan has today launched the Love Better campaign in a world-leading approach to family harm prevention. Love Better will initially support young people through their experience of break-ups, developing positive and life-long attitudes to dealing with hurt. “Over 1,200 young kiwis told ...
Hon Rino Tirikatene, Minister for Courts, welcomes the Ministry of Justice’s appointment of Dr Garry Clearwater as New Zealand’s first Chief Clinical Advisor working with the Coroners Court. “This appointment is significant for the Coroners Court and New Zealand’s wider coronial system.” Minister Tirikatene said. Through Budget 2022, the Government ...
The Government via the Cyclone Taskforce is working with local government and insurance companies to build a picture of high-risk areas following Cyclone Gabrielle and January floods. “The Taskforce, led by Sir Brian Roche, has been working with insurance companies to undertake an assessment of high-risk areas so we can ...
E te huia kaimanawa, ko Ngāpuhi e whakahari ana i tau aupikinga ki te tihi o te maunga. Ko te Ao Māori hoki e whakanui ana i a koe te whakaihu waka o te reo Māori i roto i te Ao Ture. (To the prized treasure, it is Ngāpuhi who ...
113,400 exits into work in the year to June 2022 Young people are moving off Benefit faster than after the Global Financial Crisis Two reports released today by the Ministry of Social Development show the Government’s investment in the COVID-19 response helped drive record numbers of people off Benefits and ...
The Government’s priority to keep New Zealand at the cutting edge of food production and lift our sustainability credentials continues by backing the next steps of a hi-tech vertical farming venture that uses up to 95 per cent less water, is climate resilient, and pesticide-free. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visited ...
E nga mana, e nga iwi, e nga reo, e nga hau e wha, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou kātoa. Warm Pacific greetings to all. It is an honour to host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers here in Tāmaki Makaurau. Aotearoa is delighted to be hosting you ...
The new renal unit at Taranaki Base Hospital has been officially opened by the Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall this afternoon. Te Huhi Raupō received around $13 million in government funding as part of Project Maunga Stage 2, the redevelopment of the Taranaki Base Hospital campus. “It’s an honour ...
Defence Minister Andrew Little has marked the arrival of the country’s second P-8A Poseidon aircraft alongside personnel at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base at Ohakea today. “With two of the four P-8A Poseidons now on home soil this marks another significant milestone in the Government’s historic investment in ...
Aotearoa New Zealand will provide further humanitarian support to those seriously affected by last month’s deadly earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, says Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. “The 6 February earthquakes have had devastating consequences, with almost 18 million people affected. More than 53,000 people have died and tens of thousands more ...
Migrant communities across New Zealand are represented in the new Migrant Community Reference Group that will help shape immigration policy going forward, Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced today. “Since becoming Minister, a reoccurring message I have heard from migrants is the feeling their voice has often been missing around policy ...
Construction has begun on major works that will deliver significant safety improvements on State Highway 3 from Waitara to Bell Block, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan announced today. “This is an important route for communities, freight and visitors to Taranaki but too many people have lost their lives or ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has today appointed Ginny Andersen as Minister of Police. “Ginny Andersen has a strong and relevant background in this important portfolio,” Chris Hipkins said. “Ginny Andersen worked for the Police as a non-sworn staff member for around 10 years and has more recently been chair of ...
Six further bailey bridge sites confirmed Four additional bridge sites under consideration 91 per cent of damaged state highways reopened Recovery Dashboards for impacted regions released The Government has responded quickly to restore lifeline routes after Cyclone Gabrielle and can today confirm that an additional six bailey bridges will ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta departs for China tomorrow, where she will meet with her counterpart, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, in Beijing. This will be the first visit by a New Zealand Minister to China since 2019, and follows the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions between New Zealand and China. ...
Education Ministers from across the Pacific will gather in Tāmaki Makaurau this week to share their collective knowledge and strategic vision, for the benefit of ākonga across the region. New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti will host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers (CPEM) for three days from today, ...
A vital transport link for communities and local businesses has been restored following Cyclone Gabrielle with the reopening of State Highway 5 (SH5) between Napier and Taupō, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan says. SH5 reopened to all traffic between 7am and 7pm from today, with closure points at SH2 (Kaimata ...
Internal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds has thanked generous New Zealanders who took part in the special Lotto draw for communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. Held on Saturday night, the draw raised $11.7 million with half of all ticket sales going towards recovery efforts. “In a time of need, New Zealanders ...
The Government has announced funding of $3 million for providers to help people, and whānau access community-based Building Financial Capability services. “Demand for Financial Capability Services is growing as people face cost of living pressures. Those pressures are increasing further in areas affected by flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle,” Minister for ...
Minister of Education, Hon Jan Tinetti, has announced appointments to the Board of Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao. Tracey Bridges is joining the Board as the new Chair and Dr Therese Arseneau will be a new member. Current members Dr Linda Sissons CNZM and Daniel Wilson have ...
Fifteen ākonga Māori from across Aotearoa have been awarded the prestigious Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships and Awards for 2023, Associate Education Minister and Ngarimu Board Chair, Kelvin Davis announced today. The recipients include doctoral, masters’ and undergraduate students. Three vocational training students and five wharekura students, ...
High Court Judge Jillian Maree Mallon has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal, and District Court Judge Andrew John Becroft QSO has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Mallon graduated from Otago University in 1988 with an LLB (Hons), and with ...
A joint force of Indonesian military and police are claiming to have shot dead a member of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) in Central Papua Province on Wednesday last week. Jubi TV Papua reports the joint force was conducting aerial surveillance after a motorcycle taxi driver had been ...
By Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific lead digital and social media journalist The Fiji government is signalling that it will not completely tear down the country’s controversial media law which, according to local newsrooms and journalism commentators, has stunted press freedom and development for more than a decade. Ahead of the ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby The production and trafficking of methamphetamine (meth), cocaine and now heroin is on the rise with Pacific countries now becoming what many are calling the “Pacific drug highway”. And Papua New Guinea has over three years seen a plane crash, a hotel laboratory, a ...
A requiem for Shiv and Tom, who would like to make love one last time (but can’t).Major spoilers follow for the first episode of Succession’s fourth season. Her eyes flared. His voice wobbled. “Do you want to… talk?” said Tom Wambsgans, the corporate ladder-climbing schmuck who could see his ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute Shutterstock Labor and the Greens have reached a compromise on the safeguard mechanism after months of tense negotiations, giving the government the numbers it needs to pass the bill into law. Greens leader ...
Wayne Brown vowed to stop new roading projects until existing ones finish - and to unclog the city centre's streets - but he now finds himself enthusiastically backing new upheaval for the key crossroad of Victoria St A $50 million beautification project for CBD's Victoria St - which will disrupt businesses from ...
The Green Party co-leader says she was in shock from being hit by a motorcycle, and her comments about white men committing violence should have been clearer. ...
The prime minister has labelled comments made by one of his ministers over the weekend as inappropriate, and revealed his office asked her to walk them back. Marama Davidson, co-leader of the Green Party and a minister, was captured on video ahead of a rally against anti-trans speaker Posie Parker ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Becky Freeman, Associate Professor, School of Public Health, University of Sydney Shutterstock On Friday, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) updated its review of proposed reforms to the regulation of nicotine vaping products. It reported the federal government is now “actively ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam John, Senior Lecturer in Neural Engineering, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Since it was founded in 2016, Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface (BCI) company Neuralink has had its moments in biotech news. Whether it was the time Musk promised ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Chart by Keith Rankin. The ‘Young Elderly’ are in essence the post-war baby-boomers. An average young elderly person in these charts was born around 1950 to 1952. The charts look at ‘quarterly excess deaths’, so do not show week-by-week fluctuations in deaths. For example, data ...
The co-leader of the Green Party has clarified comments she made at Saturday’s counter-protest against anti-trans speaker Posie Parker. Caught on camera by a representative for the conspiracy theorist website Counterspin, Marama Davidson claimed: “I am the prevention violence minister, and I know who causes violence in the world, and ...
A friendly reminder that your best intentions of promoting a New Zealand-made film are not actually supporting the artists behind it.For many of us, documenting our day or sharing highlights of our week is a common occurrence on social media. For some, that meant uploading full scenes onto TikTok ...
After two and a half weeks, the Auckland Arts Festival comes to a close with another eclectic week. Sam Brooks reviews (with assistance from Shanti Mathias).The headline show of the week was undoubtedly The Unruly Tourists, which has had more coverage than any opera I can think of in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yu Tao, Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies, The University of Western Australia State Library of Western Australia Does the discovery of a Ming Dynasty Buddha sculpture found near Shark Bay in remote Western Australia “rewrite history” and suggest the Chinese ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert G. Patman, Professor of International Relations, University of Otago Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.Getty Images Russia’s invasion of Ukraine appears to be a defining moment in the evolution of the post-Cold War world. In particular, it is highlighting problems that do ...
If you saw the demonstration at Pasifika Festival – or if you’ve just always wanted to know how it’s done – here’s a step-by-step guide to preparing your own umu oven.A Sāmoan umu is an above-ground oven of hot volcanic rocks. Traditionally, an umu was laid out three times ...
The official Covid-19 death toll has risen by 33 this week, bumping the total to 2,662. The Ministry of Health’s latest update reports 76 new Covid-attributed deaths, but the overall death toll rises by 33 when adjusted to include non-Covid and other unrelated deaths. The daily average number of new ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock Global warming has led to higher summer temperatures across Sydney over the past 30 years. However, our data analysis shows very hot summer days are ...
Two of the best games of the Super Rugby Aupiki season were saved for finals weekend in Hamilton. Alice Soper recaps.Third/fourth playoff: Blues vs Hurricanes Poua Sometimes a bronze playoff can be a bit of a flop. Still in recovery from the disappointment of missing out on the ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: The Ugly stoking of a culture war in election year This weekend saw a showdown between two tribes of contemporary gender politics: those in favour of progressing transgender rights versus women wishing to defend their spaces. It’s a debate with huge passion, outrage and ...
One of New Zealand’s spy agencies foiled three possible terror events on our shores, it’s been revealed. The Security and Intelligence select committee met today, with bosses from the SIS and GCSB facing questions from MPs including prime minister Chris Hipkins. It was during this hearing that Andrew Hampton, the ...
An anonymous lawyer for children explains what she does, and why it matters. I’m a lawyer who is appointed by courts to represent children in cases where there are concerns about their safety or where the court thinks it necessary. In almost all cases involving disputes around the care of ...
As banks face scrutiny over the size of their profits, it’s been revealed the finance minister looked at a possible “bank tax”. The Herald’s Jenée Tibshraeny reported this morning that Grant Robertson asked for advice from the Reserve Bank on whether it would be possible to save the Crown money ...
The Green Party has announced Neelu Jennings as the candidate for Hutt South. Neelu Jennings is a disabled disability advocate and former athlete. The mother of two aims to use her platform to call for a fair and inclusive Aotearoa where disabled ...
Marama Davidson should stand down as ‘Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence’ for the clear and outrageous statement she made at the Posie Parker protest that ‘white straight men’ are the cause of violence. Her offensive, racist, ...
ColensoBBDO has been appointed as the new creative agency of record by pay-gap advocacy group MindTheGap to bring renewed attention to the issue of gender and ethnic pay gaps within New Zealand businesses and government. In the 50 years since the Equal ...
Thousands of women across the country are joining Facebook groups that seek to answer one simple question. This article contains reference to domestic violence and emotional abuse, please take care.A quick scroll through the biggest “Do We Have The Same Boyfriend” Facebook group in the country reveals a sea ...
Bluebridge’s Connemara ferry was back in service yesterday after a mechanical issue caused a string of cancellations on Saturday. It was the third time Connemara had broken down in less than two months of service, according to the NZ Herald. “We understand this is very disruptive to our customers’ travel plans ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marie-Claire Seeley, PhD Candidate, Australian Dysautonomia and Arrhythmia Research Collaborative, University of Adelaide Shutterstock There is growing interest in a connective tissue condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. As more adults are diagnosed with autism, some might not be aware their history ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hattie, Professor, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock In 2008, I published my book Visible Learning, which aimed to explain what works best to help student learning. At the time, others claimed it was the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Naylor, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Massey University Getty Images As New Zealand considers how to better prepare for a future affected by climate change, the insurance sector needs to be part the discussion on where and how we build ...
The scenes that unfolded at Auckland’s Albert Park on Saturday morning were, according to counter-protesters, largely peaceful and non-violent. British anti-trans campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen Minshull (or Posie Parker) fled New Zealand after her attempts to host a rally in Auckland city were stopped by thousands of protesters. Keen-Minshull has claimed ...
He’s got one of the most prestigious journalism careers in the country, but RNZ’s Guyon Espiner is not slowing down anytime soon. His new series “Mate, Comrade, Brother” on political lobbying in New Zealand has already exposed a number of troubling incidents. He sits down with Duncan Greive to discuss why he ...
Posie Parker said she wanted to ‘speak up for women’. Hundreds of protesters spoke up for trans rights instead, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.A day of anger and joy ...
The foreign minister has returned from a visit to China saying the relationship is very important and complex, requiring "continual management" to make sure the two countries do not lose sight of each others' views and perspectives. ...
Shock but not surprise – that’s how an Auckland woman reacted to a racist depiction of a black person up for sale at a Mt Eden auction house Diana Phillips felt "immediate straight-up fury" on seeing a racist caricature of a black person for sale in the window of a Mt ...
The inquiry into forestry slash destruction in Tairāwhiti, and review of the Emissions Trading Scheme, should prioritise the state of the planet not the balance sheets of global corporations, writes Dame Anne Salmond. Over the past few weeks, New Zealanders have been exposed to shocking images of local landscapes ravaged ...
Exclusive: A new report into the cultural and economic benefits of Shortland Street shows its power – but as with any good soap, trouble is coming. Duncan Greive reports on its findings.When Shortland Street debuted in 1992, no one could have predicted what it would become. NZ on Air, ...
Keep calm and charge up: an etiquette guide for those wanting to use public EV chargers without leaving a trail of chaos in their wake. It looks like a petrol pump. It is like a petrol pump. But this one doesn’t have any fossil fuels flowing out the hose. Electric ...
The explosive opening chapter of a new novel Identity remains secretA thirty-nine-year-old Point Heed businessman and father of two convicted for possession and distribution of child pornography has been granted permanent name suppression. Bridget’s throat caught. Point Heed: lovely, leafy Point Heed. Her neighbourhood. It was ...
The explosive opening chapter of a new novel Identity remains secretA thirty-nine-year-old Point Heed businessman and father of two convicted for possession and distribution of child pornography has been granted permanent name suppression. Bridget’s throat caught. Point Heed: lovely, leafy Point Heed. Her neighbourhood. It was ...
The explosive opening chapter of a new novel Identity remains secretA thirty-nine-year-old Point Heed businessman and father of two convicted for possession and distribution of child pornography has been granted permanent name suppression. Bridget’s throat caught. Point Heed: lovely, leafy Point Heed. Her neighbourhood. It was ...
Watch video: In part 5 of our video series, The Way Forward, Rod Oram looks at big new ideas that can lead our response to climate change and improve sustainability. If we humans are to stand any chance of a liveable future, we must transform everything we do so ...
The Government's Emissions Trading Scheme incentivises the planting of pine forest. But a company looking to cash in on the scheme has left a farm on the East Coast prone to significant erosion within months of taking over. Aaron Smale reports. Satellite images of a former sheep station on the East Coast show a stark ...
Newsroom's Nikki Mandow went hunting for organisations run using a co-governance model and found some have been doing it quietly for years. No power grab, no stolen assets. The Detail hears from leaders of these bodies about what co-governance looks like in practice, and asks - does it work? For Bob ...
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By Johnny Blades, RNZ The House journalist An increased appetite to learn te reo Māori among members and staff from different parts of the Parliamentary system means the work of Parliament’s Māori Language Service is in demand more than ever. Compared to several years ago there’s now also significantly more acknowledgement ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Marks, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Strategy, Government and Alliances, Western Sydney University Dean Lewins/AAP Sometimes defeat can come with small victories. In his NSW election concession speech, defeated Liberal-National Coalition Premier Dominic Perrottet remarked the campaign had been a “race to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Mikey Burnet Byelections for leaders are rather like steeplechases for horses: there is always the risk of serious injury. Ahead of the 2018 super-Saturday contests, Bill Shorten had an impatient Anthony Albanese ...
National Party leader Christopher Luxon says a controversial British activist has the right to free speech in New Zealand, following the clash at Auckland's counter protest on Saturday. ...
The Queer Endurance / Defiance group had organised this rally for trans acceptance and reproductive rights as soon as they heard Posie Parker planned to come to Wellington. And while the anti-trans campaigner never ended up making it to the nation’s capital after her failed Auckland event, around 3,000 members ...
ANALYSIS:By Nicholas Khoo, University of Otago Former Australian prime minister Paul Keating’s recent strident criticism of the A$368 billion nuclear-powered submarine deal announced under the AUKUS security pactwill have little effect on Australian policy. Canberra’s deepening level of security cooperation is underpinned by a deep political consensus. But the ...
RNZ News British gender activist Posie Parker has left New Zealand, calling it the “worst place for women she has ever visited”. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, shared a photo on social media showing her being escorted by police through Auckland Airport. She left her rally at Albert ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff (right) is now the only non-Labor leader at federal or state level.Mick Tsikas/AAP When Dominic Perrottet gave a gracious concession speech after ...
Hundreds of people have gathered by Christchurch’s Bridge of Remembrance to show support for the trans community in the wake of anti-transgender activist Posie Parker’s brief visit to Aotearoa. Bubbles filled the air against a backdrop of trans rights flags and hundreds of signs of support for the LGBTQIA+ community, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Dean Lewins/AAPThis article was updated March 26. With 36% of enrolled voters counted in today’s New South Wales ...
Coated in two spices and ready in five minutes. Easy as.I first heard of marsala chicken when I moved to New Zealand as a 15-year-old. The dish confused me as it didn’t have any spices in it except for garlic. In my head I had confused it with the ...
Author Marty Smith writes from her home, the flood-damaged region of Hawke’s Bay, excavating the extraordinary facets of life amid a disaster.Wednesday 22 February 22, eight days after the flood.It’s easy to drive down Puketitiri Rd: diggers cleared silt and slips on the second day. Looters slide at ...
My trainer said she was happier than she’d ever been. I wanted that.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Illustrations by Note: This essay discusses and describes disordered eating. Please take care.Just 10 burpees to go.I threw myself against the carpet. ...
Bard Billot on the bumbling BaronRace for the Polls Baron Luxon speeds across the polar wastes aboard his electric blue jet sled “Titanic.” The sky is cloudless and the way is clear and the Baron is well in the lead. In his toasty warm fine mink cossack hat ...
Māori women are the backbone of the Warriors and always have been, writes Briar Pomana.Since before I can remember, my mum has been a Warriors fan. Her and other wāhine Māori I know are some of the staunchest supporters out and, in my opinion, are the true face of ...
Reports have described the protest held at Albert Park on Saturday as angry, chaotic and ugly. This attendee found it to be joyful, life-affirming and full of love.Climbing the stairs up to Saturday’s counter-rally where anti-trans activist Posie Parker was meant to speak, my husband and I were hit ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Dean Lewins/AAP With 36% of enrolled voters counted in today’s New South Wales state election, the Poll Bludger’s results currently ...
From The Guardian: “Despair on the frontline of Britain’s homelessness crisis”:
Just, depressing stories of people – mostly with insecure incomes – with nowhere to live: people with partners who have left and now there’s no-one with an income to pay the rent; someone on a zero hours contract that landlords won’t let to because their income is too precarious…. on and on the stories go…..
The neolibs know no limits; they are both short sighted and disconnected. And despite the warnings of the Arab Spring, they view all these proles, their own people, as nothing except disposable. Days of destruction, days of revolt.
Great that you need to go to the UK to get this sort of news, Karol!
Same shit’s happening here – it’s just not being reported upon.
Makes NZ look great doesn’t it, this proves the NATIONAL govt are doing a grand job.
What’s even worse this is also a reflection on Europe , many Europeans have travelled to Britain searching for scarce work which has had the effect of forcing wages down.
Wages in Britain are sagging , a tradesman friend of mine was earning 2 pounds an hour less than when he was in Britain 3yrs earlier.
Another sign the NZ
The bottom line to all of this
The only great job NAct is doing is keeping these stories off the tv and out of the newspapers. They can do it because we lack a Guardian, although we don’t lack our equivalent of the Murdoch gutter press.
Makes NZ look great doesn’t it, this proves the NATIONAL govt are doing a grand job.
What’s even worse this is also a reflection on Europe , many Europeans have travelled to Britain searching for scarce work which has had the effect of forcing wages down.
Wages in Britain are sagging , a tradesman friend of mine was earning 2 pounds an hour less than when he was in Britain 3yrs earlier.
Another sign the NZ
The bottom line to all of this
Makes NZ look great doesn’t it, this proves the NATIONAL govt are doing a grand job.
What’s even worse this is also a reflection on Europe , many Europeans have travelled to Britain searching for scarce work which has had the effect of forcing wages down.
Wages in Britain are sagging , a tradesman friend of mine was earning 2 pounds an hour less than when he was in Britain 3yrs earlier.
Another sign the NZ
The bottom line to all of this
????? , IT WENT WRONG.
Anyway to finish the numbers of NZers returning home is skyrocketing , all of this proves we have done reasonably well in the last few years when it all could have gone horribly wrong.
And the more we avoid the bankster led upward wealth transfering methodology of austerity, the further ahead of Europe and the USA we will be.
It must have crippled your ability to provide sources for your claims too, rto.
Oh, wait – you avoid doing that because it enables people to explain in detail what a fucking moron you are.
Its a lie karol. The standard for povertg is indias dump pikes. Se the uk and we are just being silly. Record shopping on boxing day so there cant be anyone suffering in godzone
however collins defined poverty on boxing day as a single parent bringing up 7 kids and cutting short their education to help feed the family… she and bennett really should talk.
Record shopping day when everything is 60% + off indicates desperation shopping?
60% off rrp, everyone goes mad when it’s realistically the same price as normal. People are suckers, simple as that.
So the definition of poverty in New Zealand is a single parent on the benefit with 7 children.
Does that mean to qualify for a benefit in future a couple will have to have 14 children? And just how did the “single parent” end up with 7 children? And what sort of accommodation can they expect, given that Housing NZ is down-sizing all it’s units?
I just love the spin this Government puts on things.
Perhaps we’ve just found New Zealand’s next Minister of Social Development – the caring, crusher Collins. Say good-bye to the evil, ranting, uninformed, former beneficiary, Paula Bennett.
“just how did a “single parent” end up with 7 children?”.
I don’t think you paid enough attention to the sex education classes you should have had at school.
Alternatively perhaps you went to a church run school and they didn’t teach you at all.
Oh well, perhaps it is best to leave you in a state of blissful ignorance about these things and let you think that they were found in the cabbage patch..
Well we all know “how” under a National-led Government a single parent can end up with 7 children. You’ve stated it so eloquently elsewhere alwyn, that the “woman’s place” is in the home, barefoot, pregnant, and under her master’s rule. And woe-betide her standing up to him, she deserves nothing but a slap. Not for her in an egalitarian society the comfort or security of the DPB. As for the “cabbage patch”, it’s just her duties to tend to masters needs, 24/7 each and every day.
OK Loud mouth. Put up or shut up.
Where did I ever say that a woman’s place is in the home, barefoot, pregnant etc?
A citation or an apology please you jerk.
The only thing I did here was to make a joke about the silly question you asked.
You’ve said on more than one occasion, you’d like to go back to the days before the DPB, which was a time when women were essentially “kept” at home, as almost domestic servants. Up until the advent of the Pill, most women gave birth, in one shape, form or another, every 18 months.
National fought tooth and nail to stop the introduction of the DPB, even today this Government has used it to victimize beneficiaries. Rape then, was not recognised within marriage.
I had a friend who fled an institution after being committed by her husband because she “stood up to him”, by walking out in her dressing gown and getting into a taxi, and going to her parents house. Her parents were unaware of what was going on.
Judith Collins says the “poverty” line starts with 7 children – wow, what a statement. Never heard of irony, alwyn? My uncle in the 70’s had a sister whose husband walked out on her, leaving her to raise 5 children – before the DPB came about – ask our whanau about poverty – everyone reached out to help her. So if you think you have all the answers, get off your smug arse.
I repeat my statement. Give me a citation to where I said what you claim?
All you mutter now is that “You’ve said on more that one occasion, you’d like to go back etc”. Come on Will. Where did I say I want women to stay home as domestic servants?
Put up or shut up. I’m certainly not the husband of the friend you mention and I certainly don’t hold any of those views. Now a reference to me saying any of these things or an apology please.
Well said only another 35yrs till the first labour govt
WW the definition of poverty in NZ is relative to median household income. It is essentially useless. Currently if your household earns somewhere between 800 and 1000 $/week or less (after tax) you are living in poverty. Which is rubbish. Accordingly if boom times next year meant average h/h incomes doubled you’d be in poverty at $2,000 net /wk. By definition we must always have the same number of people (give or take) in poverty.
If you can show me families with no mortgage, no TV, no car, no booze, ciggies, pokies who can’t feed their kids in NZ then I would admit that’s poverty. If it’s more than 4 kids you’ve got to ask some questions.
Poverty in NZ pretty well described here: http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2012/09/hide_on_child_poverty.html
And yet, diseases that are sensitive to poverty are on the increase:
The Monitor shows a steady rise in children’s hospital admissions for a group of diseases sensitive to living in poverty. These include asthma, pneumonia, rheumatic fever and serious skin infections.
This group of diseases has risen in New Zealand children of all ethnicities since the recession began in 2008. Pacifica and Maori children are hospitalised at far higher rates than other children with proportionately more Pacifica and Maori children hospitalised now for these diseases than there were a decade ago. These statistics reflect deepening poverty and worsening inequality.
And, no, the amount of people in measurable poverty does not stay the same, as indicated by the shifts in the amount of children living in poverty:
Hide assumes that all households below the poverty line are getting the rate just below the poverty line cut off. Some are getting considerably less.
The Child Poverty report shows that 25% fall below that 60% cut off, with 10% being in “severe and persistent” poverty.
Because the poverty line in NZ is generally taken to be 60% of the median disposable household income, after housing costs, the amount of people below that line will differ, depending on the spread of such incomes: ie the people just below the poverty line (the one’s Hide are referring to, could be quite high for a small number of households, in comparison with the household disposable incomes of the rest.
Hide does not make this assumption but agreed there will be varying levels below this threshold. My point is someone in the upper level of “poverty” is earning an income which should be more than adequate.
You have avoided my challenge to provide examples of what you call “severe and persistent poverty”. I have visions of African babies with bloated bellies and flies in their unblinking eyes.
Helen Clark recently stated something along the lines of “No child in NZ lives on $2 a day. In fact no child in NZ lives on $5/ day”. HC is referring to poverty.
It doesn’t need to be famine level poverty to be poverty. The concerns are about poverty that impacts on health and life chances in education and work, length of life, etc. And this in turn impacts on our economy. The poor quality of housing has an impact on health for the least well off, too.
So, it looks like I need to do all the work, then, Saggy. Definitions of the terms here:
Some people above the poverty line experience more hardship than those below the poverty line – though the ones above the line probably have more opportunity to get out of poverty.
Persistent poverty is more likely to result in negative impacts on things like health, education, etc.
I would say going without things you need means: missing meals; meals that lack sufficient nutrients; unable to afford sufficient electricity, heating, etc; poor sleeping arrangements that continually impact on sleep; and unhealthy living environment (overcrowding, damp etc causing illnesses); unable to afford medical attention and/or to travel to places where they can get the right attention;……. etc.
PS; You seem more concerned to find there is no poverty, than to attend to the actual struggles people in a relatively wealthy country like NZ. Like you are looking for a reason to deny poverty and hardship exists in NZ.
There are plenty of stories around – yet all the righties do is deny, deny, deny….. and no compassion or empathy.
I have plenty of empathy for people in genuine poverty. I have none for those in perceived or self imposed poverty. My years as a sheep shearer gave me an insight into a lot of things in a small rural community. There are workers and there are shirkers. And this has nothing to do with race just to save you the time.
There is a big difference between poverty and bad parenting and AGAIN you fail to give me an example of poverty whereby parents cannot feed their children in NZ. If this is not poverty then what is? Not having a TV? Not having an iPad?
I worked at Akld City Mission (sorry volunteered) and there are a lot of people who CHOOSE to live on the streets. Some are unfortunately addicts but you can’t blame the government for that. The Mission makes warm clothes and blankets free so somehow if the welfare state has failed them there is a backstop.
If we’re really talking about what I think we are then it’s multi-generational dependency on benefits and this will only be addressed by breaking the cycle. NOT throwing more money after bad. Sorry but it’s tough love.
I don’t agree with you’re views, but don’t accuse me of being in denial, having no compassion or empathy.
So you volunteered at the city mission and never saw a single case of genuine poverty where people couldn’t feed their kids?
But private charity is needed to “backstop” a welfare state?
And what you forget is that your “tough love” (as if there’s any fucking love) is inflicted on the children, as well as their parents.
Oh really? Self imposed poverty? What is the evidence for that.
Did you read what I wrote in my last comment. Have you read any of the stuff on poverty that’s been published?
When you actually won’t look at the evidence.
Where in my comment, with evidence, does it mention poverty is about not being able to afford an IPad? It mentions necessities, like food.
Have you not seen all the evidence of record queues at food banks? Do you think people suddenly got more lazy than previously?
Denial is exactly what you are doing.
And yes there are shirkers at all levels of society.
But most struggling below the breadline would do anything to have a better life.
Did you not read the bits about diseases of poverty?
here’s some more. But I don’t expect you to read and understand the evidence. You seem to have some preconceived prejudices.
Denial indeed.
Whangarei, 2012.
Full report
Inability to afford nutritious food for children: – or do you think it doesn’t matter if childern are fed, but are still mal-nourished?
There’s plenty of evidence out there. Open your eyes. And not an Ipad in sight!
Tough love? Yeah sure that’ll work 🙄
let the children starve – that’ll learn them!
What about providing some jobs? Decent levels of income? Hope to get out of poverty?
So “tough love” is going to solve addiction problems?
Only in your opinion – the research tells us otherwise (you really didn’t think that percentage of the median income had been pulled out of a hat did you?).
That’s probably because it’s impossible to do so. In fact, I’d say it’s impossible for a child in NZ to live on less than $20 per day.
Adequate Food: about $100 per week
Clothing: A low guess I'd say $20 per week
Then there’s doctors visits and other emergency bills associated with them.
Thing is, we already know that a number of children have less than that spent on them.
Your opinion really isn’t worth much. In fact, it should be actively avoided because it’s BS.
You may want to take a look at this from the another angle.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10591070
A simple spot of arithmetic gives an average of about $270 per week. So your numbers come in well below this.
An excellent point RL. “Raising a child to the age of 18 will cost the “parents” 250k.”
So who’s going to pick up the tab if the parents can’t. 4 kids = 1 million. It must take a lot of tax payers to pay for a single child when the parents can’t.
so what’s your alternative, saggy? Let’s go to the tory worst case and say someone chooses to be poor and raise, say, 4 kids. Other than the government picking up the tab, I see only a few options:
A) forced adoption,
B) forced abortion, or
C) punish the kids for their parents’ decisions.
Am I missing an ideal solution that doesn’t make you look like an arsehole? You’ve apparently identified a serious problem that is costing our country millons a year, so what solutions do you have for the problem?
That’s a Kiwiblog link and thus full of the lies and myth that is typical of the political right, i.e, it’s not worth the electrons it’s printed with.
Take a simple course on statistics, Saggy. The number of people stays the same if the distribution keeps the same shape. The median is the point where 50% lie above and 50% below. The “triumph” of neoliberal economics is that the distribution is heavily weighted towards the lower values, with a long tail at the top. Please feel free to comment when you have studied this sufficiently to reach the level of understanding of a moderately bright fifteen year old. At the moment, you are not even close.
Thanks, MO. I’m sure you realised that I was demonstrating the rather meaningless algorithm for defining poverty. I certainly am no statistician.
The fact that you, and other readers of Kiwiblog, are not statisticians is what allows Farrar and Hide to get away with writing such rubbish. A contributor to The Standard has to know what they’re talking about (generally) because they’ll get pulled up by experts if they stray too far from accepted practice. It makes participating in this blog rather more challenging than, for example, commenting on WhaleSpew, where anything more sophisticated than “Rooting mayor. Lying lefty. Boardroom table. Sky dish. Judith Collins, oh my god…” gets you labelled as part of a pretentious liberal elite.
Thanks Saggy for your best Paula Bennett impersonation.
Homeless people squatting in empty buildings in Christchurch – including in a former WINZ office.
Ug, that article is an almost complete objectification of people who are homeless.
“Squatting was a “transitional problem” for the city, Sutton said, and it would improve as more life returned to the CBD and vacant homes were demolished.”
That’s right Mr Sutton, all those people will suddenly find homes when their squats are demolished and the CBD is revitalised.
and in drug-news..
http://www.alternet.org/drugs/alternets-10-most-popular-drug-stories-year
one story is about 10 geniuses..
..and their drug(s) of choice..
..and another about the hysterical-irrationality of celebrating/normalising getting wasted on booze..
..’merry xmas!..hic..!..’
..and demonising the safest intoxicant of all..
..cannabis..
phillip ure..
Non voters not apathetic: they are furious with politics and politicians
A remarkable result and if it holds in NZ explains why the non-vote hurts Labour the most.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/dec/26/fury-mps-not-voting-poll
hmmm, I think it’s more complex than that. For some reason we have this idea that MPs should be voted in and then left to it, as if they are competent to run the country by themselves. I’ve heard the argument that most people aren’t interested in politics… I’m not sure that is true, but if it is then isn’t that a problem? Shouldn’t we be aiming for direct engagement? Wasn’t MMP supposed to give more representation?
Who voted in the MPs that all these people no longer trust?
I also think it’s naive to think that MPs won’t have to compromise on their promises. People need to look at why that happens. We also need to look at the system we now dislike so much and what privileges it affords us that we might have to give up to get something better.
This link on TDB has me thinking today
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/12/28/monsanto-is-our-fault/
I don’t agree with Bomber’s framing of ‘fault’ but I do think it’s food for thought in terms of civic responsibility. When we abdicate our responsibilities we let power-mad money grubbers take over.
The govt should be our servants not a bunch of whatevers who can do what they like for 3 years. If they’re not doing what we want, what is OUR responsibility in this?
Also, not sure about how this points to non-Labour voters. I suspect that many are swing voters too.
It’s a UK survey. Specific questions on the survey show that Labour voters are most angry, as well as northerners, young people, and men.
In England the north (and Scotland & Wales) is another country/ies that doesn’t get as much media and political attention as the south east – it’s all focus on Westminister & the city of London. Northerners tend to be more Labour, in the old industrial centres – more traditionally working class. I have heard – from a friend up there, that generally they are more left and feel ignored. I’m not sure how they can go about getting themselves heard.
Protests, campaigns, etc, don’t seem to have much impact on the political and media centres in the South East.
What did she do, exactly?
Friday 27 December 2013
A three-year-old Gaza girl has been killed by Israel. The BBC says it was “retaliatory” but doesn’t say what she did.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25509644
This is very telling:
“Israel considers Gaza a “hostile territory” after it was taken over by the anti-Israel Islamist Hamas movement in 2007″ – I thought they won a democratic election?
Neither side is in the right but only one side has the power and opportunity to be the first one to put down their big stick and actually make changes that might lead to a lasting peace.
Neither side is in the right
“Neither side is in the right”? Israel is operating a brutal, illegal, internationally condemned blockade of Gaza, and you seem to be suggesting the victims of this crime are in some way culpable. I know you are not flippant or indifferent, but you need to be careful about using such glib and thoughtless phrases. The fact is: one side is wrong here; “neither side is in the right” is the kind of thoughtless comment one hears from talkback radio hosts and indolent politicians.
Israel is an attack and invasion of Palestine. The fact that it was mandated by the UN against its own charter makes it doubly atrocious.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11178261
– Nope I don’t support this at all
The thing I hate with that one is that their image for a “local” retailer is EB Games
They are as local to NZ as ANZ or Westpac are and all their profits go offshore as well.
I call bull shit on this poll.
Who in their right mind would say yes to more taxes, the only way this result could be valid is if by some chance 40% of the participants are shop owners.
On another note, I notice David Parker sticking his oar in regarding overseas purchases, I assume from that nonsense he uttered that whacking gst onto overseas purchases is official labour policy.
Whats the tally so far.
Capital gains tax
Massive increases in environmental taxes
Gst on overseas purchases
Raising the age of super.
Wow, you’d have to be mad not to vote labour in 2014.
I will happily pay any and all taxes if it gets funneled in to government initiatives to raise the standard of living in this country rather than passed over to Sky City or other capitalist cronies.
It’s funny how the Righties believe in fiscal responsibility and are willing to paint the Left as the economically illiterate overspending bunch – but when it comes down to it, we’re the only ones willing to actually do what it takes to pay the piper.
Bollocks.
The only reason the left needs to raise so much tax is because the left wants to turn NZ into some hard core socialist state, it has absolutely nothing to do with paying the piper.
Fuck that, anyone who values their freedom has to vote blue at next years election
BM,
Do you think that people are freer when they have an income from a job? Or when they don’t have a job and are receiving welfare?
How do governments ensure that all people have jobs without addressing anomalies as the above example?
They have to create a situation where the local businesses and foreign import businesses are on the same footing by being charged the same amount of tax (they could lower the tax of local businesses, not just raise the tax of the foreign ones) or they are creating a situation where local businesses have less custom/go out of business due to unfair advantage = job losses for NZers.
@BM “anyone who values their freedom has to vote blue at next years election”
I presume that your definition of freedom does not include freedom from surveillance of your metadata, or ability to protest within 500m of oil drilling rigs at sea or inability to make submissions on the TPPA before it is signed off by the cabinet.
If you vote blue at the next election, and the inequality continues to grow, then might I suggest that you may have to express your freedom by erecting razor wire around your private castle to keep out the starving hoards.
Let’s look at a different picture- one of a society in which all people are paid a decent wage so that they can support their families and afford housing. There would be less need for the razor wire. Can you honestly tell me that this would not INCREASE your sense of freedom and security?
The only way to achieve anything like that is if we move heavily into mineral and oil extraction.
To have full employment the only way that is going to happen is if the government expands the public service massively, the only way that can happen is if the government brings in a ton more money.
From what I’ve read here that is not going to happen which leaves the only other option of taxing the crap out of the population which is just not going to fly.
Unfortunately for Labour, NZ is a capitalist country now, people do not want to have their arses taxed off and any government that tries to push that line will be voted into oblivion.
“The only way to achieve anything like that is if we move heavily into mineral and oil extraction.” ~BM
i.e. There Is No Other Way – End of discussion
LOLZ!
Very limited and limiting view you hold there BM
Try widening your horizons and thinking creatively.
How else will the country raise money to pay for full employment.?
Pie in the sky stuff like “just create a huge tech industry” or some how massively expand tourism by 5000% just won’t cut it, you have to be realistic and go with the tried and true.
Oil and mining or massively intensifying our dairy industry are the only realistic way of achieving the full employment goal.
BTW, I’m a very creative person, but I try to temper my ideas with a bit of realism.
The “tried and true” has now been proven to be destroying the world’s ecology bringing about an extinction event eliminating 90%+ of life on Earth. That 90%+ would most likely include us.
Time to go for a sustainable economy and not continue with the delusional BS that we have now.
No it’s not as both will only produce another few thousand jobs and not the 170,000+ needed. The actual solution is to share the jobs around a bit more – I suggest 32 hour weeks with triple time paid for anything over that and that includes salaried positions as well.
Never seen anything real coming out of you. Take that BS about continuing as is despite it provably not working.
You’re a typical RWNJ completely divorced from reality.
Hate to break it to you, but all your ideas are complete bull shit.
Over the top bull shit, waste of time discussing it.
Ideological driven bull shit , reminds me of the same Chairman Mao wankery that ended up killing 50 million people,waste of time discussing it.
Ridiculous pile of bullshit, waste of time discussing it.
Trans-national corporate capitalism is a global system of human and environmental destruction. I’m not surprised that you wish to avoid talking about it.
BM, you just proved everything I said in your total denial of reality.
@ BM
I think you are over compensating if you truly are a creative person.
Along with DTB’s points, the ‘tried and true’ way also is leaving some people with vastly greater sums of money than the majority of people.
These people with vast wealth apparently feel they have more to lose and in response are constantly looking for the most risk-free ways to ‘make money on their money’. This is leading them to invest on betting whether a business or commodity is going to fall or rise in value rather than genuinely creating value by investing in that business or any other productive enterprises.
Vast wealth quickly transforms into political power. The people with wealth are lobbying and supporting government policies that protect their wealth. They are disconnected from the common good for their communities because they no longer consider themselves part of the ‘common’
community – being extraordinarily wealthy and all.
This is all adding up to why, despite there being plenty of resources and money for all, there is a glut in one area and a famine in others and why resources that are being depleted continue to be used and our rivers continue to fill up with shit despite there being alternatives we could be developing yet are not.
The only reason you write a comment here believing that oil drilling ‘is the only way’ or that voting for policies that causes unemployment could in anyway ‘lead to freedom’ because somewhere along the line you have bought into the misinformation that people currently in power have fed you.
Wealth disparity is a large reason for why there are not enough jobs for all; why they are not being created.
Address this problem and you address the employment issues, environmental issues, energy issues et al.
Why do we not address this pivotal problem?
Because those with clout want to keep profiting in the industries and financial games that they are reaping profits from and are oblivious to how their fortunes are intimately connected with everyone elses’.
If we continue in the way we are going – the people with clout will lose that clout because they are thoroughly dependant on this society – they have gathered their wealth from this society, after all – if this society fails their fortunes go with it.
I suggest that you stop believing in the nonsense about ‘freedom’ that your masters spin, BM. It is a free-for-all mentality, that they speak of and you repeat, BM, not freedom.
Only very few in a society can enjoy a free-for-all. This is because one person’s freedom can cause anothers’ lack of it. If you wish to vote for freedom – vote for policies that allow freedom for everyone – not simply some.
Fuck that, anyone who values their freedom has to vote blue at next years election
A pitch-perfect example of the libertarian/authoritarian inversion.
What BM means by freedom is that he wants to be able to abdicate his collective responsibility to pay tax.
At the same time his mind is the slave of a fairy-tale delusion called ‘free markets’.
+1
“Fuck that, anyone who values their freedom has to vote blue at next years election”
,BM What are you john Keys personal arse Kisser and flag waver ?? Because i’l tell you this for nothing, voting for that fucking bunch of megalomaniacs is just asking for financial trouble. Key will be the second Nat thief to take too much cash out of the till, until the bills can’t be paid. Another Muldoon, a drunken incompetent, who has not got a clue.
Actually, Muldoon is dead……….
Actually I’d be in favour of GST being charged, but only IF it could be done in a simple straightforward manner.
What I REALLY object to, is that you get charged duty, then GST charged on top of the duty, shipping and then a final fee to cover their collection costs.
It it were only 15% GST, I wouldn’t have a problem.
Example calculation from whatsmyduty.org.nz (Customs website):
This is on $227 NZ of menswear:
Duty calculation
Description Rate Est. duty
Original value 227.00 NZD
NZ$ value 1 227.00 NZD
Freight NZ$ 0.00 NZD
Duty 0.10 22.70 NZD
GST (val+dty+frght) 37.45 NZD
Sub total 60.16 NZD
IETF* 46.89 NZD
Estimated cost: 107.05 NZD
*Import entry transaction fee:
Once the threshold of $60 of duty and/or GST payable is reached, then an import entry transaction fee (IETF) of NZ$46.89 (GST inclusive) is also payable. This includes the Ministry for Primary Industries biosecurity system entry levy of $17.63 (GST inclusive).
This adds up to a 47% tax, not the mere 15% of GST.
It could never be done in a simple matter. Need to move on. Retailers need to offer better pricing and realize they are in a global economy now.
They generally don’t have a choice. Retail in NZ is already a razor-thin margin business.
International suppliers simply charge higher prices to NZ (and Australia) and the only option is to buy the product at the price they specify or go without.
Which is why parallel importing is so important to NZ, because it allows retailers to go around the usual suppliers and buy off 3rd parties. But this still doesn’t make up for the high prices the suppliers charge.
Retailers need to be smarter then don’t they?
I’ve had to adapt to a global market. By doing so I’ve captured the market. Because everyone in NZ still thinks NZ is a NZ market.
all hail the neoliberal superman…
That’s a load of BS. A lot of people realise that it’s taxes that support society and that increasing taxes is probably a good idea. That said, I think you’ll find that a lot of people get rather pissed by people bypassing the taxes that they’re supposed to be paying.
And yet there’s no discussion of the actual solution – drop all sales taxes.
Consumption taxes are good as it discourages consumption.
Ah, no, really they don’t. What discourages consumption is lack of money.
I don’t support an extension of GST at all. I’d rather see it done away with altogether, although I notice that David Clark, the neoliberal Labour mouthpiece on this, wants to extend it. Ah well, if they want to be government, they’ll need to get someone else’s vote, because I’m so sick of their unchallenged Rogernomic bullshit and they won’t be getting either of mine.
have you all found ‘longreads’ yet..?
http://blog.longreads.com/post/longreads-best-of-2013-10-stories-we-couldnt-stop-thinking-about/
..it is part of my daily story-hunting round…
..and they have ‘good stuff’..
..eh..?
phillip ure..
A belated Merry Christmas to all. 🙂
As a society we are understanding the effects that alcohol has on us as: an individual and society. Millions are spent both to change our culture, laws etc yet here we have
“Getting drunk with Duncan Garner”. – from what one could say is a leading mag
“…After a dinner that included five bottles of red wine,”
Is this how we now achieve depth in reporting??? Get our subject plastered and pump them for info ?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11178642
http://www.drugfoundation.org.nz/sites/default/files/NDF15730%20Factsheet%203%20-%20Marketing%20WEB.pdf
why so many of the current crop of labour mp’s must go..
http://whoar.co.nz/2013/the-story-of-a-neo-lib-labour-mp-in-a-safe-seat-and-how-that-mp-has-a-long-history-of-screwing-her-constituents-over/
(ed:..this is in britain..
..but it is also the story of far too many faces who still stare out at us from the labour benches in the new zealand parliament..
..and here’s the real funny story..
..they are so fucken deluded/drenched in hubris..
..that these failed-ideology-stained (proven) fools feel they have the right to be ‘given another go’..
..and get quite prickly when it is suggested to them that actually it is way past time..
..they just pissed right off..
..eh..?..)
“..My MP has a safe Labour seat.
She personally spearheaded the push for an all-recording – all-surveilling National Identity Card;
– voted for the Digital Economy Act;
– and was part of the New Labour government that went to war in Iraq;
– added fuel to the property speculation bubble;
– gutted unions’ right to strike;
– and let the finance industry confiscate the world’s wealth in a crooked unregulated casino game..”
(cont..)
you can make up yr own lists for our versions of this..
phillip ure..
Whats interesting to me is when the issue of why people don’t vote is brought the same old reasons are trotted out whereas what the poll is suggesting its the MPs themselves (on both sides of the house)
While its a UK poll I wouldn’t be at all if a poll was held here and we got similar results, the question is how to change it
Buggered if I know
for mp’s to win back respect from those who hold them in such (entirely-justified) contempt..
..i don’t think more randite-neo-lib is the answer..
..and this ‘but what can we do?’..helplessness-line is just utter bullshit..
..we look at those countries that are the most equal/happiest..
..and we do what they do..
..and a good income-generator to kick things off..of course..
..is a financial transaction tax on inter-bankster-dealings..
..(remember treasury research showed that would raise enough revenue to enable us to do away entirely with gst..if we so chose to use the income for that..so..?..)
..so..contrary to that rightwing-spin..
..there is much we can do..and it ain’t rocket-science..
..it is just monkey see..monkey do..
..but of course..the rightwing/neo-lib monkeys have their hands over their eyes..
,.and on purpose too..
phillip ure..
Bm
I suspect 40% say that because they dont buy overseas and want people to pay what they pay.
I dont want to live in a nz with your definition of freedom.narrow and entirely materialistic
Blinkered Monetarist
Those who pay no tax are being subsidized by those who pay tax.
Those who pay tax have to pay tax at a higher rate to make up the shortfall.
So your argument is flawed.
I couldn’t agree more, damn benes draining the life out of NZ, if only we could think of a way to get some use out of them, Hmmmmm.
For starters, a full employment policy for those 25 and under. Secondly, a requirement that anyone contracting services to the government must do so with no less than 90% NZ staff. Thirdly, increase the minimum wage to $18/hr and enforce penalty rates to ensure the work available is spread around more fairly.
As an employer, I would be happy to see CV’s suggestions implemented. Full employment policy where one works for their income is something nobody could object to. I also cannot envisage anybody being worth less than $18ph. I think the effect on the economy would be positive and the effect of self esteem and crime very worthwhile.
The business people objected quite strenuously back in the 1970s and early 1980s. Once the neo-liberal paradigm had been set in place by Labour though and we now had an (undeclared) official policy of 6%+ unemployment they were quite happy as they drove down wages. Then they started to complain that the UB was too high and so Ruth Richardson cut those as well plunging us immediately into a recession. Now they’re still complaining that the UB is too high, to easy to get and that the minimum wage is too high.
The inevitable result of these complaints by business people is that all these things will be cut especially with a National government in power.
You do realise that this government is running policies that ensure 6%+ unemployment so as to fit the mythical NAIRU don’t you?
It’s not the beneficiaries draining the life out of NZ but the policies followed by all governments since the 1980s. Such policies inevitably get worse under National.
BM. Just watched The Tax Free Tour again. You might want to have a look – it might help you from continually making all these mistakes on the comments.
Bumptious Midden
Try cutting all beneficieries.
What happens is unemployment
goes up exponentially like in Argentina 1996-97 (ACT promoted this policy until the stays came in Prebble was saying cut all benefits and change our currency to the US dollar it failed completely.
ACT never mentioned it again)
But unfortunately Bleak Minion didn’t read the inhouse newsletter.
Stays= stats
Well, I’ve had a read through of the festive time articles on TS, and taken on board some thoughts but what I am really curious about is the continuous presence of the regular RWNJ’s.
Don’t you folks take a break, or do you love TS so much you can’t tear yourselves away?
I thought you may have had baches to visit, jet skis to play on, or mall trawling to do.
I am genuinely intrigued by the motivation.
If you’ve got the cash to splash, Rosie, games galore to be had. Mall trawling, now there’s a revelation, the modern elixir, the cure all for the modern day stresses, just chuck a few coins at some “poor” shop keeper.
As for a simple bach, “The Herald” ran a story on modern day baches. Rosie, in the “old day’s”, a bach was a simple get away, now is competes with an extensive mansion, nothing under a $1million will do. I hope yours is freehold – can we all come and stay – pot luck lunch will do?
And as for water sports around the beach, remember when body surfing was all the rage – cost nothing, but a costume to participate. Now jet skis, heli skis, the latest this and that, and don’t forget, if you really want the best, make sure the beach you’re at is really exclusive.
As I said at the start, if you’ve got the cash to splash, why not invite some poor urchins around to wash and tidy the place, let them swim in the sea before others in your gated community get to see, you’ve flaunted the rules of who gets in and who doesn’t, and maybe before you send them on their way, give them a feed, let them know there’s more to life than two-minute noodles and stale bread.
Good bless ya, Rosie.
Spot on Rosie. My take on all this below.
I always see the mass appearance of the RWNJ’s as a sign that the discussion poses danger to them and we can’t be left unattended over the breaks. Some of the RWNJ’s on here are likely to be paid to do so, others are I suspect the wannabees. They admire the RWNJ authoritarian style, have a desire to control the lives of others starting but not ending with women, maori, beneficiaries, poor people and so on. Probably they conceal these attitudes poorly which will decrease their economic outcomes.
They gain their own internal feelings of satisfaction by actively putting others down to inflate their own sense of self worth and to convince themselves that they are not bottom of the heap. Such attitudes do not mean they are wealthy merely aspiring and often failing. Attitudes that mean they are probably lonely over the holidays, deprived of the usual sources of their fix so come here.
The rest of us see this as a chance to indulge in the alittle discussion unhindered by work.
Blessings right back ya [email protected]
Well, what got me started on baches was some RW’er expressing some smugness about his/her well appointed “bach” on karol’s “how was the year for you?” article awhile ago. It’s bigger than the first family home doncha know!!
And in the vein of karol’s articles, (‘shop till we all drop’) and your narrative above, how about that starve/binge dichotomy we have going on our little ol’ country these days. How about it eh.
TV and Poor people: the rule is don’t mention how they/we got that way, don’t mention the redundancy, don’t mention the lack of or substandard accommodation, don’t mention the unfair tax, don’t mention the unemployment, don’t mention the war on the poor, followed by the indigestion that was the boxing day mall sale frenzy coverage.
How much of that goes on a credit card anyway?
And lol, beach toys. As a kid back in the 70’s we were lucky enough to grow up over the road from the beach. Edgy fun was surviving a rip and and avoiding all those blue bottle stingy things
What is it about Socialists and more tax? “We’re going to tax the hell out of you” is not going to sway the undecided voter towards Labour.
[citation needed]
And I’m about the only one here who thinks that the rich need to be taxed out of existence because we can’t actually afford them. The rich truly are the one thing that no society can afford.
what is it about tory fucks and unsubstantiated assertions as the basis for their idiotic rhetorical questions?
Mcgrath scottish aye.
You drive a cheap car have a cheap house obviously a cheap education so you want a cheap nasty govt.
Rarely do you get good things cheap.
You never get anything cheap. The RWNJs haven’t learned that yet despite the Leaky Building Saga (courtesy of them) and the Chorus Saga (also courtesy of them).