Written By: Incognito - Date published: 12:44 pm, March 2nd, 2019 - 31 comments
Treat CGT like a semi-voluntary donation and give people a say in how it is spent.
Written By: Bunji - Date published: 7:45 am, December 16th, 2010 - 29 comments
The Right always advocates for less government spending as a percentage of GDP. Those with ideological blinkers cannot see the high correlation between being a free and stable country and paying for it. The most successful nations are willing to invest in quality public services. Government spending is low in poor, unequal, and unstable countries.
Written By: Marty G - Date published: 9:10 am, June 10th, 2010 - 179 comments
The credit card records of the ex-Labour ministers are out. Phil Goff has made it clear that any money claimed outside the rules must be repaid and some wrongful claims were paid back at the time. The test the Auditor-General set after Phil Heatley’s bizarre resignation over $70 worth of wine is whether claims intentionally breach the rules.
Written By: Marty G - Date published: 2:03 pm, May 11th, 2010 - 15 comments
The argument against privatising prisons isn’t high principle (only the state should imprison people) or that this is an attempt at cost-cutting. No, the reason private prisons suck is they cost more. The last time Auckland Remand was privatised it didn’t save money. It cost $66,000 a year to imprison someone in Auckland remand vs $49,000 for a publicly-run equivalent.
Written By: Marty G - Date published: 11:58 am, May 10th, 2010 - 65 comments
The Herald looks at the Exclusive Brethren’s state-funded, schools. The lengths the cult goes to in an effort to keep their children ignorant is astounding. Everything is censored. Books in school libraries have pages torn out and passages blacked out. Ignorance is strength. All conservative movements realise they need to restrict knowledge and debate to prevent change.
Written By: Marty G - Date published: 1:15 am, May 4th, 2010 - 47 comments
Government bodies should base their actions on what’s in the best interests of New Zealand as a whole, even if its not necessarily best for that government body. I would have thought that was unarguable. But, oddly, the Right doesn’t agree. There’s no economic justification for their position. It seems more like a cultural cringe, a lack of faith in New Zealand.
Written By: Marty G - Date published: 10:50 am, April 15th, 2010 - 22 comments
How economically illiterate do the Nats have to be to send the government’s research vessel Tangaroa to Singapore for a $20 million refit when VT Fitzroy at Devonport was ready and willing to do the work here? Sure the bid was a bit lower but did they consider the tax the government would gain, the fewer unemployed and the other benefits from keeping the work here in New Zealand?
Written By: Marty G - Date published: 11:02 am, April 13th, 2010 - 27 comments
Well, I’m pleasantly surprised. For once, Paula Bennett has played it straight on the benefit numbers. She hasn’t slapped herself on the back, even though last month’s benefit numbers are the best we’ve seen on her watch (in line with normal seasonal variation). If only Bill English could follow suit, rather than claiming credit for illusionary movements in the government’s books.
The current rise of populism challenges the way we think about people’s relationship to the economy.We seem to be entering an era of populism, in which leadership in a democracy is based on preferences of the population which do not seem entirely rational nor serving their longer interests. ...
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