OnPoint by Keith Ng

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OnPoint: If Wishes Were Horses...

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  • Steve Barnes,

    Prime Minister John Key's opening address of the National Party election campaign was disrupted by chanting protesters shouting "stop the war on the poor."

    About four protesters chanted as they were escorted out of Auckland's Sky City Convention Centre by police.

    Grrrrrr

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • DexterX,

    NZ is borrowing 380 mill a week, if we nnualise this we come up with a shortfall of 20 billion or therabouts - there are approx 1.2 million paying tax - so to do what we are currently doing as a Nationa and with out buying Len Brown a trainset - we should bill each tax payer an additional $16,500.

    Problem solved - ViteDexter for books balanced early and problems solved.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • merc,

    It's not their spending it's how they're spending...

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Speaking of war on the poor, are the Lhawses and Garrottes of this world happy now?

    Peru reopens forced sterlizations case

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    There is an interesting look at a cause/problem of child abuse - abandoned youth by Owen Glen here - he quates a Dame.

    "more than a change of government, what is needed is a change of heart".

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/population/news/article.cfm?c_id=608&objectid=10760501

    Advocates for a lift in the minimum wage should start their own businesses and employ people at a socially just wage.- Be the change you want to see in the world.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to DexterX,

    3 of my closest friends are post-grad qualified – one a doctor in bio-chem, another a Masters in Library IS, and the third in ICT – and all of them have been under-employed for some time. 2 of them have gone freelance but things aren’t much better. No wonder the Occupy Wall Street movement took off the way it did.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to DexterX,

    but assets sales and introduction of taxes well they last forever

    No they don't.
    Governments regularly develop and buy new assets
    Governments regularly cut taxes

    Whether either of those things is the right thing to do at the time is something only obvious with 20/20 hindsight and even then sometimes not.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to giovanni tiso,

    I think National’s reasoning is pretty solid there: put assets up for sale so their friends in business can buy them, and devolve the proceeds to their friends in business to build roads. It’s beautiful really.

    And entirely consistent with the belief that putting the money in the hands of business leaders is the right thing to do.

    But really they are going to spend the money from the asset sales on schools for your children ... Anne Tolley is going to spend money on children? Really?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    and all of them have been under-employed for some time

    That's what happens when you effectively freeze research funding in NZ. It's an easy area to cut for a government because the consequences are several election cycles away. And this is nothing to do with National, Labour had also effectively cut science funding throughout their 9 year occupation of Wellington.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Anne Tolley is going to spend money on children? Really?

    Of course she is - on Grammar boys that is.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • James Francis, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    Or Wanganui Collegiate (as noted in the Dom Post this morning).

    St John's, Newfoundland • Since Nov 2006 • 121 posts Report

  • merc,

    It's how all politicians frame cause, affect and time that is so confusing. This will never change because apparently if you speak your truth in a straight manner you become un-electable.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Governments regularly develop and buy new assets
    Governments regularly cut taxes

    Maybe yes maybe no.

    Once a tax has been introduced it will never be removed and once an asset it sold they won't rebuy it unless it is run so bad it is failing and then they will bail it out or buy it again and then later resell it - e.g. Air NZ.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso, in reply to DexterX,

    Once a tax has been introduced it will never be removed

    Like estate taxes, you mean?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • merc,

    I guess it all revolves around the definition of asset, and tax.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    OK Skippy...
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wh-i-V48Xkk
    Meanwhile...

    It hardly boded well for the Commonwealth's future when the New Zealand Prime Minister decided it was unnecessary for him to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth.

    So what is he actually doing?.
    Oh that's right, he's playing Hobitses and Town Halls 'n' stuff.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    It seems from this Herald piece even Key's chums have doubts. :)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • BenWilson, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    Interesting. I'm still stymied by:

    Sixty per cent of businesses said increasing the literacy, numeracy and basic skill levels of the workforce was the number one productivity issue for the Government to address.

    Is illiteracy and innumeracy really that much of a burden on productivity? I don't think they're good things, but really? Considering we're talking about minimum wage school leavers here, who are most likely being put into menial labour. Is productivity being dragged down by these people so much that it's worth dicking around with our education system over it? I don't know the answer to this question, btw.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Rob Stowell,

    We have some of the best rates of literacy and numeracy in the world, at 15. There are problems, but there's also a big chunk of people who don't want to go on to tertiary (and end up with a massive debt) but can't find other training alternatives. Poor productivity seems like a problem everyone wants to talk about, but noone wants to own.
    Specially not employers...

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report

  • merc, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    That’s interesting because the vast majority of business in NZ is 5 employees and under, we never hear Mr Key talk about them. I think the tax regime for sole traders and SME’s (small to medium enterprises) needs a radical rethink (tax write-offs discourage growth).
    This is the area where productivity gains can be made, these are the people that need to be listened to.
    Rob is right, what about those who chose not to study at tertiary level, what can we offer them?
    Oh and conspiracy level 3; tertiary funding is the second bubble behind sub-prime lending ;-)

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to merc,

    Rob is right, what about those who chose not to study at tertiary level, what can we offer them?

    Used be called 'night classes', also known as adult education (?WEA?)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to BenWilson,

    Is productivity being dragged down by these people

    Managers, yes.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • merc, in reply to Islander,

    Sounds like a digital opportunity, and we don't even need faster broadband for it. Tertiary wont like it though.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to merc,

    You are not wrong!
    But - would be an ideal solution for the rather large number of people who want to become more skilful at a large range of things (I was fielding questions yesterday from a family member who is a trawlerman about how to get study-driven info about the kinds of fish he was engaged in catching and general ocean ecology & health. Just as an e.g.)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • merc,

    Sounds like time for a digital open polytechnic, possibly better than a cycleway?
    When I see these sorts of ideas it confirms for me that Mr Key wanting to sell our assets is simply him admitting defeat.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

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