Posts by Idiot Savant
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That's not code for Peter Dunne & Ohariu is it?
I wish.
No, just a way of saying that I have other hobbies that trump politics.
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I'd be there if I was in town.
Ditto, if I wasn't also having to run a dinosaur hunt through death valley.
Places to go, people to be...
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Lyndon: I was about to do my nut about that. Education is a core function of government which provides the basics of opportunity to every New Zealander. It's about as far from "pork" as you can get. Unlike, for example, National's plans to double funding to private schools (who coincidentally donate to the national party, and cater to its base of exclusionary rich snobs).
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Policies = spending
Some people will no doubt go insane over that, but its right. One of the standard definitions of "policy" is the direction of public resources in pursuit of a goal. "The direction of public resources" doesn't have to mean spending (it can for example mean passing a law), but it almost always does.
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Looks like we won't need to border carbon tax the US, since even their Republican presidential candidate is talking immediate cap and trade.
Nick: I think the EU will make up their own mind. But it gives us a very strong incentive to keep them happy with our environmental policy, because their protectionists would love an opportunity to stick it to New Zealand farmers.
(And if those farmers had any brains at all, they'd be lining up to pay for their carbon precisely to avoid that outcome)
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To combat AGW New Zealand will place taxation on aluminium produced with low carbon emmissions at Tiwai Point, whilst exempting from taxation aluminium produced by high carbon emitting smelters anywhereelse in the world.
You're right, it makes no sense. We should clearly be imposing a border carbon tax on imports from polluter nations.
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But do try and keep in mind that the next time you say "fuck 'em", them includes one or two people whose livelihoods are under threat. You know, people who have no say in the ongoing game of political chicken being played out here, and quite understandably aren't inclined to see the bigger pcture.
I politely suggest they take it up with their management
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Bluff would die as a town, shops shutting down, schools downsizing etc etc.
Only if we do nothing about it. As I pointed out, we could easily pay for a regional development agency to do something about that, just like we did for the West Coast when Timberlands was banned from clearcutting native forest.
The problem is turning theoretical compensation into reality. That was a big problem with the 80's and 90's reforms, which were sold on the basis of the theoretical ability to compensate losers, without ever actually doing so.
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Who knows? Although I suspect a point is a malleable measure.
Especially given the sorts of scales P-dealers use.
Really, is it too much to ask that they get something accurate to 0.01g if they're selling in 0.1gs?
These sorts of things should be regulated to stop their customers getting ripped off.
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Here's the full petarding. We're $26 million a year better off if Rio Tinto carries out its threat.