Posts by Rich of Observationz
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
It occurs to me that if I was short of money and the government reduced my take-home pay through increased Kiwisaver contributions, I'd just compensate by reducing the principal repayments on the mortgage. (With the reasonable justification that I'd have more money later when the Kiwisaver matures).
That leaves an equal amount of funds left to pay interest, and so isn't going to have the effect of limiting house prices.
(People don't behave all that logically, though)
-
There is a fundamental problem with all forms of retirement "savings":
All the goods and services retirees consume have to be produced by workers (or imported in exchange for exports, which amounts to the same thing).
We currently have a fairly effective retirement "savings" plan - house price inflation. It results in workers paying more for a place to live to the benefit of those retirees who have acquired a valuable property over the years. (Of course retirees with no property lose out).
If you substitute that with a pile of money in Kiwisaver, nothing really changes - inflation will limit the value of the "saved" funds and/or raise the cost of living of the workers.
It's no different to taxing workers to pay out a pension - except that doing that has the advantage of providing retirees with an equal, fair amount to live on, rather than a fortune for some and poverty for others.
-
Hard News: Illegal Highs, in reply to Idiot Savant,
Yeah, and ISO9000 certified suppliers with certificates of conformity. It works well enough for $2 packets of paracetemol, so ought to be reasonable for $25 party pills.
-
I look forward to them banning gasoline, though. Who'd have thought that a National government would shut down the oil industry?
-
Hard News: Jones: The contender leaves, in reply to Ian Dalziel,
'male blue-collar workers'
I have a blue shirt on today. I'm male. And I'm working (apart from a short break to bollox on here).
I have no interest in Clayton Cosgrove or any of those has-been righties. The weekend's announcement on drug policy has reinforced me in my policy of never voting for Labour candidates, let alone at party level. I'll be voting Green, although if they flex their backbones and support prohibition-under-urgency, it'll be Dotcom/Mana getting my vote, money and possible shoe-leather.
-
How will the cops/customs prove a random substance found in someone's possession is psychoactive?
-
Hard News: Jones: The contender leaves, in reply to tussock,
a popular crusade against one of our most powerful companies
Only slightly blunted when you realise that he was doing so on behalf of a food production industry which had, until not long ago, paid him an obscene amount of money as a CEO and will no doubt keep him employed through the old boys scheme as and when a future government tires of his ambassadorial talents.
Looking after ordinary keewees? Or roping in Labour to take the side of his mates in a corporate scrap, which will probably end up, whoever wins, with the costs being slammed on the consumer?
-
Hard News: Sorting out our thinking on drugs, in reply to Russell Brown,
Beta-blockers are a largely obsolete treatment for ordinary hypertension - only indicated for angina risk, nowadays.
-
Hard News: Jones: The contender leaves, in reply to insider,
Climate Change Ambassador
Macey is a career diplomat and would either have held this job in addition to accreditation to a national or international body (in which case it becomes a political appointment) or should have been appointed through the normal process for state servants.
I reckon it would be useful to OAI the details on Jones' new job (announced yet?). Best case, it might be found in the future to be ultra vires and he'll have to pay back all his salary and expenses?
-
RNZ/TVNZ pretty much follow the agenda of the foreign multinationals (Fairfax/APN/Clear Channel/Mediaworks) in giving credence to people on the far right-wing / social conservative fringe of Labour.
It can't but help their relations with the National shareholding ministers to do this (and if the left ever get back in, the managers know to expect a scrupulously hands-off approach, so it's win-win for them).