Hard News: Reporting Afghanistan
111 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 Newer→ Last
-
Welcome to Checkpoint Taare. You are leaving the Upper Class Sector.
-
Are you kidding? They're flattening it now, have done once already, and, if Bill English is to be believed, have yet another round planned.
We'll have to wait to see what is in the actual budget. But according to stuff:
As well as the cut from 38 per cent to 33 per cent, the 12.5 per cent rate, on income up to $14,000, could fall to 10.5 per cent while the 21 per cent rate, on income between $14,000 and $48,000, could fall to 19 per cent.
So they're cutting several rates. It's probably no more or less flat than the last National govt's tax rates.
And 'flatter than what Labour had' doesn't make it flat tax. We still have a reasonably progressive tax system, even if they take off the top rate. The only party that's going to make an argument for flat tax is ACT, and it ain't gonna fly here.
Key has said some stupid things in the past couple of days, what he hasn't done is argue for a flat income tax rate. Why not target the stupid things he does say?
-
Getting back to Afghanistan, it seems the military hasn't caught up with the PM's on-the-hoof policy announcements. The official site still has the PRT shipping out next year.
-
It seems perfectly consistent with the overall belief that rich people deserve more money to reward them and to motivate them to be more successful and that this is the best way to make the nation "successful"
And at any level of income, a person who earns more takes home more (I'll ignore WFF abatement, because that's a whole other container of squirmy ground-dwellers). The suggestion that higher rates of tax on higher incomes are a disincentive to earn more is utter bullshit, unless one has been mislead into believing (as many people do) that a pay rise into a higher bracket means your whole income is taxed at the higher rate.
Fixing the WFF abatement rates and clearing up the loopholes that allow property-owning millionaires to get WFF would be a good start. Cutting taxes, not so much.As things stand, if I calculate the average between the Herald's estimate and Stuff's estimate, the tax cut balanced by the GST increase will see me better-off to the tune of a whopping 90 cents per week. As a friend put it, I'm in no danger of obesity setting in if I spend it all on lollies. Big. Fucking. Whoop.
-
Based on the logic that we are all on the verge of moving to Australia (or farther afield) because we can earn more money, what is it that makes anyone come to NZ in first place? Why do we get immigrants or kiwi OEs returning to NZ? It has been made painfully clear by our gummint that it isn't for money. The reason our population continues to increase is because it's a f@*#ing cool place to live, even if you do earn a bit less. So why not forget about tiddling around with + or - a few bucks on tax cuts and put money into what makes the country truly appealing - outdoors, first-world health and education, relatively safe cities, multi-cultural, arts, politically stable, blah blah blah. That's what makes people want to live in NZ - that's our point of difference. Stick your tax cuts where the sun don't shine.
-
Yes Russell, Afghanistan.
The article you link to says...How long is the deployment intended for?
The first NZ PRT deployment to Afghanistan departed in August 2003 on a four month rotation. The mission is currently mandated to September 2011. Deployed personnel currently serve in the PRT for six months.I can't see a date on it but it would guess it was before JK's brainfart. It seem to me like Key wanted to create the impression of a "no nonsense, tough talking maverick" when he met up with that US General the other week but whimped out, it would have looked good for him if he had pulled it off but, apparently, there was more at stake than he realised (think World Cup, security, international co-operation. etc.) Like I said, brainfart.
While I'm here... Did anyone round here hear those helicopters last night? (between Auckland Airport and Hobsonville), about 7.30 then again a little over an hour later. You would not have seen them, well not without infra-red what-sits, they were flying without lights and in close formation... over peoples houses FFS... in the dark. If this were just an exercise then I think it damned irresponsible and downright dangerous. But then again, it was most likley one of JK's Yankee soldier mates flitting secretly about our skies. -
Chinese diplomatic/military convoy spotted in Devonport yesterday, apparently. I imagine they bring their own security gear just like we saw during APEC and CHOGM - including the silent choppers.
-
they were flying without lights and in close formation... over peoples houses FFS in the dark. If this were just an exercise then I think it damned irresponsible and downright dangerous
The pilots are all wearing night-vision goggles, as are their co-pilots. It's not particularly more dangerous than any other flight activity that is carried out by the Air Force, hysterical knee-jerk reactions notwithstanding.
-
Why not target the stupid things he does say?
Ahem, I did try earlier, but, admittedly I accept/think the man is everything I thought he would be, and to be fair, there are just so many. To continue with snide remarks about him would put me in the batty blue rinse brigade that would have Craig pulling out his cranky pants, ;)
-
This whole money thing gives me the shits.
Come on, be honest. The last time money seemed real to most of us was when we used to break into the beer vouchers to squander on the rent. Nowadays it's all numbers on bank statements that. most of the time we would rather not have to look at. There's that big number, the one that says how big your mortgage is and a smaller one, much smaller, that says how much you just got paid, an ugly one called the credit card and most likely, one that you opened as a savings account that still has $10 in it.
Like Matthew, many of us won't give a toss about that extra one or two bucks a week , it wont even buy us a pint but if I had 50 million bucks worth of investments, I would be well chuffed.
Well, what about that Rugby eh? better make the most of the circuses cos you will soon be paying 15% gst on that bread. -
It's not particularly more dangerous than any other flight activity that is carried out by the Air Force, hysterical
Cos they never crash eh?.
-
Cos they never crash eh?.
Very, very rarely, given how many flight hours are clocked up each year. If one is going to object to flights over residential areas based on the risk of a crash, better to object to single-engine light planes.
-
As long as an aircraft only crashes into my house very rarely then I suppose that's the price we pay for our freedom... init.
The NZDF is part of "Operation Enduring Freedom" as the invasion of Afghanistan is quaintly named, under the moniker of the NZ PRT ( NZ Provincial Reconstruction Team) and as such are barred from engagement...Deployed personnel will only be employed in those locations and on those specific tasks and duties that have been agreed between the government and the international coalition. The SNO would be authorised to withhold the services of NZDF personnel if any task or proposed action is considered outside the scope of the PRT mandate, compromises New Zealand’s national position, or may adversely affect New Zealand’s national interests
The SAS, on the other hand, have undisclosed rules of engagement.
-
3410,
Those with higher income are often the first to admit they pay their accountants to avoid paying taxes.
Really, Sofie -- since you went there, is that on the same planet of anecdotage where solo mothers fuck anything that moves as a revenue-gathering strategy?
Craig, you appear to be about the only one who believes it's just prejudice to suggest that the wealthy dodge their tax responsibilities.
-
Bugger reporting Afghanistan, did everyone catch Mike McRoberts from Bangkok's frontline tonight? Could almost feel the bullets whistling past. Talk about commitment.
-
Scott Yorke tackles our poor attitude towards our betters like the holidaying Hotchins.
-
And did you notice the govt furiously back-pedalling today on Key's admission that rich people would benefit most?
Why don't they just have the courage of their convictions like the honourable Ruth Richardson and Jenny Shipley did?
-
I was misinterpreted, says Key.
"What I actually said on Monday was that people paying the top personal rate included skilled professionals like doctors, engineers, scientists, and the like who fit into some core and critical categories in the economy," Mr Key said.
"Those people are in demand all around the world and we need to have their careers here, and for them to be put to work in New Zealand."
Mr Key said he was not referring to "rich" people, because those people generally did not pay the top personal rate.
He indicated the tax system would be tightened to clamp down on high income earners who arrange their affairs to avoid paying tax.
"Really wealthy people will probably find that they are paying considerably more tax as a result of the budget tomorrow, not less."
Mr English said it was not fair that high salary earners like doctors, scientists and engineers were often paying more tax than wealthy property speculators and the budget would address that.
Oh, so he was only talking about people who pay the top rate, not the "really wealthy" spongers who get away with avoiding that.
Now which group am I meant to not envy?
-
Nurses no longer seem to be mentioned...
-
Maybe I'm still supposed to envy nurses?
-
My sisters in Oz strongly suggest you dont - at least, not the faithful & dwindling numbers here (who earn approximately 66% of what my sisters do - and yes, that is with the Oz insurances etc. factored in, and not including the bonuses earned (after a year or 3 years, worked-))
THIS is where ANZ should be investing -in/with/for our highly-trained nurses, teachers,doctors (especially GPs), research scientists, and early childhood workers- NOT with fatcat richies/financiers/stockbroker types. Who make money for themselves & their bracketted mates - not for anyone else, not for the country at large.
Notice I dont mention farmers?
Now, I think farmers cost more than they earn - when you look at what they cost the nation - and the Earth- -
We need smart, sustainable, global wealth for our children to work with and own a share of.
By contrast, I wonder how many burly bodyguards Blue Chip douchebag Bryers will have with him at the court tomorrow when he is lightly slapped with a wet bus ticket as one of his victims suggests is his likely fate.
-
Since when was Science well paid in NZ? (or anywhere for that matter?). I used to raise laughs when I told the story of how I got into science* for the money.
*Well the branch I ended up in. The money in question was a summer studentship (it was either that or the dole given the employment situation in Dunedin that summer), a piddling amount of money. Later on when I swapped a PhD stipend (with added monies for dependants) for the dole we were better off, even after they cut the dole by 7% two months later.
Science well paid? pull the other one, except its in hock to pay the mortgage.
-
Craig, you appear to be about the only one who believes it's just prejudice to suggest that the wealthy dodge their tax responsibilities
3410: No, I'm suggesting that there's nothing particularly useful in sneering generalisations about an ill-defined collective noun. It's knowledge, bro.
-
people paying the top personal rate included skilled professionals like... engineers
Aha. Ahahahahah. Ahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!
Ohhhhh, that's a good one. He is a card, that Mr Key.
Post your response…
This topic is closed.