OnPoint by Keith Ng

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OnPoint: Budget 2010: What’d you expect?

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  • Steve Barnes,

    Who is John Key? Just in case we had forgotten...

    "In the end I had to carry out wider responsibilities, but I think I'm fundamentally a nice guy, but have to follow instructions," he says.

    Hmmmm

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Well it was a very clear election promise that they were going to introduce it, unlike the 'No increase in GST' that we heard from the Nats at the last election.

    Mike: I'm afraid I've been away from the television this evening. Anyone ask Goff whether Labour will be cutting GST when next in government, or what the difference is between this and the one he actually voted for back in 1989?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    It's a core conservative belief: that all people are bastards.

    Just you, dear.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    re peak oil: those guys working on converting sewerage to biodiesel are smart cookies.

    looks a lot like they'll be able to supply the majority of the nation's trucking needs off our poo.

    land transport isn't really the worry with peak oil (IMHO), it's plastics. and jet fuel.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • slarty,

    Is it me, or is there the faintest whiff of hyperbole on PA at the moment :) The depth of comment is impressive: I've only just finished reading all the documents... there are some seriously bright people here, able to digest and comment on such a complex beast so quickly...

    This budget will increase government borrowing over what it would have been if nothing had changed. That means more is being dished out than collected.

    Yes the base has been broadened, but there is a serious effort at compensation.

    Yes, the rich get the main benefit, but these are the people with the greatest marginal propensity to save, so they will repay debt (instead of buying silly luxuries like food).

    Much as I personally hate GST (because I was dragged up in the day where overly-simplistic statements like "tax on the poor" were used) I have to accept that it is very likely to generate roughly 1% bump in growth over the next few years.

    The nation voted Tory. That means I have to put up with that decision, and my take is that this budget is pretty much the least worst we could have hoped for.

    Since Nov 2006 • 290 posts Report Reply

  • Tony Parker,

    Where did they announce this?

    It's all on the Ministry site

    Napier • Since Nov 2008 • 232 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    I thought that part of National's cunning plan was to equalise the top personal rate and the company rate, it has been reduced from 8% to 5%, but that is still quite a gap.

    That's what stood out for me. Yeah sure National is going to cut taxes, this is the budget that they're going to do it.

    But the rationale that was thrown around beforehand about incentives to avoid taxes.... that's still there. The arguments for the change don't actually relate to the change made.

    Those on $150,000 are, rarely, working by the hour, sure some may charge billable hours but those hours are so ridiculously expensive they cant work the 9 to 5 shift without embarrassment, so they have long working lunches and expense accounts to ease the pain. Poor dears.

    Yes. Eat the rich, blah blah, nasty rich people, stereotype, generalisation. Feel free to do better next time.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    By the way, could someone explain to me why Phil Goff has drunk the Property Council Kool-Aid and is asking for seconds? I probably sound like a dreadful Socialist, but subsidising the tax rorts of over-leveraged property speculators is NOT one of the things I'm happy to pay tax for.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    those guys working on converting sewerage to biodiesel are smart cookies.

    Assuming you are talking about that crowd of shysters in Marlborough, their claims are a load of old clarts and their system is very small scale, inefficient and expensive.

    Algal fuels will only become a viable alternative to fossil fuels once the the right algae is genetically created or identified, all the problems in using bio-reactors are ironed out, the most efficient extraction methods are identified and all these things are scaled up for mass production.

    And for all the myths about Kiwi ingenuity, that can't be done by a bunch of used car salesmen pottering around sewage ponds in Nelson. Like all the most promising energy replacement technologies, it needs lots of men and women in white coats spending lots of money over a long time with no guarantee of a return on inverstment.

    Doesn't sound like this country to me.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    Hmmm - I mostly earn US$ - because of the drop in the NZ$ in the past week I'm earning ~6% more than I was - if you're a farmer on the top marginal rate you just got 5% from the budget and 6% more from the accompanying drop in the value of the dollar.

    Mind you the (overdue) drop in the dollar, while timed with the run up to the budget may have as much to do with external forces.

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    The nation voted Tory. That means I have to put up with that decision.

    Well, I suppose you have a point. The producers of Morning Report must agree with you since they got "our" Rob Hosking and Fran O' to provide balanced commentary just now. You wouldn't want to have anything more balanced than that since hey, National won the election.

    Loved how Fran checked herself from saying that the budget was going to provide the greater benefits to the few and changed it on the fly to "especially... across the board".

    However, just to bring it back to the real world for a minute: I'm on the board of the local school and have a child with a disability who just had to wait a year-plus to get on to the child development team at the local DHB and who's seeing the few services she receives slashed due to special education teams being considered 'non front line'. She gets less therapy so that Rob and Fran can save more money. Am I supposed to be happy? Yeah, but no thanks.

    Oh and Craig, right back at you - in fact, fuck right off.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    Hmmm - I mostly earn US$ - because of the drop in the NZ$ in the past week I'm earning ~6% more than I was - if you're a farmer on the top marginal rate you just got 5% from the budget and 6% more from the accompanying drop in the value of the dollar.

    Mind you the (overdue) drop in the dollar, while timed with the run up to the budget may have as much to do with external forces.

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    Keith:

    I'd like to do that. I've got interest from others. Haven't actually put any work into it yet, but this is part of my plan for 2011.

    Would love to know if and when you do so I can join the fun. I'm sure I can serve the tea and biscuits or the like...

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Oh and Craig, right back at you - in fact, fuck right off.

    Thanks, Gio -- the contempt is entirely mutual. Now, don't go getting all over-emotional and shoot someone in the head (since we're trading offensively mindless caricatures).

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    After 6 years of working towards a qualification (combined with beginning a family), next year is pegged for the final push (full time study for 18 months). I'll not have the time to do any paid work while doing the course. We'll be paying for 52 hrs a week ECE for our 2 1/2 yr old, (which I imagine will increase in cost as the centre we're applying to has a high ratio of qualified staff), minus whatever childcare subsidy we'll qualify for then. Despite the 'tax cuts', the increase in GST means I'm not overly confident as to how well we'll get by.

    And to ease the pain that little bit more, your education will doubtless be dramatically more expensive due to the removal of the "fee maxima". I am incredibly glad that I got my degree out of the way before National got their hands on the Treasury benches.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    Oh dear, Gio and Craig are having a slag off. But seriously Gio.

    It's a core conservative belief: that all people are bastards.

    That's not up to your usual standard, although I expect you were being a little ironic? I can see how this is personal for you, and I wouldn't envy your circumstances at all, but this was one or two pointy heads who run National's policy and monetary decisions, not every person who has conservative leanings. 'We', the royal 'we' don't actually think all people are bastards. I do think people who rort the system, get away with trivial fines and sentences, and roll on to destroy more innocent peoples lives are bastards. We seem to have a few of those in fair old New Zealand at present.

    And Craig, just stop it, will you. We're supposed to be adults after all. But if anyone is giving odds, I back the ninjas to come from outta nowhere and clean up.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Clarke,

    Those on $150,000 are, rarely, working by the hour, sure some may charge billable hours but those hours are so ridiculously expensive they cant work the 9 to 5 shift without embarrassment, so they have long working lunches and expense accounts to ease the pain. Poor dears.

    You forgot the bit about eating babies.

    -36.76, 174.61 or thereab… • Since Nov 2006 • 164 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    It's a core conservative belief: that all people are bastards.

    But I thought that conservatives think that lefties think (stay with me here) that all people are bastards, because we don't trust people enough to assume that in the event of the removal of the welfare system they'll give a certain percentage of their wages to charities.

    (I think a certain percentage of people are bastards, but a greater percentage just aren't very empathetic.)

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    That's not up to your usual standard, although I expect you were being a little ironic?

    Not at all. And I was quoting more or less verbatim from PJ O'Rourke, who ought to know.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    better start toughening the wee man up for a life of productive work to pay it all back. he's only 18months, but he'll likely start needing to be at work by the time he's 8 or 10.

    I have a chimney that's desperately in need of a clean, especially with the onset of winter.

    I was going to send my 7-month old daughter up there (hey, I'm in the top tax bracket so I'm clearly evil to the bone), but send him round. He'll get a shiny thruppence if he does a good job.

    But if anyone is giving odds, I back the ninjas to come from outta nowhere and clean up.

    We do need to catch up with Australia, after all.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • philipmatthews,

    "Neither conservatives nor humorists believe man is good. But left-wingers do." -- PJ O'Rourke.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    There you go.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Clarke,

    He'll get a shiny thruppence if he does a good job.

    I hope you can claim back the GST.

    Also I assume the little one is going to issue a proper invoice, and that this thruppence is going to go through their accounts? I'd hate to see them avoiding paying tax on that.

    -36.76, 174.61 or thereab… • Since Nov 2006 • 164 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    P J O'Rourke.

    Why I am a conservative.

    There is no virtue in compulsory government charity, and there is no virtue in advocating it. A politician who portrays himself as caring and sensitive because he wants to expand the government's charitable programs is merely saying that he is willing to do good with other people's money. Well, who isn't? And a voter who takes pride in supporting such programs is telling us that he will do good with his own money— if a gun is held to his head.
    'How to Explain Conservatism to Your Squishy Liberal Friends: Individualism 'R' Us'

    So yes, ironic, right? Ok, it's a Wiki-quote, but I did laugh.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    The services to my daughter are charity, yes. Oh, how I laugh when you and PJ put it that way!

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

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