A few changes in the national economy in the intervening years....

We were "lucky" not to have to pay off student loans.

So I was understandably shocked at Auckland prices when I headed north for work. My old villa on 1/4 acre in Mount Albert set me back a…

The story on tvnz's Sunday about this included that the reporter had saved a 33% deposit in *one* year of working in the early 1980s. That's not luck, it's economic settings. The equivalents nowadays are having rich parents or winning lotto.

I was luckily living in London at the time and paying (from memory) around 3% interest on my mortgage. We couldn't understand how people back home could afford to pay 20% and more.

just about the time we bought out first home....needed a deposit of 25%, two incomes.

Luckily...we had been able to save...

A handy graphic from The Reserve Bank.

When I got my mortgage in 1990 it was at 14.5%, and went up to 15.5% the following year, before starting to reduce.

(for historic reference...what were the mortgage interest rates back then? 17, 18%?)

I remember when my hours increased requiring a 4.30pm start, and he could not tweak his hours to accommodate…

While we're at it, we might as well get the Gospel according to Mike...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/national/news/video.cfm?c_id=1503075&gal_cid=1503075&gallery_id=150719

who draws on NZer of the year Dr Lance back up his…

Elizabeth Warren (ex-Harvard, now a US Senator) did some fantastic quantitative research…

Yes. Deeply scar(r)ed by communism, both Rand and Hayek tossed the baby out with the bathwater in the name of unrestrained personal 'freedom'.

#$25, no one's getting $25 dollars, are they. That's like when they say some single mum with a kid who's at the doctor every second day is…

I suspect they're both sides of the same coin that is the…

and yet eschews the idea of going into politics....where his talents are much needed.

We have three grown children, three student loans, five tertiary qualifications, one (fairly) secure job, one pathetically grateful for a 20 hour pw contract and one giving up on a post…

There's only one thing the inter-generational thieves fear more than death, and it's bankruptcy. For the simple fact that it's one of the few things that bring them back down to the level of…

Well good for you. Your activist record might turn out…

Sadly it’s not unique to NZ, especially if you’ve seen __Inequality For…

Knew this was coming up but family stuff prevented us from listening live. Thank god for podcasts. Held off replying until got the chance to read Rebecca Macfie's article in the…

Dammit. Let's try that again, without trying to be clever with linked text.

http://marsden-online.dreamwidth.org/950670.html

Are people on 5,10,15 hours work a week included in the employment figures?

From Statistics NZ:

The ‘working-age population’ is the usually resident, non-institutionalised, civilian population of New Zealand aged 15 and over. We count people as employed if, in a week, they:…

Maybe the flow of NZers coming back from overseas during the GFC are drying up? Or the flow outwards is picking up?

You…

This…

So if you have two jobs on $16 an hour, you'll pay too much tax on…

In practice, it’d mean schemes like an ICT apprenticeship system, or funding or otherwise…

__Treasury, Reserve Bank and other bank economists have commented that the current high net immigration is holding down wages. **Treasury’s forecast is for net immigration to peak this year at 56,000 and fall gradually to 12,000 in 2018…

And see this is an area where Labour could say great job but the implementation is a bit odd because the way it's set up the people most in need…

There is still plenty of difference to be had.

Labour probably wouldn't sell off our state housing stock to whichever developer donated the most to the election campaign.

Labour probably wouldn't abandon the kiwisaver incentive simply to balance…

which worked a treat for them. Joyce is good at the game (not so much at the rest of the job).

The only reason I can see for keeping the…

They are, but in doing so, that means Labour no longer has to keep pressing towards the center, and could go after their own vote who, rather than swinging, just stopped voting in disgust…

National recognise that 47% number is soft, and Labour's policies appealed to them. By implementing the National version, they're going after their own vote from 2014 who…

No, it gets easier, because they don't have to fight over the basics. National just legitimized capital gains tax, and child poverty moves. Now they can say "too little, too late, we're more compassionate".

Why go for diet coke when you…

If you…

The need for difference comes down to the choice voters will have. Labour look slightly more together than seven…

If the problem is identified as "strategy" or "policy" or "communication" then Labour MPs can persuade themselves that they are tackling it.

But when the problem is "Labour MPs", then Labour MPs are the last people to see it, or do anything…

Why?

Look I don't want Labour to be different for the sake of being different. If National have a good policy I want Labour to support it – sure suggest ways it could be better but don't simply oppose everything because…

What do Labour do? They need clear policy…

+1

RNZ addresses one factor that cuts the '$25'.

But Darryl Evans, the chief executive of the Mangere Budgeting Services…

Would also be possible to calculate what the average family will receive if anyone knows how much is budgeted per year for this specific…

They still made friendly noises as recently as the 80s. Back then, the DSW sent out facsimile missives to its clients signed by Ann Hercus,…

Yes, nine long years. And won't their reaction tomorrow be interesting ..

Here's Blinglish being challenged by Mary Wilson on RNZ Checkpoint.

__As usual, however, the devil was tucked away in the detail. Although many low income families will benefit from the increases to Working for families tax credits (“WFTC”) from 1 April 2016 the sting in the tail is an 5.9%…

This guy reckons....http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/68755709/a-budget-for-the-battler-family-on-struggle-street

that...

"National's $790 million family hardship package is unquestionably the poster-child of Budget 2015, a far-reaching financial top-up that few pundits foresaw."

So there!

Isn't this a bit like putting a 'Kick Me' sign on one's own arse?

"Current and Past Policy Initiatives'

Family Caregivers 2014/15 $23 million, same yearly amount projected through to 2019....YET...the uptake of this dog of a scheme has been less than 10%.

SO...where the hell is the unspent millions????

Ponies and balloons.

Dammit where is the like button?

Question answered. YES. But details not announced but cloaked as being for for defence commitments and humanitarian aid. Need more money later as this is probably only a first…

Small typo there – I think you meant 'pennies'

Meat pies and Penthouses all round!

The other big question for me: will the NZDF get $400m+ to buy new jetplanes? (C-17 or A400 heavy freight vehicles).