Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Spring Timing

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  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Sacha,

    Not all services are as valuable.

    Fletchers take note.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Keir Leslie,

    Local miners will do the same as many others have done as the world has moved on – find a different type of work that’s viable and valuable, or shift to another place

    On yer bike, eh?

    Since Jul 2008 • 1452 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Keir Leslie,

    since forever

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Keir Leslie,

    On yer bike, eh?

    Norman Tebbit?

    Tebbit is often misquoted as saying directly to the unemployed "get on your bike and look for work"

    Bugger, I kinda hoped it was a direct quote but it is what he meant I reckon.
    Bloody Tories never change their spots eh?.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    Mining today isn’t done by headbutting ya way through’t seam with pick’n shovel if ya lucky, you know. They use electrics and computers and geology and stuff.

    My brother was roughly apprehended by an off-duty miner in the Charleston pub not so many years ago. After grabbing him from behind and spinning him around with every appearance of being about to hang one on him he abruptly changed his mind and took off. According to the locals he'd been seeking vengeance on a fellow miner who'd been "shagging his missus". For all I know such things happen every day in IT circles.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe, in reply to Keir Leslie,

    On yer bike, eh?

    On yer byte more like.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Maybe not in NZ. I worked with a coder in London who doubled as an Essex publican. He wrote great code in the morning, but not after lunch. I once commented his code with:

    #ifdef BARRY_IS_SOBER
    ..lines and lines of it...
    #endif

    Also, he punched the CEO out at a Christmas party and got away with a final warning.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Sacha,

    You won’t like it, Ben. :)

    :-) Nah I'm happy with that. CGT and universal Kiwisaver, and resuming the Cullen Fund contributions are things I think are vital. Looking forward to more detail on the monetary policy and industry initiatives, but that's a good set of policies. ICT doesn't just mean exporting skills - there's huge demand for in-house ICT transformation, which is a vital part of heavier industry too.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • bmk, in reply to BenWilson,

    CGT and universal Kiwisaver, and resuming the Cullen Fund contributions are things I think are vital.

    The universal Kiwisaver is enough to make me not vote for Labour. I can only just get by as-is, if I lose 2% (or whatever it is) of my gross pay - life would become so much harder. I already have 12% of my gross pay deducted for student loan repayments so to have Kiwisaver plus income tax would just stretch me far too thin. I'm sure I'm not the only one in this boat.

    I don't vote purely out of self-interest but there's a point where for all your noble intentions you simply have to consider the impact of a particular policy on yourself.

    The threat of universal Kiwisaver is almost enough to make me vote National. But I just couldn't do that so guess I'll be staying home this September. Funny that cause I've always voted left and if you asked me two years ago I would have been sure that I would be voting Labour or Green.

    Since Jun 2010 • 327 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Sacha,

    the IT industry’s potential, for instance.

    Which is already contributing at least as much to GDP as do extractive industries, but without the huge pollution footprint or shipping costs.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to bmk,

    if I lose 2% (or whatever it is) of my gross pay

    But if the policy package makes your pay go up further than that, why oppose the policy? You'd need to see the whole deal - much like the Nats tax switcheroo after the 2008 election.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to bmk,

    I'll be staying home this September

    please don't - you saw what happened last time.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • bmk, in reply to Sacha,

    But if the policy package makes your pay go up further than that, why oppose the policy? You'd need to see the whole deal - much like the Nats tax switcheroo after the 2008 election.

    That's very true. And you're right I'll have to see the whole package. I'm not opposed to the concept of Kiwisaver but just can't handle anything further digging into my net pay until my student loan is entirely re-paid (only another three years thankfully). I'm sure I'm not alone in this position so I think Labour should think through their policies very carefully and make sure that people on middle or lower incomes aren't worse off.

    If they are completely committed to compulsory Kiwisaver I can think of a few options to make it more palatable. What they could look at is compulsory Kiwisaver on the employer contribution but voluntary on the employee basis. That way everyone is enrolled and getting going but without hurting people who can't afford it. Another option would be introducing it but allowing exemptions such as people re-paying student loans (since they are paying off debt which is just like saving really) or under a certain income threshold.

    please don't - you saw what happened last time.

    Good point. I never have in the past, but I certainly hope Labour or the Greens can offer me something that actually makes me feel enthusiastic about voting.

    Since Jun 2010 • 327 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to bmk,

    but I certainly hope Labour or the Greens can offer me something that actually makes me feel enthusiastic about voting.

    I'm pretty sure it can be as little as $5 a week and the legislation will take a while so you can anticipate some time until that happens and if they reverse National's changes then your employer will match it. I'm amazed how I can do it and it is satisfying to save.
    Good luck bmk. Imagine your pay rate goes up as well which Labour are behind also along with the Greens.Maybe go straight past any emotion and think strategically. As Sacha said please don't stay home, we need your input.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green,

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to bmk,

    I don’t vote purely out of self-interest but there’s a point where for all your noble intentions you simply have to consider the impact of a particular policy on yourself.

    For sure. Is a tax-home reduction your only criticism, though? I ask, because that one is pretty easily nullified just by dropping taxes slightly, particularly for lower incomes. Would you object to compulsory Kiwisaver if it didn't cost you anything more per week than what you're already paying?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to BenWilson,

    In terms of energy efficiency they should probably tackle it in biggest bites first – solar panels aren’t at the top of that list. Better subsidization for heat pumps is probably next

    The US has been putting in the panels.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    I'm basing that point on NZ conditions. Across most of the country, heating is needed at night, and extreme cooling during the day, not so much. Also, the basic capital outlay is just much less - a heat pump is only a few thousand, rather than tens of thousands. Got nothing against solar, would love to have it. But I'd love to have a lot of things I can't afford.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • bmk, in reply to BenWilson,

    For sure. Is a tax-home reduction your only criticism, though? I ask, because that one is pretty easily nullified just by dropping taxes slightly, particularly for lower incomes. Would you object to compulsory Kiwisaver if it didn't cost you anything more per week than what you're already paying?

    It's the chief criticism and if that were removed then my major objection would certainly be gone.

    However, I still think Kiwisaver is a very messy situation when you consider it is running concurrently with Super. I think they should either drop Kiwisaver or make it compulsory under a certain age (with a suitable tax rebate) with the clear proviso that there will be no Super.

    The proposed compulsory Kiwisaver running in conjunction with Super just seems a messy inefficient system.

    Since Jun 2010 • 327 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to ,

    My policy suggestion to the Greens is this: Stop using commercial software in schools. Invest heavily in technology support for open source software in schools.

    Big call. Big Fight. Found this by Phil Taylor at Herald interesting. Thought it appropriate that Labour are thinking about this seriously

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart, in reply to ,

    My policy suggestion to the Greens is this: Stop using commercial software in schools. Invest heavily in technology support for open source software in schools.

    About half of the Greens ICT policy is about FOSS. However, their policy includes acknowledgement that

    - Open Source products may not fulfill all of an organisation's ICT needs

    - introduction of new systems to organisations needs to be done carefully because of the time and costs involved in switching over and retraining.

    So "compulsory" has been made secondary to "practicality", but they still have an ideological commitment to pushing open source.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Sacha,

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/better-business/9829017/The-jobs-of-tomorrow

    I’m well aware of a big shortage in ICT right now, but my skillset is in dire need of an upgrade. My current experience is roughly equivalent to a CompTIA A+ cert, but a lot of these ICT shortage jobs seem to require degree-level qualifications, and I dropped out of an Info Science degree years back.

    I’ve come to the realisation that my current job as a PC technician could be best described as a retail job that happens to have ICT attached to it, rather than a proper ICT position, and I feel I’ve long outgrown it. Besides, the global market for PCs is in a slow but long-term decline, and I honestly don’t know how much longer it’ll last.

    I’ve had a bit of an careers agony-aunt discussion on Geekzone so far. I was originally interested in the newly-formed Welly DevBootCamp, but it’s the price of a first-class airline ticket, and it’s not eligible for student loans. Any further ideas before my job vanishes in front of me? I’ve been suggested tech journalism, but insiders say it takes 3-5 years to break even in it, and we know what sort of state journalism as a whole is in. I’ve also been suggested software testing/quality assurance, based on my current experience and personal characteristics (ie, possible high-func autism).

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • bmk, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    I also work in ICT and while having a IT degree and a couple of years experience it can still be hard to find work. I have a good current job but know that I can't easily get another one if needed though a lot of that is where I live.

    For all the talk of ICT shortages it's only really in the highly-experienced category (five years plus). Companies hiring in ICT never want to take people with less than a couple of years of experience which means there aren't enough experienced people to fill the positions and so on.

    Meaning we have this ludicrous position where companies say they can't fill their ICT positions while there are a large number of ICT grads struggling to find work.

    Since Jun 2010 • 327 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    a lot of these ICT shortage jobs seem to require degree-level qualifications

    Which is frequently cookie-cutter HR ignorance of the roles for which they're hiring.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

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