If National wins ...

[fungus pudding]

Lower classes? But Fungus said there is no class system in NZ.

westerly

Because there isn't. Of course people can be and are grouped into classes, but that's not a class system, which often is based on the family you are born into. That's the system that produces those uppity poms who look down their noses at others and are rightfully called Tories.

[elZorro]

I see UDC has been sold by ANZ (an Australian company) to a Chinese Company. It is a pity that it remains in foreign ownership. Although not applicable to this UDC sale, there seem to have been many businesses that have ended up being delisted from the NZX and in foreign ownership. It got me wondering. Under John Key's prime ministership, I wonder how the change in value of the NZ stock exchange capitalisation compared with the change in value of the residential housing stock.

Did NZ end up preferring real estate investment over business investment during John Key's leadership? If so, is that a good thing? Should John Key (& the National Party) have introduced policies to counteract any (social and fiscal) bias towards real estate investment?

That's a good point. I know they haven't really helped small business, just put up a few road blocks and downscaled the funds. Plus emasculated the research areas.

[fungus pudding]

That's a good point. I know they haven't really helped small business, just put up a few road blocks and downscaled the funds. Plus emasculated the research areas.

Quite so eZ. I've heard they are going to legislate that all SMEs Will be closed down.

[elZorro]

Quite so eZ. I've heard they are going to legislate that all SMEs Will be closed down.

You're not out there doing it, are you FP? But it sounds like you know all about it. Have you waded through any paperwork lately?

[westerly]

. That's the system that produces those uppity poms who look down their noses at others and are rightfully called Tories.

MVT appears to qualify as a Tory. He cannot accept someone can be well educated and well read and yet belong to or relate to the lower classes.

westerly

[fungus pudding]

MVT appears to qualify as a Tory. He cannot accept someone can be well educated and well read and yet belong to or relate to the lower classes.

westerly

Oh yes he can, although he seems to struggle with plonkers.

[elZorro]

Oh yes he can, although he seems to struggle with plonkers.

MVT seems to struggle with getting his facts right sometimes.. like a few others.

Simon Bridges wholeheartedly supports KiwiRail ditching all its electric locomotives so they can buy more Chinese-made diesel ones. The drivers union seems keener on electric. Meanwhile Simon buys two electric cars, for himself and his wife, and gets himself in the press for being eco-friendly.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/8830...2+January+2017

[blackcap]

The drivers union seems keener on electric. [/URL]

Herein lies the problem EZ.. I too would do the diametrically opposed of what the union wanted.

[artemis]

You're not out there doing it, are you FP? But it sounds like you know all about it. Have you waded through any paperwork lately?

We have an SME (S rather than M). We have no permanent employees, just self employed contractors with no guaranteed hours. Usually they are young and come to us off the dole, as we only need a good work attitude and will teach them skills. In practice we go to a lot of effort to give them decent hours and make sure their taxes get paid. Some go on to apprenticeships. Over the years none have left because they are unhappy.

My point - there is no way we would take on all the hassle and paperwork of permies. If we had to take them on as permies, we would lay them off and scale back the business.

[fungus pudding]

We have an SME (S rather than M). We have no permanent employees, just self employed contractors with no guaranteed hours. Usually they are young and come to us off the dole, as we only need a good work attitude and will teach them skills. In practice we go to a lot of effort to give them decent hours and make sure their taxes get paid. Some go on to apprenticeships. Over the years none have left because they are unhappy.

My point - there is no way we would take on all the hassle and paperwork of permies. If we had to take them on as permies, we would lay them off and scale back the business.

Good on you. Youre certainly not alone. Employing staff is the biggest hassle any business has to cope with and legislation introduced over the years certainly hasn't helped. Always designed to 'help' the employee but actually does the opposite by slowing the country's businesses and of course GDP and reducing number of jobs available and other employee opportunities.