If National wins ...

[fungus pudding]

I guess we'll have to wait for further clarification of Labour's policy on that. Of course, there may be two versions of that, too!

Why would they stop at two?

[fungus pudding]

All political parties should give much thought to Seymour's proposal. Particularly interesting comments on the Marsden fund, which I'd never heard of.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/n...ectid=11854106

Hard to argue with much of what he says.

[RGR367]

All political parties should give much thought to Seymour's proposal. Particularly interesting comments on the Marsden fund, which I'd never heard of.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/n...ectid=11854106

Hard to argue with much of what he says.

Yeah, we've been promised a tax cut long enough.

[tim23]

A shift in the tax bands is what I'm picking a tax cut in drag?

[elZorro]

A shift in the tax bands is what I'm picking a tax cut in drag?

I think any talk of tax cuts is ignoring the Crown's new fiscal position: Labour substantially held the tax rates when they were in office, while the going was good they built the economy up and repaid old debt with annual surpluses that approached $4billion.

Just because National has managed to cut spending in many portfolios and finally got to a small surplus, doesn't fix the net new debt of around $60billion. That's most of a whole year's tax take. So they've overspent on their tax income by over 10% a year while they've been in office, on average. A net $6,600million borrowed for each year, on taxpayer credit.

Small by comparison, the Eminem court case will impact the National Party coffers, not the taxpayer funds. They're still talking about fines in the region of a $million(s), and a decision within three months by the judge. That's just before the 2017 elections. Any fines awarded will be spelt out.

http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politi...se-lawyer.html

[iceman]

I think any talk of tax cuts is ignoring the Crown's new fiscal position: Labour substantially held the tax rates when they were in office, while the going was good they built the economy up and repaid old debt with annual surpluses that approached $4billion.

Just because National has managed to cut spending in many portfolios and finally got to a small surplus, doesn't fix the net new debt of around $60billion. That's most of a whole year's tax take. So they've overspent on their tax income by over 10% a year while they've been in office, on average. A net $6,600million borrowed for each year, on taxpayer credit.

Small by comparison, the Eminem court case will impact the National Party coffers, not the taxpayer funds. They're still talking about fines in the region of a $million(s), and a decision within three months by the judge. That's just before the 2017 elections. Any fines awarded will be spelt out.

http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politi...se-lawyer.html

My memory must be failing me. I thought they introduced a 39c rate in the dollar for the "rich pricks", such as my primary school teacher wife

[fungus pudding]

I think any talk of tax cuts is ignoring the Crown's new fiscal position: Labour substantially held the tax rates when they were in office, while the going was good they built the economy up and repaid old debt with annual surpluses that approached $4billion.

Just because National has managed to cut spending in many portfolios and finally got to a small surplus, doesn't fix the net new debt of around $60billion. That's most of a whole year's tax take. So they've overspent on their tax income by over 10% a year while they've been in office, on average. A net $6,600million borrowed for each year, on taxpayer credit.

Small by comparison, the Eminem court case will impact the National Party coffers, not the taxpayer funds. They're still talking about fines in the region of a $million(s), and a decision within three months by the judge. That's just before the 2017 elections. Any fines awarded will be spelt out.

http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politi...se-lawyer.html

eZ, watch The Nation this weekend with Andrew Little spluttering his way through immigration questions. That should convince even one-eyed die-hard supporters like yourself that Mr. Little will never be the Prime Minister. Neither will James Shaw. However there's hope for you yet. If they offer PM role to
Peters he'd be in like a robbers dog. Then we'd end up with a bizarre mix of NZ 1st, Greens and Labour. Now that should frighten even you, and I wouldn't discount it. A frightening mix of desperados.

[iceman]

EZ, this and following 3 years budget forecasts are for surpluses of $ 3.3B, $ 5.4B, $ 6.8B and $ 8.5B. The Government is on target for net debt below 20% of GDP by 2020 and between 10-15% in 2025. That's pretty good in my books if achieved.

[elZorro]

EZ, this and following 3 years budget forecasts are for surpluses of $ 3.3B, $ 5.4B, $ 6.8B and $ 8.5B. The Government is on target for net debt below 20% of GDP by 2020 and between 10-15% in 2025. That's pretty good in my books if achieved.

I had a quick look at the figures, Labour posted reasonably consistent surpluses with a maximum of $4bill in one year. National had one deficit that was $9bill, and have managed two surpluses out of 9, totalling about $2bill as a comparison. So they're well down over the nine years, and if it was a business it would be on its knees.

Those hopeful future budget surpluses you refer to, include the profits from ACC and Kiwisaver investments being major components, but of course those figures are unknown. If they were known three-four years in advance and they were that rosy, we'd all be millionaires, right?

Getting back to the new KiwiRail policy backed by the govt, to phase out all electric trains and buy more diesel ones from the Chinese.

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-...-trains-diesel

First, it's the wrong attitude if we are trying to meet emission targets. We have plenty of hydro electricity, and we import diesel. The electric train upgrades would have saved $230mill. But worse, the diesel locos we did buy offshore had numerous faults, not just the obvious one about the use of asbestos. No use of asbestos was stipulated in the contract, but they still used it in the manufacturing process. Apparently there have been another 60 systemic faults through each of the locos that needed to be rectified by the Chinese engineers under warranty.

Having these locos out of use, surely cost KiwiRail. NZ manufacturers were bypassed, the Railway Workshop was closed down, and now other capital assets are going to be scrapped. There's some sort of a tradeoff going on here, between the National Govt and the Chinese Govt, but is it in the taxpayers' and the country's best interests?

[fungus pudding]

I had a quick look at the figures, Labour posted reasonably consistent surpluses with a maximum of $4bill in one year. National had one deficit that was $9bill, and have managed two surpluses out of 9, totalling about $2bill as a comparison. So they're well down over the nine years, and if it was a business it would be on its knees.

Those hopeful future budget surpluses you refer to, include the profits from ACC and Kiwisaver investments being major components, but of course those figures are unknown. If they were known three-four years in advance and they were that rosy, we'd all be millionaires, right?

Not exactly. Some would be billionaires and we'd even have trillionaires, and squillonaires. Imagine the screams about inequality then..