If National wins ...

[artemis]

.................... Anybody want to talk about how well National are going to do at the next election? .......................................

Well I certainly don't see a National led government as a done deal. Though Labour is in disarray, the current opposition might still cobble together a majority on the day. Mr Mallard's 'moa recreation' is not going to help them though. What was he thinking?

[elZorro]

Well I certainly don't see a National led government as a done deal. Though Labour is in disarray, the current opposition might still cobble together a majority on the day. Mr Mallard's 'moa recreation' is not going to help them though. What was he thinking?

Well, we're all talking about him, that's something. Anyway, I hate to break it to you Artemis, but all he says is correct, it could be done if enough good DNA was found.

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/.../dna-half-life

Whether a stable population of differing genetics could be recreated, that might be harder.

He makes a lot more sense than someone in the USA who reckoned his electoral opponent (who is in office) actually died two years ago, and has been replaced with a very realistic robot. Maybe he just got the country wrong, and it's a few National MPs who have been replaced..

[iceman]

Cuzzie

What do you think of John Keys responses to questions regarding income tax reductions. He was very non committal at best, indicating that the business tax rate was " about right" and that tax reductions were "enormously expensive". Do you think that will be very disappointing to many National supporters and will they become attracted to ACT

Here is what I would like to see National come out with and promise on the tax front for the next term, should they get back in :
1. Abandon WFF entirely
2. Reintroduce interest on student loans and make it tied to 10 year Government Bonds
3. Make the lowest tax rate of 10.5% redundant by making the first $ 14k of income tax free,
$ 28k for a legal couple.
4. Leave all other rates the same but tie bracket limits to inflation to stop people creeping into higher
tax brackets

But no doubt way too radical

[fungus pudding]

Well I certainly don't see a National led government as a done deal. Though Labour is in disarray, the current opposition might still cobble together a majority on the day. Mr Mallard's 'moa recreation' is not going to help them though. What was he thinking?

He was trying to upstage Cunliffe for media attention. He's a troublemaker - and good at it, and not happy with his party.

[fungus pudding]

Here is what I would like to see National come out with and promise on the tax front for the next term, should they get back in :
1. Abandon WFF entirely
2. Reintroduce interest on student loans and make it tied to 10 year Government Bonds
3. Make the lowest tax rate of 10.5% redundant by making the first $ 14k of income tax free,
$ 28k for a legal couple.
4. Leave all other rates the same but tie bracket limits to inflation to stop people creeping into higher
tax brackets

But no doubt way too radical

What is an illegal couple?

[iceman]

What is an illegal couple?

LOL. I wrote " married couple" first but then realised that is not politically correct today. But I think you know what I mean. 2 people living together in a recognised (by the state) relationship, whatever they are called these days !

[craic]

In all fairness, I think Trevor Mallards Moa project is tongue in cheek and can not be used to question his credibility - he does have a sense of humour. As far as revenue gathering is concerned, I would love to see a huge tax on sugar. It probably kills more people than smoking ever did. Its getting harder to find manufactured foods that are not loaded with the stuff and the makers and bakers know that if they want their product to sell, just add more sugar. Surprised the Greens haven't got on to this one.

[slimwin]

No! They use sugar to make my beer. Not another tax on my fun!!

[Harvey Specter]

Here is what I would like to see National come out with and promise on the tax front for the next term, should they get back in :
1. Abandon WFF entirely
2. Reintroduce interest on student loans and make it tied to 10 year Government Bonds
3. Make the lowest tax rate of 10.5% redundant by making the first $ 14k of income tax free,
$ 28k for a legal couple.
4. Leave all other rates the same but tie bracket limits to inflation to stop people creeping into higher
tax brackets

1. I dont think you can get rid of it completely but by doing some of your other changes, it can be reduced significantly
2. Agree completely. Interest free while studying (though limits 3y for Bachelors, up to say 7 years for PhD)
3. Yes but very expensive. It would also benefit everyone, including high income earns. Could reduce the cost by having reducing the top rate of 33 down to a lower threashold so that the benefit is reduced for higher earners. This also links into WFF above.
4. When combined with 3. to costly as noted but agree that brackets should increase with inflation (once reset to cater for new threasholds).

I would also like to see:
5. a signal that free (or highly subsidised - ie. nominal $5 cost) for children will be increase over time up to end of school age (18ish) as the budget allows.
6. signal the opening of a multi party discussion on superannuation with age, means testing, etc to be discussed. There may be no consensus but would be good to have the multi party (and economist, academic) discussion refreshed.

[Cuzzie]

No! They use sugar to make my beer. Not another tax on my fun!!

Lots of sugar in beer, I brewed it for many years. Salt is over used in commercially made food too and just as bad for you. They use salt to bring the flavour out and sugar to counteract the salt. One of the worst additives is Preservative 220 and that is in all non-organic wine. Talk about this too much though and my Greenie side will take over. That's my common sense Greenie side, not at all like the pretenders in Parliament.