Working For Families is not directed at one area of spending or industry. It can be for school uniforms, food or whatever, I'll have to admit I don't know what TAS is, subsidies for workers are generally designed to get people into work rather making up a shortfall between wages and the cost of living, childcare subsidies, supporting schools, hospitals etc are generally in NZ not usually fully private industries. Health and education is still a public good paid for by and large by the taxpayer. I don't have a problem with that.
The accommodation supplement is a bit like a first home buyer grant, pouring more fuel on the fire to make up for the fact that monetary policy is driving up the price of housing beyond what a lot of people can afford.
A bit pointless arguing about monetary policy, if the central bank raised interest rates in response to rampant house price inflation they would get it in the neck from exporters and owners of property whose house price has gone down instead of up. An Arts student will always take the easy option as will most people.
It is how it all ends that I should be focusing on instead of whining about the apparent stupidity of it all. I guess it will happen as it has throughout history, hopefully we can avoid a war at the end of it all.
We have nearly run out of interest rates to cut and the amount of money printing is so large it is incomprehensible to the average joe bloggs like me but rather than prices rising it is more a matter of dollars becoming worthless. Any real asset will be an inflation hedge and debt will be an asset if monetary policy gets rid of it for you.
That is why I am looking to leverage up on a house purchase, although still holding on to the faint hope of a pull back or crash first as I am unsure what sort of property to buy. Why complain about a govt subsidised industry when you can join it.
Also still waiting to hear which party???