If National wins ...

[westerly]

The system currently handles multiple rates so a 0 rate shouldn't be a major issue. The real issue is that you think it benefits low income earners but they pay no net income tax due to WFF etc.

If/When National does announce tax cuts, I expect it to me minor drops across the board and/or increasing the threasholds (eg. Reduce bottom rate to 10% and increase the range it applies to, no change to 33% rate but up the threshold from $70k to $80 or $90k.)

There are many low income workers who have no children but still pay tax. National raise taxes by subterfuge, another 3 cents on petrol next week. Expect Key to promise tax cuts nearer the election. Even if they have to borrow a few more billion to keep the dream going.

westerly

[elZorro]

There are many low income workers who have no children but still pay tax. National raise taxes by subterfuge, another 3 cents on petrol next week. Expect Key to promise tax cuts nearer the election. Even if they have to borrow a few more billion to keep the dream going.

westerly

Yes, even the 3c a litre on about 3 billion litres of petrol a year, is $90mill extra tax taken. Business owners get to treat some of that as a business cost, so don't see the full effect. They'll also claim back the GST on business use. Employees and the unwaged see the whole fee for petrol, and that's why many of them buy fuel $10 at a time. Just enough to travel 50km.

[winner69]

Yes, even the 3c a litre on about 3 billion litres of petrol a year, is $90mill extra tax taken. Business owners get to treat some of that as a business cost, so don't see the full effect. They'll also claim back the GST on business use. Employees and the unwaged see the whole fee for petrol, and that's why many of them buy fuel $10 at a time. Just enough to travel 50km.

.....and some of it feeds through to increased prices (inflation)

[Sgt Pepper]

Your dead write their.

FP To be honest I find John Keys diction ( or lack of) much more entertaining. According to the Herald apparently he has been spending time lately watching videos of Bill Clinton to get some professional pointers.

I rest my case

[fungus pudding]

FP To be honest I find John Keys diction ( or lack of) much more entertaining. According to the Herald apparently he has been spending time lately watching videos of Bill Clinton to get some professional pointers.

I rest my case

That's hardly a case. I hope you are right. Most public speakers put a bit of effort into their performance and Key is capable of learning and needs to. Good on him. Just as contributors to internet forums should learn the difference between roll/role, write/right and their/there if they expect to be taken seriously.

[fungus pudding]

And if they know the difference but enjoy the pomposity it invokes from others then what then ...

Such a person would be an ignoramus.

[fungus pudding]

Hmmm ... ignoramus = "an ignorant or stupid person."

As a statement of fact I suspect most people would say its the author who is the showing such symptoms. As an outright insult, maybe the right word, which is no doubt what you were aiming for.

Not at all. But I cannot imagine why anyone would deliberately portray themselves as either uneducated, disinterested or simply of low intellect.

[BIRMANBOY]

You want pompous ???

Because it exposes the pompous amongst us?

[fungus pudding]

Key and senior ministers yesterday spoke at the conference about the instability of a multi-pronged left-wing Government.

[Key said]"This is an election campaign being fought between the centre-right and the far left and as long as New Zealanders understand that then they go to the polls with complete knowledge of what they are voting for."
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=11283859

Made me laugh out loud. If Key thinks the alternative to National is the "far left" then he obviously hasn't read the policies from any of the opposition parties. "Slightly left of centre" would be more truthful.

However, such statements will get lapped up by the likes of cuzzie et al. I wonder how far away Key is from playing the "reds under the beds" card?

He may partially right about the "instability of a multi-pronged" Government should the opposition parties win over the incumbent National govt tho. I, for one, don't see it as anything but a good thing after 6 years of that "nice Mr Key" smiling and waving and issuing pathetic jokes from his filthy rich, smug face.

In fact the more I think about it, the diversity from a diverse and eclectic coalition seems like a huge amount of fun after the iron rule the Nats have had.

National are a long way left of centre by most definitions. That makes your heroes far left of centre. .

[craic]

What are the policies of the various parties to resolve this?

Note: don't need National's policies as they've been in govt for six years and, by all accounts, its been getting worse and worse under their control.

"by all accounts" means according to the Labour fanatics, desperate to salvage anything from the wreckage of their party and, as the polls prove, is ignored by almost all. Maybe you would like to wager on this Belgarion? I stll have a bit left after a day in the glorious Hawkes Bay at the Hastings Winter Carnival Races yesterday.