If National wins ...

[Cuzzie]

I was quite surprised and happy with an after hours A&E service my two year old Grandson received over the weekend. He was at his fathers (yes my daughter is another solo mum) and his dog knocked him over and scratched his face badly and deeply. Both eyes were swollen. The useless father said he was to tired to do anything (that's why she left him) so my daughter had to go over there and take him to a local A&E. Anyway, my point is the A&E staff gave him the immediate attention he needed (he was still bleeding), shot over the road and got his medication, as the Chemist was just closing and past on all information for the next couple of days. How much did this cost? Not a cent. Under five years old's get free treatment from certain A&E clinics - that's great. It's only certain areas though, I feel this is one area National (or Labour) could beef up and make all A&E's free for under five year old kiddies.
Thumps up to the White Cross in Glenfield.

[elZorro]

I was quite surprised and happy with an after hours A&E service my two year old Grandson received over the weekend. He was at his fathers (yes my daughter is another solo mum) and his dog knocked him over and scratched his face badly and deeply. Both eyes were swollen. The useless father said he was to tired to do anything (that's why she left him) so my daughter had to go over there and take him to a local A&E. Anyway, my point is the A&E staff gave him the immediate attention he needed (he was still bleeding), shot over the road and got his medication, as the Chemist was just closing and past on all information for the next couple of days. How much did this cost? Not a cent. Under five years old's get free treatment from certain A&E clinics - that's great. It's only certain areas though, I feel this is one area National (or Labour) could beef up and make all A&E's free for under five year old kiddies.
Thumps up to the White Cross in Glenfield.

Cuzzie, good to see your family got some results from the welfare state, emergency care would have to be part of that. We all need a bit of a help sometimes.

I'm still quite perturbed about Colin Espiner's article on the RDS. Especially when in 2009 he seemed to have a better idea what was going on. It's a bit hard for the public to stay informed, if reporters don't get their facts right.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/new...under-scrutiny

Key: we were told SCF would failWritten By: Eddie - Date published: 2:45 pm, March 31st, 2011 - 68 comments
Categories: accountability, business, john key - Tags: allan hubbard, south canterbury finance
In a raucous public meeting in Timaru last night, John Key said “The entire time I’ve been Prime Minister I’ve had Treasury in my office week after week, month after month telling me South Canterbury Finance was going bankrupt”. So, why did National sign SCF into the scheme and renew its deed three times?
On November 19th 2008, Key and his ministers were sworn in. That very day, Treasury Head John Whitehead signed the deed admitting SCF into the retail deposit guarantee scheme “on behalf of the Minister of Finance” Bill English.
The deed was renewed on December 11th 2009, again signed by a senior Treasury official on behalf of English. It was updated on April 1st 2010, once more signed by the same senior Treaury official on behalf of English. And then amended on June 17th, again signed off by the senior Treaury official in English’s name.
The mere fact that there were so many reviews of the deed shows that Treasury knew things weren’t right. And Key’s acknowledgement that he and English were being repeatedly told “week after week” about SCF’s problems raises the question of why they kept on having their officials sign new deeds keeping SCF in the scheme.
Remember, the upshot of SCF being kept in the retail deposit scheme through all these reviews and updates was a bailout that put an average of $50,000 into the hands of the depositers, paid other debtors $300 million – all funded by us as taxpayers at a cost of $1.8 billion. We’re now lumbered as effective owners of a finance company that is only worth a fraction of what we paid because of the choices Key and English made.
For me, Key’s entire attitude to this affair and governing in general is summed up when, in the RadioNZ clip, he calls $100 million “chump change”.

On Q&A, Nick Smith said that home ownership has been going backwards in NZ since 1987, and it'll take 20 years to fix it again. In other words, National doesn't need to do anything much, or at any speed.

In reply to a writeup on this, I found a good comment:

In or about 1987 the government stopped providing assistance to first home buyers (effectively a public private partnership at a consumer level) to buy a new home with a low deposit and low interest fixed rate loan, lower than private markets, and so no new low cost housing stock of any significance has been added. Previously that is what supported NZ attaining a high level of home ownership.

At the time the programme was dropped they argued the market would ensure this happened and there was no need to be involved in the market.

If any government wants to fix this problem then the answer is simple and the model works - support first home buyers directly - the government can take the risk on low interest loans to first home buyers because they simply add it to the Housing NZ stock if any problems occur.

The price of houses in Auckand is now indexed to first-world global houses prices because they are being purchased using global incomes by investors in other high wage economies (higher than NZ).

What Nick Smith is really saying is that it is going to take 20 years for NZers to get to the average income of other high wage economies, hopefully, and past his watch. Supporting new housing stock for first home buyers is a no-brainer and the govt has the muscle - and the effects go right across the economy.

[iceman]

On Q&A, Nick Smith said that home ownership has been going backwards in NZ since 1987, and it'll take 20 years to fix it again. In other words, National doesn't need to do anything much, or at any speed.

EZ, you are increasingly making up stuff on this thread. No doubt desperation with your Leader and party polling so badly is causing some stress. The emergence of mana.com should make you happy !!

Nick Smith was being asked about house prices and said he had told his officials they should be working towards getting house price to income ratios back to around 4, from the approx 7 it is IN AUCKLAND today. Increasing land supply, streamlining the RMA (+ other local Government processes) and responsible management of Government finances to keep interest rates as low as possible was all part of it, amongst other things. He said there are no silver bullets to achieve this but said it could be achieved "over a decade or two" with steady work on it. I think that is just realism and anyone thinking the Government can do this in a couple of years is dreaming.
It also ignores the little talked about fact that this issue is mainly limited to Auckland and Christhcurch so the issue is much more complicated.

I have no doubt housing will be a big part of the election campaign and I will watch with interest what policies Winston First will come out with and how it will influence the majority of his voters, the elderly, of which many have most of their wealth tied up in their home. Not sure if they will vote for a party promising to do everything they can to reduce their personal wealth !!

[craic]

Peters gave me free bus rides in off peak hours - he didn't provide any busses so it doesn't matter. The limited discount scheme is of little use as other discount cards often give a better return. Rumor has it that he will now insist on the issue of mobility scooters to anyone who cannot run one-hundred metres in 25 seconds. This is to be followed by dedicated mobility-scooter lanes on all streets in urban areas. By 2025 he expects to see Zimmer-frame lanes on most footpaths. Wellington Drive Technology are currently working on a motorised zimmer-frame. Transport authorities are currently working on a four-light traffic light that will have an extra go light for mobility scooters and zimmer frames. Iwill be striped but the colours have yet to be decided.

[iceman]

Peters gave me free bus rides in off peak hours - he didn't provide any busses so it doesn't matter. The limited discount scheme is of little use as other discount cards often give a better return. Rumor has it that he will now insist on the issue of mobility scooters to anyone who cannot run one-hundred metres in 25 seconds. This is to be followed by dedicated mobility-scooter lanes on all streets in urban areas. By 2025 he expects to see Zimmer-frame lanes on most footpaths. Wellington Drive Technology are currently working on a motorised zimmer-frame. Transport authorities are currently working on a four-light traffic light that will have an extra go light for mobility scooters and zimmer frames. Iwill be striped but the colours have yet to be decided.

LOL craic, You obviously have the inside oil as these sound like typical Winston First policies

[Cuzzie]

Cuzzie, good to see your family got some results from the welfare state, emergency care would have to be part of that. We all need a bit of a help sometimes.

But why does the welfare state only work in certain suburbs. She got help in Glenfield on Auckland's North Shore, however if she went to her local A&E at Red Beach, in Rodney that would of cost her $40.00. Who ever designed this, has discriminated against those in need as well as the middle class and the rich. The system is badly flawed. Same as the schools, in her area the schools are decile 9, but hosing is very mixed. The kids in need don't get the hand out like kids do in so called poorer areas. Rodney is now part of the Auckland super city yet make a phone call to somebody in the old Auckland and it is a toll call, but their rates go towards the new rail system. Go figure that? Easy, left wing Auckland mayor and his cronies calling the shots.
Back to the welfare system we have. Why do left wing thinkers & tinkers think only the poor should be covered, what about those who work hard to get ahead - don't they deserve anything but pay tax to keep our welfare state running? Maybe National should look at changing this in the near future, after all a health system for all is the only fair system, is it not!!!

My daughter may have got a pleasant surprise when not charged the other day, but now she is angry that she does where she lives. All I could tell her is special needs for the needy and that is about the truth of it.

[Sgt Pepper]

But why does the welfare state only work in certain suburbs. She got help in Glenfield on Auckland's North Shore, however if she went to her local A&E at Red Beach, in Rodney that would of cost her $40.00. Who ever designed this, has discriminated against those in need as well as the middle class and the rich. The system is badly flawed. Same as the schools, in her area the schools are decile 9, but hosing is very mixed. The kids in need don't get the hand out like kids do in so called poorer areas. Rodney is now part of the Auckland super city yet make a phone call to somebody in the old Auckland and it is a toll call, but their rates go towards the new rail system. Go figure that? Easy, left wing Auckland mayor and his cronies calling the shots.
Back to the welfare system we have. Why do left wing thinkers & tinkers think only the poor should be covered, what about those who work hard to get ahead - don't they deserve anything but pay tax to keep our welfare state running? Maybe National should look at changing this in the near future, after all a health system for all is the only fair system, is it not!!!

My daughter may have got a pleasant surprise when not charged the other day, but now she is angry that she does where she lives. All I could tell her is special needs for the needy and that is about the truth of it.

I work in the health sector and I would make the following observations. Most of the time our health system works well and its only when you travel you realise how fortunate we are. Notwithstanding this you cant be complacent and must strive for improvement. Ever since I started working in the Health service the ongoing issue is funding and bridging the gap between funding and the cost of delivery. Hospitals are hugely expensive and complex organisations to run. Unfortunately vast numbers of consumers utilising the tertiary health pay in effect no contribution toward it. We have traversed the issue before that if you earn $50K and have three children you in effect pay no income tax. HOWEVER despite its faults at least accident treatment is funded sensibly through ACC, which people tend to forget is a universal health insurance scheme which captures most people, e.g ACC levy when you fill yur car with petrol etc. As long as other tertiary health services are funded through income tax then there will always be financial pressure and constraints on delivery. Personally I would propose an non accident alternative to run parallel with ACC which everyone must pay on an agreed formula, spread across all income levels. I also see merit in assisting the over 65s to keep health insurarnce via tax deductions/or rebates

[fungus pudding]

Cunliffe is going to have difficulty convincing Land Transport that his idea to scrap registration on trailers and caravans is a good idea. This is to save admin costs he says, but surely the costs relate to number plates and record keeping. Is Labour seriously proposing number plates are dropped? I suspect he's going off half-cocked again. eZ will no doubt be able to explain how wonderful this latest **** is.

[craic]

A very close mate of mine died today. He was a merchant seaman and a fireman most of his life. His lungs were stuffed and he had an oxygen tube in his throat and his wife moved him around in a wheelchair. We had a couple of drinks on Saturday at the club. Tomorrow, I and a couple of other who always sit at the same table will go to the club at the same time and have a few in his honour. He was a strong Labour Party Supporter. This post has nothing to do with politics - just an expression of my awareness of my mortality.

[Cuzzie]

Yeah sorry to hear that craic, loosing friends or family are always the toughest of times.