Labour / NZ First Government

[artemis]

Until the last couple of months we had pretty much full employment. Meaning that those on the Jobseeker benefit were less likely to be employed for various reasons - location, skills, attitude.

That has changed now, many of those on welfare will be desperate to work. If there are jobs available, and that is highly problematic in the short to medium term.

Yesterday I spent time in Wellington CBD. A lot of closed premises. Nice restaurant for lunch - four customers where normally it would be buzzing. I asked how they were doing evenings, sad looks from the staff, not surprising if they close.

[justakiwi]

I have asked you several times now to please tell us exactly what it is you expect the government to do to help businesses right now, and still you refuse to provide an answer. Your comments re beneficiaries have nothing whatsoever to do with the question I asked you. As usual you are trying to deflect.

I will ask again - what exactly do you expect the government to do for businesses? You keep saying they have done nothing, but you have not given even one example of what you believe they should be doing.

It’s a pretty straightforward and simple question, so have the balls to back your argument and answer the damned question.

Nope - this is you with your prejudicial view at play.

Unusual desperate times require everyone to play their part, especially the beneficiaries.

What is wrong with requiring them to work for their welfare payments?

[artemis]

I have asked you several times now to please tell us exactly what it is you expect the government to do to help businesses right now, and still you refuse to provide an answer.....

It is not realistic to expect individuals to provide exact solutions to wide ranging macro problems in an economy. That is up to the government of the day, and people and Opposition can then agree or disagree, not only when solutions are announced but as results become available.

However, some, including various experts, have made suggestions. For example, the Business Advisory Council, appointed by the Prime Minister, has issued a wake up call for a reset, to include serious input from the business sector.

Will the government take note? So far there looks like a new group coming comprising academics, unions, officials, NGOs and yes, business. Good luck with that.

[Panda-NZ-]

Will the government take note? So far there looks like a new group coming comprising academics, unions, officials, NGOs and yes, business. Good luck with that.

Also keep in mind that business sector has their own slice of the economy they want to see improve. In Australia their advisory council recommended price floors and welfare for gas exploration. dreadful. Those on these panels need to be objective and independent in their advice wherever they happen to come from. So, advice from all groups is probably a better outcome since we live in a democracy.

[blackcap]

In Australia their advisory council recommended price floors for gas exploration. dreadful. .

Pray tell me what is so dreadful about that?

[artemis]

Also keep in mind that 'business sector' has their own interests and corner of the economy they want to see improve. In Australia their advisory council recommended govt subsidies and price floors for gas exploration. dreadful. The people on these panels need to be objective and independent in their advice wherever they come from.

Of course they don't have to be objective and independent. Why ever would you think that?

[justakiwi]

I would generally agree with you, but Balance has been ranting and raving, finger pointing and criticizing, and spewing forth all manner of accusations about how the government have handled the covid situation. But he has never once told us what it is that he actually wants them to do. Without that, his constant blustering is more than unconvincing. So I make no apology for asking him to back his arguments with some concrete suggestions for what he believes they should be doing (for businesses).

But I am not holding my breath because if he actually had an answer, he would have given it by now.

It is not realistic to expect individuals to provide exact solutions to wide ranging macro problems in an economy. That is up to the government of the day, and people and Opposition can then agree or disagree, not only when solutions are announced but as results become available.

However, some, including various experts, have made suggestions. For example, the Business Advisory Council, appointed by the Prime Minister, has issued a wake up call for a reset, to include serious input from the business sector.

Will the government take note? So far there looks like a new group coming comprising academics, unions, officials, NGOs and yes, business. Good luck with that.

[Panda-NZ-]

Pray tell me what is so dreadful about that?

It's an industry with a shelf life and poor returns, otherwise they wouldn't need price floors would they.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/20/goog...e-oil-gas.html

[Balance]

I have asked you several times now to please tell us exactly what it is you expect the government to do to help businesses right now, and still you refuse to provide an answer. Your comments re beneficiaries have nothing whatsoever to do with the question I asked you. As usual you are trying to deflect.

I will ask again - what exactly do you expect the government to do for businesses? You keep saying they have done nothing, but you have not given even one example of what you believe they should be doing.

It’s a pretty straightforward and simple question, so have the balls to back your argument and answer the damned question.

https://www.smallbusiness.wa.gov.au/...small-business

I believe I have posted this before but if I have not, then I can understand why you keep asking the question which I believe I have answered - just look at what the Australian government has done for businesses* and for workers. Truly a government which attempts to look after ALL Australians.

Compare and contrast with NZ where businesses have been hung out to dry.

All that NZ government has to do is match what the Australian government has done as a first start. Instead, nothing has been forthcoming from NZ government.

You refuse to acknowledge that social welfare & unemployment benefits are a drain on the economy and society - isn’t it better that the billions of dollars paid out here be paid to employers (as ongoing wage subsidy) to replace the 200,000 odd temporary migrant workers in NZ?

That way, we become more self-reliant as a country and those who are unemployed (and many many more who are going to be unemployed in June/July) are gainfully engaged in the workforce.

This to me is the SINGLE biggest help any government can give to its businesses and to workers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~

What Australian Federal government has provided to businesses so far :

* - Not-for-profits and small businesses with a turnover under $50 million will receive a tax-free cash payment of from $20,000 up to $100,000 to help them retain staff and continue operating.

* - Eligible small businesses that withhold income tax from employee salaries and wages and pay it to the Australian Taxation Office can receive a payment equal to 100 per cent of the amount withheld, up to a maximum payment of $50,000.

* - On 7 April 2020 the Australian Government has announced a mandatory code for commercial tenancies, to assist those impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

[blackcap]

It's an industry with a shelf life and poor returns, otherwise they wouldn't need price floors would they.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/20/goog...e-oil-gas.html

Your link said nothing about shelf life or poor returns so in effect a useless piece of information. Gas is going to be very important, especially for a country such as Australia which currently relies totally on coal for their energy generation. I could understand your argument from a NZ perspective but from Australia totally not. From memory about 50% of their energy is from coal so it would be very good for the environment if they went and found more gas, not less. Unless you are advocating that they keep burning coal to keep the lights on?