Forum Home
PC World Chat
 
Thread ID: 137572 2014-07-22 22:22:00 Must be a Maori PrincessÂ….. B.M. (505) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1379878 2014-07-23 08:07:00 To anyone who say's they're sensible, I say look at the policies. Just because they're not large enough to have most of their policies passed does not mean they're not crazy policies.

Well maybe you would be good enough to advise the policies you take issue with? :) 		B.M. (505)
1379879 2014-07-23 11:07:00 Well maybe you would be good enough to advise the policies you take issue with? :)

With pleasure :)

NZ First - GST off most food items.
Conservatives - Binding referendum. First $20,000 tax free then a flat tax. 		Nick G (16709)
1379880 2014-07-23 11:35:00 GST of most food is common in a number of places, and encourages healthier purchasing, rather than fast food (Which a lot of people in lower socio-economic classes resort to coz it's quick and easy and cheap and adds a bit of feeling of 'power' that they can afford something nice).
Binding referendum, why the hell not? I see no reason why when 80% of the country vote on a matter that the Govt should be able to ignore it. We put them there in the first place after all.
Tax? Again lower socio-economic people will benefit, and it will stop all the tax minimization and other shenanigans by people trying to avoid going into the top tax bracket, encouraging people to actually do *better* and earn more, knowing they'll be keeping it rather than having it all go to the Tax Man.

But again, that's only 3 policies... Surely you can see the point in taking less issue with those policies over the history of both the Red, Blue & Green parties %@#$ of late? 		Chilling_Silence (9)
1379881 2014-07-23 12:07:00 GST of most food is common in a number of places, and encourages healthier purchasing, rather than fast food (Which a lot of people in lower socio-economic classes resort to coz it's quick and easy and cheap and adds a bit of feeling of 'power' that they can afford something nice).
Binding referendum, why the hell not? I see no reason why when 80% of the country vote on a matter that the Govt should be able to ignore it. We put them there in the first place after all.
Tax? Again lower socio-economic people will benefit, and it will stop all the tax minimization and other shenanigans by people trying to avoid going into the top tax bracket, encouraging people to actually do *better* and earn more, knowing they'll be keeping it rather than having it all go to the Tax Man.

But again, that's only 3 policies... Surely you can see the point in taking less issue with those policies over the history of both the Red, Blue & Green parties %@#$ of late?

Well, fast food really isn't that cheap - I'd be more inclined to say convenience/lack of knowledge about how to get good food cheap, rather than fast food being actually cheaper, is pushing the sales in certain socio-economic groups.

Why wouldn't I take GST off food? Well, firstly, there's the cost. Take $3 billion a year away (Winston's estimation) in Govt revenue, you've got to cut $3 billion in spending, or borrow $3 billion per year extra.

Secondly, the really good thing about GST is just what they're proposing to end - that it is all inclusive. Nothing like Canada - a single muffin has GST, because it is a snack, a 6 pack does not, because it is a family staple (True story, my parents lived in Canada for a few years hence how I know). Starting to decide what should, and what shouldn't, have GST is not going to be simple, or easy, and is unlikely to be logical as well.

Take Winston's proposal - it's not even an attempt to help the poor. He was proposing taking it off fancy cheeses and stuff like that! But sure, enjoy your cheaper brie or blue with some nice bread and enjoy feeling like you're helping the poor :) - we all buy food, that policy helps the poor and the rich just the same, while then hurting the government (and thus anyone reliant on the government, like, say, the poor) by losing them billions per year in taxes.

Binding referendum? Sounds like a nice idea - except we all like lower taxes, and higher government spending. You could end up forcing a government to simultaneously lower taxes and increase spending. Good idea :thumbs: (Case in point - who wouldn't like GST off food, yet who'd be willing for the government to cut $3 billion per year in spending to afford it? Glad we can't have a referendum about GST.)

Tax? Again, everyone will benefit from the $20k tax free, and then the rich will benefit again in the form of a reduced lower top tax bracket. Great idea, I'm sure it will reduce inequality :thumbs:...oh, and where is spending being cut to afford this?

From these two parties, I've heard a lot about we'll cut GST here, lower taxes here. But I haven't heard a single idea about what government spending the're going to cut, or how much more they'll borrow, to allow them to do this - except for 'clamping down on the black economy' - like that's going to give you an extra few billion per year!

So no Chill, I can't see the point in taking less issue with these poorly thought out and scatter brained policies, simply because the party which thought of them isn't Labour, National, or the Greens. I'd be interested to hear how you'd finance these ideas you support though? 		Nick G (16709)
1379882 2014-07-23 19:11:00 Excellent we could have a referendum about re introducing the death penalty and closing down the Israeli embassy and banning people from that country ever coming here.
Referendum to halt anymore treaty settlements.
Looking good might give Conservative party my party vote. 		prefect (6291)
1379883 2014-07-23 19:25:00 Well reasoned Nick G :)

Ken 		kenj (9738)
1379884 2014-07-23 20:58:00 With pleasure :)

NZ First - GST off most food items.
Conservatives - Binding referendum. First $20,000 tax free then a flat tax.

You must be kidding.

Australia put up a very compelling argument for not adding GST on unprocessed food when they introduced GST fourteen years ago. It has worked well for them and is never likely to change.

As for the Conservatives Tax amendment, they are really only rearranging the scaling and you must realise that a single person earning $20,000 with nothing claimable only pays $2520 tax anyway. The CEO’s pocketing over $1,000,000 a year for sweet bugger all could offset that without noticing. :D

As for referendums, of course they should be binding. The Government are Public Servants in a Democracy so if we run a Dictatorship then let’s admit it. 		B.M. (505)
1379885 2014-07-23 22:31:00 Just returning to the head post for a second, this common thief is on full pay until 3 months after the election whether she turns up or not. :angry

Seems Politicians get a “Golden Handshake” for thieving! :rolleyes:

Full story HERE (tvnz.co.nz) 		B.M. (505)
1379886 2014-07-23 22:44:00 Well, fast food really isn't that cheap - I'd be more inclined to say convenience/lack of knowledge about how to get good food cheap, rather than fast food being actually cheaper, is pushing the sales in certain socio-economic groups.


Ah yes it is cheap. Thats part of the problem.
A big bag of hot chips, from the local. $2
A pie $1-$2
A loaf of white bread $1-$2 (I call that unhealty food)

I dont think removing 15% on food will have any REAL long term effect. Prices will still go up anyway, effectively negating that gst removal in a year or so.
And it wont do anything to improve poor food choices

Will we include fruit juice, if so then why not all other drinks: coke fanta etc 		1101 (13337)
1379887 2014-07-23 23:51:00 Ah yes it is cheap. Thats part of the problem.
A big bag of hot chips, from the local. $2
A pie $1-$2
A loaf of white bread $1-$2 (I call that unhealty food)

I dont think removing 15% on food will have any REAL long term effect. Prices will still go up anyway, effectively negating that gst removal in a year or so.
And it wont do anything to improve poor food choices

Will we include fruit juice, if so then why not all other drinks: coke fanta etc
Just FYI, you can get wholemeal bread for the same price as white - which is now $1 a loaf at all main supermarkets :)

In terms of fast food I was more thinking McDonalds or the like; yes you're right it can be picked up for cheap elsewhere.

Having said that, I still stand by my statement that convenience/or lack of knowledge, rather than cost, is most likely to be why some socio-economic groups eat less healthily.

For example - I can get a 3pack of baked beans (Watties) and a loaf of wholemeal bread, from Countdown, for $5.29. Make six servings out of that, with some bread left over - $0.88per serving, plus you have some bread left over. Maybe not the most exciting meal ever, but it does the job, is cheap, and not unhealthy! 		Nick G (16709)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9