Search Results » @author "mikesh"

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  1. Comment on Open Mike 24/09/2026

    By: mikesh -

    How is that 20 billion made up? I would think that a lot of its assets and liabilities could be absorbed by its parent bank, NAB, prior to purchase. All we would be purchasing would be irs NZ domiciled assets and liabilities. Local bank ptoperties would be …

  2. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    [With all the noise Labour have made about only having 1 new tax, the loss of credibility would be extremely damaging.] That would depend. It may not lead to loss of credibility. And even if it did, then, depending on whom it hit and whom it hurt, it may …

  3. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    I don’t initiate “talks” about TOP. I just respond to the comments of others.

  4. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    PS: this comment should have been a second reply to Belladonna’s comment at 8.47am; and my comment at 9.16am was a reply Belladonna’s at 9.13am

  5. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    It is possible that Hipkins also is not keen on a CGT, and included it in policy because he felt pressured to do so.

  6. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    Where I differ is that I don’t think the latter necessarily makes Labour look weak or dishonest. That depends on the overall bargain. That sounds about right. However, TOP claims to be a promoter of “evidence based” policy, and, with property prices …

  7. Comment on Open Mike 23/09/2026

    By: mikesh -

    There seems to be cross party support for separating the gentailers and resellers in the power industry. That’s probably OK providing the 51% / 49% division of shares between the government and others is maintained. https://www.interest.co.nz/public-policy …

  8. Comment on Open Mike 23/09/2026

    By: mikesh -

    An interesting article, in Stuff this morning, on the supermarket issue: https://www.stuff.co.nz/money/361036654/supermarkets-arent-problem-issue-far-bigger-deal The author claims there is no foundation for the politicians’ attacks on the supermarkets, and …

  9. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    there are none so blind as those who will not see.

  10. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    Such a policy would need teeth, and the GG is the only one, I think, who could provide that.

  11. Comment on Open Mike 22/09/2026

    By: mikesh -

    In Britain non deductibility was introduced when David Cameron was PM, but it’s accompanied by a 20% rebate. 20% is the lowest tax rate in Britain so I would assume the rebate was for the benefit of the small time landlord.

  12. Comment on Open Mike 22/09/2026

    By: mikesh -

    Fewer wanting to invest in rentals would reduce demand. With the market stagnating capital gains are less likely. Poor old chippy, he may be backing the wrong horse tax-wise.

  13. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    I sense that there are two or three other parties who are likely to play “hardball” in the coalition agreement negotiations. I don’t think that CGT only will satisfy them. TOP may just decide to not support either party if a CGT is all that is on the table …

  14. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    Donation caps. I see this as being likely to be widely evaded, by funding ginger groups. Who don’t lobby directly, but campaign for the same results (think Taxpayer’s Union). I’d rather see, openly, who is funding the political parties. I would like to see …

  15. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    If agreement cannot be reached on taxation, Susan St John’s and Terry Baucher’s idea of a “fair rate of return” tax may be worth thinking about. It seems to be an adaptation of Gareth Morgan’s “Comprehensive Capital Tax” but restricted to residential …

  16. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    House owners by definition are not renting. LOL. Well spotted. For once I applaud your perceptiveness. The rest of your argument is that you want this to be true, therefore you will ignore any evidence against it. To what argument are you referring. Nor …

  17. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    From TOP’s website: We’ll bring lobbying into the daylight, so everyone can see who’s shaping decisions. We’ll get big money out of politics, so parties win on their ideas. And we’ll build an independent anti-corruption body to defend the integrity New …

  18. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    Houseowners are free to decorate any way they please (within the city council ordinances), right now. Not if they are renting, which is what many would otherwise be doing. Given that the house owner would be paying ongoing lease as well as mortgage …

  19. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    I don’t think so. Banks would be able to lend money for the house only, not for the land. Less income for the banks would be the result.

  20. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    PS: If that’s “communism” then I would have to say that communism sounds like a damn good system. Regrettably it’s not communism.

  21. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    [Well, yes, if we lived in your communist utopia of government ownership of land (and probably everything else).] It would be better if householders owned their own houses but the state owned the land on which those houses stood, householders would be able …

  22. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    With all the nitpicking of TOP policy going on in the comments to this post it seems apparent that the left is intent upon cutting its own throat. It’s obvious that TOP getting into parliament and supporting the left is a sine qua non to left success on 7/ …

  23. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    [Attacking the poster, rather than addressing the question, is a longstanding rhetorical trick which fails to convince.] Diverting to an issue different from the one under discussion is not a legitimate debating tactic; and the, to slander your opponent …

  24. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    If, if, if. When will you ever learn. Hypotheticals are not facts.

  25. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    It’s interesting that you refuse to engage over them. OH, the calumnies you come up with. It’s hard to believe sometimes.

  26. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    That land is worth $100 today but was worth $20 in the past, A good reason for having a land tax. i.e. to discourage that sort of increase.

  27. Comment on Open Mike 19/09/2026

    By: mikesh -

    I don’t see how an election can be disinterested or uninterested. Those adjectives can apply only to people.

  28. Comment on Open Mike 19/09/2026

    By: mikesh -

    He should have gone to specsavers. He apparently didn’t realise he was looking into a mirror.

  29. Comment on Open Mike 20/09/2026

    By: mikesh -

    What about the non deductibility of landlords’ interest? Is that still on the books?

  30. Comment on Is the Opportunity Party left wing?

    By: mikesh -

    I think I should own up to a bias when it comes to land ownership. I believe that the state should own all land and simply lease it to persons and businesses that need it. (See my comment at 3.1.3.1.2). Therefor, I can see no inconsistency in a government …