$7.5 billion surplus
The Government has announced a $7.5 billion dollar surplus. Is it time to start spending?
Politics
budget 2017
This is how you change the Government – electorate vote Goldsmith if you are on the Epsom roll
For progressive Epsom voters the best way to change the Government may be to give your electorate vote to Paul Goldsmith.
This is how you change the Government – Enrolments
The first of what will be a series of posts on practical steps that people can take to elect a progressive Government. In this post the importance of getting as many people enrolled as possible.
Tax cuts and 1600 deaths per year
One of the nasty little fishhooks in the budget was the cutting of the home insulation scheme (Warm Up New Zealand). The scheme had a benefit-cost ratio of $6 for every $1 invested. Around 1,600 people die in NZ a year of cold-related factors. Hope the tax cuts are worth it eh?
Green Party position on National’s 2017 Budget
“The Budget is what allows National to govern. If National failed to pass the Budget, all its legal ability to tax and spend would dry up and the Government would fall apart. There is no way we would vote for the Budget, because that would be supporting the National Government and its agenda.” Metiria Turei and James Shaw, Green Party blog.
National promise to “monitor the rental market” – so where do tenants send reports of rent gouging?
In the wake of the accommodation supplement fiasco Joyce has promised that the government will monitor the rental market.
Questions that the media may wish to ask Mr J – Where do tenants send reports of rent gouging? – Exactly what action will the government take when they receive these reports?
Family package that punishes families
Apparently the Nats can’t even run a lolly scramble.
The Greens and voting on the Budget
Wondering about what the Greens are voting for? It might not be what you think.
The Greens on record
Despite rumours to the contrary, the Green Party was highly critical of National’s Budget.
Good news for landlords
How nice of the government to help out property investors.
Campbell on the budget
Campbell: “As I asked Joyce at the Budget lockup: ‘What is to stop landlords from treating this increase as a green light to hike up rents?’ … In reply, Joyce said that the government would be ‘keeping an eye’ on landlords, to ensure they did not abuse the situation.”
The Greens respond to the Budget
James Shaw on National as the masters of the shell game.
The three big fails in the budget
It was National’s best budget. Which means there are only three critical areas of failure.
Budget analysis and reaction – The One Dollar Bill budget
Andrew Little calls it the ‘The One Dollar Bill Budget’, a $1 tax cut for cleaner on minimum wage.
As usual it is the already well off who do the best out of National’s election year tax cut bribe.
The Labour lite budget
From pre announced budget initiatives it is clear that today’s budget will provide National the opportunity to announce watered down insipid versions of current Labour Party policies.
Budget 2017 – general discussion post
Budget Day.
Budget details “leak”
Richard Harman at Politik: A “Families’ Income Package” is likely to be at the core of this week’s Budget. Sources close to the Government have “leaked” details of the Budget to POLITIK.