Written By:
- Date published:
6:00 am, February 15th, 2026 - 7 comments
Categories: open mike -
Tags:
Open mike is your post.
For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.
The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Step up to the mike …
Little sounding like he comes from the ACT Party https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/top/586671/wellington-mayor-andrew-little-promises-to-cut-commercial-rates
Little actually sounds as if he is trying to keep businesses operating in Wellington rather than shifting somewhere else with a loss of jobs..
At the moment, for every dollar that a homeowner would pay in rates a business on a property worth exactly the same amount would pay $3.70. This is a lot higher than in other New Zealand cities. In Tauranga or Christchurch for example it is about $2.20 compared to $1.00.
That means it is more costly to run a business in Wellington compared to some other city.
There are various reports of the number of jobs lost and the number of businesses that have closed but there seems to be a significant group who complain about the higher rates here. I'm not going to try and quote any numbers though as nobody seems to have a good handle on the matter. An estimate of about 19,000 jobs was reduced to about 2,000 as Stats got their numbers wrong.
https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/1hha3x6/wellington_job_loss_data_was_inflated_stats_nz/
It looks like the reviewed figure doesn't count the number of people who just gave up on Wellington altogether and left because of the National government's public sector austerity drive.
You say Little actually sounds as if he is trying to keep businesses operating in Wellington.
Reducing their commercial rates only to turn around and increase their residential rates is little more than robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Moreover, it will also reduce customer demand as households pay more for rates, thus have less to spend elsewhere.
IMO, this will just piss voters off.
As for commercial rates costing more, the cost tends to be passed on to consumers and is deductible as a business expense
sounds like he's from the Labour Party.
I see Kiwisaver is in the news, and it looks to be an election issue.
FFS, this need serious analysis.
All Kiwisaver is, is the diversion of wage and salary earners (ie the real economy) money into pension funds. The owners of these pension funds gamble this money by investing in the 'other' economy- that of shares/ hedgefunds/ speculation/ crypto/ money markets, where the real wealth resides– and can fluctuate alarmingly, as we know. It essentially gives the rich more play money, as it sucks money from the real economy.
And as this goes on, right wing governments happily reduce state pensions, saying 'we can't afford it' and give tax breaks to the rich.
This is just the latest form of rorting working people, if you ask me.
Labour Party policy should note the Oz system.
The compulsory contribution is from the employers, the voluntary part is form the workers.