The main thing is that Auckland get their investment because:1. Thats where the votes come from and;2. Itll fix their traffic and therefore encourage even more people to go & live there.
If the government needs to be paying a winter energy top up to low income people, isnt this just a monumental failure of the free market from nearly every angle ? Firstly the free market has resulted in these crazy electricity prices, secondly the free market has led to the supermarket duopoly hoovering up twice what they should be out of NZ consumers (leaving them poorer than they shoudl be), and thirdly, its the free market that isnt paying people enough to live on.And no . . . Im not a socialist . . . I can just see that things are very broken.
This guy has got zero credibility & even less usefulness. Lobbying for banks ? Come on!! And now lobbying for National . . . says it all really doesnt it ?
Best column of yours Ive read.Luxon presides over less customer satisfaction & more accusations of gauging of any previous AirNZ CEO ever. Also, as CEO of a monopoly, how clever does he need to be ? I would argue not very, and I would further argue that he isnt.As a business owner myself, I would completely concur that he doesnt even come close the representing me !
So here are sone facts:1. An income to value ratio of greater than 3 is considered (internationally) to be edging towards unaffordability.2. At 5 its seriously unaffordable.3. NZ are sitting at 8 or more4. But it gets worse. Those international numbers are where they pay 2.5 to 3.5% interest . . . we pay 5%5. They also only pay half what we pay for groceries & they also enjoy myriad other cost of living advantages that we dont (decent public transport etc)So . . .. those who think that a crash isnt coming, are just being being wilfully blind. WAKE UP people.
Its not just getting a job thats hard for these folks . . . affording to live is almost impossible as well. Everyone talks about the high cost of housing, but thats only one of the many cost hurdles to over come in NZ. The price of goceries is just absolutely criminal (about twice what they should be) energy prices are crazy, fuel, bank interest & fees . . you name it, we pay above the odds for it.
Sold our house ourselves a few years ago. Agencies told us wed get maximum of $x less commission. We sold it in 4 weeks ourslves for $x + 60,000 and no comission so we were $80k + better off. be Come on people . . . . be brave.
Oh boo friggin hoo. Property investors seem to think they are such an important damned part of the housing market and that if it wasnt for them, thered be nowhere for tenants to live. That might be the case if these people actually built houses to rent out but they dont . . . they buy existing houses & then expect tenants to pay for their speculative folly.These people need to realise that its a business and that as with any business, that comes with responsibilities and obligations.
Unfortunately a foreign buyer ban doesnt stop foreign buyers, who just then use a resident family member to buy it for them. I have heard of a single overseas buyer purchasing as many as 30 properties in this way.
It used to be (not that many years ago) that business was there to support society, but in the past 30 years this has turned around completely so that it now it seems that society is merely there to support business.
Why do we keep hearing that the cost of living is so high in NZ but noone see the elephant in the room ?The damned supermarkets are absolutely screwing us, yet we blame Fonterra for the high price of milk. Fruit & vegetables are a horrendous price yet we blame the weather. Wake up people . . . . . its these fat cats that are creaming it at every turn. Personally I dont know how Progressive & Foodstuffs can sleep at night given that people everywhere are struggling and they continue to cynically exploit their duopoly position.
I wonder how it would stack up if we removed the crazy markups that NZ retailers put on PV panels & associated bits & pieces. Most things can be purchased for less than 35% of what we are expected to pay in NZ . . . and thats after freight & GST has been added. Then theres the how much do we think we can get away with charging model for installation, which further erodes any business case.The reason things like this dont stack up NZ is because we are treated like idiots by the industry who seem hell bent on extracting too much on every transaction.Actually I know how it stacks up when this stuff is priced properly & the answer is very well thank you. You just need to use your brain.
Pip is a force of nature, I mean she just gives it everything shes got and totally gives a damn,The fact that she gives a damn and that fact that he notices, are both fantastic qualities . . . . and more rare than you might imagine.Speaks volumes for both peoples integity.
Wow . . . that was cruel. Good on you for being so positive & I wish you all the best of everything from here on on.The mention of Seventh Wave Wetsuits resonates very positively with me . . . theres a great legacy of your late husband.
Yeah I agree, but such honours seem to be largely reserved for people who instead focus their energies on making themselves rich (by whichever nefarious means)
Its got to be remembered here that the engineers arent throwing their toys here because Air NZ wouldnt give them a rise, but because AirNZ is proposing an effective pay reduction. And this in the face of record high living costs already.I totally support the engineers on this one . . . . and yes Id potentially be affected. NZers need to stop rolling over for these parasites and start standing up for themselves because the country is becoming unliveable for too many people.
I would sheet the blame fairly and squarely onto the supermarkets. I simply cant believe that they have been allowed to get away with what they get away with for so long. Our commerce & competition laws are a joke.
Were shockers. I see SO many people just cruising along in the outside lane without the remotest consideration for following motorists (and theyre usually not overtaking anyone either). Then theres general lack of common courtesy . . . if you indicate to change lanes, people seem to deliberately close the gap so you cant.Thern theres the ones that think they have the right to pass all the stationary traffic in the left hand lane when the traffics blocked for any reason by cruising down the right hand lane to the merge spot . . . . . . . unbeleivably loathesome behaviour.Im ahsamed of NZ drivers whenever Im driving people from overseas . . . . their behaviour is mind boggling.
I gotta agree that Israel and Israelis dont dont do themselves any favors. Their arrogant treatment of anyone who dares to question their behaviours & actions towards whoever disagrees with them, and the almost universal disdain they engender towards themselves as tourists . . . .really makes me wonder. I certainly have no desire to ever travel there.
As long as most of New Zealanders income is gobbled up by necessities (groceries, rent/mortgage, power, fuel) then this will remain the case because theres no discretionery spend left over for any other industry to develop / flourish. The new businesses / industries we need to improve our wages & standard of living are starved of investment capital because all Kiwis money is tied up in property and even if they did get the necessary capital theres no market for them because everyones money has already been spent on necessities. Were very broken Im afraid.
Struck these damaged machines yesterday . . . . and had no cash or cellphone to pay. What do you do ? The parking enforcement parasites dont care that you couldnt pay, just thay you didnt pay, so you dont have any options. So my choice was, cop a $40 fine or miss my appointment.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but were not the lucky country by a country mile. We have amongst the lowest wages in the OECD, the most expensive groceries & cost of living on the planet, high house prices, high interest rates, and over the last 20 years, massively increasing inequality. Hardly what makes a lucky country,.Best you start doing some travelling with your eyes open.
Sounds alot like National see that cannabis law reform of some sort is a fait accompli, and so want to get in an claim some voter brownie points for it.
Yes i think that if drivers are drug impaired, then absolutely they should coo it. However, present in their system is NOT the same as impaired. Any roadside testing regime needs to reflect this.
Surely heads MUST roll for such a monumentally incompetent move. I just dont understand what the motivation or ratioanale for these changes were in the first place. The age old mantra of :If it aint broke . . . . . definitely springs to mind, but perhaps Im missing something.We can only hope that its not too late to restore the patronage that has undoubtably been lost as a result of this shambles.
Wow . . these guys certainly know how to win people over & make their hosts feel good. I suspect youre both genuinely nice people. Well done . . . . . Im impressed.
What hsppens is some resident family member purchases for them. Problem solved. Have heard of 10s on properties going this way on a single transaction.
Where they can businesses will pass on higher costs to consumers which will serve to squeeze household disposable incomes.The trouble is, after mortgages (or rent) and groceries, most kiwis dont actually have any disposable income.
You talk about free market. One of the first principles if a free market is seemless entry & exit for all players and unlimited choice for buyers. Wherever these conditions do not exist, then its not a free market. NZ is far from a free market for food & groceries.
Yet more evidence of New Zealanders lack of discretionary spending because necessities like groceries, housing, electricity & fuel hoover up 99% of wages.
From what I can see, NZ businesses have a gross margin expectation far in excess of whats acheivable overseas. They can get away with it in NZ because theyre be often monopolies (or close to it) but fail miserably when theyre faced with anything resembling a competitive situation.
Unfortunately they follow the (jurassic) doctrine of increasing shareholders wealth my any means as their driving force. Unfortunately this practice usually results in aggressive financial targets for executives and focusses the enterprise on short term (tactical) behaviours such as quarterly revenue targets, instead of setting the business up strategically for the long term.You see it over and over again, that instead of embracing disruptive technologies and business models (which may canibalise short term revenues but ensure long term viability) companies like this will defend and block innovation, and/or try to charge legacy prices for cheap new products, until its way too late.Maybe its deliberate . . . milking the cash cow in the short term may have delivered them more profit than embracing change would have over the long term. Who knows.
Do clowns like this not understand that if low income people have more discretionary cash, then theyll spend it on goods & services . . . . . . and who benefits from that ? You got it . . . businesses. Conversely if wealthy people get extra, they go & buy another house with it, which simply exacerbates the bad situation the poor are already in, and does nothing positive for the economy (or socoety).The current race to the bottom helps no-one.
Recruitment agents . . . . . dont get me started. Its very rare to find one who understands even the role theyre recruiting for, let alone the suitability of the individual candidates for those roles. Remember these people are commission sales reps . . . . theyll always take the easiest route to that commission cheque & that means superficiality reigns supreme.
Fantastic. We should absolutely embrace science & encourage participation instead of stupidly chasing the money dream. Science will save us . . . money wont.
What I struggle with is the rationale for these spot price hikes. Why should they go up by any more than the additional cost of generation ? Its kind of like were playing at being some global energy spot price market and pretending that we have this massive global shortfall of supply against demand. But were not . . . were little old NZ with a couple of generation companies who need to switch on sone less efficient generation capacity from time to time. Looks a lot to me like theyre using the old extra margin through confusion / obfuscation trick. We need to get some transparency into these spot prices & then some regulation to stop the cowboys.
Big (any business) will do whatever is required, no matter how immorral, unhealthy or ethically questionable to achieve their profitablility goals.They can do it because their employees are blinded by ambition / desire to succeed, and also because there is a degree of inherent insulation available to both parties that they feel they can hide behind.Big tobacco / alcohol / oil / you name it are masters at it.
Will commentators please stop referring to Air New Zealand as The National Carrier. That title infers a degree of of social responsibilty to the nation . . . . something Air New Zealand definitely doesnt have.
Queenstown is meant to be a lifestyle kind of place, but what sort of lifestyle do you get with the sort of stupid house prices (and rents) you need to pay to live there, all while receiving minimum wage and having to pander to wealthy part time residents & tourists ? Doesnt sound like much of a lifestyle to me.
Unfortunately because hospitals are so under funded they need to try and scrape up any bit of extra from whereever they can get it. If that means charging whatever they can get away with for parking, then so be it. I hate it too, but can see why they do it.One thing to be thankful for in this instance is that there isnt a big red Wilson Parking sign . . . . paying money to those parasites when visiting ick relatives would definitely be much more painful than supporting a hospitals cashflow directly.
Really ? Fantastic ! This company is right up there (or should that be down there) with Foodstuffs & Progressive in their gauging. Ive gone from being a fiercely loyal Air NZ customer to someone wholl use anyone BUT AirNZ in the space of a few short years.
Private companies ? Who is being asked to dip into their pockets to eradicate a disease that is directly related to Fonterra ? Thats right, the taxpayer. And who balied out Air NZ to the tube od hudreds of millions of dollars a few years sgo and so feel a sense of unappreciation by their current gauging practices ? Thats right the tax payer again.
Using bags isnt exactIy environmentally friendly, so just scoop it up and chuck it into the middle of some vegetation where itll biodegrade /wash away without anyone standing in it (eg. into flax bush or similar). Mentioned this in another comment thread a few months back and was seriously abused for it. No pleasing some people.
Enjoyed your post . . and totally agree.I got out of the corporate rat race because the more senior you get, the more you be have to go against any set of ethics or morals that were instilled growing up. Some people can hold their nose & carry on climbing (or perhaps just dont have any ethics or morals in the first place), but I couldnt & so got out. Never been happier.
To anyone who pays for their own regional flights, Air NZ is far from a good corporate citizen. This is yet more evidence. I always feel seriously angry that they then have the nerve to call themselves the National Airline.
Dont go there Dairy industry. Youre unpopular enough as it is . . . pick your battles. By all means promote and protect your trademarks a bit further up the value chain than where the word milk sits.
Totally agree. I hope its Costco. I completely resent how the two supernarket chains have cynically gouged just about every bit of discretionery spend out of the NZ economy over the years. Lately theyve become even more brazen which, given that so many people are really struggling, is just completely unforgivable.
Its not just electricity prices . . . New Zealand has a competition priyblem full stop, where we pay above the odds for nearly everything.We obviously struggle with getting effective competition to flourish in most of the important sectors, so we need to beef up our Com Com with some decent tools & law changes to make things work better for consumers in NZThe ComCom needs to move from being an inneffective observer / overseer into being an active competition stimulator / replicator with teams assigned to industry sectors tasked with obtaining transparency across supply chains, and the power to take action where necessary. For example breaking up vertical integration where it impacts competition, or regulating margins to global averages in sectors where competition is struggling to flourish.Something needs to happen !
Of course itll happen here . . . bubbles always burst eventually. Stupid house prices combined with low pay, high interest rates, crazy grocery & energy prices . . . somethings got to give. In fact several things have to give . . . New Zealand is becoming unliveable.
Are we supposed to applaud her for this ? As much as the whole Trump thing gets up my nose and the woman is an annoying part of that, I dont think that this was a good thing to do.
Definitely. I joined Kiwibank pretty much straight away (early 2000s) because even then, I saw $4bn going offshore every year.Its not like Auzzies have exactly earned any loyalty from us . . . its always been a pretty one sided relationship as far as I can see.
So . . . . given that this PPP measure is largely a function of the business interests (that this guy is a lobbiest for) making more margin that they would in a properly competitive environment, then Id ask him what they intend to do about it.
All this will do is remove public spaces . . . never to be replaced, and perpetuate the concrete jungle. And itll only provide spaec for a relatively small number of additional dwellings . . . . wont even scratch the surface really.Nope Phil . . . . youre just going to have to bite the bulley, ignore the NIMBYs and change your zoning to allow higher density living.
So . . . . . whilst Im not a Labour fan, I am interested to hear how you think National would be doing better. Im sorry to have to tell you this but National are totally bereft of talent, charisma AND vision. I seriously struggle to see any appeal there.So . . . convince me otherwise !
There could arguably also be a case for nationalising housing finance (mortgages) & maybe even insurance . . . theres little benefit to consumers from them being private.We also need to regulate wherever else the market isnt working for consumers . . . the supermarkets spring immediately to mind, but theres market failure in most major sectors in NZ
So let me get this straight . . . you dont think that a capital gain is income then ? Were not talking about taxing your capital here, is the appreciation of those assets over time (which is a form of income) that is taxed. Can you please explain your logic because it completely escapes me.
Auckland has poached good rugby player for decades. I remember a prominent Southland Allblack in th early 80s (befire professionalism) who happened to get this amazing job offer in Auckland . . . a job he lost as soon as he was no longer an Allblack.
Exclusive Marlborough Sounds holiday jetty must be open to everyone
Maybe he did work hard, but that still doesnt give him the right to reinterpret the rules to suit his own grandiose ideas.
Karel Sroubek residency decision entirely made by immigration minister
Hes gotta go doesnt he ?
The meth house is a myth: Theres no risk from drug smoking residue, Govt report finds
Well theres a surprise . . . . NOT.I wonder what Mr Glucknan has to say about the whole there might be traces of asbestos in it paranoia.
Wellington highways snubbed as Government announces transport spend
The main thing is that Auckland get their investment because:1. Thats where the votes come from and;2. Itll fix their traffic and therefore encourage even more people to go & live there.
Future of ÅŒtaki to Levin expressway uncertain after NZTA says it is being 're-evaluated and reconsidered'
But Auckland will keep getting their roading upgrades because theyre bigger, and generate more votes.
Millionaire Craig Heatley rates Jacinda Ardern at book launch shared with John Key
Well . . . . theres a surprise !
Did you really just say that? Julie Bishop to Winston Peters
Agree. I especially liked how he handled this one.
"Air New Zealand does deal for autonomous air taxis",
Air NZ involved ? Damn . . . . there goes any chance of it being affordable !
Winter Energy Payment: What $20 a week means to us
If the government needs to be paying a winter energy top up to low income people, isnt this just a monumental failure of the free market from nearly every angle ? Firstly the free market has resulted in these crazy electricity prices, secondly the free market has led to the supermarket duopoly hoovering up twice what they should be out of NZ consumers (leaving them poorer than they shoudl be), and thirdly, its the free market that isnt paying people enough to live on.And no . . . Im not a socialist . . . I can just see that things are very broken.
Did you really just say that? Julie Bishop to Winston Peters
Good on you Winston . . . I like your style on this one.
Red card mars All Blacks match with France down to 14-men from the 12th minute
It wasnt just the red card that detracted frombthe ABs perormance! The whole game was just plain old boring. Sorry.
He was 'chronically homeless'. Now Michael Apanui has a home and a job
Good luck buddy.
BusinessNZ admits error in business confidence survey that 'lacked validity'
This guy has got zero credibility & even less usefulness. Lobbying for banks ? Come on!! And now lobbying for National . . . says it all really doesnt it ?
Damien Grant: Air NZ CEO Christopher Luxon does not represent me
Best column of yours Ive read.Luxon presides over less customer satisfaction & more accusations of gauging of any previous AirNZ CEO ever. Also, as CEO of a monopoly, how clever does he need to be ? I would argue not very, and I would further argue that he isnt.As a business owner myself, I would completely concur that he doesnt even come close the representing me !
Falling Australian house prices a warning for NZ: commentator
So here are sone facts:1. An income to value ratio of greater than 3 is considered (internationally) to be edging towards unaffordability.2. At 5 its seriously unaffordable.3. NZ are sitting at 8 or more4. But it gets worse. Those international numbers are where they pay 2.5 to 3.5% interest . . . we pay 5%5. They also only pay half what we pay for groceries & they also enjoy myriad other cost of living advantages that we dont (decent public transport etc)So . . .. those who think that a crash isnt coming, are just being being wilfully blind. WAKE UP people.
Moving to NZ "the most humbling experience" of her life, migrant says
Its not just getting a job thats hard for these folks . . . affording to live is almost impossible as well. Everyone talks about the high cost of housing, but thats only one of the many cost hurdles to over come in NZ. The price of goceries is just absolutely criminal (about twice what they should be) energy prices are crazy, fuel, bank interest & fees . . you name it, we pay above the odds for it.
Fonterra loss reminiscent of a failed All Blacks World Cup campaign
And yet theyll go out again to recruit the best international talent they can find and end up with another one just the same.
How are real estate agents paid?
Sold our house ourselves a few years ago. Agencies told us wed get maximum of $x less commission. We sold it in 4 weeks ourslves for $x + 60,000 and no comission so we were $80k + better off. be Come on people . . . . be brave.
New ANZ braille bank cards put 160 Wellington parking machines out of action
Thats pretty mean.
'Degrading' adverts that outraged renters are shown the door
Property managers would have to be right up there with parking wardens & pimps as the most hated professions wouldnt they ?
Rental properties could end up better than landlords homes
Oh boo friggin hoo. Property investors seem to think they are such an important damned part of the housing market and that if it wasnt for them, thered be nowhere for tenants to live. That might be the case if these people actually built houses to rent out but they dont . . . they buy existing houses & then expect tenants to pay for their speculative folly.These people need to realise that its a business and that as with any business, that comes with responsibilities and obligations.
"Explosive allegations before disgraced MP Jami-Lee Ross quits National Party, forcing by-election",
That photo of the whos who of National standing behind their leader is simply hilarious. What a rabble. Surely they can do better than that ! ?
Dedicated caregiver has become a father figure to many
Exactly what I was going to say (but you already had, so I didnt need to).If I wore a hat, Id take it off for this guy.
As many as one in five house buyers in NZ may be foreign
Unfortunately a foreign buyer ban doesnt stop foreign buyers, who just then use a resident family member to buy it for them. I have heard of a single overseas buyer purchasing as many as 30 properties in this way.
BusinessNZ considering an international challenge to labour law changes
It used to be (not that many years ago) that business was there to support society, but in the past 30 years this has turned around completely so that it now it seems that society is merely there to support business.
Concerns over bullying in the force revealed in letters to police magazine
Well . . . . . Theres a surprise !
NZ Super isn't enough for 'no frills' lifestyle, but Kiwis are bridging the gap
Why do we keep hearing that the cost of living is so high in NZ but noone see the elephant in the room ?The damned supermarkets are absolutely screwing us, yet we blame Fonterra for the high price of milk. Fruit & vegetables are a horrendous price yet we blame the weather. Wake up people . . . . . its these fat cats that are creaming it at every turn. Personally I dont know how Progressive & Foodstuffs can sleep at night given that people everywhere are struggling and they continue to cynically exploit their duopoly position.
Solar power systems take decades to pay for themselves, Consumer NZ says
I wonder how it would stack up if we removed the crazy markups that NZ retailers put on PV panels & associated bits & pieces. Most things can be purchased for less than 35% of what we are expected to pay in NZ . . . and thats after freight & GST has been added. Then theres the how much do we think we can get away with charging model for installation, which further erodes any business case.The reason things like this dont stack up NZ is because we are treated like idiots by the industry who seem hell bent on extracting too much on every transaction.Actually I know how it stacks up when this stuff is priced properly & the answer is very well thank you. You just need to use your brain.
Soul searching at struggling retailer Smiths City
Youd be a brave person to invest in this type of retail business in New Zealand nowadays. It would frighten the bejesus out of me
John Campbell leaves RNZ with praise, cake and a tribute song
Pip is a force of nature, I mean she just gives it everything shes got and totally gives a damn,The fact that she gives a damn and that fact that he notices, are both fantastic qualities . . . . and more rare than you might imagine.Speaks volumes for both peoples integity.
"Julie Zarifeh's husband and son died 16 days apart - but grief isn't the end of her life",
Wow . . . that was cruel. Good on you for being so positive & I wish you all the best of everything from here on on.The mention of Seventh Wave Wetsuits resonates very positively with me . . . theres a great legacy of your late husband.
Principal battles to turn around one of NZs most challenging schools: I shut my door and burst into tears
Yeah I agree, but such honours seem to be largely reserved for people who instead focus their energies on making themselves rich (by whichever nefarious means)
Strike planned for Air NZs busiest day before Christmas
Its got to be remembered here that the engineers arent throwing their toys here because Air NZ wouldnt give them a rise, but because AirNZ is proposing an effective pay reduction. And this in the face of record high living costs already.I totally support the engineers on this one . . . . and yes Id potentially be affected. NZers need to stop rolling over for these parasites and start standing up for themselves because the country is becoming unliveable for too many people.
Why Kiwis pay so much for beef and lamb
I would sheet the blame fairly and squarely onto the supermarkets. I simply cant believe that they have been allowed to get away with what they get away with for so long. Our commerce & competition laws are a joke.
Simon Bridges promises to not introduce any new taxes in first term if elected
Andy the stupidly high cost of groceries
"New Zealand, we're not as good at driving as we think we are",
Were shockers. I see SO many people just cruising along in the outside lane without the remotest consideration for following motorists (and theyre usually not overtaking anyone either). Then theres general lack of common courtesy . . . if you indicate to change lanes, people seem to deliberately close the gap so you cant.Thern theres the ones that think they have the right to pass all the stationary traffic in the left hand lane when the traffics blocked for any reason by cruising down the right hand lane to the merge spot . . . . . . . unbeleivably loathesome behaviour.Im ahsamed of NZ drivers whenever Im driving people from overseas . . . . their behaviour is mind boggling.
Israel's propaganda project is failing and here is why
I gotta agree that Israel and Israelis dont dont do themselves any favors. Their arrogant treatment of anyone who dares to question their behaviours & actions towards whoever disagrees with them, and the almost universal disdain they engender towards themselves as tourists . . . .really makes me wonder. I certainly have no desire to ever travel there.
"Do Kiwis really get a $32K pay rise by moving overseas?
As long as most of New Zealanders income is gobbled up by necessities (groceries, rent/mortgage, power, fuel) then this will remain the case because theres no discretionery spend left over for any other industry to develop / flourish. The new businesses / industries we need to improve our wages & standard of living are starved of investment capital because all Kiwis money is tied up in property and even if they did get the necessary capital theres no market for them because everyones money has already been spent on necessities. Were very broken Im afraid.
New ANZ braille bank cards put 160 Wellington parking machines out of action
Struck these damaged machines yesterday . . . . and had no cash or cellphone to pay. What do you do ? The parking enforcement parasites dont care that you couldnt pay, just thay you didnt pay, so you dont have any options. So my choice was, cop a $40 fine or miss my appointment.
Feeling wealthy? New Zealand ranks sixth in global wealth report
Sorry to burst your bubble, but were not the lucky country by a country mile. We have amongst the lowest wages in the OECD, the most expensive groceries & cost of living on the planet, high house prices, high interest rates, and over the last 20 years, massively increasing inequality. Hardly what makes a lucky country,.Best you start doing some travelling with your eyes open.
National cannabis bill would not allow any smoking
Sounds alot like National see that cannabis law reform of some sort is a fait accompli, and so want to get in an claim some voter brownie points for it.
Drug-impaired drivers now involved in more fatal crashes than drink-drivers
Yes i think that if drivers are drug impaired, then absolutely they should coo it. However, present in their system is NOT the same as impaired. Any roadside testing regime needs to reflect this.
1050 complaints in 11 days for Tranzit buses in Wellington
Surely heads MUST roll for such a monumentally incompetent move. I just dont understand what the motivation or ratioanale for these changes were in the first place. The age old mantra of :If it aint broke . . . . . definitely springs to mind, but perhaps Im missing something.We can only hope that its not too late to restore the patronage that has undoubtably been lost as a result of this shambles.
Carey Hart gives up second day of racing near Timaru to sign autographs
Wow . . these guys certainly know how to win people over & make their hosts feel good. I suspect youre both genuinely nice people. Well done . . . . . Im impressed.
"Foreign buyers 'rush to beat property purchase ban'",
What hsppens is some resident family member purchases for them. Problem solved. Have heard of 10s on properties going this way on a single transaction.
"'Creaking and groaning' New Zealand energy system poses risk to economy",
Where they can businesses will pass on higher costs to consumers which will serve to squeeze household disposable incomes.The trouble is, after mortgages (or rent) and groceries, most kiwis dont actually have any disposable income.
"Paula Bennett hints auditors could probe donation claim, and suggests Jami-Lee Ross to blame",
So theyre now (almost) admitting that illegal activity happened but saying it wasnt us . . it was him. Tui add you think ?
Why Kiwis pay so much for beef and lamb
You talk about free market. One of the first principles if a free market is seemless entry & exit for all players and unlimited choice for buyers. Wherever these conditions do not exist, then its not a free market. NZ is far from a free market for food & groceries.
Falling Australian house prices a warning for NZ: commentator
I cant cant believe the number of people saying but its different here. Stupidity personified.Dont say you werent warned !
The shanty town of Wanaka
Yep . . . those Central Otago New Worlds are crazy expensive. All owned by the same family too.
Jane Bowron: We should stand up for the right to sit down
Youre not suggesting that there isnt any racism in Auzzie ? . . . . . Surely !
Fine diners check out as landmark restaurant exits Hamilton CBD
Yet more evidence of New Zealanders lack of discretionary spending because necessities like groceries, housing, electricity & fuel hoover up 99% of wages.
Wellington named New Zealand's top destination by Lonely Planet
As anyone would !
Counting the cost of Fonterra's loss
From what I can see, NZ businesses have a gross margin expectation far in excess of whats acheivable overseas. They can get away with it in NZ because theyre be often monopolies (or close to it) but fail miserably when theyre faced with anything resembling a competitive situation.
Hamilton man stuck in cockroach limbo
Perhaps because $150 isnt bugger all to some people ?
"Sky TV shareholder hits out at board member Derek Handley",
Unfortunately they follow the (jurassic) doctrine of increasing shareholders wealth my any means as their driving force. Unfortunately this practice usually results in aggressive financial targets for executives and focusses the enterprise on short term (tactical) behaviours such as quarterly revenue targets, instead of setting the business up strategically for the long term.You see it over and over again, that instead of embracing disruptive technologies and business models (which may canibalise short term revenues but ensure long term viability) companies like this will defend and block innovation, and/or try to charge legacy prices for cheap new products, until its way too late.Maybe its deliberate . . . milking the cash cow in the short term may have delivered them more profit than embracing change would have over the long term. Who knows.
Eminem's refusal to stay relevant is doing him zero favours
So is poor Kate a little miffed that Eminem isnt playing Auckland then ? (hence calling him irrelevant)
Lack of change to employment bill deeply disappointing
Do clowns like this not understand that if low income people have more discretionary cash, then theyll spend it on goods & services . . . . . . and who benefits from that ? You got it . . . businesses. Conversely if wealthy people get extra, they go & buy another house with it, which simply exacerbates the bad situation the poor are already in, and does nothing positive for the economy (or socoety).The current race to the bottom helps no-one.
Being cold and rationing heating is now normal in New Zealand
Thats what I keep telling my wife whenever shes cold.
Feeling wealthy? New Zealand ranks sixth in global wealth report
Only because the property bubble hasnt burst yet. Ask again next year.
Jobs warning to over 45s - ageism is alive and well
Recruitment agents . . . . . dont get me started. Its very rare to find one who understands even the role theyre recruiting for, let alone the suitability of the individual candidates for those roles. Remember these people are commission sales reps . . . . theyll always take the easiest route to that commission cheque & that means superficiality reigns supreme.
Inland Revenue loses track of thousands of Kiwi student loan debtors in Australia
Why not rescind their qualification then ? They can get it back when theyve paid up.
Powerful new supercomputer ready to provide glimpse into NZs climate future
Fantastic. We should absolutely embrace science & encourage participation instead of stupidly chasing the money dream. Science will save us . . . money wont.
Malcolm Turnbull digs in, Julie Bishop sounds out support in Australia's leadership challenge
Isnt he hideous ? ! The word loathesome springs to mind.
Heat goes on spot-price power customers as wholesale prices soar
What I struggle with is the rationale for these spot price hikes. Why should they go up by any more than the additional cost of generation ? Its kind of like were playing at being some global energy spot price market and pretending that we have this massive global shortfall of supply against demand. But were not . . . were little old NZ with a couple of generation companies who need to switch on sone less efficient generation capacity from time to time. Looks a lot to me like theyre using the old extra margin through confusion / obfuscation trick. We need to get some transparency into these spot prices & then some regulation to stop the cowboys.
Pink loves Dunedin's pies, flowers and sense of style
Fantastic. Love Dunedin . . . be my second choice after Wellington.
Big fertiliser companies accused of quashing environmentally friendly way of applying nitrogen
Big (any business) will do whatever is required, no matter how immorral, unhealthy or ethically questionable to achieve their profitablility goals.They can do it because their employees are blinded by ambition / desire to succeed, and also because there is a degree of inherent insulation available to both parties that they feel they can hide behind.Big tobacco / alcohol / oil / you name it are masters at it.
You are only as good as your weakest link
Will commentators please stop referring to Air New Zealand as The National Carrier. That title infers a degree of of social responsibilty to the nation . . . . something Air New Zealand definitely doesnt have.
Plan to build 950 homes in small Central Otago town closer to reality
Queenstown is meant to be a lifestyle kind of place, but what sort of lifestyle do you get with the sort of stupid house prices (and rents) you need to pay to live there, all while receiving minimum wage and having to pander to wealthy part time residents & tourists ? Doesnt sound like much of a lifestyle to me.
Hospital car parking slammed as unfair, as woman pays up to $200 a week
Unfortunately because hospitals are so under funded they need to try and scrape up any bit of extra from whereever they can get it. If that means charging whatever they can get away with for parking, then so be it. I hate it too, but can see why they do it.One thing to be thankful for in this instance is that there isnt a big red Wilson Parking sign . . . . paying money to those parasites when visiting ick relatives would definitely be much more painful than supporting a hospitals cashflow directly.
Air NZ price hikes blamed on operational costs
Are they facing these same operational cost increases in any routes wheres competition or just those cosy regional ones where there isnt ?
Air NZ price hikes blamed on operational costs
Really ? Fantastic ! This company is right up there (or should that be down there) with Foodstuffs & Progressive in their gauging. Ive gone from being a fiercely loyal Air NZ customer to someone wholl use anyone BUT AirNZ in the space of a few short years.
BusinessNZ admits error in business confidence survey that 'lacked validity'
The underlying sediments ? Am pretty sure this isnt what you meant, but youre spot on.
West Coast communities warned they must move from flood and erosion zones
Time to cut you losses folks. The bills are only going to get bigger and more frequent.
"Paula Bennett hints auditors could probe donation claim, and suggests Jami-Lee Ross to blame",
Rightyoh . . . with an emphasis on RIGHT is it ?
Shane Jones tears strips off Fonterra and says the chairman should catch the next cab out of town
Private companies ? Who is being asked to dip into their pockets to eradicate a disease that is directly related to Fonterra ? Thats right, the taxpayer. And who balied out Air NZ to the tube od hudreds of millions of dollars a few years sgo and so feel a sense of unappreciation by their current gauging practices ? Thats right the tax payer again.
The worst dog poo offence is the hanging bag, says frustrated Aucklander
Using bags isnt exactIy environmentally friendly, so just scoop it up and chuck it into the middle of some vegetation where itll biodegrade /wash away without anyone standing in it (eg. into flax bush or similar). Mentioned this in another comment thread a few months back and was seriously abused for it. No pleasing some people.
All eyes are on the 15 men and women in $2 million club of executives
Enjoyed your post . . and totally agree.I got out of the corporate rat race because the more senior you get, the more you be have to go against any set of ethics or morals that were instilled growing up. Some people can hold their nose & carry on climbing (or perhaps just dont have any ethics or morals in the first place), but I couldnt & so got out. Never been happier.
Social inequality seen in stark relief with housing drone photos
I totally agree with you but I suspect your message will fall on deaf ears.
Strike planned for Air NZs busiest day before Christmas
To anyone who pays for their own regional flights, Air NZ is far from a good corporate citizen. This is yet more evidence. I always feel seriously angry that they then have the nerve to call themselves the National Airline.
House prices have fallen, but don't expect a big downturn
Nice idea but fat chance. The Im OK Jack mindset runs deep in NZ.
Dairy industry call for ban on alternative milk labelling
Dont go there Dairy industry. Youre unpopular enough as it is . . . pick your battles. By all means promote and protect your trademarks a bit further up the value chain than where the word milk sits.
New Auckland development fuels speculation about Costco's arrival
Totally agree. I hope its Costco. I completely resent how the two supernarket chains have cynically gouged just about every bit of discretionery spend out of the NZ economy over the years. Lately theyve become even more brazen which, given that so many people are really struggling, is just completely unforgivable.
Being cold and rationing heating is now normal in New Zealand
Its not just electricity prices . . . New Zealand has a competition priyblem full stop, where we pay above the odds for nearly everything.We obviously struggle with getting effective competition to flourish in most of the important sectors, so we need to beef up our Com Com with some decent tools & law changes to make things work better for consumers in NZThe ComCom needs to move from being an inneffective observer / overseer into being an active competition stimulator / replicator with teams assigned to industry sectors tasked with obtaining transparency across supply chains, and the power to take action where necessary. For example breaking up vertical integration where it impacts competition, or regulating margins to global averages in sectors where competition is struggling to flourish.Something needs to happen !
Aussie property market slowdown might (and might not) be contagious
Of course itll happen here . . . bubbles always burst eventually. Stupid house prices combined with low pay, high interest rates, crazy grocery & energy prices . . . somethings got to give. In fact several things have to give . . . New Zealand is becoming unliveable.
Feeling wealthy? New Zealand ranks sixth in global wealth report
Sorry . . . but youre seriously deluded.Still . . . I guess ignorance is bliss eh ?
Declining All Blacks tipped to finish 3rd behind Springboks and Wallabies in Rugby Championship
Are we supposed to applaud her for this ? As much as the whole Trump thing gets up my nose and the woman is an annoying part of that, I dont think that this was a good thing to do.
Social inequality seen in stark relief with housing drone photos
Unfortunately there are many many people who are blatantly ignorant . . . . the Im OK Jack attitude runs deep in NZ
Feeling wealthy? New Zealand ranks sixth in global wealth report
OK buddy . . good luck.
Shane Jones slams 'Aussie-owned' banks for shutting branches in provincial NZ
Definitely. I joined Kiwibank pretty much straight away (early 2000s) because even then, I saw $4bn going offshore every year.Its not like Auzzies have exactly earned any loyalty from us . . . its always been a pretty one sided relationship as far as I can see.
New Zealand has issues, but the idea it is a 'low-wage economy' is a myth
So . . . . given that this PPP measure is largely a function of the business interests (that this guy is a lobbiest for) making more margin that they would in a properly competitive environment, then Id ask him what they intend to do about it.
Shane Jones tears strips off Fonterra and says the chairman should catch the next cab out of town
Maybe the government should slso step awsy from funding those same farners current disease mitigation too then eh ? You cant have it both ways.
Politicians teed off over proposal for housing on six publicly-owned golf courses
All this will do is remove public spaces . . . never to be replaced, and perpetuate the concrete jungle. And itll only provide spaec for a relatively small number of additional dwellings . . . . wont even scratch the surface really.Nope Phil . . . . youre just going to have to bite the bulley, ignore the NIMBYs and change your zoning to allow higher density living.
The worst dog poo offence is the hanging bag, says frustrated Aucklander
These people never miss an opportunity for a political swipe.
"Jacinda Ardern names Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Council members",
So . . . . . whilst Im not a Labour fan, I am interested to hear how you think National would be doing better. Im sorry to have to tell you this but National are totally bereft of talent, charisma AND vision. I seriously struggle to see any appeal there.So . . . convince me otherwise !
Heat goes on spot-price power customers as wholesale prices soar
There could arguably also be a case for nationalising housing finance (mortgages) & maybe even insurance . . . theres little benefit to consumers from them being private.We also need to regulate wherever else the market isnt working for consumers . . . the supermarkets spring immediately to mind, but theres market failure in most major sectors in NZ
Government stamps out performance bonuses for public sector bosses
Bit of a broken record arent we ?
Capital gains tax punishes hard work
So let me get this straight . . . you dont think that a capital gain is income then ? Were not talking about taxing your capital here, is the appreciation of those assets over time (which is a form of income) that is taxed. Can you please explain your logic because it completely escapes me.
Wellington City asks Government for rent subsidies and votes to review social housing rents
Actually itll go straight into landlords pockets . . . it just cant gappen. Period !
NZ Rugby offers to broker deal between Auckland schools warring over player poaching
Auckland has poached good rugby player for decades. I remember a prominent Southland Allblack in th early 80s (befire professionalism) who happened to get this amazing job offer in Auckland . . . a job he lost as soon as he was no longer an Allblack.