Fonterra was only able to be established by passing a statute that exempted it from competition law. Hence the government of the day has not only the right bu an obligation to ensure it is not abusing that position,. Judging by the prices we pay in NZ for dairy produce, in some cases more than in Australia for exactly the same branded product, consumers are being rorted by the Fontera monopoly.
Its way past time that anonymous donations to politicans and political parties of any value to be made illegal. The electors need to know who a candidate may be beholden too. Anything else is an afront to democracy.
The genetic diversity in some communties is very low, and DNA databases are relatively sparse from those of other than European descent, so I would question the accuracy of these tests.
If it ever was economically viable, then the property owners that will benefit from it could have borrowed money from the bank. If it needs ratepayer or taxpayer subsidies it was never economic.
This writer is obviously convinced that smoking cannabis or condoning this is some sort of moral failing. In that case using alcohol or stimulants such as coffee or mood altering foods like chocolate must be as well. Its this simplistic puritanical approach that led to the misguided war on drugs that has caused so much harm, although nowhere near as much as alcohol has.
Economic growth is not growth if it corresponds to an increase in population. The people are not better off unless the economy grows faster than population growth.
What a ridiculous suggestion.To speed up at a yellow light and risk killing others and yourself for any reason is not acceptable, neither is it for this.
The Police would have been in no position to charge anyone as the pipes are legal and any evidence was gained by someone illegally entering a property, therefore not admissible. The only thing we can be grateful for is that this individual is no longer with the police, as due process and the rule of law is something he thinks he is exempt from.
Completely flawed analysis as the comparison used with other economies is average income, when the rest of the article refers to lower incomes.The whole premise of economic growth from rising productivity relies on increased consumption of goods with ever increasing consumption for resources. Unless someone finds another few earths this is not sustainable.
So this is a private Presbyterian, that is Christian School. How does that equate to ethical or moral or dare I say it Christian principles. Perhaps they should change their school motto from The faith must be kept to Win at all costs
Out of 30 countries in the OECD, NZ has the seventh lowest average effective tax rate. The biggest problem in the NZ tax system is that it has no capital gains tax, there are too many dodges for business, so salary and wage earners pay an unfair share. The tax system needs to change to create a fair system rather than one in which the amount of tax paid is based on the way someone arranges their finances.
I hope you dont come near me when Im sailing and I have right of way over power vessels unless they are in a marked channel which they can not safely leave. Given your profound ignorance of the collision regs I hate to think how poor your knowledge of the road code is.
For bus hubs afdn transfers to work, either buses have to be extremly punctual or extremely frequent, such as every 5 minutes or less. Neither is the case here so they were never going to work. They are emant to reduce bus congestion inthe central city, but the obvious answer to bus congestion in the central city is to ban other motor vehicles in Willis St, Lambton Quay. Manners St and Courtenay Pl.
NZ is in the lower 25% of OECD countries in terms of average effective tax rates. This is at the expense of running down health and education. Nathan Bridges is going to tax less and spend more. Obviously there wasnt enough money spent on teaching arithmetic when he was at school.
The preferred prime minister poll is meaningless. The opposition leader is always low until just before an election and the current prime minister high the rest of the time. If the question, who is the current prime minister was asked, the result would be pretty much the same.
SUV sales are a sign of the gullible buying something unsuited for what they use it for. Unnecessarily large and unwieldy fro around town. Slow and lumbering on highways. Mind you Audis are for the gullible as well. You can buy a VW, Skoda or Seat with 80% of the same parts for half the price.
Fletchers got into trouble under the last government. These problems take time to develop, so most of the blame should be with the government of the last 9/10 years. Anyway this is Ebert formerly Trebe formerly Ebert so no surprises there.
It would be nice for a change to hear of something the Nats might do rather than endless posturing about what they wont do. They appear to want to change nothing and therefore achieve nothing. The only thing they seem to be good at is producing 40 year olds in conservative suits with the minds and attitudes of 70 year olds.
The premise that wealth is earned and therefore deserved is so ludicrous that only those who really want to believe it to justify their greed do so. The main reasons I get paid more than average is because of a degree of intelligence I was born with and more significantly the degree of importance my parents placed on education. A large part of the value of my assets is due to the good luck of timing of buying and selling a house which resulted in a large gain. This timing was due to other reasons that were outside my control rather than for maximising a return. As for inheritances,other than for those who made sacrifices to look after elderly relatives, they are the very definition of an unearned income.
The reality is that the construction industry is a disaster, here and overseas. In every other industry the cost of production in real terms has decreased over time, and it is not at the expense of safety or quality. Cars are safer, better quality, last longer with less maintenance and cost less in real terms. Maybe that is becasue they are built in factories not in the rain which the fools in this industry thinks is the way to build quality. Meanwhile productivity in the construction industry has increase 1% in 30 years worldwide, despite a huge increase in expenditure on tools and machines. The whole industry needs a massive shake up. Doing things the same way forever is not good enough. Time it got out of the 19th Century. Blaming regulations is a cop out, NZ has one of the most lightly regulated building regimes in the developed world. its time this backward industry sorted itself out.
Dairy and dairy processing is 2.5% of GDP. 1/40 of the economy is hardly the backbone. The more economically sensible decision would be to bottle the water and sell it for $2/l, instead of using 2000l of water to produce 1l of milk that retails for about $2/l.
The fonterra board seems just like the National party. They both think that the same practices and policies that created problems will also solve them.
What a joke.The cost of the facilities used by tourists, whether it is being borne by taxpayers or ratepayers is far in excess of the GST collected. Why is it that every industry in NZ expects some kind of direct or indirect subsidy. Cant they make money on their own?
So why is the range top selling? Because it is really a hatchback not an SUV. The gullible have been convinced they should have an SUV, but they really wanted and needed hatchbacks and wagons so thats what these SUVs have become.
Im sure Id be able to destroy shareholder value and lose money on poorly conceived overseas ventures like the last guy and get enough money to retire in a few years, so pick me.
This writer seems to have swallowed the myth of the supposedly large contribution dairy makes to the economy. Dairy farming and processing is 2.5% of GDP, which is obviously a small part of te economy. It has large indirect subsidies for example maintaining a rural road network that is paid for by mostly urban ratepayers but damaged by heavy trucks serving farmers, and the biosecurity costs paid for by taxpayers. Its contribution to exports is 10%, but NZ has a low proportion of exports, ranking in the bottom third of nations by exports as a proportion of GDP. Subtracted from that must be the imports of goods for farm use, and the potential fro dirty dairying to damage the tourism industry. Given that bottled water retails for about the same price as milk, it would make more sense to export water than to turn 2000 litres of water into 1 litre of milk.
Who would they replace him with, one of two mean spirited women or another nearly identical man in his 40s with a conservative suit and the mind and attitudes of a 70 year old?
If it takes 100l of water to make 1 l of milk and bottled water sells for about the same price as milk, dairying is just destroying value, without even thinking about environmental damage and milk processing costs.
Experts suggest you have dozens of different logons that then you cant remember so you have to write them down or questions that anyone could guess. secure not.
Look want happened when the building industry was lightly regulated. Billions lost on leaky homes. The construction industry can not be trusted to self certify. The idea that NZ building is heavily regulated compared to elsewhere is a myth. NZ is the third fastest place to get permission to build in the OECD. Collective price fixing by contractors and subcontractors aided by trade suppliers, and the ridiculously high rates from tradesman is a much bigger problem.
Out of 30 countries in the OECD, NZ has the 7th lowest average overall effective tax rate. Costs of regulation is also very low by international standards, helped by having little overlapping regulation, by city, county, state, and federal requirements.
Jacinda never said she was not pregnant so how did she decieve? if anything her public comments hinted at the possibilty. Few mothers and their partners announce that they are pregnant in the first three months, because of the high risk of miscarriage in the first trimester, and not wanting to publically deal with the heartbreak that comes with that. In New Zealand, unlike the US we dont expect potential prime minsters to have a medical examination or to state if they have any health issues, many of which would affect their job more than the entirely natural and normal process of having a baby. Expecting someone to do otherwise is just plain mean. As for Marks kids being teased, that is just mean and nasty, and unfortunately I suspect these attitudes from other children derive from their parents not the kids themselves.
There is a huge difference between leasehold land such as Hunter Valley which is owned by the public and privately owned land. its about time all these leases were updated so the taxpayer get fair value for their ownership. If the leases sell for huge amounts of money, then the lease payments are obviously far too low.
But the panel said this did not make any difference. The building went through an earthquake with shaking slightly higher than the design level from the loadings code and less than 1% of the floor collapsed. Sounds like it performed to expectations to me.
Why should urban ratepayers and taxpayers subsidize farmers who pay virtually no tax but expect every service available in town, when they cost far more to provide in the country.
Not only does a code of compliance not exist, you would; think that someone whos stock in trade is English would actually know some, and realise that the phrase code of compliance makes no sense.
There is plenty of leasehold land, both crown and Maori land that families have occupied for generations, but have never paid anything near market rates.
Working in another profession, I did not see any serious sexual harassment, but bullying of young staff, unrealistic expectations for working hours, on the vague promise that you would get to be a partner one day were the norm. The professions where the business owners work within the firm, can be best described as organisms that eat their own young. Best thing I ever did was get out of that environment.
Real wealth is created by creating products. Money is gained by housing costing more, which does not produce any gain in real value. Lawyers get paid enormous, amounts yet add no value, just shuffle money around. The market is therefore a failure.
Linking this to Grenfell Is both unwise and in bad taste. Grenfell had no sprinklers and residents were told not to evacuate neither of which would be the case here. Except for stairwells and buildings where occupants cant quickly evacuate passive fire protection is not a life safety issue. This is being driven by the insurance industry who want others to pay to reduce risk and contractors who make money by installing these products.
This writer seems to have swallowed the myth of the supposedly large contribution dairy makes to the economy. Dairy farming and processing is 2.5% of GDP, which is obviously a small part of te economy. It has large indirect subsidies for example maintaining a rural road network that is paid for by mostly urban ratepayers but damaged by heavy trucks serving farmers, and the biosecurity costs paid for by taxpayers. Its contribution to exports is 10%, but NZ has a low proportion of exports, ranking in the bottom third of nations by exports as a proportion of GDP. Subtracted from that must be the imports of goods for farm use, and the potential fro dirty dairying to damage the tourism industry. Given that bottled water retails for about the same price as milk, it would make more sense to export water than to turn 2000 litres of water into 1 litre of milk.
Leaky buildings had many causes, including tradesman cutting corners and not having a clue about how to properly install the materials and systems they were using.
Linking cars wont help pedestrians, children, cyclists, horse riders etc. Motor vehicles need to be in dedicated space with restricted access to be truly safe. The idea of an object travelling at up to 100 km/hr with no physical barrier between it and people is actually quite absurd and would not be countenanced in any other setting such as a factory.
A more sensible and acceptable move might be to reduce the open road limit to 90 km/hr, but to 110km/hr on roads with a median barrier. Im sure NZTA would say roads arent design to 110, but a road with a median barrier at 110 is far safer than one without at 90 km/hr. More traffic police, focusing also on slow drivers obstructing traffic would more than make up for the loss in time for the reduced speed limit.
Its not just about EVs, its also about ensuring those who choose to drive an oversized monstrosity, usually with only one occupant, around town or on a highway has to pay for the consequences of their selfish choice.
A balanced article would include the potential costs of these so-called free trade agreements. For example the US trying to push non trade related clauses that are designed to ensure US companies can make more money at our expense. On balance some of these so called free trade agreements may make us worse off when we concede more than we gain so mindlessly pursuing them at any cost is absurd. Also this buys into the myth that NZ is a trading economy whereas considering international trade as a proportion of GDP puts us in the bottom third of countries, with most of those with a lower proportion being much larger economies with less need for trade.
Roundabouts only work effectively where there is even traffic flow in all directions, which is relatively rare. Three leg roundabouts dont work. If flows are uneven the dominant traffic flow prevents others from getting on the roundabout leading to frustrated drivers forcing their way onto the roundabout. They are frequently installed primarily to slow traffic which is poor road design..
Fire someone with a trivial excuse for having the temerity to try and perform their duties as a health and safety officer, blacklist them so they cant ever work again in the industry losing over a $million in future earnings. Payment ordered by the employment court $40,000. What a joke. Ive run a business in the US. It was impossible to comply with both Federal regs and state law as they were contradictory.
I thought he was talking about the alcohol industry here. If he were consistent then he would be calling for alcohol prohibition. If there are issues with the way Colorado legalised cannabis, then there is no requirement fro NZ to follow the same model.
This is a rather simplistic analysis that focuses on rates relative to inflation, rather than what ratepayers receive for the money. The cost of services to ratepayers compared tot he cost of provision for services such as water and sewerage compares extremely favorably with things such as electricity line charges,and many councils face enormous cost of renewing infrastructure that is 50-60 years old and nearing the end of its life. Depreciation of this infrastructure was never funded. For many smaller councils person their major expense is roading, yet much of the cost is for building and repairing bridges and roads for heavy vehicles,when the transport industry contributes nothing towards these costs for local roads. Local roads should be paid for by users rather than ratepayers subsidizing private motor vehicle use and goods transport.
Nobody made contractors underbid for work. Builders love to blame compliance costs, but why has the consenting processs become so rigorous and risk averse? Because builders built leaking buildings, and unlike builders, Councils cant wind themselves up to avoid liablity and start again under a diffrent name like Ebert/Trebe/Ebert,while their directors keep their multimillion dollar house. The RMA and BA are statute law, that Councils are legally required to enforce. Building is still overpriced in NZ, quality is low, and productivity gains have been close to zero. Whether the industry can force risk back onto clients, or not, will not make this a productive and cost effective industry.
NZ has the lowest level of government debt in the world, when interest rates are the lowest they have been for decades. International rating agencies don;t care if it went up by 50%. So what is the problem?
v blue there is plenty of facts to back this up from a number of sources such as CYF, Judge Andrew Becroft etc etc etc. I guess you would not want to let facts get in the way of your arguments.
So the construction industrys answer is to give them more money, when NZ already has some of the highest construction costs in the World. Spending on equipment and technology has multiplied in the last 30 years but productivity has only increased 1%. Many tasks have not changed since the early 20th century or in some cases the 19th. Time this industry looked at itself rather than blaming everything else.
Scaremongering, other than in stairwells, this is not a life safety issue as occupants will have escaped long before these barriers are challenged by a fire. Its more of a property protection issue hence the insurance industry want someone else to pay to reduce the insurance risk
Yet another misguided fool who thinks that only poor quality houses are prefabricated and to get high quality houses are built on site. If the way tp build quality was out in the rain, then factories and assembly plants would not have roofs
NZ Business needs to realise how good it has it. Lightly regulated, with in most cases only national regulations, and not a plethora of local, state and federal regulations and law. Lax competition law and even laxer enforcement. Employment court giving ineffectual penalties. Third fastest place in the OECD to get permission to build. Seems that the only thing NZ business excels at is whinging.
I have to produce a balance sheet every year for IRD valuing my business, listing fixed and current assets. If a further valuation is required does it mean business accounts contain fictional numbers?
Shane Jones tears strips off Fonterra and says the chairman should catch the next cab out of town
Fonterra was only able to be established by passing a statute that exempted it from competition law. Hence the government of the day has not only the right bu an obligation to ensure it is not abusing that position,. Judging by the prices we pay in NZ for dairy produce, in some cases more than in Australia for exactly the same branded product, consumers are being rorted by the Fontera monopoly.
"Paula Bennett hints auditors could probe donation claim, and suggests Jami-Lee Ross to blame",
Its way past time that anonymous donations to politicans and political parties of any value to be made illegal. The electors need to know who a candidate may be beholden too. Anything else is an afront to democracy.
Tolaga Bay cleanup could cost $10m but who should pay?
No they dont Gisborne District Council has spent all its money fixing roads damaged by, and improving roads for you guessed it, logging trucks.
MPs criticism of cycle rail route near her property plain wrong
Isnt it national party policy to have the public subsidise private interests, but ensure any private losses accrue to the public?
Visa rejected after Australian man told his wife is his sister
The genetic diversity in some communties is very low, and DNA databases are relatively sparse from those of other than European descent, so I would question the accuracy of these tests.
Student bong removed by Otago proctor 'unlikely to be repeated'
Could be worse, they may have had alcohol which causes far more harm than cannabis.
New Auckland bus network a 'nightmare' for school children
If you choose not to send your children to the local school dont expet the rest of the world to accommodate your choice.
Project in peril: Early price for Waimea dam build 'significantly over' estimated cost
If it ever was economically viable, then the property owners that will benefit from it could have borrowed money from the bank. If it needs ratepayer or taxpayer subsidies it was never economic.
Editorial: Legalising cannabis - societys shrug of indifference
This writer is obviously convinced that smoking cannabis or condoning this is some sort of moral failing. In that case using alcohol or stimulants such as coffee or mood altering foods like chocolate must be as well. Its this simplistic puritanical approach that led to the misguided war on drugs that has caused so much harm, although nowhere near as much as alcohol has.
Treasury warns migration is falling faster than expected 'posing a risk' to growth
Economic growth is not growth if it corresponds to an increase in population. The people are not better off unless the economy grows faster than population growth.
Don't charge me $55 for late pick-up, I already feel bad for letting down my child
What a ridiculous suggestion.To speed up at a yellow light and risk killing others and yourself for any reason is not acceptable, neither is it for this.
Student bong removed by Otago proctor 'unlikely to be repeated'
The Police would have been in no position to charge anyone as the pipes are legal and any evidence was gained by someone illegally entering a property, therefore not admissible. The only thing we can be grateful for is that this individual is no longer with the police, as due process and the rule of law is something he thinks he is exempt from.
New Zealand has issues, but the idea it is a 'low-wage economy' is a myth
Completely flawed analysis as the comparison used with other economies is average income, when the rest of the article refers to lower incomes.The whole premise of economic growth from rising productivity relies on increased consumption of goods with ever increasing consumption for resources. Unless someone finds another few earths this is not sustainable.
NZ Rugby offers to broker deal between Auckland schools warring over player poaching
So this is a private Presbyterian, that is Christian School. How does that equate to ethical or moral or dare I say it Christian principles. Perhaps they should change their school motto from The faith must be kept to Win at all costs
Silly car question #32: is it okay to swap lanes all the time on the motorway?
If motorists obeyed the rule to drive in the left lane unless overtaking, it would not only be unneccesary to pass on the left, but also impossible.
House prices 'could fall', Reserve Bank governor warns
Good, then I might be able to get a competent tradesman at a reasonable rate instead of an incompetent lying, cheating fool at an exhorbitant cost.
Fonterra loss of $196m its first ever, Spierings gets $8m farewell pay
$3.85 million bonus for losing $176 million? The board who set up that bonus scheme is obviously incomptent and should be sacked.
Huawei for dummies: Chinas tech company and why its been banned by our spies
If US companies are involved in building the 5G network how do we know the US government are not using them to spy on us?
Fonterra units fall to three-year low following downgraded forecast
So this is the result you get from a $4,000,000 per year CEO. I hate to think what it would be like if the CEO was paid twice that.
Pledging no new taxes is either meaningless, unworkable or irresponsible
Out of 30 countries in the OECD, NZ has the seventh lowest average effective tax rate. The biggest problem in the NZ tax system is that it has no capital gains tax, there are too many dodges for business, so salary and wage earners pay an unfair share. The tax system needs to change to create a fair system rather than one in which the amount of tax paid is based on the way someone arranges their finances.
Sharrows: The cycling solution to narrow streets and parked cars
I hope you dont come near me when Im sailing and I have right of way over power vessels unless they are in a marked channel which they can not safely leave. Given your profound ignorance of the collision regs I hate to think how poor your knowledge of the road code is.
Student bong removed by Otago proctor 'unlikely to be repeated'
Alcohol causes far more harm than cannabis, so where is the war on alcohol.
Wellington Mayor Justin Lester calls on regional councillors to show leadership over bus fiasco
For bus hubs afdn transfers to work, either buses have to be extremly punctual or extremely frequent, such as every 5 minutes or less. Neither is the case here so they were never going to work. They are emant to reduce bus congestion inthe central city, but the obvious answer to bus congestion in the central city is to ban other motor vehicles in Willis St, Lambton Quay. Manners St and Courtenay Pl.
Simon Bridges promises to not introduce any new taxes in first term if elected
NZ is in the lower 25% of OECD countries in terms of average effective tax rates. This is at the expense of running down health and education. Nathan Bridges is going to tax less and spend more. Obviously there wasnt enough money spent on teaching arithmetic when he was at school.
Editorial: Nationals Groundhog Day of political support
The preferred prime minister poll is meaningless. The opposition leader is always low until just before an election and the current prime minister high the rest of the time. If the question, who is the current prime minister was asked, the result would be pretty much the same.
River diverted as Peka Peka to ÅŒtaki expressway gets set to cross water
At 330-km the bridge must be going from Otaki to Hamilton
Audi: we've got a new self-driving model, wish it was an SUV
SUV sales are a sign of the gullible buying something unsuited for what they use it for. Unnecessarily large and unwieldy fro around town. Slow and lumbering on highways. Mind you Audis are for the gullible as well. You can buy a VW, Skoda or Seat with 80% of the same parts for half the price.
Retired founder of collapsed construction firm 'sorry that it's all happened'
Fletchers got into trouble under the last government. These problems take time to develop, so most of the blame should be with the government of the last 9/10 years. Anyway this is Ebert formerly Trebe formerly Ebert so no surprises there.
'Degrading' adverts that outraged renters are shown the door
Is that because, when a landlord stops renting out a house it vanishes in a puff of smoke, reducing housing supply.
Pledging no new taxes is either meaningless, unworkable or irresponsible
It would be nice for a change to hear of something the Nats might do rather than endless posturing about what they wont do. They appear to want to change nothing and therefore achieve nothing. The only thing they seem to be good at is producing 40 year olds in conservative suits with the minds and attitudes of 70 year olds.
Capital gains tax punishes hard work
The premise that wealth is earned and therefore deserved is so ludicrous that only those who really want to believe it to justify their greed do so. The main reasons I get paid more than average is because of a degree of intelligence I was born with and more significantly the degree of importance my parents placed on education. A large part of the value of my assets is due to the good luck of timing of buying and selling a house which resulted in a large gain. This timing was due to other reasons that were outside my control rather than for maximising a return. As for inheritances,other than for those who made sacrifices to look after elderly relatives, they are the very definition of an unearned income.
Stephen Tindall: Houses cost 42 per cent too much to build
The reality is that the construction industry is a disaster, here and overseas. In every other industry the cost of production in real terms has decreased over time, and it is not at the expense of safety or quality. Cars are safer, better quality, last longer with less maintenance and cost less in real terms. Maybe that is becasue they are built in factories not in the rain which the fools in this industry thinks is the way to build quality. Meanwhile productivity in the construction industry has increase 1% in 30 years worldwide, despite a huge increase in expenditure on tools and machines. The whole industry needs a massive shake up. Doing things the same way forever is not good enough. Time it got out of the 19th Century. Blaming regulations is a cop out, NZ has one of the most lightly regulated building regimes in the developed world. its time this backward industry sorted itself out.
Christchurch cycleway nearing completion after houses demolished
build all the roads you want, motorists still drive on footpaths and cycle lanes and expect everyone else to get out of their way
Fonterra units fall to three-year low following downgraded forecast
Actually his salary is a pittance compared to the value he has destroyed.
Where do New Zealanders want to work?
As I work in one of the top 20, I can only assume that other employers must be truly atrocious.
North Canterbury irrigation scheme seeks $63m from farmers
Dairy and dairy processing is 2.5% of GDP. 1/40 of the economy is hardly the backbone. The more economically sensible decision would be to bottle the water and sell it for $2/l, instead of using 2000l of water to produce 1l of milk that retails for about $2/l.
National haunted by the ghosts of 2002 as it approaches next election
and the previous governments practice of doing virtually nothing and running down assets has worked really well hasnt it?
Fonterra loss of $196m its first ever, Spierings gets $8m farewell pay
The fonterra board seems just like the National party. They both think that the same practices and policies that created problems will also solve them.
Tourism businesses support new border levy, but want bigger share of the bounty
What a joke.The cost of the facilities used by tourists, whether it is being borne by taxpayers or ratepayers is far in excess of the GST collected. Why is it that every industry in NZ expects some kind of direct or indirect subsidy. Cant they make money on their own?
The $5 million job no-one wants: Kiwi execs turn down Fonterra's top job
The CEO of Toyota, a company with 40 times the revenue of Fontera gets 1/4 of the salary. He hasnt destroyed shareholder value either.
Move over Tesla? Hyundai's Kona EV can go 400km on a single charge
So why is the range top selling? Because it is really a hatchback not an SUV. The gullible have been convinced they should have an SUV, but they really wanted and needed hatchbacks and wagons so thats what these SUVs have become.
Bus drivers get on bikes to improve cyclist safety across Auckland
So if its not safe to overtake you cant overtake. The problem is...?
Stephen Tindall: Houses cost 42 per cent too much to build
He understands economics of scale. Housing NZ % Kiwibuild buying houses one at a time with tradesman margins of 50% or more is not it.
Jess Quinn wants magazines, broadcasters to be forced to disclose image 'retouching'
Theres a well known american who always seems to come out looking orange regardless of the lighting
The $5 million job no-one wants: Kiwi execs turn down Fonterra's top job
Im sure Id be able to destroy shareholder value and lose money on poorly conceived overseas ventures like the last guy and get enough money to retire in a few years, so pick me.
Pity Fonterra, the company that people love to diss
This writer seems to have swallowed the myth of the supposedly large contribution dairy makes to the economy. Dairy farming and processing is 2.5% of GDP, which is obviously a small part of te economy. It has large indirect subsidies for example maintaining a rural road network that is paid for by mostly urban ratepayers but damaged by heavy trucks serving farmers, and the biosecurity costs paid for by taxpayers. Its contribution to exports is 10%, but NZ has a low proportion of exports, ranking in the bottom third of nations by exports as a proportion of GDP. Subtracted from that must be the imports of goods for farm use, and the potential fro dirty dairying to damage the tourism industry. Given that bottled water retails for about the same price as milk, it would make more sense to export water than to turn 2000 litres of water into 1 litre of milk.
Huawei for dummies: Chinas tech company and why its been banned by our spies
But US law requires them to give access to the US government. You could hardly say US foreign policy is benign.
Editorial: Nationals Groundhog Day of political support
Who would they replace him with, one of two mean spirited women or another nearly identical man in his 40s with a conservative suit and the mind and attitudes of a 70 year old?
Milking it: The true cost of dairy on the environment
If it takes 100l of water to make 1 l of milk and bottled water sells for about the same price as milk, dairying is just destroying value, without even thinking about environmental damage and milk processing costs.
Spark spots 21,000 customer logons in sweep of dark web
Experts suggest you have dozens of different logons that then you cant remember so you have to write them down or questions that anyone could guess. secure not.
Barrie Smith: Nation has spared the rod and spoiled the child, leading to increased criminal offending
Crime rates are declining
Stephen Tindall: Houses cost 42 per cent too much to build
Look want happened when the building industry was lightly regulated. Billions lost on leaky homes. The construction industry can not be trusted to self certify. The idea that NZ building is heavily regulated compared to elsewhere is a myth. NZ is the third fastest place to get permission to build in the OECD. Collective price fixing by contractors and subcontractors aided by trade suppliers, and the ridiculously high rates from tradesman is a much bigger problem.
Simon Bridges promises to not introduce any new taxes in first term if elected
By people who get a hand out for doing nothing do you mean pensioners?
What the Productivity Commission's 'feebate' could mean for car prices
More taxes and rates are collected in urban areas than are spent there. Less taxes and rates are collected in rural areas than are spent there.
Fonterra units fall to three-year low following downgraded forecast
He did not do stuff all. He did worse than that and lost money in dodgy Chinese companies
Cullens capital gains tax comments could turn the tax into a game for business
Out of 30 countries in the OECD, NZ has the 7th lowest average overall effective tax rate. Costs of regulation is also very low by international standards, helped by having little overlapping regulation, by city, county, state, and federal requirements.
Country of origin labelling could cost consumers at the checkout
These people arent experts and shouldnt be labelled as such. They are self-interested industry representatives.
The $5 million job no-one wants: Kiwi execs turn down Fonterra's top job
Youll probably lose less money than the last guy.
Family pays price for Mark Richardson's baby spat with Jacinda Ardern
Jacinda never said she was not pregnant so how did she decieve? if anything her public comments hinted at the possibilty. Few mothers and their partners announce that they are pregnant in the first three months, because of the high risk of miscarriage in the first trimester, and not wanting to publically deal with the heartbreak that comes with that. In New Zealand, unlike the US we dont expect potential prime minsters to have a medical examination or to state if they have any health issues, many of which would affect their job more than the entirely natural and normal process of having a baby. Expecting someone to do otherwise is just plain mean. As for Marks kids being teased, that is just mean and nasty, and unfortunately I suspect these attitudes from other children derive from their parents not the kids themselves.
Primary teachers' union attacks new Ministry of Education pay offer
Thats what teachers do, and is why there is a teacher shortage. NZ has no future without teachers.
Government plans to change the boarding house rules
So what is it that national did? Increase GDP by a miniscule amount more than population growth? Created more homeless?
New Zealand destinations you need permission to visit
There is a huge difference between leasehold land such as Hunter Valley which is owned by the public and privately owned land. its about time all these leases were updated so the taxpayer get fair value for their ownership. If the leases sell for huge amounts of money, then the lease payments are obviously far too low.
Everything that's wrong with the Farah Palmer Cup
Why do men need to play rugby?
Fonterra units fall to three-year low following downgraded forecast
They drive their family round in a $80,000 SUV and call it a tax deductible farm vehicle.
Expert panel told Wellington's Statistics House not built to design
But the panel said this did not make any difference. The building went through an earthquake with shaking slightly higher than the design level from the loadings code and less than 1% of the floor collapsed. Sounds like it performed to expectations to me.
Export red meat premiums may price locals out of market
Why should urban ratepayers and taxpayers subsidize farmers who pay virtually no tax but expect every service available in town, when they cost far more to provide in the country.
Terrace townhouses sell under the hammer, despite no code of compliance
Not only does a code of compliance not exist, you would; think that someone whos stock in trade is English would actually know some, and realise that the phrase code of compliance makes no sense.
Joel Maxwell: The business world doesn't really know any better than the rest of us
Government debt is the lowest it has been in generations
NZ Made/NÄ NÄ«u TÄ«reni: The unsettling truth about the Treaty
There is plenty of leasehold land, both crown and Maori land that families have occupied for generations, but have never paid anything near market rates.
Michelle Duff: The five women who brought a firm to its knees
Working in another profession, I did not see any serious sexual harassment, but bullying of young staff, unrealistic expectations for working hours, on the vague promise that you would get to be a partner one day were the norm. The professions where the business owners work within the firm, can be best described as organisms that eat their own young. Best thing I ever did was get out of that environment.
Equating value with money misses the goal of being a decent society
Real wealth is created by creating products. Money is gained by housing costing more, which does not produce any gain in real value. Lawyers get paid enormous, amounts yet add no value, just shuffle money around. The market is therefore a failure.
The $5 million job no-one wants: Kiwi execs turn down Fonterra's top job
Hasnt been a problem before now.
Photographic evidence of sloppy passive fire practices putting people at risk
Linking this to Grenfell Is both unwise and in bad taste. Grenfell had no sprinklers and residents were told not to evacuate neither of which would be the case here. Except for stairwells and buildings where occupants cant quickly evacuate passive fire protection is not a life safety issue. This is being driven by the insurance industry who want others to pay to reduce risk and contractors who make money by installing these products.
Pledging no new taxes is either meaningless, unworkable or irresponsible
Do you mean wasteful spending like replacing hospitals and schools that are falling apart due to underfunding?
Pity Fonterra, the company that people love to diss
This writer seems to have swallowed the myth of the supposedly large contribution dairy makes to the economy. Dairy farming and processing is 2.5% of GDP, which is obviously a small part of te economy. It has large indirect subsidies for example maintaining a rural road network that is paid for by mostly urban ratepayers but damaged by heavy trucks serving farmers, and the biosecurity costs paid for by taxpayers. Its contribution to exports is 10%, but NZ has a low proportion of exports, ranking in the bottom third of nations by exports as a proportion of GDP. Subtracted from that must be the imports of goods for farm use, and the potential fro dirty dairying to damage the tourism industry. Given that bottled water retails for about the same price as milk, it would make more sense to export water than to turn 2000 litres of water into 1 litre of milk.
Stephen Tindall: Houses cost 42 per cent too much to build
Leaky buildings had many causes, including tradesman cutting corners and not having a clue about how to properly install the materials and systems they were using.
"Rising petrol prices could see annual inflation climb to highest since 2011 next year",
So how did labour make the international price of oil increase?
Opinion: Zero road deaths is possible - if humans are removed from the equation
Linking cars wont help pedestrians, children, cyclists, horse riders etc. Motor vehicles need to be in dedicated space with restricted access to be truly safe. The idea of an object travelling at up to 100 km/hr with no physical barrier between it and people is actually quite absurd and would not be countenanced in any other setting such as a factory.
After the Waverley crash, will NZ change its entitled attitude to driving?
A more sensible and acceptable move might be to reduce the open road limit to 90 km/hr, but to 110km/hr on roads with a median barrier. Im sure NZTA would say roads arent design to 110, but a road with a median barrier at 110 is far safer than one without at 90 km/hr. More traffic police, focusing also on slow drivers obstructing traffic would more than make up for the loss in time for the reduced speed limit.
What the Productivity Commission's 'feebate' could mean for car prices
Its not just about EVs, its also about ensuring those who choose to drive an oversized monstrosity, usually with only one occupant, around town or on a highway has to pay for the consequences of their selfish choice.
Building trade relations crucial amid threats of major changes to the global rules
A balanced article would include the potential costs of these so-called free trade agreements. For example the US trying to push non trade related clauses that are designed to ensure US companies can make more money at our expense. On balance some of these so called free trade agreements may make us worse off when we concede more than we gain so mindlessly pursuing them at any cost is absurd. Also this buys into the myth that NZ is a trading economy whereas considering international trade as a proportion of GDP puts us in the bottom third of countries, with most of those with a lower proportion being much larger economies with less need for trade.
'High risk' section of State Highway 2 under the spotlight
Roundabouts only work effectively where there is even traffic flow in all directions, which is relatively rare. Three leg roundabouts dont work. If flows are uneven the dominant traffic flow prevents others from getting on the roundabout leading to frustrated drivers forcing their way onto the roundabout. They are frequently installed primarily to slow traffic which is poor road design..
Lack of change to employment bill deeply disappointing
Fire someone with a trivial excuse for having the temerity to try and perform their duties as a health and safety officer, blacklist them so they cant ever work again in the industry losing over a $million in future earnings. Payment ordered by the employment court $40,000. What a joke. Ive run a business in the US. It was impossible to comply with both Federal regs and state law as they were contradictory.
Move over Tesla? Hyundai's Kona EV can go 400km on a single charge
They are ugly, handle poorly, use more fuel and cant even go off road to compensate.
Bus drivers get on bikes to improve cyclist safety across Auckland
As you can buy blind spot cameras from $16.95 their is no excuses for trucks not to have them.
Audi: we've got a new self-driving model, wish it was an SUV
Ive got far better things to spend my money on than a compensatory purchase to assuage an inferiority complex.
Legalised dope is a licence for Big Marijuana to exploit young people
I thought he was talking about the alcohol industry here. If he were consistent then he would be calling for alcohol prohibition. If there are issues with the way Colorado legalised cannabis, then there is no requirement fro NZ to follow the same model.
Rate rises continually outstrip incomes and inflation - do they need an overhaul?
This is a rather simplistic analysis that focuses on rates relative to inflation, rather than what ratepayers receive for the money. The cost of services to ratepayers compared tot he cost of provision for services such as water and sewerage compares extremely favorably with things such as electricity line charges,and many councils face enormous cost of renewing infrastructure that is 50-60 years old and nearing the end of its life. Depreciation of this infrastructure was never funded. For many smaller councils person their major expense is roading, yet much of the cost is for building and repairing bridges and roads for heavy vehicles,when the transport industry contributes nothing towards these costs for local roads. Local roads should be paid for by users rather than ratepayers subsidizing private motor vehicle use and goods transport.
Be careful what you sign: the problems tripping up the construction sector
Nobody made contractors underbid for work. Builders love to blame compliance costs, but why has the consenting processs become so rigorous and risk averse? Because builders built leaking buildings, and unlike builders, Councils cant wind themselves up to avoid liablity and start again under a diffrent name like Ebert/Trebe/Ebert,while their directors keep their multimillion dollar house. The RMA and BA are statute law, that Councils are legally required to enforce. Building is still overpriced in NZ, quality is low, and productivity gains have been close to zero. Whether the industry can force risk back onto clients, or not, will not make this a productive and cost effective industry.
Broadband battle for tiny Far North town
If they want it they should pay for it. No one else should have to cross-subsidize their services and no one is making them live in the country.
Health Minister David Clark signs pay equity agreement
NZ has the lowest level of government debt in the world, when interest rates are the lowest they have been for decades. International rating agencies don;t care if it went up by 50%. So what is the problem?
It's not the justice system that's broken, it's the people
v blue there is plenty of facts to back this up from a number of sources such as CYF, Judge Andrew Becroft etc etc etc. I guess you would not want to let facts get in the way of your arguments.
Be careful what you sign: the problems tripping up the construction sector
So the construction industrys answer is to give them more money, when NZ already has some of the highest construction costs in the World. Spending on equipment and technology has multiplied in the last 30 years but productivity has only increased 1%. Many tasks have not changed since the early 20th century or in some cases the 19th. Time this industry looked at itself rather than blaming everything else.
New Zealanders spent $20b on transport last year
Do you mean the massive indirect subsidies and sociatel costs of private motor vehicle in excess of 90c/km?
Many NZ commercial buildings do not meet fire safety standards, Insurance Council warns
Scaremongering, other than in stairwells, this is not a life safety issue as occupants will have escaped long before these barriers are challenged by a fire. Its more of a property protection issue hence the insurance industry want someone else to pay to reduce the insurance risk
Former Matrix Homes workers unsure where next pay cheque will come from
Yet another misguided fool who thinks that only poor quality houses are prefabricated and to get high quality houses are built on site. If the way tp build quality was out in the rain, then factories and assembly plants would not have roofs
Should we care that business confidence is so low?
NZ Business needs to realise how good it has it. Lightly regulated, with in most cases only national regulations, and not a plethora of local, state and federal regulations and law. Lax competition law and even laxer enforcement. Employment court giving ineffectual penalties. Third fastest place in the OECD to get permission to build. Seems that the only thing NZ business excels at is whinging.
Sick of SUVs? Here's something better
or for $12 grand less buy the much better Octavia, or for a little less an Octavia RS
Removing MÄori seats too divisive, Bridges says
Seeing as humans originated in Africa, by your logic the only indigenous people are in that continent.
Cullens capital gains tax comments could turn the tax into a game for business
I have to produce a balance sheet every year for IRD valuing my business, listing fixed and current assets. If a further valuation is required does it mean business accounts contain fictional numbers?