GST tweak would only harm us. Photo / File
GST tweak would only harm us
Niall Robertson tells us to “keep it simple, stupid” then goes on to do the opposite (Herald on Sunday, July 30). GST is a simple tax with few exemptions. It replaced the complex Sales Tax that had different rates and many exemptions. With GST removed from food items, citing the tiresome rules of supply and demand and equilibrium pricing as prescribed in economics textbooks, I can picture the big winners being the supermarkets busily rubbing their hands together with the 15 per cent windfall. P.K. Ellwood, Beach Haven.
Not your money
I left college at the age of 16 and immediately began working and earning until I retired, which is some 50 years. My wife did the same, but worked as a mother and housewife for a time, when we decided we could afford to feed, clothe, shelter and educate a couple of children. After a while, we decided we could start our own company using funds created by increasing the mortgage on our home. Had this failed, we would have had to sell our home and would have been left with very little of what we had accumulated up to then. However, the company did not fail so we were able to offer employment to others and we all prospered. We, our employees and the company paid the Government the amount of taxes due on income and investments, as all do. When we retired, we sold the company and our home in Auckland and came to the Bay of Plenty. The Green Party now wants to create a wealth tax, to take money from us that, between us, we have spent 85 years working and earning, and give it to people who have not earned it and have done nothing to deserve it. They seem to think that doing this is fair. Ted Joyce, Pāpāmoa Beach.
Future is female
As Damien Venuto correctly points out (NZ Herald, July 24) demographic shifts are changing the make-up of the talent pool available to New Zealand business. Educational attainment plays a critical role. Māori will make up a greater number of the workforce in the near future. The disparities in achievement at school between different ethnic groups with Māori at the bottom are well known. They remain in spite of many decades of initiatives. What is not well known are the disparities of gender across all groups. In 2021, in rounded figures, out of the total of 64,000 who left school, there were 1400 more boys than girls. Close to 1000 more boys than girls left without a qualification, 1700 more boys than girls left without NCEA Level 2; 3800 more girls than boys left with university entrance. These figures have remained much the same for the past six years or more. It is not difficult to identify significant impacts on New Zealand society, the dominance of men in so many negative statistics and the success and dominance of women in an increasing number of professional occupations and positions of decision-making. If we are to look to the talent pool of the future it is going to be dominated by women. David Hood, Hamilton.
Revolting ministers
It seems inevitable that the Labour Party and the Green Party will lose the October election, as Steven Joyce writes (Weekend Herald, July 29) “Ministers revolt, Govt in chaos.” We have not witnessed this level of self-destruction by a New Zealand Government previously. Even the indefatigable Megan Woods is gasping for breath under multiple portfolios and continuous defence of a broken team. In addition, Labour’s natural allies — the Greens and Te Pāti Māori — vehemently disagree with Labour’s tax policies and promise to sit on the cross benches. Neither the Greens nor Te Pāti Māori understand what making money is, how it is done, only how to tax the rich and spend. This makes them unfit to assist governing New Zealand. Because National and Act can talk to one another, probably negotiate and work together, they look likely to form a cohesive Government in October. New Zealand badly needs a more competent executive and administration with a positive vision for our future. Education and health need urgent repair, along with our roads. New Zealand needs to rebuild and regain its previous standing in the world. Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.
Labour’s cunning plan
The political pundits are arguing about what recent events have done to the Labour Party campaign for this year’s election. I would argue that they are in fact doing phenomenally. Michael Wood has encouraged a record number of amended disclosure documents by his fellow parliamentary colleagues and Kiri Allan has brought mental health issues to the front of everyone’s mind. With inflation apparently having peaked, Grant Robertson is doing his best to bring the economy front and centre. The quick response to the unfortunate shooting in Auckland should reassure the public that the police are on top of things. Is anyone talking about the other parties? Other than potholes, can anyone remember what Christopher Luxon has promised? I would argue that Labour has sucked all the air out of the campaign arena. Dunstan Sheldon, Hamilton.
Luxon the carpetbagger
It’s concerning to see that the leader of the Opposition is content to live in Remuera, so far outside his Botany electorate. He often claims that, because he has previously lived in the area of the electorate, he doesn’t need to be there now. That is very dodgy logic, especially since the Botany electorate is a vastly different area than it was when he left in 1988. A whole new city has been built in the 35 years since then, so it bears no resemblance to the place where he lived. He needs to get in touch by being there. Judy Lawry, Pukekohe.
No to food scraps bins
I don’t need a green food scraps bin, I don’t want such a bin and I certainly don’t want to pay for it. I will be putting it out with the next inorganic collection in the hope it will be taken away. I don’t think it will be too long before we see these green bins, unused or partly-filled, randomly scattered all over the city. Mike Jarman, One Tree Hill.
Jones and Wallabies
Australia’s rugby coach Eddie Jones is quoted as saying: “They scored four of their six tries through yellow cards. They made us pay for that.” Not true. The 14 players who faced New Zealand defended mightily. Even if Australia had had 20 players on the field, they would have wilted against the inspired attacking rugby of the All Blacks. Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
St James cash wasted
What is wrong with the people on the Auckland Council, who are holding out for $30 million to be spent (along with another $30m from Government) — to restore an old theatre (St. James)? Don’t they get it — we are going to have to find hundreds of billions for living with climate change, in addition to another huge amount to pay for essential replacement of ancient infrastructure that has been steadily deteriorating. Things nice to have, have to be done without. Rex Beer, Whangaparāoa.
Not all tradies are equal
All that needs to be said about Ian Grant’s letter “Trading places” (Weekend Herald, July 29) is all tradies, like politicians, are not created equal. At times homeowners, much to their annoyance, find the qualified tradie they hired cannot fix the problem. Furthermore, again like politicians, they can create even more problems. But a good tradie, like a good politician, is worth their weight in gold. Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth
Aliens in the USA
There are claims being made that in the USA that they have an alien craft containing alien biology. It is time they showed us hard evidence rather than dots on videos. Are we to believe that advanced aliens have flown across many light years of space then obligingly crashed for our collection and inspection? The aliens have mastered the perils of interstellar space travel but couldn’t cope with the last 100km in our atmosphere? Are we to believe that the greatest discovery in the history of science has been kept secret — but that a few key people know about it but can’t show us? The claims look bogus. Andrew Tichbon, Green Bay.
On modern entertainment
Thank you Graham Steenson for asking the question, “Is modern music the product or cause of aggression in our society?”. I ask the same question about movies and games that can be very violent. Imagine what that all does to the brains of our young people. We should protect them, not feed them with all that unreal rubbish. D Hoekstra, Henderson.
Short & sweet
On Kiri Allan
Can Shayne Te Pou explain the similarities between Todd Muller resigning due to mental health and Kiri Allan resigning due to being caught driving after drinking as the Minister of Justice? Mark Young, Ōrewa.
Why do taxpayers have to pay for MPs’ misdemeanours like Trevor Mallard and now Kiri Allan? Wendy Tighe-Umbers, Parnell.
On All Blacks
Is there room for my letter of congratulations to Ian Foster among all the letters of apology from his erstwhile critics? John Norris, Whangamatā.
On Ukraine
Ukrainian grain ships should be escorted by Nato warships with Nato air cover. People should not starve because of Russian aggression. CC McDowall, Rotorua.
On Aukus
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese invite us to join their Aukus country club. Did they specify the annual membership fee? Arch Thomson, Mt Wellington
On gangs
Mongols leader Jim Thacker is taking a civil case against the Department of Corrections about his treatment in prison. Wonderful irony — a photo shows a tattoo on his left leg “Expect no mercy”. Live by the sword, Mr Thacker. Name withheld. Te Atatū.
The woman was shaken by the incident.