Chris Hipkins, New Zealand Prime Minister 2023

To post in this sub-forum you must have made 100 posts or have Trust status or have completed our ID Verification

Forums › Politics › Chris Hipkins, New Zealand Prime Minister 2023

1 | ... | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | ... | 60

2797 posts

Uber Geek

#3077785 19-May-2023 10:11

sen8or:

Then establish the ambulance system under the official health ministry and let St John focus efforts elsewhere for its charitable status. It just seems ludicrous that such a critical front line emergency response isn't actually part of a Govt structure (like police and fire).

St Johns is not managing as it is. The waits on ambulances are getting up there with waits in ER.

It continues to amaze me how Coast Guard continue to manage as a charity. That's an expensive operation. Same for rescue helicopters. It seems to me such things would be prioritised by the government ahead of some other low quality government spending including corporate welfare, "comms" staff, abandoned cycle bridges and so on.

mudguard

2114 posts

Uber Geek

#3078053 20-May-2023 14:56

johno1234:

It continues to amaze me how Coast Guard continue to manage as a charity. That's an expensive operation.

I'm still a bit bemused that you can buy a boat and just plonk it in the water and that's it. Imagine that with cars!

ockel

2031 posts

Uber Geek

#3083706 2-Jun-2023 10:38

Naturally it appears that with the buyout of Level 3 flood properties that those involved with executing the policy (local councils) havent been aware of policy development (as announced by the Finance Minister). Staggering that you can expect councils to be involved in funding buyouts without having the councils as part of the discussions.

It seems that that process of announcing from the pulpit without those at the coal face being aware of what is going on (a la COVID and the Health Sector) continues in other areas.

IIRC the Government purchased ALL of the red stickered properties after the ChCh earthquake. Werent insurance claims then received by the Govt to offset the payouts? Not the Govt and the CCC - which would have crippled the ratepayers in the region forever. Why are councils being asked to stump up for this natural disaster when they werent in previous disasters?

Seems like a very inequitable policy announcement from the Govt who have run out of cash in their expansionary budget. Relying on all local ratepayers to foot some of the bill that they should be carrying.

Sixth Labour Government - "Vision without Execution is just Hallucination"

On2or3wheels

195 posts

Master Geek

#3083988 2-Jun-2023 15:52

ockel:

Seems like a very inequitable policy announcement from the Govt who have run out of cash in their expansionary budget. Relying on all local ratepayers to foot some of the bill that they should be carrying.

Why do you think the government should pay for the whole lot?
I think it's actually sensible. Council's continue to allow housing on marginal land, this might force them to make better decisions as we possibly head toward more managed retreat.

I would imagine some of the rural land could be used in the future, just not for housing. You might be able to run sheep on it or plant natives for carbon farming.

BTW CHC Red zoners were able to either choose to take the insurance payout or the government offer. The better offer depended if insurance were paying out on a rebuild or a "repair".

sir1963

3260 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3083990 2-Jun-2023 15:59

johno1234:

sen8or:

Then establish the ambulance system under the official health ministry and let St John focus efforts elsewhere for its charitable status. It just seems ludicrous that such a critical front line emergency response isn't actually part of a Govt structure (like police and fire).

St Johns is not managing as it is. The waits on ambulances are getting up there with waits in ER.

It continues to amaze me how Coast Guard continue to manage as a charity. That's an expensive operation. Same for rescue helicopters. It seems to me such things would be prioritised by the government ahead of some other low quality government spending including corporate welfare, "comms" staff, abandoned cycle bridges and so on.

With St John its because when ER is full, they use the ambulance to "hold" the incoming overflow. The Ambulance can not go to the next call for potentially hours.

tdgeek

29746 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3084020 2-Jun-2023 17:43

On2or3wheels:

Why do you think the government should pay for the whole lot?
I think it's actually sensible. Council's continue to allow housing on marginal land, this might force them to make better decisions as we possibly head toward more managed retreat.

I would imagine some of the rural land could be used in the future, just not for housing. You might be able to run sheep on it or plant natives for carbon farming.

BTW CHC Red zoners were able to either choose to take the insurance payout or the government offer. The better offer depended if insurance were paying out on a rebuild or a "repair".

Its slightly ironic. If a Govt is expected to pay for the whole lot, its bordering on socialism. Yet, we are supposed to be a free market economy. Who'd have thought!

GV27

5896 posts

Uber Geek

#3084398 3-Jun-2023 13:38

Going forward there's going to be big issues with this because of how Chch was treated, rightly or wrongly.

You're going to have a hard time getting the rest of the country to take a lesser payout for a major disaster given what actually being insured costs thesedays.

It can't be a case of "Oh, sorry, bit short on cash, you'll have to make do" when disaster hits Auckland on a city-wide scale if we've already had to chip in to fix ChCh (and likely Wellington again at that point).

Wise

Send money globally for less with Wise - one free transfer up to NZ$900 (affiliate link).

ockel

2031 posts

Uber Geek

#3084414 3-Jun-2023 15:10

GV27:
Going forward there's going to be big issues with this because of how Chch was treated, rightly or wrongly.

You're going to have a hard time getting the rest of the country to take a lesser payout for a major disaster given what actually being insured costs thesedays.

It can't be a case of "Oh, sorry, bit short on cash, you'll have to make do" when disaster hits Auckland on a city-wide scale if we've already had to chip in to fix ChCh (and likely Wellington again at that point).

Exactly. The solution for the Hawkes Bay and Auckland has to be equitable.
If Chch was flawed in that Central Government should have been topped up by Local Government then there are plenty of short changed Chch home owners that need to be made good by Local Government contributions.
If Auckland and Hawkes Bay Council have to part fund to their households with lesser contributions from Central Government then please explain to all Hawkes Bay and Auckland ratepayers why the funding mechanism has changed such that natural disaster recovery is not being bourne by all taxpayers.

Sixth Labour Government - "Vision without Execution is just Hallucination"

tdgeek

29746 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3084462 3-Jun-2023 18:00

GV27:

Going forward there's going to be big issues with this because of how Chch was treated, rightly or wrongly.

You're going to have a hard time getting the rest of the country to take a lesser payout for a major disaster given what actually being insured costs thesedays.

It can't be a case of "Oh, sorry, bit short on cash, you'll have to make do" when disaster hits Auckland on a city-wide scale if we've already had to chip in to fix ChCh (and likely Wellington again at that point).

Agree. ChCh EQ's were handled poorly by the Govt. It should be lesson learned. Not dismissing Hawkes Bay, which is a lesser issue than CHC, but it all needs to be paid for.

Insurance Companies
Uninsured's need to pay for it themselves
Govt can pickup any gaps, and if NZ needs to pay indirectly (higher insurance, etc) then so be it

Note that this will happen again and again. Cyclones, EQ's, Tsunami (looking at Hikurangi), Alpine Fault. Some of these points can happen tomorrow or in 2030, but climate change events will be more or less seasonal.

ockel

2031 posts

Uber Geek

#3084590 4-Jun-2023 10:12

Great article on how bad the Government's finances are.

https://i.stuff.co.nz/opinion/300895187/would-any-bank-give-this--government-a-loan

Reading between the lines and taking into account that there would have to be 15 years of minimal growth in Govt spending to achieve the Treasury forecasts one can reach two conclusions:

- Govt has to either cut spending or tax rates have to go up.
- Either the RBNZ doesn't understand the Treasury forecasts or its not truly independent.

Sixth Labour Government - "Vision without Execution is just Hallucination"

johno1234

2797 posts

Uber Geek

#3084601 4-Jun-2023 10:30

ockel: Great article on how bad the Government's finances are.

https://i.stuff.co.nz/opinion/300895187/would-any-bank-give-this--government-a-loan

Reading between the lines and taking into account that there would have to be 15 years of minimal growth in Govt spending to achieve the Treasury forecasts one can reach two conclusions:

- Govt has to either cut spending or tax rates have to go up.
- Either the RBNZ doesn't understand the Treasury forecasts or its not truly independent.

Universities are cancelling courses and laying off staff. Simultaneously the Te Pukenga project is burning through hundred million dollar losses while delivering... nothing. Generally, school educational achievement and attendance are at or near all time lows. All these issues will take a long, long time to remedy.

Who presided over the disasters above? The name on this thread.

sir1963

3260 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3084708 4-Jun-2023 11:57

johno1234:

ockel: Great article on how bad the Government's finances are.

https://i.stuff.co.nz/opinion/300895187/would-any-bank-give-this--government-a-loan

Reading between the lines and taking into account that there would have to be 15 years of minimal growth in Govt spending to achieve the Treasury forecasts one can reach two conclusions:

- Govt has to either cut spending or tax rates have to go up.
- Either the RBNZ doesn't understand the Treasury forecasts or its not truly independent.

Universities are cancelling courses and laying off staff. Simultaneously the Te Pukenga project is burning through hundred million dollar losses while delivering... nothing. Generally, school educational achievement and attendance are at or near all time lows. All these issues will take a long, long time to remedy.

Who presided over the disasters above? The name on this thread.

One University is saying "We must centralise things" while another is saying "We must decentralise things"

Staff are expected to be their own cleaners in some places, emptying their bins etc, toilets will be cleaned less often, cleaning of common areas less often.

Teaching standards are falling.

When NCEA came in, IIRC remember McPhail and Gadsby doing a skit where an AirNZ plane transporting goods left Auckland to go to Wellington but ended up in Wanaka, AirNZ said they were very proud their pilots were able to recognise the W on the map.

On2or3wheels

195 posts

Master Geek

#3085240 5-Jun-2023 20:50

johno1234:

Generally, school educational achievement and attendance are at or near all time lows. All these issues will take a long, long time to remedy.

Who presided over the disasters above? The name on this thread.

And you don't think parents have anything to do with this?

On2or3wheels

195 posts

Master Geek

#3085242 5-Jun-2023 20:59

johno1234:

Universities are cancelling courses and laying off staff.

This often happens during times of low unemployment. Why have a loan when you can go straight into a job.
It might also show wages are reasonable as well without upskilling, or that more people are getting a trade that the country needs.

Some might say this sounds fine if they don't want to put a political spin on it.

GV27

5896 posts

Uber Geek

#3085309 6-Jun-2023 08:02

On2or3wheels:

And you don't think parents have anything to do with this?

"Where are the parents" is usually the kind of thing you hear from those on the right looking for someone to blame for youth crime.

You don't usually hear it trying to defend a PM with an awful track record in actually achieving anything who was promoted to lead a party that has struggled with accountability for their entire time in government.

1 | ... | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | ... | 60