re inflation: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/22-04-2022/inflation-is-a-global-problem-but-theres-still-plenty-the-beehive-could-do-to-help

The Spinoff piece mentions an article by a CTU economist that, when read in full, is basically a spirited political piece and not much beyond that. 

https://www.interest.co.nz/public-policy/115436/ctu-economist-questions-how-government-spending-supposedly-lifting-prices-when

GV27:

 

and otherwise pretend like 'other people have worse inflation, see how great we are!' is some sort of credible response. 

 

Wasnt aware that GR stated exactly that.... If you feel that Covid and Ukraine bear little effect on NZ's inflation, then just say so

tdgeek:

 

GV27:

 

and otherwise pretend like 'other people have worse inflation, see how great we are!' is some sort of credible response. 

 

 

Wasnt aware that GR stated exactly that.... If you feel that Covid and Ukraine bear little effect on NZ's inflation, then just say so

 

No, not stated implicitly, but it's heavily implied.

Also, COVID and Ukraine are not a NZ specific problem, everyone will have been impacted some worse than others.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/national-continues-rise-over-labour-in-latest-political-poll/M7D4P6F3KA6GY4SRF3HPUBC35Q/

National-ACT up and Labour-Greens down in the latest poll, but neither would have enough seats to govern alone; both would need the Maori Party as kingmaker, and they won't work with ACT.

I guess Luxon must be doing something right to see poll numbers increase for National like that (Judith would be jealous), either that or some people are seeking a change from the current government.

tdgeek:

 

Wasnt aware that GR stated exactly that.... If you feel that Covid and Ukraine bear little effect on NZ's inflation, then just say so

 

If your only response to the realities of living costs spiraling for Kiwis is "it's a global problem" then I'm going to consider that a contemptuous attitude. 

This government has an outright majority. They could do literally anything they want. Instead they've chosen to shrug their shoulders at it.

GV27:

 

If your only response to the realities of living costs spiraling for Kiwis is "it's a global problem" then I'm going to consider that a contemptuous attitude. 

 

This government has an outright majority. They could do literally anything they want. Instead they've chosen to shrug their shoulders at it.

 

Like I said "If you feel that Covid and Ukraine bear little effect on NZ's inflation, then just say so" You clearly feel NZ is well capable of resolving our current inflation. Id like to know what any Govt, here or overseas can do to just set inflation back to 2%. Depends how much you feel our inflation is just a NZ and controllable issue and how much is in the global wave of which we are a tiny surfboard that cannot affect that. There are plenty of articles on how these factors have affected inflation. Perhaps a Muldoon Wage and Price Freeze? Problem is, you have businesses who have to pass on higher prices they have to pay because lack of supply has increased prices. This ONE example isnt inflation in the normal sense, its a price variance caused by a supply issue, the same as Winter veges or when we have many weather bombs that affect vege supply. Thats a direct analogy of many of the cost increases we end up with, and when supply issues resolve, so will prices, like Tomatoes off and on season

tdgeek:

 

Like I said "If you feel that Covid and Ukraine bear little effect on NZ's inflation, then just say so" You clearly feel NZ is well capable of resolving our current inflation. Id like to know what any Govt, here or overseas can do to just set inflation back to 2%. Depends how much you feel our inflation is just a NZ and controllable issue and how much is in the global wave of which we are a tiny surfboard that cannot affect that. There are plenty of articles on how these factors have affected inflation. Perhaps a Muldoon Wage and Price Freeze? Problem is, you have businesses who have to pass on higher prices they have to pay because lack of supply has increased prices. This ONE example isnt inflation in the normal sense, its a price variance caused by a supply issue, the same as Winter veges or when we have many weather bombs that affect vege supply. Thats a direct analogy of many of the cost increases we end up with, and when supply issues resolve, so will prices, like Tomatoes off and on season

 

There's always an excuse. We've had inflation running ahead of the RBNZ target range well before Putin rolled into Ukraine - there so far has been no changes to the RBNZ mandate (which Labour changed to consider employment) or consequences for the Reserve Bank for missing its mark over and over again, or keeping interest rates far too low for far too long, even when house prices were exploding.

This government has shown to talk a big game when it comes to doing things, but it takes external shocks beyond its control to force actual change. Housing, migration, living costs... you name it. And if the argument is 'things will go back to normal' once global turmoil stops, then a) is the answer for Kiwis just to keep copping it until then, and b) this is assuming there is a realistic chance of less global turmoil any time soon. So, what if it doesn't?

Again, the government has an absolute majority, and has chosen to spend political capital instead on walking back on election policies and centralisation of government services and stripping local bodies of assets. 

Ok its just an excuse, as always, You didn't mention Covid, thats probably another excuse. And house prices just happened, they were never an issue for the last 20+ years?

You didnt mention the fix the Govt can do to bring inflation back to 2%. The fix, not the idealogy

tdgeek:

 

Ok its just an excuse, as always, You didn't mention Covid, thats probably another excuse. And house prices just happened, they were never an issue for the last 20+ years?

 

You didnt mention the fix the Govt can do to bring inflation back to 2%. The fix, not the idealogy

 

So you want me to give specific fixes while you fall over yourself to excuse people elected on the basis that they would literally solve these exact problems for not doing anything about it? Just so we're clear? 

But sure, here's a fix. The PTA is a target. What happens to people in normal jobs when they consistently fail to achieve a target?

Reminder: The government was elected in 2017. Covid hit us in early 2020. The only reason they didn't have to defend their do-nothing track record come election time is because of Covid.

I know it might be hard to accept that ordinary Kiwis who are copping massive increases in living costs might not be content to sit back and make excuses for everything being worse than it was in 2017 when this government was elected on the basis of promising everything under the sun.

Im not falling over myself at all. Background activities are there or they arent. You say they arent relevant I say they are thats all

And how is a National government supposed to make all this better? I personally don't think they can or would, but I would like to hear the arguments.

Rikkitic:

 

And how is a National government supposed to make all this better? I personally don't think they can or would, but I would like to hear the arguments.

 

 

 

Im keen for them to win and make all these fixes.

Rikkitic:

 

And how is a National government supposed to make all this better? I personally don't think they can or would, but I would like to hear the arguments.

 

I didn't realise I had to come up with a campaign manifesto for the opposition National Party before I could criticise the government in the thread we have specifically to talk about the PM and the current government. 

tdgeek:

 

Im not falling over myself at all. Background activities are there or they arent. You say they arent relevant I say they are thats all

 

Those specific events have been 'background activities' for a portion of the time the government has been in office, in which they achieved about the same as when all these 'background activities' weren't happening. I can only conclude they have very little impact on the government's ability to execute and delivery on policy platforms. 

Unless you're proposing that we'll wake up and the world will suddenly be all sunshine and lollipops at some stage, the reality is the government has to deal with these things.

Leadership isn't just favourable international press while the domestic situation slowly unwinds, sometimes you have to make hard decisions and actually use your political capital for stuff that isn't ideologically-driven centralisation, and not just shrug your shoulders when people ask what you plan on doing about something.

Your argument is we should not hold the government accountable for how it has chosen to do that because we are 'at the mercy of international events' despite the fact we have and always will be at the mercy of international events.