Labour's latest policy idea

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#1061905 9-Jun-2014 16:25

Good Election year plan: promise lots of stuff with nfi how to pay for it.

Bee

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#1061907 9-Jun-2014 16:26

Current National Policy - to provide free doctors visits for all children under 13 - this will be subsidized by increasing the fees for adult patients.

My Point: The money has to come from somewhere... it always does... and its usually the majority pays so the minority benefits...

Doing your best is much more important than being the best.

onebytemike

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#1061975 9-Jun-2014 17:23

Glassboy:
It does appear on the surface that it would reduce the ability of EQC to respond to a disaster elsewhere in the country. I find it odd as I thought Christchurch had fairly safe Labour seats. Why come out with a policy that will disadvantage you through out the rest of the country?

National seats:
Waimakariri
Selwyn
Ilam
Christchurch Central

Labour seats:
Wigram
Port Hills
Christchurch East

DarthKermit

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#1061986 9-Jun-2014 17:33

This from the same Labour party that wants to start a state run insurance company.

Whatifthespacekeyhadneverbeeninvented?

vexxxboy

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#1061996 9-Jun-2014 17:46

"All costs, including lawyers' charges and expert witness fees, would be paid for by the Crown. oh great , i can see this working as well as Legal Aid.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

Fred99

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#1062000 9-Jun-2014 17:50

Remarkable thread...
I have no faith in the Labour Party with regard to the Chch EQ recovery. They voted to grant special powers to one of the worst politicians in NZ, Gerry Brownlee, through the Cant'y EQ Recovery Act. Only Rodney Hide voted against it. The purpose was removal of democratic rights and due process, usually only reserved for wartime.
As far as the insurers increasing premiums, why of course they will. With IAG now holding an overwhelming monopoly share of the NZ insurance market, through sale of AMI and now Lumley Insurance, with not a whimper from the Commerce Commission. That wouldn't have been allowed by watchdogs in Aus, USA, etc.
If people bleating about how putting pressure in place in order to force the insurers to meet their contractual obligations in reasonable time may result in further increase premiums, they need to ask themselves what the hell is the point of insurance in the first place. 3 years - and I'm still waiting. It is an ongoing nightmare.
As far as the repeated lie about how the government has or is pouring $15 billion of "taxpayer money" into the rebuild. They aren't. Most of that is EQC reinsurance and reserves which have been put aside for decades for exactly the purpose for which they're now being drawn down. Of the remaining 7 billion or so, out of the $30 billion or so in "additional" expenditure on rebuild by insurers, that money underwritten offshore, there's 4.5 billion in GST, plus additional PAYE and company tax from the surge in activity. The "long suffering NZ taxpayer's" contribution will be near nil.

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mattwnz

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#1062045 9-Jun-2014 18:25

Bee: Current National Policy - to provide free doctors visits for all children under 13 - this will be subsidized by increasing the fees for adult patients.

My Point: The money has to come from somewhere... it always does... and its usually the majority pays so the minority benefits...

Are you sure about that, as I believe new funding from the budget is going in to fund this. That is why it was announced in the budget. But could be wrong. I had heard some health centres say that they would need to raise adult fees to compensate, but I don't think it is part of Nationals policy. I think any health centre that does raise adult fees should be removed from such a scheme. Adults shouldn't be compensating for it, and already adults pay the most, the fees seem to be more than ever, and I am sure it puts people off from going to the doctor, which is going to cost more in the long run.

JimmyH

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#1062095 9-Jun-2014 19:04

Bee: Current National Policy - to provide free doctors visits for all children under 13 - this will be subsidized by increasing the fees for adult patients.

Ummm.... no it won't. It's paid for by the Crown out of tax revenue, and was included in the last Budget.

Back on topic. My problem with the Christchurch proposal here is that the main beneficiaries will be the legal profession (not people who need help) as every case, no matter how hopeless, will be litigated to death. Why wouldn't you litigate - when there's no downside if you lose, and you can spend whatever you like on lawyers with a guarantee that someone else will foot the bill? Why would any legal firm not advise a potential client to promply retain them, and commence an epic legal battle?

I'm happier with the expert Court idea. If I was doing it I would set up two levels. A tribunal to swiftly deal with all claims of less than (say) $50,000 with (much like the Disputes Tribunal), lawyers not allowed. And a specialist court to swiftly hear the larger cases, but with lawyers allowed and claimants also able to recover reasonable legal fees from the insurance company if they won. Maybe on a set scale.

Speed the process up, incentivise insurance companies to settle rather than be silly, but minimise the risk of endless dopey expensive litigation.

mattwnz

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#1062103 9-Jun-2014 19:07

JimmyH:
Bee: Current National Policy - to provide free doctors visits for all children under 13 - this will be subsidized by increasing the fees for adult patients.

Ummm.... no it won't. It's paid for by the Crown out of tax revenue, and was included in the last Budget.

.

I think they are getting confused by what the media reported, when some health centres said they would need to raise adult fees. There is something about this here. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1405/S00416/fine-tuning-missing-from-free-visit-plan.htm

ripdog

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#1062122 9-Jun-2014 19:43

Really depressing to see rich folk here moaning about insurance premiums when Christchurch citizens are stuck in broken, cold, damp houses for 4 years and counting, after being betrayed by the insurance companies they have loyally paid premiums to for years, and the government they have loyally paid taxes to for decades.

Yes, rebuilding Christchurch is expensive. Yes, we all have to pitch in. In the long run, helping others always comes back to help oneself. It's called social good. That's how we have civilization.

A competition-focused SOE insurance provider will also give a much needed kick in the pants to complacent, established insurance companies too.

vexxxboy

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#1062129 9-Jun-2014 19:52

ripdog: Really depressing to see rich folk here moaning about insurance premiums when Christchurch citizens are stuck in broken, cold, damp houses for 4 years and counting, after being betrayed by the insurance companies they have loyally paid premiums to for years, and the government they have loyally paid taxes to for decades.

Yes, rebuilding Christchurch is expensive. Yes, we all have to pitch in. In the long run, helping others always comes back to help oneself. It's called social good. That's how we have civilization.

A competition-focused SOE insurance provider will also give a much needed kick in the pants to complacent, established insurance companies too.

the problem is that im not rich and my insurance has already gone up $300 a year for my house insurance and its getting to the point where my money wont stretch to more rises.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

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MikeB4

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#1062133 9-Jun-2014 20:00

Our insurance has gone up but I prefer to endure that compared to what my kin are going through in Christchurch, they cannot fix their home, they cannot sell there home. Their health has been impacted by the stress etc and their insurance company simply will not budge, they do not have resources to fight the insurance company. There many in this situation, I applaud the Labour initiative.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

JimmyH

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#1062164 9-Jun-2014 20:35

ripdog: Really depressing to see rich folk here moaning about insurance premiums when Christchurch citizens are stuck in broken, cold, damp houses for 4 years and counting, after being betrayed by the insurance companies they have loyally paid premiums to for years, and the government they have loyally paid taxes to for decades.

Yes, rebuilding Christchurch is expensive. Yes, we all have to pitch in. In the long run, helping others always comes back to help oneself. It's called social good. That's how we have civilization.

1. I'm not rich
2. I'm not moaning about insurance premiums
3. I have a lot of sympathy for the people in Christchurch. I agree that something needs to be done and, as a taxpayer, I'm happy to do my bit.

I do however think that this solution isn't a good one. Not because I don't want to see something done, and not because I'm not happy to have some of my taxes go there. It's because I think that this is a poor solution, that will enrich lawyers and slow the whole process down, rather than actually improving things for people who most need help.

MikeB4

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#1062175 9-Jun-2014 20:51

JimmyH:
ripdog: Really depressing to see rich folk here moaning about insurance premiums when Christchurch citizens are stuck in broken, cold, damp houses for 4 years and counting, after being betrayed by the insurance companies they have loyally paid premiums to for years, and the government they have loyally paid taxes to for decades.

Yes, rebuilding Christchurch is expensive. Yes, we all have to pitch in. In the long run, helping others always comes back to help oneself. It's called social good. That's how we have civilization.

1. I'm not rich
2. I'm not moaning about insurance premiums
3. I have a lot of sympathy for the people in Christchurch. I agree that something needs to be done and, as a taxpayer, I'm happy to do my bit.

I do however think that this solution isn't a good one. Not because I don't want to see something done, and not because I'm not happy to have some of my taxes go there. It's because I think that this is a poor solution, that will enrich lawyers and slow the whole process down, rather than actually improving things for people who most need help.

What would you suggest to get the insurance companies to move?

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

JimmyH

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#1062178 9-Jun-2014 20:54

Pretty much what I actually suggested six or seven posts earlier.

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