Warning: Rage Ahead - Campbell Live and childhood poverty

Forums › Off topic › Warning: Rage Ahead - Campbell Live and childhood poverty

1 | ... | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

17690 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1122825 5-Sep-2014 23:20

gzt: I would firmly like to see some kind of rental housing warrant of fitness phased in. I don't know any details of what political parties are proposing, but I do think some kind of minimum would be a good start to avoid disruption.

Essentially a landlord/property investor provides a service and some kind of minimum standard for that service is required. As a secondary effect this would also mildly dampen sales of property unsuitable for renting under that standard and providing a slightly better entry point to first home buyers and renovators in that part of the market.

Basically I think that putting up with some inconvenience and rennovations as a first home buyer or renovator for capital gain is quite different from simply renting a below standard property where the renter is often paying the same rental price as other properties in the area anyway.

I agree.

In the UK for many years local authorities have had powers of entry and inspection and can condemn dwellings as unfit for human habitation if they fail basic sanitation, heating and insulation standards. It originates from anti-slum legislation in Victorian times. Now of course it includes things like annual safety inspections for gas appliances and so on as well.
It's long overdue here judging from some of the horror stories people have related to me about places they've rented here.

MyHeritage

Shop MyHeritage and uncover your origins and find new relatives with a simple DNA test. (affiliate link).

matisyahu

1585 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1122866 6-Sep-2014 03:23

Geektastic:
gzt: I would firmly like to see some kind of rental housing warrant of fitness phased in. I don't know any details of what political parties are proposing, but I do think some kind of minimum would be a good start to avoid disruption.

Essentially a landlord/property investor provides a service and some kind of minimum standard for that service is required. As a secondary effect this would also mildly dampen sales of property unsuitable for renting under that standard and providing a slightly better entry point to first home buyers and renovators in that part of the market.

Basically I think that putting up with some inconvenience and rennovations as a first home buyer or renovator for capital gain is quite different from simply renting a below standard property where the renter is often paying the same rental price as other properties in the area anyway.

I agree.

In the UK for many years local authorities have had powers of entry and inspection and can condemn dwellings as unfit for human habitation if they fail basic sanitation, heating and insulation standards. It originates from anti-slum legislation in Victorian times. Now of course it includes things like annual safety inspections for gas appliances and so on as well.
It's long overdue here judging from some of the horror stories people have related to me about places they've rented here.

I would have assumed that if one had insurance on the rental properties that the insurance companies would demand an inspection to ensure that they're not insuring a place that is a ticking time bomb.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

Laptop: MacBook Air (Apple M2, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

Desktop: Apple Studio, Studio Display (Apple M1 Max, 32GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

Phone: Nothing Phone (12GB RAM, 256GB Storage, Nothing OS 2.0.2), Google Workspace

Other: UniFi AP AC HD, UniFi Dream Machine, Apple TV 4K 128GB, Firefox

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1122883 6-Sep-2014 05:09

nunz:
Geektastic:

So my business tax just covers things I could easily obtain in the private sector at less cost then? From a provider of my choice?

Sorry for cutting so much out of my quote .

Small businesses employ most of the people in NZ. to be honest, most businesses should shut their doors and go home as many of them are barely scraping by.

Now - instead of adding more cost for compliance with FBT, GST, and every other tax that businesses deal with why not try this.

No personal or business tax
Increase GST across the board by about 15% (from 15% to 30%).
Increase levies on things such as alcohol, tobacco, imported dangerous goods. (crappy food, crappy plastic items and similar).

GST is the hardest thing to avoid as you pay it over the counter.
By increasing GST we get a bigger tax take from tourists, overseas businesses using our land / assets etc
We decrease compliance costs.
We make it more even across the board by increasing the take home wages of the poorer half, removing many of the tax loopholes exploited by the richer half and reducing all the compliance costs.

The only people who would dip out would be the accountants and those made redundant from the IRD.

Scarily, the older I get the more ACTS policies make sense in many ways. Gulp!!

reduction in Govt is a good thing - up to a point. Govts role is Law and order, weights and balances, protection of the state.
A proactive Govt might hlep ensure the lesser able can access health and education - which is good for everyone.
After that - its all a crap shoot really.

Things such as the promotion of the country for tourism doesn't belong in the govts role. Let those with vested tourism interests promote tourism.
Promotion of our food and products is not the govts role. let those with vested interests promote that.

Social Welfare - remove the hand out component - don't pay it out in money, pay it out in what people need but make them work for it for the benefit of the state and society. food stamps, electricity stamps, health stamps, compulsory 30-40 hours per week 'employed' in education 9both personal and intellectual), social improvement activity, skills acquisition and job searching.

Capitalism does need to be reigned in - it is a self destructive cycle of greed and escalation - so ensuring balances such as the max wage in a business is 5-10 times that of the minimum wages ensures the big fish look out for the welfare of the little fish too - their wages are reliant on that.

Also add a tax on stupidity - not via a tax route but at the source - e.g. a drunk fee for those turning up in A&E drunk and hurt. those who play sport - let them pay a levey to cover the cost of sports and injury. It well encourage a little more common sense and caution where it is needed.

Lastly - empty the prisons. Those who commit fraud - let them work to pay back what they owe. those that kill a person, let them work to replace the person they killed. Drunk drivers - public shame and humiliation - bright pink vests cleaning up poo at the local dog park - preferably with their hands, cleaning public urinals, cleaning out gunged up water ways. one week for every x points over the limit. those that kill someone while drunk - that's murder - plain and simple.

Bring back executions - some people are not worth keeping. Repeat muderers, rapists, kiddyfiddlers etc. better dead than on our tax bill. Thats good for the victim and society.

Down with political correctness - its a form of brainwashing and facism by those who want us to be as spineless as they are.

Get rid of the methodone program - its a costly way of maintaining an addict at the states expense. They dont aim to wean people off it. Drug education, and understanding has worked a treat in Holland. Add to that making people clean up their own messes afterwards and most will take drugs responsibly and exercise moderation.

No trading on Sundays. or Saturdays or whatever day we call our day off. if jo average has $10 to spend it doesn't matter if you give her / him 6 days to spend it or 7. however increasing your wages bill, power bill and other costs by 14% (1/7) in an environment with a limited fund of resource is stupid. Let families have a day off at the same time. that's good for everyone. force businesses to ensure their workers are given a regular break 1/7.

Goodness gracious Mabel, I'm sure i just turned 80 - look at my litany of old fashioned ideas.

There's a lot that I like here

But 2 that I definitely don't

Death penalty. Don't agree with it myself, state gets it wrong to many times

Capping max wage to 10x minimum wage in an org is silly. You'll get mediocrity. Some executives ready are worth their salary.

matisyahu

1585 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1122888 6-Sep-2014 06:46

Just to add some fuel to the raging fire: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/7576404/Family-struggle-on-minimum-wage

"The grandchildren are staying with Masoe at her insistence while their parents engage in study to get ahead in life – dad is taking a carpentry course and mum, heavily pregnant with her fifth child, is studying IT."

Really? haven't quite worked out that maybe you should stop having damn kids until you're in a financial situation to adequately support them? stupidity like this makes me want to go and live in a cave.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

Laptop: MacBook Air (Apple M2, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

Desktop: Apple Studio, Studio Display (Apple M1 Max, 32GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

Phone: Nothing Phone (12GB RAM, 256GB Storage, Nothing OS 2.0.2), Google Workspace

Other: UniFi AP AC HD, UniFi Dream Machine, Apple TV 4K 128GB, Firefox

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1122891 6-Sep-2014 06:56

its puzzling why you'd have kids when you can't afford them and contraception is virtually free

gzt

15223 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1123110 6-Sep-2014 13:51

kawaii: I would have assumed that if one had insurance on the rental properties that the insurance companies would demand an inspection to ensure that they're not insuring a place that is a ticking time bomb.

That's just not how insurance works. Also, no investor/landlord buys insurance to cover bad health of the tenants caused by lack of maintenance or whathaveyou. Risk to property is not the same as risk to health of persons.

sir1963

2276 posts

Uber Geek

#1123369 6-Sep-2014 21:30

Geektastic:
sir1963:
Geektastic:
Dingbatt:
networkn:
Dingbatt:
Geektastic: Corporates pay what they are required to pay. The assumption that we are somehow entitled to expect more of what they earn in the name of 'fairness' just seems wooly headed.

If the Chinese can restrict the number of offspring breeders produce, why can't we?

I concede 'fair' wasn't the correct term to use. And corporates are only one group that use loopholes to reduce their tax burden. It is we poor suckers that pay PAYE that have nowhere to hide. The problem is both the law and the enforcement of it that lets the 4 Billion referenced by BarTender go missing.

As for the chinese, we don't operate that sort of political or societal system. It's just as easy for people with children to look down their nose at childless people as the reverse. Without other people's children who is going to change your adult diaper and wipe the drool off your chin in the old folks home?

Poor suckers paying PAYE? Say what notw You mean contributing members of society?

Yup. Me included. Nowhere to hide, I just wish others had nowhere to hide as well.

I don't pay PAYE and neither does my wife.

If you think we have somewhere to hide, I will send you our Provisional Tax bill from the IRD - based on the assumption that we will increase our turnover by 5% and with 8.4% penalty interest if we underpay - and a mere 1.75% credit interest if we overpay...it's payable in a lump sum every few months. At the end of your first year in business, the IRD will demand terminal tax (the full amount of income tax for the year just ended, in a single lump) PLUS you will begin paying Provisional tax for the year just begun.

Note that you pay the IRD what they tell you you must pay - and if they get it wrong and you make too much money, and hence pay too little Provisional Tax, they will stiff you for 8.4% interest on the underpayment to reward your hard work and effort....

PAYE people have it easy, I can tell you. Running your own business most assuredly does NOT mean you are not a contributing member of society - in fact it means you do a lot of unpaid work for the IRD in addition to paying through the nose.

You missed the part where you claim for a "Home office" where by the house you live in a percentage of the Rates, Mortgage, Power , Maintenance , phone , car , insurances, rubbish bin, lawn mowing, etc etc are deductible (Its worth about $1000 back in my pocket each year). Never mind all the scams some people do like buying a new fridge for the business and then swap it for the old one at home, getting 4 new tyres for the work vehicle at end up on the wifes car. Then there are the work Uniforms (nice new Amani suit...thanks), work related wineing and dining. Hell until I was forced out of using an LAQC, 100% of my cars running costs (petrol, WOF, Insurance etc etc) was deductible even though it was for personal use and then I could claim depreciation on the car too !.

Now as a PAYE earner too, I am paying 39% on my income over 70K, and wage earners get no deductions for anything, nothing for the house, nothing for the car, nothing for work clothes or tools, etc. Where as a business gets all the deductions then then pays a maximum of 28% no matter how much they earn.

However if you are Google etc who use tax loopholes, they pay about 1.4% tax.

They also take all the risks....and potentially stand to lose family homes and all sorts if it goes pear-shaped.

And all these huge companies the lefties like to hate because they are successful employ hundreds of thousands and all started as small companies once.

Strange, I have seen more employees at risk from poor decisions made by the employer. Particularly in smaller communities where a larger employer makes a large number of people redundant, they can then no longer afford their mortgages, can not another job and can not sell their homes. Just go ask the Feltex workers laid off in Foxton, or the Helaby's workers laid off in Taumarunui, The workers at Kinleath, etc etc etc.

Then lets mention the billions of dollars lost by finance company collapses, and Bernie Madolf is a great example ....

Geektastic

17690 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1123400 6-Sep-2014 22:25

kawaii: Just to add some fuel to the raging fire: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/7576404/Family-struggle-on-minimum-wage

"The grandchildren are staying with Masoe at her insistence while their parents engage in study to get ahead in life – dad is taking a carpentry course and mum, heavily pregnant with her fifth child, is studying IT."

Really? haven't quite worked out that maybe you should stop having damn kids until you're in a financial situation to adequately support them? stupidity like this makes me want to go and live in a cave.

Yes. Stop the world, I want to get off...!

Geektastic

17690 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1123401 6-Sep-2014 22:26

nathan: its puzzling why you'd have kids when you can't afford them and contraception is virtually free

To some of us, it is puzzling why you would even if you could..!!

matisyahu

1585 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1123441 7-Sep-2014 00:34

Geektastic:
kawaii: Just to add some fuel to the raging fire: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/7576404/Family-struggle-on-minimum-wage

"The grandchildren are staying with Masoe at her insistence while their parents engage in study to get ahead in life – dad is taking a carpentry course and mum, heavily pregnant with her fifth child, is studying IT."

Really? haven't quite worked out that maybe you should stop having damn kids until you're in a financial situation to adequately support them? stupidity like this makes me want to go and live in a cave.

Yes. Stop the world, I want to get off...!

I have to admit I had mixed emotions; first I felt sorry for the grand parents but then thought "ok, there has to be a legitimate reason for this" and I read further and saw that the father was upskilling and I thought "hey, that is good - education, getting ahead and eventualy he'll have a better paying job" and then my heart sunk when I read the " heavily pregnant with her fifth child, is studying IT" at which point I felt sorry for the grandparents who are having to carry the burden of two irresponsible people parading as parents. Honestly, if there had to be a poster couple for narcissism that couple would be it.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

Laptop: MacBook Air (Apple M2, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

Desktop: Apple Studio, Studio Display (Apple M1 Max, 32GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

Phone: Nothing Phone (12GB RAM, 256GB Storage, Nothing OS 2.0.2), Google Workspace

Other: UniFi AP AC HD, UniFi Dream Machine, Apple TV 4K 128GB, Firefox

Rikkitic

Awrrr
17253 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1123583 7-Sep-2014 11:52

I haven’t read all the comments but I did sample some. I don’t expect my 2 cents will change anything but here it is anyway: First, I don’t believe in left/right adversarial nonsense, just good ideas and bad ideas. Both sides have some of both. What always gets me about these types of discussions, though, is those who doggedly cling to their ideologies regardless of the consequences. In other words, the notion that children should be left to suffer because their parents are stupid or selfish or immoral or otherwise not of an acceptable standard. Enlightened self-interest says that society has to step in for its own protection regardless of whose fault it is. The alternative is to sit on your high horse claiming the moral high ground while the world crumbles around you as people raised without any values burgle your home, assault you on the street and do no productive work. I would far rather invest in turning these people around while they are still kids than building prisons for them all. And maybe the first generation freed from the hopelessness cycle might even choose to have fewer children. That seems to work elsewhere.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

code15

198 posts

Master Geek

#1123584 7-Sep-2014 11:57

Rikkitic: I haven’t read all the comments but I did sample some. I don’t expect my 2 cents will change anything but here it is anyway: First, I don’t believe in left/right adversarial nonsense, just good ideas and bad ideas. Both sides have some of both. What always gets me about these types of discussions, though, is those who doggedly cling to their ideologies regardless of the consequences. In other words, the notion that children should be left to suffer because their parents are stupid or selfish or immoral or otherwise not of an acceptable standard. Enlightened self-interest says that society has to step in for its own protection regardless of whose fault it is. The alternative is to sit on your high horse claiming the moral high ground while the world crumbles around you as people raised without any values burgle your home, assault you on the street and do no productive work. I would far rather invest in turning these people around while they are still kids than building prisons for them all. And maybe the first generation freed from the hopelessness cycle might even choose to have fewer children. That seems to work elsewhere.

Your ideology sounds left wing.. Just sayin. Right wing ideology is more "every man for himself".

gzt

15223 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1123588 7-Sep-2014 12:03

To me the outcome looks like a family decision made as a whole to try and get ahead and do the best for the future in spite of difficult circumstances.

Jase2985

12353 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1123604 7-Sep-2014 12:39

Rikkitic: I haven’t read all the comments but I did sample some. I don’t expect my 2 cents will change anything but here it is anyway: First, I don’t believe in left/right adversarial nonsense, just good ideas and bad ideas. Both sides have some of both. What always gets me about these types of discussions, though, is those who doggedly cling to their ideologies regardless of the consequences. In other words, the notion that children should be left to suffer because their parents are stupid or selfish or immoral or otherwise not of an acceptable standard. Enlightened self-interest says that society has to step in for its own protection regardless of whose fault it is. The alternative is to sit on your high horse claiming the moral high ground while the world crumbles around you as people raised without any values burgle your home, assault you on the street and do no productive work. I would far rather invest in turning these people around while they are still kids than building prisons for them all. And maybe the first generation freed from the hopelessness cycle might even choose to have fewer children. That seems to work elsewhere.

The kids shouldn't be made to suffer peroid, but the problem is throwing more money at the parents (because the government cant give the kids the money) doesn't necessarily help the children.

we need to help change the ideology to put the kids first in those at risk faimiles.

that to me is the biggest problem at the moment. the kids are not considered to be a priority

Kyanar

3877 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#1123632 7-Sep-2014 14:53

hangon:
gzt: I would firmly like to see some kind of rental housing warrant of fitness phased in. I don't know any details of what political parties are proposing, but I do think some kind of minimum would be a good start to avoid disruption.

Essentially a landlord/property investor provides a service and some kind of minimum standard for that service is required. As a secondary effect this would also mildly dampen sales of property unsuitable for renting under that standard and providing a slightly better entry point to first home buyers and renovators in that part of the market.

Basically I think that putting up with some inconvenience and rennovations as a first home buyer or renovator for capital gain is quite different from simply renting a below standard property where the renter is often paying the same rental price as other properties in the area anyway.

While I agree there should be a minimum standard, side effect it's very likely going to push rents and house prices higher.

Currently I believe the tenants can complain to dbh or tenancy tribunal if they think the house is in a poor condition and they would send investigators.

Not entirely sure ppl would (often) pay the same rent in a below standard property (as other properties) - either they have no choices, meaning other properties (met standard) in hot demands and likely to see rents rise higher, or they could walk away and pick the said other property instead.

Tribunal decisions/investigations are public record. Most tenants do not make complaints about their landlord/property because that then becomes part of a record other landlords check when making tenancy decisions, and noone wants to move a troublemaker in. Unless it becomes illegal to discriminate against a tenant on the basis of tenancy tribunal orders where the tenant was not at fault this is unlikely to change.

1 | ... | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16