gdp's Comments

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : C for Key

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 09:24:49 +0000

Key also signaled income tax cuts. While I don't think the package is great, or bold enough to catch Aus, I would say that it's a hell of a lot better than the alternative. And as you say, if you really want to get rid of the ETS, vote ACT.

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : C for Key

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 09:23:26 +0000

Look, I understand lots of NZers depend on property income to make ends meet. That said, if you pay "a lot of tax" I'd guess that's probably company and income tax, both of which I think should be significantly reduced and flattened. That would help not just yourself, but every other business. Of course carpets, et al depreciate. But every accounting student knows that that depreciation is a quick way to cut your tax burden on other work. That would be fine if everyone else could do it (i.e. the productive sector) but the reality is they can't. Not heard of LAQCs being widely used in the productive sector.

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : Minimum wages and unemployment

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 06:53:40 +0000

Oh FCK. That's embarrassing. Better fix that...

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : Minimum wages and unemployment

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 03:34:26 +0000

Well yes, correlation = 1, and across the entire data set it's =0.5; that tends to vindicate my argument that it's not always the minimum wage that cuts employment. I'm sure if you looked at the data series from the mid-80s to mid 90s the correlation would be stronger.

Whale Oil Beef Hooked | Gotcha! : Tiger's Internet Addiction

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:52:08 +0000

Heh, Collins is there for the "Safer Communities Together" message...

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : Screw the Wowsers

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:44:14 +0000

Sadly no, John Q - it seems only 30% were against banning, the rest were fence-sitters.

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : Tax and Zen*

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 08:09:58 +0000

Oh, and spot on for Sex and Zen...

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : Tax and Zen*

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 08:09:21 +0000

Yeah, that's just for revenue received from customers though, not necessarily the sorts of transactions required to keep a business running.

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : Tax and Zen*

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 08:08:25 +0000

Yeah, but we'd have to slash spending to do that... oh well...

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : Let's put the flag to a vote

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:46:19 +0000

Of course not James - the crime of sedition was abolished in 2008. Treason, overthrowing the state by force, remains a crime though, but flying a flag certainly isn't treason.

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : Brewer is right, and wrong

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 21:06:34 +0000

Yep, you've nailed it. Cullen was a much more effective Finance Minister in terms of getting what he wanted. English seems to be content with maintaining the Government's popularity.

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : Let's put the flag to a vote

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 05:24:04 +0000

Agreed Thor. I like the flag above as it combines the two good elements of our current flag: red, white and blue of the British union flag (aka the Union Jack) while using the south pacific symbol of the Southern Cross (a constellation used by both Maori and Europeans to navigate to New Zealand) and, of course, the silver fern, a symbol for which New Zealand is well known internationally.

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : Let's put the flag to a vote

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:33:57 +0000

No worries John. Excellent designs.

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : GST off for tourists a good idea

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:49:22 +0000

Opps, my bad. I don't mind being wrong on your maths, because that means the Standard has it all wrong. By the way, is their a statistical series on tourist spending in Aus? Would be good to refute the Standard's BS on that too.

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : Time for a voter's veto

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:01:44 +0000

Ah, but that depends on how the question is enacted. The sensible thing to do would be to ensure that Parliament couldn't employ less that 1 Jan 1995... however that's not the exact wording of the question. Full details of how I think a voters' veto should work are here - it would exclude Bills of money and supply: http://fck.gotcha.co.nz/2009/11/30/fck-for-a-peop...

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : Lower house prices by cutting income tax

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:08:10 +0000

Really? The last figures I saw said $500m. $2b seems correct given the amount invested in housing.

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : GDP To Double

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:34:45 +0000

God no - I've heard bad things about PNG. My dad's business attempted to sell building products there in the 1990s. Crime is rampant and wealth disparity massive.

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : Axe Swings Over Electricity Commission

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:42:41 +0000

Move everything under Internal Affairs?

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : Axe Swings Over Electricity Commission

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:39:51 +0000

Move everything under Internal Affairs?

Fiscally Conservative Kiwi : Axe Swings Over Electricity Commission

Wed, 9 Dec 2009 03:59:15 +0000

Now, now... let's not get ahead of ourselves!