Some bold ways of funding Green election promises
Election promises can cost a lot of money. Here are some ways the Greens in government could raise some extra cash. All these proposals are consistent with existing Green policy.
Firstly, increase tax on the rich, keeping at a minimum to the 2014 Green election policy of a 40% tax rate for income over $140,000. The successful Corbyn campaign in Britain was a little more ambitious, proposing a 45% tax on incomes over 80,000 pounds (around $NZ142,000) and 50% on incomes over 123,000 pounds (around $NZ220,000).
Secondly, a big chunk of the GCSB’s $159 million annual budget could be saved by closing down the Waihopai spy station. Such a move would be in line with the Greens opposition to NZ being part of the Five Eyes.
Thirdly, several hundred million dollars a year could be saved by phasing out our two frigates, Te Mana and Te Kaha. Getting rid of the frigates has long been a Green policy. Our other navy vessels (the six patrol boats and the multi-purpose vessel Canterbury) are useful for disaster relief work and resource patrols around NZ and in the South Pacific. The frigates, by contrast, are geared only to help America fight foreign wars and they cost a fortune to run and upgrade. The current frigate weapons systems upgrade costs $440 million.
Fourthly, legalising and regulating marijuana would not only keep a lot of people out of jail and lower our imprisonment rate. It would also enhance tax revenue. Colorado takes in around $US200 million annually from the state’s tax on legal marijuana sales.
Fifthly, $1 billion would be saved by cancelling the projected new 1500 prisoner facility at Waikeria, and the 300 new beds at Ngawha and Mt Eden. Even a fraction of that money being put into prisoner rehabilitation programmes would produce a better outcome. Reducing prisoner numbers in the short term can be done at both ends of the prison system. Firstly, repeal of the 2013 Bail Amendment Act would significantly drop the number of remand prisoners. More would be on bail before their trials. And secondly, we should follow California’s lead. That state releases selected prisoners early to relieve pressure on accommodation. There is no excuse for adding to prisoner numbers when our overall crime rate has been dropping, not increasing.
The above five policies are controversial and would draw fire from the business establishment (for raising taxes on the rich), the intelligence establishment (for closing Waihopai), the defence establishment (for phasing out naval combat boats), the moral conservatives (for legalizing marijuana for adults) and the law-and-order brigade (for allowing more bail, and releasing some prisoners early).
However, each of those five policies would resonate favourably with thinking progressive voters. They would also more clearly differentiate Green policies from Labour’s in five important areas. Pushing such policies in the election campaign would also enhance the Greens credibility as an anti-establishment party at a time when voters, in New Zealand and around the world, are increasingly critical of the status quo.
And each of those five policies would produce funds to help pay for the important social and environmental projects the Greens will be promoting during the election campaign.
If only the Greens would clearly and loudly espouse Keith Locke’s five policy points they would improve the chance of reversing their gentle slide in the polls. Instead they seem ashamed of them, if they are their policies. When I look at the Greens website Policies I see an ocean of warm fuzzy words that seem to barely differentiate the Greens from most of the other parties in Parliament. Or perhaps I drifted off to sleep too soon to detect anything concrete. Hidden under “Other Policies” I clicked on “Defence and Peacekeeping” and did find the call to remove the frigates, and under “Drug Reform Policy” the call to legalise marijuana. But contrast that heavily veiled policy with Gareth Morgan’s clarion call. I’m still searching for any reference to to a 40% tax rate on high incomes (again, contrast that with Morgan’s clear call to tax wealth), for closing the Waihopai spy station, and for canning extra prison beds, but perhaps I just have to dig down another metre or through all the words.
Also Shaw should if he isn’t start feeding MPs under him perfect information I,e daily wraps. He’ll know what I mean.
UUUUMMMMM,
“And each of those five policies would produce funds to help pay for the important social and environmental projects the Greens will be promoting” – theres’ rail also isnt’ there??????
Keith! what about canning some of the lavish billions being planned on new roads National is building to trucks $13 Billion to double lane of Hamilton to Tauranga truck roads for instance & the don’t forget hideous “holiday highways” for the rich too!!!!
That money, or part of it could properly fund a proper rail freight and regional rail service would it not and in keeping with Green party model to return rail to full service, – as NZ First policy also wants????
Don’t’ forget the core transport policies the Greens were founded on!!!
The thing is New Zealand’s productive capacity is only running around half capacity and we already know New Zealand’s roads have largely reached peak capacity. So IMO if New Zealand wants to hit the next level up of economic performance we should be squeezing out every bit of rail Kiwis can stomach. Americas cup induced light rail to the air port is one. Northland rail is another. A full solar wind farm conversion of the national energy grid is another that should be tabled. Elon Musk is already in pre production of a full solar conversion of South Australia after trailing a conversion in Fiji. #CatchUp
100% Sam.
Green party policies: very slight tweaking of business-as-usual to ensure nothing really changes. Therefore the Green Party is very much part of the problem and everything that matters will continue to be made worse……whether they are around or not.