This budget and this government were never going to provide the structural tools and address the structural challenges of a deregulated, speculative, unequal society. Addressing the chasm of income disparity would require the removal of privileges, the redistribution of advantage.
BILL ENGLISH’S LATEST BUDGET is a masterful exercise in deception. He has done everything he can to mask the effects of the most rapid expansion in New Zealand’s population since the 1970s. The monies allocated to the core centres of state expenditure – Welfare, Health and Education – barely match the rising numbers they are expected to serve.
I am writing this knowing full well that, one day, it might land me in an Iranian jail where Nazanin is at the moment.
The increase in price for a packet of cigarettes to around thirty dollars apiece is projected to generate about 425 million dollars worth of taxation revenue.
Bill English has said that his fiscal policy priority is to reduce gross public debt to 20 percent of GDP. Is public debt really our number one economic problem?
Well this is interesting, isn’t it. The Australian media’s managed to join the same dots Winston has in the run-up to today’s Budget – yet which mysteriously appear to elude the general comprehension of our National party.
That Bill English wasn’t even aware of what Bennett was announcing is an astounding blunder that only goes to highlight just how rushed and ill prepared the National Government really are right now.
Tonight’s Waatea 5th Estate will be a 45 minute special on the Budget to explore what it actually means to the people.
The utter denial the Government are in over the housing crisis is becoming absurd.
All five complaints by Nicky Stevens’ family over police handling of missing person ‘search’ upheld by IPCA