The many ways "our" National Government has already changed our lives financially:

[shrub]

Can't afford to ride very often now.

Do you have any idea how much a psychiatrist charges these days? mate, none of us can afford NOT to ride.

[Banditbandit]

Do you have any idea how much a psychiatrist charges these days? mate, none of us can afford NOT to ride.

Fell about laughing .. and yeah, I'll bet those you say trhey can't afford to ride drive a car .. just choose the bike instead !

[Dave Lobster]

That magenta's a lovely colour.

A tad bright. Do you think it would look better in bold?

[Taz]

Fell about laughing .. and yeah, I'll bet those you say trhey can't afford to ride drive a car .. just choose the bike instead !

Can't get all the kids on the bike.

Actually can't really afford the kids anymore either.

[Winston001]

We need to open up differing markets , produce more ( smarter not harder ) and look out for the basic needs , house , food and utilities , ALL of which are WAY to high ( Raped by overseas )

You make good points and I'll just comment on the above.

As an agricultural exporting nation our food is very much influenced by world markets. Can't do much about that unless you want to pay more tax and subsidise milk, bread, meat etc.

Housing - tough one. Partly its our own fault for agreeing to pay high prices. The average house price is still way above the long term average -viz a house should cost 3.5 times household income, not the current 6x.

But building regulations as a result of leaky homes and shoddy builders means new housing is expensive. Plus we have plenty of rain and earthquakes. Really our methods need to simplify.

Utilities - can't see any easy way to reduce power, phone, sewage, water etc. NZ is running out of electricity so why would the price fall? Telecom is a wreck for the size of the business.

We are a small series of mountainous islands - much like Japan. The difference is we didn't have the Marshall Plan rebuild our nation after 1945, nor do we have the work commitment of the large Japanese population.

[Winston001]

...But opinions are not facts. 2.5% additional cost on everything is a fact. Nothing will change that.

No. Not a fact.

The rise in GST will not affect rents. Nor will it apply to mortgages. Or interest. Or to financial services such as bank fees etc. Or life insurance. No GST charged at all by small hobbyist traders such as you find at farmers markets and fairs.

Rent or mortgages consume 1/3 of many household incomes in NZ so you have to agree that's a big expense completely outside the GST basket.

[Brian d marge]

You make good points and I'll just comment on the above.

As an agricultural exporting nation our food is very much influenced by world markets. Can't do much about that unless you want to pay more tax and subsidise milk, bread, meat etc.

Housing - tough one. Partly its our own fault for agreeing to pay high prices. The average house price is still way above the long term average -viz a house should cost 3.5 times household income, not the current 6x.

But building regulations as a result of leaky homes and shoddy builders means new housing is expensive. Plus we have plenty of rain and earthquakes. Really our methods need to simplify.

Utilities - can't see any easy way to reduce power, phone, sewage, water etc. NZ is running out of electricity so why would the price fall? Telecom is a wreck for the size of the business.

We are a small series of mountainous islands - much like Japan. The difference is we didn't have the Marshall Plan rebuild our nation after 1945, nor do we have the work commitment of the large Japanese population.

You and I could quite easily kill and afternoon with a beer and you on one side of the fence , me smoking the greener grass on the other
Btw , I have that post u gave me about the accounts regarding NZ , haven't worked my way through it yet , so my point about housing is slightly anecdotal

Agriculture , Yep needs to change , was good but , not the future I think , ( Fish farming at sea ?? ) Britain moved into finance , not sure about that move but still ...

Housing,... overseas buyers , theres ya problem ( call it investment property ) no not mom and pop with one or maybe two for the retirement , but groups individuals with portfolios ,,,,and there was a lot of investment dollars floating about ,,,
agree on the 30% of income for a morgage ( Mine is 25% over 40 years , Ill be 85 !! when I finish !!)
Also supply and demand , and cost of building , My house was built by a lazer some where in Tokyo and assembled by builders took 3 months to do and cost I think 160 000 including Land ( small but usable ) but cheap due to mass production
So yes on that one habitat housing for the masses , homes are not an investment they are a home for a family IMHO

Utilities

Get those useless dole bludging layabouts to dig me some broadband . 49% overseas ownership at a fixed return of 7 to 8 % guaranteed by government ( 2 points above the bond market )

Sand shoes and shovels 3 times a week sod the greenies , where me Dam ( shoot the fantail , noisy bleeder)

Ahh the Marshal plan , Screwed Britain , Did wonders for the Germans , and haliburton

Nz does work hard, popular myth about some NZ being lazy ...as it is about the Japs being industrious
These buggers have laziness to a T
yes they work until 12 at night but the output ain't much
remember trying to copy Japan without understanding the people is a recipe for disaster , see Gm on that one

Nz could be ( and was ) a great place if it told the banks where to go ,,,has been done before argintina , but the banks have long memories ,,,but I still believe its could offer a nice self sustaining ( organic would be nice) lifesyle for ALL of society , not just the familys who prospered during the boom times

Stephen