Another free lunch

[jrandom]

Cuba is...

Under the iron fist of the Castro dynasty, as it has been for the last few decades.

china has...

Precisely what it has always had - a ruling class with a rigid grip on power and no respect for human life, and hundreds of millions of peasants programmed from birth to do what they're told. The labels may change, but the reality has been the same for thousands of years.

Ukraine is...

An impotent chunk of the traditional Russian 'buffer zone'. No matter how much blood its inhabitants spill and how many 'votes' they cast for local leaders, they will always be slaves of geography.

I agree with Hitcher - you value your personal and political freedom, and the lucky coincidence of your birthplace, far too lightly.

[davereid]

Pretty clearly, I don't support a universal student allowance.

But I do find it difficult to cope with the idea that if you are sitting on your arse smoking P, you qualify for the dole, or a sickness benefit.

Chuck the pipe away and enrol at the polytech, suddenly you need to take out a student loan to survive.

Somehow it justs sends the wrong message.

[hazard02]

Even if they have registered to vote, do you think uni students will vote for someone just because they get promised more money?

Most students would vote for you if you offered them a 6-pack and a sandwich.

[Mully]

I would note that no amount of money borrowed by the State and given to 'students' will change the fact that the vast majority of people, tertiary-educated or otherwise, are idiots.

I like the saying "Dammit man, what's the point of being educated if you're stupid?"

[avgas]

I was going to reply to this, correct peoples remarks....but then i sat down.....
where did we go wrong?
What happened to you kiwibiker? Is the govt that bad here?
We used to talk about bikes man........

[Indiana_Jones]

What happened to you kiwibiker? Is the govt that bad here?

yes, it is.

-Indy

[Squiggles]

*Student wanders into the thread*

This short-sighted bribe is only going to encourage more drop-kicks who have no idea what to do after High school to cram into our universities and drink the taxpayers money away.

It is nothing but a shortsighted bribe

The student allowances offer from labour is nothing but an attempt at buying us off, i note they completely ignored calls for one over the last few years, and gave what, a 5% (dont quote me on it, it was piss all) increase in student allowances early in the year, when a much higher was called for to bring it back into line with the costs of living... bet they said anything more would have been irresponsible and dangerous to the economy. I wont be bought.

I care and i dont have the burden of debt, im going through on a scholarship... in return i'll spend some years teaching the next generation of little shits (I'd like to think i wasnt one ).

I think we need a students vs everyone else thread on here

[imne1]

I'm a student. you've all missed the point. 40k cap on parents income rules out money that the majority of students need and yet the dole is universal. I spent 3 months on a sickness benefit and it payed $25 a week more than the student allowance. Students have way more costs to bare: transport, food, books, stationary/internet/printing etc. believe me there are a hell of a lot more expenses than there were during those 3 months I spent sitting on my ass playing games.
SO .. in short: universal student allowance is good, should sstart income testing for the unemployment benefit instead (how many rich kids get the dole?)

[idleidolidyll]

and in the meantime John Key is trying to steal from the superannuation fund to pay for his tax cuts.

part of his idea to enforce 40% 'investment' in NZ businesses from the fund is the ability for the government to borrow from it. That would mean the government would borrow from the taxpayer fund and the loan would be paid back by the taxpayer with interest.

Talk about hollow men, that's just another way to tax us without calling it a tax.

[Dilligaf]

Ha! Well if your average student is too stupid to realise that you are a student for 4 years (average) but a taxpayer for life, then maybe you kiwis deserve another three years with Heilen.
Sure, get your allowance now, pay for thousands of others for the rest of your life...

[Mully]

part of his idea to enforce 40% 'investment' in NZ businesses from the fund is the ability for the government to borrow from it. That would mean the government would borrow from the taxpayer fund and the loan would be paid back by the taxpayer with interest.

Hi III,

At the risk of taking this (further) off topic than you have above (mods, feel free to move if you want), do you have any proof that this is John Key's "Idea" or are you just supposing?

Even if you do have proof, isn't it much the same as the Government borrowing from anywhere to fund anything? Except, that the "return" (from the taxpayer to the Super Fund) is staying controlled in NZ? In which case, isn't it better that Govt borrows from the fund in NZ rather than from overseas?
Plus, I presume the borrowing could be at a more favourable interest rate from the Super Fund than from overseas. As well as avoiding being bitten by unfavourable exchange rates. (I'm assuming a common currency, obviously)

Also (assuming again that you are correct), from the Super Fund's point of view, isn't lending to Government a more secure investment than, say, chucking your money at a finance company paying 2% more?

[Squiggles]

I'm a student. you've all missed the point. 40k cap on parents income rules out money that the majority of students need and yet the dole is universal. I spent 3 months on a sickness benefit and it payed $25 a week more than the student allowance. Students have way more costs to bare: transport, food, books, stationary/internet/printing etc. believe me there are a hell of a lot more expenses than there were during those 3 months I spent sitting on my ass playing games.
SO .. in short: universal student allowance is good, should sstart income testing for the unemployment benefit instead (how many rich kids get the dole?)

I take a different stand on this, income testing is the most fail system anyway, but i dont think allowances should be payouts while studying... if however, a similar system to what the teachnz scholarships offer was applied, i'd be all for it. Especially in terms of return on investment. With many of us buggering off o/s after we get a degree, we could essentially have the best part of a free education then fuckoff without putting anything back in. With the teachnz thing, they pay all the fees, and give you a bit of cash, in return you do the same # of years teaching here in nz, no paying them back in cash. They get what they want... i.e. teachers & tax payers.
Its also a brilliant idea on the merit that, if i study for 4 years, by the time i've done the study and then 4 years teaching, i might be starting a family here etc etc...
If i decide to stop or not do the time, it just becomes a loan. You get a couple of years to go about whatever (have an oe, go try something else). Thoughts?

[trustme]

Squiggles, In principle I have no real issue with it , don't know how it would cost out & what happens to the people who do dumb courses that will not result in a job when completed, pretty hard to bond people if there is no job for them.

[Hitcher]

Sometimes I wonder if it's wise giving people a vote just because they're 18 years or older. This thread is one such cause of wonder.

[Pixie]

National announced it would spend $47 million a year on boosting literacy and numeracy in schools, because almost 1 in five kids are leaving school unable to read, write or count.

One in five leave university in that state,these days,as well.