I always enjoy your work Nick, but today’s offering is outstandingly good! I particularly loved hearing about Gary Payinda and Craig Rennie, two remarkably able honest and intelligent men who will make an important difference when they are elected – not if, but when! Thanks for everything!
I was thrilled when Gary told us yesterday, at our end of year Whangarei Labour members get together, about Craig being selected for the Labour candidacy in Wellington.
I feel we are definitely in the winning team this time around & doubly proud to have helped vote Gary in at our Candidate selection meeting in Whangarei, join in the recent protests over Healthcare Cuts & follow his rise in popularity both here & across the Motu.
Knowing Craig (who had been Gary's 'fellow running partner' with their award winning BHN podcasts The Frontline & Locked Out , leading up to their selection) is also in the race is a just the cherry on the top!
So National think they are doing well with their ideas on Kiwisaver ? OMG.!!! They are suggesting that WE pay in more, and EMPLOYERS pay in more. No mention of this grabamint helping financially....Luxon must think we are all stupid to accept this as a wonderful new policy. It's our own money, FFS !..
The thought that employers will put more money on the table for their employees is laughable - personally, I would make the employer put 6% of their total wage bill into a KiwiSaver pot, then divide it equally between employees - so everyone gets the same, not a % of their salary which disproportionally benefits those on higher incomes
My thoughts exactly Lyn. This isn't a National party policy because in govt they are committing nothing to the scheme. Just another brain fart from Luxton and Willis that will not help working people who will have to forgo wage increases so that employers can contribute. Bernard Hickey sums it up well this morning.
Wonderful front bench waiting for citizens to make them the next government. How about a compulsory KiwiSaver scheme where people earning less than the mean (not median) salary can adopt a rich prick to supplement their retirement savings - ratio still to be determined though three to one sounds good. Brad and Jason - the best TVNZ news can find, sad.
Bernard Hickey describes the announcement yesterday on Kiwisaver as performative politics. "In actuality, the announcement of higher default contribution rates won’t cost employers or the Government anything, and it won’t necessarily increase the ability of savers to contribute more.... " It is nothing like the Australian scheme, where only employers pay. Contractors (like those in Uber) don't get Kiwisaver, if you are on a 90 day trial, it means nothing and as others have pointed out the government cut their contribution in half again just a few months ago. Many employers use "total remuneration packages" to get out of paying Kiwisaver employer contributions, The minimum wage went up by 1.5% this year, wage growth is well below the rate of inflation, yet those workers are expected to "contribute" to save more? As for where they got the figure of a 21 year old on $65,000 p.a. escapes me. Meanwhile, Resene workers are on strike again today for a Living Wage after an offer from their employer of just 0.8 cents an hour.
I think we should stop doing everything by percentages as it always benefits those on more.
Give a person a 3% pay rise from minimum wage and they get 3% of a very low figure which equals almost nothing, but give the CEO or Air NZ a 3% pay rise on a 5-million-dollar salary and they will probably be $100,000 a year better off even after paying the extra income tax on their pay rise!
Same with Kiwisaver - change employer contributions from a percentage to an absolute figure, as that will benefit the poorest more. Not 100% sure how to do it, but maybe make the employer put 6% of their total wage bill into a pot then divide it equally between all the employees, regardless of salary. Same cost to the employer as giving everyone 6%, but benefits the poorest most
I agree 100%, Martin - I really don't like % increases - just another way to increase inequality and for the better off to get more better off! There would be challenges with changing this system, but surely it's not impossible.
I was mulling overnight how we got stuck with what I will now refer to as "the scourge of percentage wage increases". I think it is because we always hear that inflation and GDP increase in percentages, that everyone automatically assumes everything else must as well. But I read years ago about national inflation being an average and everyone has their own persona inflation rate, depending what they spend their money on - people even put up online calculators so you could estimate your own personal inflation rate, depending on your spending.
What is very clear is that rich people usually have a much lower rate of personal inflation than poor people experience. Poor people end up spending every extra dollar they get just to keep going, and mostly have to buy the things with the highest rates of increase these days like rent, food, electricity, etc. - so their personal rate of inflation is probably more like 5 to 10%, and they cannot avoid it. Whereas rich people hardly ever spend all the money they get paid anyway, and they spend a small proportion on those things that are getting expensive most quickly, with more going on "luxuries" that they can easily avoid buying if the price has gone up too fast (which is probably why the price of luxury goods goes up more slowly - you can only charge what the market will bear for things people dont have to buy, whereas necessities you can hike the price as much as you like - supermarkets and power companies know this all too well!)
So, even if wages go up in line with CPI, lower waged people are going backwards compared to their own personal rate of inflation.
I would really like to see someone doing some deep analysis on this as I don't want to be yet another middle-aged cis-white-man throwing out his "reckons" when they aren't substantiated by facts! I think it would also give more ammunition to those advocating for a more equal society - just the like study by IRD on what the ultra-rich pay in effective tax rates on their "incomes"
We should also remember that making the employer contribute more to Kiwisaver means that the government will take more in tax, since they tax employer contributions - Surely, the business owners will hate this idea once they realize that!
Not only do they have to put more money in, but more of that money goes to the government, so their employees actually get less overall and will be less happy/motivated and more likely to move jobs to get a better salary. The point of remunerating people is to attract, retain and motivate staff - can't see this helping
If you are going to have an Australian comparison on Super then how about Australian salaries to match. Oh no we can't do that we're a proud low wage economy. Seriously a compulsory Super wouldn't be a bad idea, but it has to be affordable and currently that is not the case for too many. Most excellent news regarding Craig and Gary. Genuine experts indeed and so able to talk with easily understandable common sense. The media are likely to go ape over Michael...counting down in...1..2..3. Pity Craigs hair looks like a bad hair day if ever there was one.
I would redistribute the employer Kiwisaver contributions differently - put 6% in a pot and share it out equally between employees - same cost to the employer, more benefit to the lower wage earners - the rich and sorted will look after themselves - giving a % of salary just means more to the already wealthy
Brilliant idea Martin. Whilst the very rich would never allow their money to be distributed anywhere except themselves or their trusts and likely don't bother with Kiwisaver, it would capture a significant amount from those higher earners who still pay PAYE. An easy win-win for all.
I was a long-term workplace union delegate for PSA, and once, under the Key government's wage restraint for the public sector, got a CEO to distribute the meagre annual wage bill rise by dollars not percentages, so the lowest paid got the most benefit - it was the biggest (and possibly only) win of my 15-year Union career in NZ! Now I am just a consultant and give myself a pay rise whenever I feel like charging customers more money!
🙋 In defence of Quince Jelly - I discovered it when I bought a house with an enormous old Quince tree &, having never encountered them before, researched what I could do with them (apart from letting them rot on the ground & attract wasps & fruit flies 😱) The resulting jelly was amazing & delicious & also made great presents 🤗 Yes I know what you mean - National have no variety in their ranks, only right wing ideology thinking, but still, the ACTUAL Quince jelly is sublime 🥳
Wow, thank you Cindy ! educating willy time lol. maybe mum was doing it incorrectly because it was truly awful...but you have given me renewed hope.
all other forms of jam were good, but mum's plum jam was truly a wonder to behold ( complete with plum stones as well ) .I will find quince jelly done your way and I will try it ! I will reserve my judgement till the quince is sampled. thank you so much. Willy.
I hated the quince jelly my mother made too but in retrospect I think it's one of those tastes you don't develop till you're older. Friend recently gave me some quince paste and after a nervous taste I'm finding it delicious!
🤗 Same house big old plum tree that was too sour for eating - a neighbour turned me on to plum sauce & again - great presents of bottles of the delish, & now without my own plum tree I buy Barkers of Geraldine plum sauce & use it much more than tomato sauce 👍
🤗 Plum sauce hard to describe apart from "delish"! Doesn't really have a bite but elevates particularly anything pork based, onion rings, chips... anything that you would use tomato sauce on 💪 All this talk is making me re-look at my tiny back yard to see if I could fit a Plum tree (or maybe the front, and share with my neighbours as they walk by 👍)
Luxon doesn’t seem to have grasped the idea that the more the caucus praises, the shorter the career. I sent the below letter to the Herald this morning, to that effect. I really hope I’m right🤞Stabbing Luxon out of power is possibly a step too far but a good dose of humiliation and humble pie eating thrown at his ego should be enough. Letter below……..
I read this morning that Prime Minister Luxon believes he will definitely be leading National into the next election. He also feels no threat to his leadership particularly from his “good friend” Chris Bishop. I imagine Julius Caesar felt the same about his “good friend” Brutus as they met for a Senate meeting one bright spring day in 44BC. Boy, did he get that wrong!
Really appreciate your work Nick, coz I can no longer stomach watching and listening to Luxon myself...he has got to be the most ludicrous political figure in the history of this country, I reckon.
🤔 The Kiwisaver PROPOSED changes are a joke, for all the reasons you point out Nick, plus almost 💯% of other people whose comments I have read. IMHO it is people who can afford to save anyway (higher income, stable employment over decades etc) will benefit most & be least affected by having higher contributors deducted from their pool of spending $$. BEFORE Kiwisaver the higher earners bought shares/properties/investments & otherwise prepared for life after retiring 🤷 I don't know what the answer is as every "solution" doesn't seem to end up with an even playing field, but hopefully with candidates like Gary & Craig & Michael et al the electors have the chance of having policy-makers who are competent plus have the best interests of the lower>middle income families at heart 👍💪
🙋 PS I hope NACT1st have a go at Michael Woods - it will open Pandora's box for the Opposition parties to point out the far more egregious past & present conflicts in many of their MP's AND Ministers up to and including the pretend-PM, PLUS the fact Labour leadership had the guts to address the issue ✔️🤗
Ive not been actively up to date with the state of politics for a while. Mainly headlines and skimming. Ive been quite disillusioned down and disturbed by it all. However this latest newsletter has been very encouraging. While reading a pop up suggested I go live on RNZ listen to Chippy being interviewed after a meeting. He was in great form and I feel quite inspired and hopeful that things are going to turn around for the better. Really enjoyable read Nick. Thanks.
What's the chances of National's kiwisaver idea causing Kiwis second thoughts about moving to a better life in Australia. Zero. It fails to give any hope of a financially better life in NZ. If that's National's best idea; well it's just depressing
If this one reaches 100 likes by this afternoon, I'll open it up to all.
I always enjoy your work Nick, but today’s offering is outstandingly good! I particularly loved hearing about Gary Payinda and Craig Rennie, two remarkably able honest and intelligent men who will make an important difference when they are elected – not if, but when! Thanks for everything!
I was thrilled when Gary told us yesterday, at our end of year Whangarei Labour members get together, about Craig being selected for the Labour candidacy in Wellington.
I feel we are definitely in the winning team this time around & doubly proud to have helped vote Gary in at our Candidate selection meeting in Whangarei, join in the recent protests over Healthcare Cuts & follow his rise in popularity both here & across the Motu.
Knowing Craig (who had been Gary's 'fellow running partner' with their award winning BHN podcasts The Frontline & Locked Out , leading up to their selection) is also in the race is a just the cherry on the top!
Bring it on Labour!!
Agree, we do not need goofy shots. National are very slick with their image; something Labour could improve on. .
Now open to all.
So National think they are doing well with their ideas on Kiwisaver ? OMG.!!! They are suggesting that WE pay in more, and EMPLOYERS pay in more. No mention of this grabamint helping financially....Luxon must think we are all stupid to accept this as a wonderful new policy. It's our own money, FFS !..
The thought that employers will put more money on the table for their employees is laughable - personally, I would make the employer put 6% of their total wage bill into a KiwiSaver pot, then divide it equally between employees - so everyone gets the same, not a % of their salary which disproportionally benefits those on higher incomes
My thoughts exactly Lyn. This isn't a National party policy because in govt they are committing nothing to the scheme. Just another brain fart from Luxton and Willis that will not help working people who will have to forgo wage increases so that employers can contribute. Bernard Hickey sums it up well this morning.
Yeah Mac...."just another brain-fart" from the NACT1st-Stink-Later team...!
Not sure if he understands what he is saying LOL
That’s the problem wenz99. Neither does he
Wonderful front bench waiting for citizens to make them the next government. How about a compulsory KiwiSaver scheme where people earning less than the mean (not median) salary can adopt a rich prick to supplement their retirement savings - ratio still to be determined though three to one sounds good. Brad and Jason - the best TVNZ news can find, sad.
Great comment, I shall adopt the ex rugby player that has an attraction to helicopters and a partner that makes toys. We will be a great threesome.
Bernard Hickey describes the announcement yesterday on Kiwisaver as performative politics. "In actuality, the announcement of higher default contribution rates won’t cost employers or the Government anything, and it won’t necessarily increase the ability of savers to contribute more.... " It is nothing like the Australian scheme, where only employers pay. Contractors (like those in Uber) don't get Kiwisaver, if you are on a 90 day trial, it means nothing and as others have pointed out the government cut their contribution in half again just a few months ago. Many employers use "total remuneration packages" to get out of paying Kiwisaver employer contributions, The minimum wage went up by 1.5% this year, wage growth is well below the rate of inflation, yet those workers are expected to "contribute" to save more? As for where they got the figure of a 21 year old on $65,000 p.a. escapes me. Meanwhile, Resene workers are on strike again today for a Living Wage after an offer from their employer of just 0.8 cents an hour.
I think we should stop doing everything by percentages as it always benefits those on more.
Give a person a 3% pay rise from minimum wage and they get 3% of a very low figure which equals almost nothing, but give the CEO or Air NZ a 3% pay rise on a 5-million-dollar salary and they will probably be $100,000 a year better off even after paying the extra income tax on their pay rise!
Same with Kiwisaver - change employer contributions from a percentage to an absolute figure, as that will benefit the poorest more. Not 100% sure how to do it, but maybe make the employer put 6% of their total wage bill into a pot then divide it equally between all the employees, regardless of salary. Same cost to the employer as giving everyone 6%, but benefits the poorest most
I agree 100%, Martin - I really don't like % increases - just another way to increase inequality and for the better off to get more better off! There would be challenges with changing this system, but surely it's not impossible.
I was mulling overnight how we got stuck with what I will now refer to as "the scourge of percentage wage increases". I think it is because we always hear that inflation and GDP increase in percentages, that everyone automatically assumes everything else must as well. But I read years ago about national inflation being an average and everyone has their own persona inflation rate, depending what they spend their money on - people even put up online calculators so you could estimate your own personal inflation rate, depending on your spending.
What is very clear is that rich people usually have a much lower rate of personal inflation than poor people experience. Poor people end up spending every extra dollar they get just to keep going, and mostly have to buy the things with the highest rates of increase these days like rent, food, electricity, etc. - so their personal rate of inflation is probably more like 5 to 10%, and they cannot avoid it. Whereas rich people hardly ever spend all the money they get paid anyway, and they spend a small proportion on those things that are getting expensive most quickly, with more going on "luxuries" that they can easily avoid buying if the price has gone up too fast (which is probably why the price of luxury goods goes up more slowly - you can only charge what the market will bear for things people dont have to buy, whereas necessities you can hike the price as much as you like - supermarkets and power companies know this all too well!)
So, even if wages go up in line with CPI, lower waged people are going backwards compared to their own personal rate of inflation.
I would really like to see someone doing some deep analysis on this as I don't want to be yet another middle-aged cis-white-man throwing out his "reckons" when they aren't substantiated by facts! I think it would also give more ammunition to those advocating for a more equal society - just the like study by IRD on what the ultra-rich pay in effective tax rates on their "incomes"
We should also remember that making the employer contribute more to Kiwisaver means that the government will take more in tax, since they tax employer contributions - Surely, the business owners will hate this idea once they realize that!
Not only do they have to put more money in, but more of that money goes to the government, so their employees actually get less overall and will be less happy/motivated and more likely to move jobs to get a better salary. The point of remunerating people is to attract, retain and motivate staff - can't see this helping
If you are going to have an Australian comparison on Super then how about Australian salaries to match. Oh no we can't do that we're a proud low wage economy. Seriously a compulsory Super wouldn't be a bad idea, but it has to be affordable and currently that is not the case for too many. Most excellent news regarding Craig and Gary. Genuine experts indeed and so able to talk with easily understandable common sense. The media are likely to go ape over Michael...counting down in...1..2..3. Pity Craigs hair looks like a bad hair day if ever there was one.
I would redistribute the employer Kiwisaver contributions differently - put 6% in a pot and share it out equally between employees - same cost to the employer, more benefit to the lower wage earners - the rich and sorted will look after themselves - giving a % of salary just means more to the already wealthy
Brilliant idea Martin. Whilst the very rich would never allow their money to be distributed anywhere except themselves or their trusts and likely don't bother with Kiwisaver, it would capture a significant amount from those higher earners who still pay PAYE. An easy win-win for all.
I was a long-term workplace union delegate for PSA, and once, under the Key government's wage restraint for the public sector, got a CEO to distribute the meagre annual wage bill rise by dollars not percentages, so the lowest paid got the most benefit - it was the biggest (and possibly only) win of my 15-year Union career in NZ! Now I am just a consultant and give myself a pay rise whenever I feel like charging customers more money!
Oh how the tide turns. 'By all means be successful and enjoy the fruits of your Labour'. Nick Rockel.
Exactly, no one is saying' enjoy the fruits of your National' are they, BECAUSE THEY DON'T EXIST ! (Said in capitals to maximize the effect).
Labour are 3 Berry jam, and Strawberry Jam and Blackberry Jam and Raspberry Jam and Blueberry Jam and Blackcurrant Jam.
National are Quince Jelly.
Only one option...and the Quince Jelly's off.
🙋 In defence of Quince Jelly - I discovered it when I bought a house with an enormous old Quince tree &, having never encountered them before, researched what I could do with them (apart from letting them rot on the ground & attract wasps & fruit flies 😱) The resulting jelly was amazing & delicious & also made great presents 🤗 Yes I know what you mean - National have no variety in their ranks, only right wing ideology thinking, but still, the ACTUAL Quince jelly is sublime 🥳
Wow, thank you Cindy ! educating willy time lol. maybe mum was doing it incorrectly because it was truly awful...but you have given me renewed hope.
all other forms of jam were good, but mum's plum jam was truly a wonder to behold ( complete with plum stones as well ) .I will find quince jelly done your way and I will try it ! I will reserve my judgement till the quince is sampled. thank you so much. Willy.
I hated the quince jelly my mother made too but in retrospect I think it's one of those tastes you don't develop till you're older. Friend recently gave me some quince paste and after a nervous taste I'm finding it delicious!
ok, I'm convinced. I'm going to track down the quintessential quince and get it turned into quince jelly !
Not being quintest but it is not an attractive looking fruit ( I think that had to be said ).
It certainly isn't!
🤗 Same house big old plum tree that was too sour for eating - a neighbour turned me on to plum sauce & again - great presents of bottles of the delish, & now without my own plum tree I buy Barkers of Geraldine plum sauce & use it much more than tomato sauce 👍
Have you tried Tuimato sauce?
It's great isn't it? Not expensive either......runs rings around Watties.
Wait, is plum sauce more like a relish with a bit of bite as you eat it ? drink it ?
another mum classic was the tried and true deep fried camembert with a ploughman's chutney, home made, until we ran out of ploughmen.
And Tuimato sauce ? Prey tell !
🤗 Plum sauce hard to describe apart from "delish"! Doesn't really have a bite but elevates particularly anything pork based, onion rings, chips... anything that you would use tomato sauce on 💪 All this talk is making me re-look at my tiny back yard to see if I could fit a Plum tree (or maybe the front, and share with my neighbours as they walk by 👍)
This review tells you all you need to know. But buy some and try it out.
Is this the best tomato sauce in New Zealand?: https://thespinoff.co.nz/kai/08-09-2023/is-this-the-best-tomato-sauce-in-new-zealand?utm_The ource=spinoff-share-button&utm_medium=email
The best jam ever!
I believe !
Craig Renney and Gary Payinda are outstanding candidates.
Craig Rennie looks like Syndrome in his PR pic... what a great candidate, though.
Luxon doesn’t seem to have grasped the idea that the more the caucus praises, the shorter the career. I sent the below letter to the Herald this morning, to that effect. I really hope I’m right🤞Stabbing Luxon out of power is possibly a step too far but a good dose of humiliation and humble pie eating thrown at his ego should be enough. Letter below……..
I read this morning that Prime Minister Luxon believes he will definitely be leading National into the next election. He also feels no threat to his leadership particularly from his “good friend” Chris Bishop. I imagine Julius Caesar felt the same about his “good friend” Brutus as they met for a Senate meeting one bright spring day in 44BC. Boy, did he get that wrong!
Love it
Really appreciate your work Nick, coz I can no longer stomach watching and listening to Luxon myself...he has got to be the most ludicrous political figure in the history of this country, I reckon.
Ludicrous Luxon; Luxon is Ludicrous; I can see that on billboards next year.
Can't we start now? Our CoCriminals are already campaigning on TikTok
Bring it on !!
🤔 The Kiwisaver PROPOSED changes are a joke, for all the reasons you point out Nick, plus almost 💯% of other people whose comments I have read. IMHO it is people who can afford to save anyway (higher income, stable employment over decades etc) will benefit most & be least affected by having higher contributors deducted from their pool of spending $$. BEFORE Kiwisaver the higher earners bought shares/properties/investments & otherwise prepared for life after retiring 🤷 I don't know what the answer is as every "solution" doesn't seem to end up with an even playing field, but hopefully with candidates like Gary & Craig & Michael et al the electors have the chance of having policy-makers who are competent plus have the best interests of the lower>middle income families at heart 👍💪
🙋 PS I hope NACT1st have a go at Michael Woods - it will open Pandora's box for the Opposition parties to point out the far more egregious past & present conflicts in many of their MP's AND Ministers up to and including the pretend-PM, PLUS the fact Labour leadership had the guts to address the issue ✔️🤗
Re Michael Woods, if the Nats harp on, it will wear thin pretty quick.
I really liked Michael woods. He had the grace to reply to my emails
Ive not been actively up to date with the state of politics for a while. Mainly headlines and skimming. Ive been quite disillusioned down and disturbed by it all. However this latest newsletter has been very encouraging. While reading a pop up suggested I go live on RNZ listen to Chippy being interviewed after a meeting. He was in great form and I feel quite inspired and hopeful that things are going to turn around for the better. Really enjoyable read Nick. Thanks.
What's the chances of National's kiwisaver idea causing Kiwis second thoughts about moving to a better life in Australia. Zero. It fails to give any hope of a financially better life in NZ. If that's National's best idea; well it's just depressing