This Government is proposing a significant tax on Mum and Dad landlords despite promising prior to the election that they would impose no new taxes, National’s Shadow Treasurer Andrew Bayly says. “According to advice from Treasury, IRD, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development dated February 2021, the
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis has not been shy about his aim to rapidly reduce the prison population by 30 per cent and it is perhaps the only target this Government is actually going to meet. However, Labour’s ‘Hate-Speech’ law changes might put a spanner in the works, National’
If I hadn’t been laid low with a winter bug I would have commented earlier, the subject being the editorial in last Saturday’s Weekend Herald. These days the authors never identify themselves and, if last week’s effort was anything to go by, with good reason. If anyone
Bruce Welsh New Conservative Board Member Let’s think again about lockdowns and their widespread impact. After one couple caused 500,000 people in the wider Wellington region to be in level 2 lockdown for a week, it is time to ask “are lockdowns the best response to Covid?” The
Bryce Edwards democracyproject.nz Dr Bryce Edwards is Political Analyst in Residence at Victoria University of Wellington. He is the director of the Democracy Project. There are several news reports that attempt to explain the proposals on hate speech, but these have tended to add to the confusion, rather than
Free Speech Union Dr David Cumin The Free Speech Union is pleased to welcome aboard its newest member, National Party Leader, the Hon Judith Collins, and believe it is the first time a serving leader of the National Party has joined a registered trade union. Free Speech Union spokesman, Dr
Dark Jester The new hate speech legislation is up for debate with public consultation over the proposal. My concern is how this particular legislation could potentially be weaponised by the Chinese Communist Party to suppress criticism and dissent, because the ambiguity of the ‘incitement to hatred’ clauses means the definition
Bryce Edwards democracyproject.nz Dr Bryce Edwards is Political Analyst in Residence at Victoria University of Wellington. He is the director of the Democracy Project. Whenever governments attempt to regulate political speech and activity, the results often end up being problematic and potentially harmful to democracy and debate. Regardless of
Eliora New Zealand is a small country in the South Pacific with its inhabitants described as “The Passionless People”. Gordon McLauchlan, the author of this popular book in 1976, recognised fourth-generation kiwis as easy going, down to earth and enjoying the status quo. Kiwis around the world are known
Simon Court ACT Transport spokesperson The first step towards a car tax that punishes tradies and farmers comes into effect today. From today, the Government will subsidise brand new electric vehicles for people who can already afford them. This is step one before they impose a tax on utes and
Jacinda Ardern is big on pithy statements, and the complete opposite when it comes to reality. She’s made much of her “kindness” and bringing empathy to her job. Yesterday in the house there wasn’t much kindness but there were plenty of reminders that Labour really is the Nasty
Karen Chhour ACT Social Development spokesperson It’s an insult to middle New Zealanders who are working hard to get ahead but being squeezed in every direction to increase benefits today. The Government is making it harder to employ people and easier not to work with its ideological policies. Middle
Simon Court ACT Environment spokesperson Yet another tax from the Labour Party comes into effect today, this time a landfill levy. The Government is increasing the landfill levy six-fold. Labour loves to tax and it will tax Kiwis any way it can – even on your trash. Everything this Labour
Brooke van Velden The Government’s so-called “Healthy Homes Standards” come into effect today, but only for private landlords and not for state housing. These aren’t heathy homes standards, they’re double standards. The Government has painted private landlords as villains. The reality is many landlords have had
David Seymour ACT Leader This today is no ordinary Thursday for Kiwi Battlers. It’s the day Labour attacks, piling on yet more taxes, and regulations. From today, the Government demands landlords comply with ‘Healthy Homes Standards,’ but not Kainga Ora. The Government that tells private landlords to show more
The Labour Government’s reset of poverty targets three years later describes an admission of policy failure under rising costs, especially housing, National’s Children spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says. “Of the three targets that the Government has announced, the new ‘before-housing-costs target is unchanged from three years
