The system still assumes \u201ctwo can live as cheaply as one\u201d. <\/p>\n
That assumption is outdated and untrue. Couples are effectively penalised for staying together, receiving far less than double the single rate.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, an ordinary MP earns roughly $3485 a week. The same two coffees that take 1.4% of a Super couple\u2019s income would cost an MP the equivalent of nearly $50. A $55 meal would feel like spending $225. A $60 tank of petrol would feel like $245. And a modest $500 weekly rent would feel like spending more than $2000 a week.<\/p>\n
When politicians discuss \u201ccost of living,\u201d they are often talking about a completely different set of numbers from those faced by the 40% of over-65s who rely almost solely on Super.<\/p>\n
Older New Zealanders are not asking for luxury. We are asking for a Super that allows us to live with basic dignity \u2014 warm homes, enough to eat, the ability to run a car and pay the power bill without constant anxiety.<\/p>\n
Cross-party agreement on healthcare and Super is welcome. But any genuine conversation must also confront the couple rate, the taxation of Super, and the growing number of seniors who are renting. The current settings are pushing too many into quiet financial hardship.<\/p>\n
Rudi du Plooy, Hamilton Grey Power chairman<\/p>\n
Testing times <\/p>\n
National has promised random drug testing for people on the Jobseekers benefit to ensure they\u2019re ready for work.<\/p>\n
This could be extrapolated out to testing MPs, considering the ridiculous behaviour we see in the House at times.<\/p>\n
Or would they be protected by \u201cparliamentary privilege\u201d?<\/p>\n
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth<\/p>\n
Alcohol and double standards<\/p>\n
Where many NZ Herald readers might have a drink on a Saturday, many people prefer cannabis. Both are active within a few hours and are no longer having an effect by Monday morning.<\/p>\n
A crucial difference, however … the way THC (the active ingredient in cannabis) is processed in the body means it will still read as being present up to three days after it was consumed. <\/p>\n
This makes testing endlessly problematic for those being work tested in their daily lives as the employer may think they are stoned, when in fact they are not. Many lose jobs over this, unfairly. Far fairer would be an impairment test. <\/p>\n
If I had been tested every Monday for having a drink on Saturday and consequently lost my job, I would\u2019ve spent most of my life endlessly unemployed. <\/p>\n
Samantha Cunningham, Henderson <\/p>\n
\u2018Sly\u2019 semantics on GST<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not lifting GST; we\u2019re not lifting income tax. Any increase in fees and levies we\u2019ll do very efficiently,\u201d says Christopher Luxon.<\/p>\n
The sly difference in semantics here is cleverly disguised. First, the rate of GST is currently 15% but everything that increases in price (under Luxon it\u2019s food, insurance, rates, fuel, levies etc) you \u201cwill\u201d pay more tax \u2013 more GST. <\/p>\n
For example \u2013 15% on a $10 1kg block of cheese is $1.50 but if it increases to $15 you pay $2.25 \u2013 so taxes increase with inflation. While your salary roughly increases with inflation (not under Luxon) you enter higher tax brackets, so you pay more tax on that too. <\/p>\n
So, when Luxon claims he\u2019s not lifting income taxes you know that\u2019s full-on baloney. <\/p>\n
GST is a marvellous tax and \u201cefficiently\u201d robs most people but usually not if you\u2019re reselling houses. <\/p>\n
Steve Russell, Hillcrest<\/p>\n
A smart Opportunity<\/p>\n
It staggers me to think that Christopher Luxon would prefer to be in coalition with a party led by an octogenarian (however smartly dressed), consisting mainly of males, several previously rejected by the electorate, who have out-of-date views on a variety of issues from abortion to conversion therapy, not to mention being heavily influenced by the tobacco lobby, etc. But he is not interested in working with a party of smart, young Opportunity candidates with fresh ideas and integrity that has not been compromised by lobbyists.<\/p>\n
Margaret Payne, Hobsonville<\/p>\n
Dumpster fires<\/p>\n