Elementary maths fail in leaders’ debate
Perhaps not everyone knows that a goods and services tax — GST — is currently levied in New Zealand at the rate of 15%.
However, you might expect that the current Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins, and the current leader of the National Party and aspiring prime minister, Christopher Luxon would be among those who do know this particular fact. Further, it would be very disappointing if they did not know the current GST rate, but after their discussion during the leaders’ prime-time debate on TV3 last week, it appears that they don’t.
Moderator Paddy Gower introduced the removal of GST from fruit and vegetables into the debate with an example of an orange costing $1 in a supermarket and that if the GST component were to be removed, that orange would then cost 85 cents.Neither participant corrected Paddy on his GST calculation.
If the GST of the $1 orange were to be removed, the net cost of that orange would be 86.9c — let’s say 87c — not the 85c that was being discussed. If the cost of the orange net of GST were 85c and $1 inclusive of GST on the supermarket shelf, the implied GST rate would be 17.65%, not the actual rate of 15%. These sorts of calculations are basic arithmetic and would probably be NCEA level 1 standard.
Mr Luxon in the same debate vehemently stated that a National-led government would reverse New Zealand’s poor numeracy and literacy rates among school-leavers if his party were to be elected.
One wonders what these two politicians made of the national accounts — full of relatively complex financial statements — when the country’s "books were recently opened". Based on their television performance, it is difficult to be confident that either of them would have much understanding of what was presented.
It seems like Hipkins and Luxon unwittingly demonstrated a bi-partisan moment of ignorance in their TV3 television debate. On this performance, they both earn an NA — Not Achieved — for their respective numeracy skills.
Seeing the future
Prove me wrong please. We know that there will be a mini-budget before Christmas if National wins. We know some of their costings are dubious. So they will be looking for cost-cutting measures.
I predict that the winter grant for home users electricity costs will be cut back. This grant has not been inflation-adjusted but is still sorely needed by many people, not all of whom are on community cards. I predict that free prescriptions will end for Super Gold card holders who do not have community cards.
I predict that free off-peak travel for Super Gold cardholders will be withdrawn.
I make these predictions because a fortnight ago, I emailed my local National Party candidate with these questions. He has not acknowledged or answered them up to this time.
Push the tempo
How nice to hear our anthem as sung by choir at the Rugby World Cup game against Italy with an increase in tempo. Normally to my mind, it is dull and lifeless, so hopefully someone will pick this up and arrange to lift the tempo.
That’s the employers, what about employees?
The New Zealand Herald asked business leaders to rank Chris Hipkins’ performance as prime minister and rank Christopher Luxon’s leadership.
The ODT printed their report (2.10.23).
The responses were largely predictable given the people who were surveyed.
Two interesting questions arise.
When will The New Zealand Herald survey employees seeking their assessment of Hipkins’ performance and Luxon’s leadership?
And why did the ODT print the report on Luxon in bold text, but the report on Hipkins in unbolded text when both reports were featured side by side on the same page?
One of the two articles was in bold for display purposes, to differentiate between it and the other article on the page. — Editor.
Poulton hailed
Re distinguished Professor Richie Poulton.
To paraphrase the poet Nathalia Clara Ruth Crane: "He planted a standard where the standard never flew"
Would that it were possible that his work, along with that of all his colleagues, was adopted as the foundation for New Zealand’s social policy by all political parties.
His legacy would then be truly woven into our future and not just carved in stone.
What would Cargill think of all this?
Recently a very important letter, sent to Otago founder William Cargill, was auctioned. The accompanying article stated "It’s important because William Cargill and Thomas Burns were involved in the establishment of Dunedin". (ODT 23.9.23).
Our early settlers were wise, ambitious and far seeing. They considered the possibilities and contour of the land, as they did their planning, and with wealth from the goldfields Dunedin became New Zealand’s leading city.But what would these early settlers think if they could witness what has happened and is happening to many areas of our city?
Infrastructure, lighting, pipes, roads and footpaths must be upgraded continually; who decided that George St should be a one-way street, approximately 1000 (or more) car parks should be removed, a few 5min parks would be sufficient near the urgent doctors rooms, road humps should be placed throughout the city, just a few parks would be adequate for the new hospital, the sheltered indoor bus terminal would be reused but not replaced, cyclists and scooters would hurtle alongside large vehicles on SH1 (or even on footpaths), the university and polytechnic would be downgraded?
Now we read that the Octagon could be upgraded, speeds could be reduced to 30km throughout the city and even more unnecessary work could be undertaken at the northern end of George St.
It’s time to say stop and really listen to business people and ratepayers before any more of these projects are rushed into. Far too many unwise and irreversible changes have been pushed through by temporary leaders and planners. In the future these people will move on but their results will remain and most of these projects will affect many people for years.
If it is not broken leave it alone.
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
