Election 2008 Dunedin North and Dunedin South candidates respond to your questions.
AS part of The Star 's Election '08 coverage we offered all candidates standing in the Dunedin South and Dunedin North electorates the opportunity to answer some written questions compiled by The Star readers and The Star and Otago Chamber of Commerce staff. Candidates' answers were limited to 100 words per question in this week's The Star and were edited where necessary. Their extended answers are shown here.
THE QUESTIONS
1. Rail What are the chances of restoring a commuter rail service between Mosgiel and Dunedin during the next electoral term, and what is your medium/long-term vision for commuter/passenger rail services through Dunedin and the South? (Brighton resident Lorraine Johnston)
2. Taxation Will your party repeal taxation on unearned capital gain on foreign income that is in Taxation (Business Taxation and Remedial Matters) Act 2007, section 11, Foreign Investment Fund Income. (John Horrocks, Mornington)
3. Crime How would you address the escalation in violent crime, including domestic violence, in this country? (Business and Professional Women's group Dunedin/The Star/Chamber of Commerce)
4. Power What energy policies would you champion and what would you do to help Dunedin in terms of its old, cold homes? (The Star/Chamber of Commerce)
5. Health What is your opinion of population-based funding and what changes, if any, would you make to the current health system? (The Star/Chamber of Commerce)
6. Stadium Do you support the proposed Awatea St stadium? (The Star/Chamber of Commerce)
THE ANSWERS
1. Rail
The Green Party fully supports a commuter rail service from Palmerston through to Mosgiel and Milton. At a time of rising fuel prices, a public transport rail option is needed to protect families from those increased costs. The Greens need a strong presence in parliament to make the government shift its transport funding priorities back to rail and public transport. We want to move the funding formula from 5:1 in favour of roads to a 2:1 in favour of public transport. That is a key infrastructure investment in the long-term sustainability of our communities.
2. Taxation
Our policy is to have a comprehensive capital gains tax on inflation adjusted capital gains at the time the capital gains are realised (ie a realisation-based capital gains tax). Any capital gains tax must apply to assets in NZ that are purchased and sold by people living overseas as well as assets sold or purchased by NZ residents. We support a blanket exemption for the family home from any capital gains tax when it is introduced. In addition, we support treating taxable real capital gains as income for tax rate purposes and investigate mechanisms to allow the income from capital gains to be spread over several years for New Zealand residents.
3. Crime
All women and children must be safe from violence. The Domestic Violence Act 1995 should be fully resourced and the costs of obtaining protection orders kept as low as possible. All victims of violence should be eligible for free counselling and groups that work to support and/or provide refuge for women and children must be fully funded to meet real demand. Victims must have access to restorative justice and to compensation. As prisons teach young people how to be better criminals, offenders must access rehabilitation, drug, alcohol and mental health support at their first prison contact as proven means to prevent reoffending.
4. Power
The Greens' $1 billion Green Homes Fund will help, over 15 years, insulate and put clean heating devices in NZ homes, beginning with low-income and middle-income housing. At the same time, our $50 million fund will insulate every state house within five years. Dunedin has one of the worst records for cold damp homes. The Greens' insulation programmes will support our most vulnerable first children and older people. Fixed line charges also need to be removed as they prevent people from using electricity efficiently and penalise those who have low incomes and struggle to warm their homes sufficiently.
5. Health
Our focus is on preventative health measures that work for all our community. Certainty of funding is crucial for DHBs. The Green Party promotes a strong public health system, with services accessible to all, encouraging rural mobile health services where appropriate. We must deal with poor housing,
poverty, stress, marginalisation, poor diet, exposure to toxins and carcinogens, as all these contribute to poor health and social outcomes.
6. Stadium
No, I do not support the Awatea St stadium and neither does the Green Party. This is a gross misuse of ratepayers' money, which should be directed instead to protecting the vulnerable by investing in pubic transport, warmer homes, better drinking water provision and high-quality sewerage systems. The stadium is a monument to wealthy interests rather than to the people of our city.