Comments on: The Role of Government

By: mavxp

mavxp — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 23:05:05 +0000

No it just shows that the survey was stupid. It was a wish list not grounded much in reality.

“The Gummint should do everything, and only the rich ought to pay for it in taxes. Oh and if I have to pay some tax, its not going to those damn dole bludgers.”

-yeah right.

If the questions were phrased as a balance between paying more taxes and having the government spend those taxes on more social services, then I suspect those answers would be completely different.

By: Fred

Fred — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 08:03:43 +0000

“Providing housing for those that need it”…

Surprise, you have to work for it.

My spare cash is for me going fishing in Alaska……not to buy you a house.

So go and fuck your Rottweiler.

Dumbarse free associating socialists.

By: Fred

Fred — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 07:01:07 +0000

What a deeply grey drone socialist state is NZ.

Enjoy.

By: Porcupine

Porcupine — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 06:25:36 +0000

This is a better indicator of public sentiment than a general election where people are forced to choose between several poor package deals.

I agree with Bernard – the Massey wets were to PC to include maintaining law and order – but its a good indication all the same that the public is sick of unrestrained government spening so hat tip to them.

By: gd

gd — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 00:41:16 +0000

IMHO The only role for gumint is to defend the shores deliver the mail and get the hell out of my life.

By: Mark Donnell

Mark Donnell — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 00:32:45 +0000

Mmm. I’d have thought that the only certain roles of Government should be:

* Maintain national registers of citizens (births, deaths, marriages + the passport system)
* Maintain the justice system (legislation, courts, police, prisons)
* Protect the nation from external threats (defence, customs)
* Raise taxes & duties to fund those activities

Those are things that only the Government should be responsible for (okay, maybe with privately-operated prisons).

Everything else should be something we weigh up in terms of who is the best and most appropriate provider. Are they all really the Government’s job?

But I guess what this survey shows is that the vast majority of voters who respond to Massey University surveys think the Government should provide a very comprehensive security blanket.

The pity to me is that those voters then think that taxes are too high (oh, apart from on “the rich”). Am I the only one who wishes we could have a bit more critical thinking and debate on this rather than just slogans and vilification?

By: Horace

Horace — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 20:18:22 +0000

There is only one survey that counts: The next General Election.

The parties decide the questions of the survey and you tick two boxes in reply.

By: dad4justice

dad4justice — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 19:38:53 +0000

Locking up criminals , yeah right – where ? as all prisons and police cells are overflowing with delinquents and the criminal legal status is set to drop to 12 years old – go pizza kid !!

By: Bernard Darnton

Bernard Darnton — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 19:36:57 +0000

So nothing about locking up criminals then? – the one thing the government should actually be doing.

By: Bernard Darnton

Bernard Darnton — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 19:08:17 +0000

So nothing about locking up criminals then? – the one thing the government should actually be doing.

By: side show bob

side show bob — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 19:07:21 +0000

Probably because middle income earners pay for just about everything John and this includes the thousands that are lucky enough to now be consider rich and get to pay just a bit extra. But hey why not just give it all to the theiving socialists after all they know how spend it don’t they John, tosser!

By: John Dalley

John Dalley — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 11:41:29 +0000

Nice to see the “Middle Incomers” are greedy enough to want everything and still expect tax cuts

By: John Dalley

John Dalley — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 11:40:35 +0000

Nice to see the “Middle Incomers” are greedy enough to want everything and still expect tax cuts

By: James

James — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 10:19:30 +0000

Key results are:

* Provide health care for the sick 98%
* Provide decent standard of living for the old 96%
* Protect the Environment with laws 92%
* Provide industry with help it needs to grow 87%
* Give financial support to low income university students 79%
* Keep prices under control 78%
* Provide housing for those who need it 72%
* Reduce income inequality 50%
* Provide decent standard of living for the unemployed 49%
* Provide a job for everyone who needs one 38%”

Most Kiwis it seems are really really dumb…..sigh.”