General Debate 22 June 2026

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General Debate

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Benedict Yu

This opinion piece is alarmingly wrong.

“Because of its rising tide of savings, Australia has grown for 27 of the last 28 years, in spite of whatever the price of iron ore was at the time.”

If this policy [higher kiwisaver contributions] becomes law, New Zealand will almost certainly see the same rising tide of prosperity as Australia.”

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360995912/national-steals-kiwisaver-crown

It is quite ridiculous to assert that good retirement incomes policy can on its own make New Zealand wealthy. This is literally what the author is asserting.

While stronger retirement saving is good policy for financial security, closing the gap with Australia would require broader reforms that raise productivity and encourage business investment, not just higher KiwiSaver contribution rates.
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June 22, 2026 8:02am
- mike
  
  The follow-up question then is what drives superior capital investment (the key driver of productivity) in Australia?
  
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  June 22, 2026 8:13am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    Sorry I need to start work. Perhaps you can tell us.
    
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    June 22, 2026 8:29am
    - pdm
      
      He probably has all day at his leisure to do so too BY.
      
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      June 22, 2026 8:34am
      - mike
        
        Benedict must have some specific reforms in mind that he thinks we could copy from Australia.
        
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        June 22, 2026 8:42am
    - mike
      
      I don’t know, but someone here should be able to tell us which policies Australia has implemented but we have not.
      
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      June 22, 2026 8:35am
      - Benedict Yu
        
        I nominate you. 🙂
        
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        June 22, 2026 8:37am
      - RoboRob
        
        Certainly the most obvious is that Australia are happy to mine and sell as much of their natural resources as they can whereas in NZ the default is o oppose any mining or forestry.
        
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        June 22, 2026 8:56am
artemisia

In the below article, the Green Party spox Swarbrick said under current tax settings, multi-millionaires paid $9 in tax out of every $100 they made, while a teacher paid $22 in tax out of every $100 they earned.

That is carefully worded but how was the calculation reached?

The article does include a long list of sources used in designing their tax proposals. So can we assume there are specifics behind that particular statement and all we-the -voters need to do is ask to see them? I’m asking ….

And did the Green Party include an estimate of capital flight as a result of their tax policies? (I know unlikely to be implemented but never know and they could be.)

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/609649/greens-propose-wealth-corporate-and-inheritance-taxes-to-fund-income-tax-changes
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June 22, 2026 8:13am
- pdm
  
  spox – had to google to find meaning.
  
  Mostly came up with variations of socks.
  
  Then I found spokesperson.
  
  Filled in a few minutes of my day arty.
  
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  June 22, 2026 8:36am
  - artemisia
    
    But pdm just think of the time you will save in the next few years by typing the short version!
    
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    June 22, 2026 8:39am
    - pdm
      
      Good thinking but, what if it is gone from my mind by lunchtime? lol.
      
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      June 22, 2026 8:43am
- peterwn
  
  Risk of capital flight (eg to Queensland) was why inheritance tax was abolished.
  
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  June 22, 2026 8:38am
  - RoboRob
    
    Apparently the greens own figures suggest 22% of the so called super rich will flee. The Greens think that’s fine as the rest will stay for the love of the country.
    
    Also for their inheritance tax, personal homes and farms are excluded. Why? If I build a success full $100m business and leave it to my kids they will have to pay $33m to the government, probably meaning they will have to sell. However If I build a $100m farm my kids pay nothing. Surely everyone should pay right?
    
    The obvious result of the Greens tax system will be 100s of thousands of super high end homes (non taxed) and nobody saving or investing because that’s all taxed to hell and back.
    
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    June 22, 2026 9:00am
Yvette

UNDRIP: the clause nobody can explain but, by it, have we all been hoodwinked?
A précis of Newsroom article by Joshua Riley [1] –

Article 13.2 does not merely “note” the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP); it “affirms” it — a stronger legal term than used in previous UK and EU FTAs. India recognised the significance and secured an explicit reservation protecting its domestic position on indigenous status. New Zealand obtained no comparable standalone reservation, despite the coalition agreement stating UNDRIP has no binding legal effect in New Zealand.

UNDRIP itself is non-binding, but ratification may allow courts to view Parliament as endorsing it. Gary Judd KC argues “affirm” gives legal effect to New Zealand’s existing support position. The Trade Minister says he does not know how the clause entered the Agreement, though India’s reservation suggests it was actively negotiated.

Most of what I have read has been about the above section. Joshua Riley in “The India Free Trade Agreement: What they didn’t tell you” does tell you a lot. Enough to make one wonder if “the Trade Minister says he does not know how the clause entered the Agreement” but may be extremely grateful that this section detracts from discussion of any worth that the rest of this Trade Agreement may be – or isn’t.
__________
[1] https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/joshua-riley-the-india-free-trade-agreement-what-they-didn-t-tell-you
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June 22, 2026 8:17am
- pdm
  
  Also Mary-Louise Kearney at BBH blog.
  
  https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/mary-louise-kearney-is-undrip-enforceable-under-the-law-of-a-sovereign-state-absolutely
  
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  June 22, 2026 8:38am
Cassandra

The UK has brought back the death penalty. No, it hasn’t changed the law, just ensured that qualifying inmates may be selected by their peers for extra punishment culminating in death by stabbing. A recent one was 25 jabs with a piece of metal off the back of a TV set.

Child molestation is the usual qualification. The current case is horrifying, two men adopted a baby boy and then abused and eventually murdered him. They have been sentenced to long prison terms. They are unlikely to serve them.The final penalty might be preceded by a sugar burn or two – it’ll depend on the jury.

The gallows would be more civilised.
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June 22, 2026 8:24am
- mike
  
  It would be poor policy to reinstate the death penalty simply because safety in prison is so neglected that some inmates are at significant risk of being murdered.
  
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  June 22, 2026 8:38am
  - Cassandra
    
    Read about the case, mike, it’s sobering. Depravity.
    
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    June 22, 2026 9:00am
- pdm
  
  `The gallows would be more civilised.’
  
  No more Village Square hangings Cass?
  
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  June 22, 2026 8:39am
  - Cassandra
    
    For these two I’d support the guillotine.
    
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    June 22, 2026 8:58am
RoboRob

I see that the party for individual choice has decided they want compulsory kiwi saver. Now I am not necessarily opposed but certainly this is an example of the government deciding you must save rather they say using that money to start a business.

When questioned about how that matched with their supposed belief in freedom of choice Luxon replied ‘people will have more choice in retirement’. Stunning!
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June 22, 2026 9:04am

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