Politics 🗳️ NZ Politics

Highlights Only (8)
Inruin said:
Everyone is going to have a different view based on their personal circumstances. For me, I think we had to make changes and by second quarter of next year we are going to be in a much better place economically. In regards to other issues, just prior to the last election I felt that every key indicator was not in a good place, which was the first time I had seen that in my life time. Education, Crime, Health, a propped economy through Government spending and borrowing. Hell, even the state of our roads with the potholes. I felt our whole focus had been shifted over time from getting the basics right. Appreciate that others will have a different view.
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Inruin said:
Everyone is going to have a different view based on their personal circumstances. For me, I think we had to make changes and by second quarter of next year we are going to be in a much better place economically. In regards to other issues, just prior to the last election I felt that every key indicator was not in a good place, which was the first time I had seen that in my life time. Education, Crime, Health, a propped economy through Government spending and borrowing. Hell, even the state of our roads with the potholes. I felt our whole focus had been shifted over time from getting the basics right. Appreciate that others will have a different view.
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That’s personally how I feel right now regarding the key issues you’ve mentioned and I’m still seeing potholes where I am, perhaps they’re fixed in your area? Im sure NZ transport will get around to it in my area by the time the financial year runs out and their new allotment comes. I feel like many of the major issues like infrastructure and dilapidation is a burden carried by both equally but I don’t think this prolonged household pressure needed to continue the length it has without any sort of stimulation and it looks like no end in sight? There seems to be a lack of willingness to accept experts like those who have given advice on power and what they’d see implemented with that being one that many can ill afford to skyrocket in top of everything else. Just about every tourist I ever speak to talks about how expensive this country is, which I guess will always be a challenge way down at the bottom of the world. I think for many, there hasn’t been a focus on those further down the pecking order
 
Noitall said:
That’s personally how I feel right now regarding the key issues you’ve mentioned and I’m still seeing potholes where I am, perhaps they’re fixed in your area? Im sure NZ transport will get around to it in my area by the time the financial year runs out and their new allotment comes.
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It is pretty bad that we have to wait for the financial year. Some fixes should be done as business as usual. The budgeting should be on bigger things like projects. Or larger repairs.



The street I live on, we got a note at the start of the year about not parking on the street, as they need to do a review due to a structural issue. Pretty sure nothing happened. A month or two later, a roading company sent out a note for work to be done a day or two later. Barely any lead time, considering no one could park on the street for a week.

A week later last thing on Friday evening, they started the work. Yes, part of that week the weather wasn't suitable.

They were supposed to come back 4-6 weeks later to sweep. A neighbour had to call them to come back as the road was like an unsealed road.

They had been back 4-5 times to sweep. We get a letter that they found that our road needs sweeping. Each time, no one can park on the street. Having to sweep the road wasn't normal before or on any other road I've lived on.

Our street does get quite a bit of traffic as it is a short cut. We can hear cars speeding down the road, flicking stones everywhere.

To cycle back to budgets. The roading company is one of our clients. I've mentioned the above at work and the response was they likely had budget remaining and needed to use it up. I'm waiting for the end of the financial year where they may come back and finish the job.



It is amazing how unorganised, badly planned a lot of the infrastructure here in NZ is in terms of maintenace or upgrades.
 
Noitall said:
That’s personally how I feel right now regarding the key issues you’ve mentioned and I’m still seeing potholes where I am, perhaps they’re fixed in your area? Im sure NZ transport will get around to it in my area by the time the financial year runs out and their new allotment comes. I feel like many of the major issues like infrastructure and dilapidation is a burden carried by both equally but I don’t think this prolonged household pressure needed to continue the length it has without any sort of stimulation and it looks like no end in sight? There seems to be a lack of willingness to accept experts like those who have given advice on power and what they’d see implemented with that being one that many can ill afford to skyrocket in top of everything else. Just about every tourist I ever speak to talks about how expensive this country is, which I guess will always be a challenge way down at the bottom of the world. I think for many, there hasn’t been a focus on those further down the pecking order
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Yeah, I get it. For potholes, it seemed every major road was in need of urgent repair. Having done a bit of driving around the North Island over the last month it certainly isn't perfect but there weren't masses of deep holes like previously. Very few didn' have a temporary seal, I think there were possibly two instances were I thought that needs fixing. One on the way to Whangarei and another on the way to Napier.

The pressure on households didn't began in the last 18 months, regardless of the circumstances. Inflation seems to be back in the 2%-3% range, mortgage interest rates are down, economy showing signs of life and by Q2 I think on the whole, we will be in a good spot.

Its unfortunate the pain we as a country have had to go through to get here but I think it had to happen to get where we needed to be. I'm sure many others would argue otherwise.
 
Inruin said:
Yeah, I get it. For potholes, it seemed every major road was in need of urgent repair. Having done a bit of driving around the North Island over the last month it certainly isn't perfect but there weren't masses of deep holes like previously. Very few didn' have a temporary seal, I think there were possibly two instances were I thought that needs fixing. One on the way to Whangarei and another on the way to Napier.

The pressure on households didn't began in the last 18 months, regardless of the circumstances. Inflation seems to be back in the 2%-3% range, mortgage interest rates are down, economy showing signs of life and by Q2 I think on the whole, we will be in a good spot.

Its unfortunate the pain we as a country have had to go through to get here but I think it had to happen to get where we needed to be. I'm sure many others would argue otherwise.
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This government is extremely painful, you're right. I mean correct
 
MaybeTop8 said:
Wtf is wrong with this government https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national...t-operations-if-funding-shortfall-not-plugged
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TBH, I don’t really know how I feel about this…. I’ve suggested people, especially those with relationship or mental health issues contact Helpline. I know of a few people who have worked there in the past and they are fantastic people.

Yet, I also feel that those given public money have a degree of responsibility for it. Then, I wonder, would I feel the same way if a charter school said it was going to reduce the number of enrolled children due to budget concerns….. or a private hospital contracted to provide non urgent surgery reduces the number of operations or Canopy Cancer Care reduces the number of public cancer patients it treats.

Part of me wants companies/charities to “live within their budgets” while another says Meath health is to important not to be fully funded. Perhaps, if this was a charter school, instead of Helpline, I’d feel differently… because a chapter school is a much easier target to say “just get rid of them” too…. Helpline is a god sent, as far as I’m concerned.
 
MaybeTop8 said:
Wtf is wrong with this government https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national...t-operations-if-funding-shortfall-not-plugged
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Just out of curiosity and in no way having a dig at anyone but this crowd had not received any Govt funding for 10 years but now has a $2m deficit. Who was carrying the can in the meantime and why are they asking for Govt funding now if they had been able to get by for the last decade without it. Something not right there, what for example are the admin costs for a lot of these NGO's
 
Rick O’Shay said:
Just out of curiosity and in no way having a dig at anyone but this crowd had not received any Govt funding for 10 years but now has a $2m deficit. Who was carrying the can in the meantime and why are they asking for Govt funding now if they had been able to get by for the last decade without it. Something not right there, what for example are the admin costs for a lot of these NGO's
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You and Mike have good points, and this comes against a backdrop of severe underfunding within both the health system and the mental health system, not to mention front line police.

I'm aware of a family with an adult child who has twice attempted suicide, and both times the family have desperately called for help to the police and mental health services. Both times, although the police maintained contact by phone, both services were so overloaded they couldn't attend.

They've still not been able to get in person follow ups and it's been two weeks now. This is a family that has had a history of mental illness but been able to look after their own, all working as much as they are able and dealing with it as best they can amongst themselves. They never reach out unless they have to, and right now, the system is failing them, and many, many others.

We have a high suicide rate in this country, along with record rates of homelessness and mental illness. Poverty has increased dramatically, as has meth and alcohol use, and we're losing that battle.

I'm not educated enough on ngos or how charities operate to comment, and of course am naturally inclined to blame this and previous governments - but right now, it's a crisis. I don't know the answers here, but I can point to the reckless slashing of programmes, funding and core services that this government have implemented.

The system is fundamentally broken, and the cynic in me, along with neoliberal patterns the world over, points to privatisation and the fact that the parties of the right just don't care enough as this isn't their voter base, nor is it within their ideologies.
 
MaybeTop8 said:
You and Mike have good points, and this comes against a backdrop of severe underfunding within both the health system and the mental health system, not to mention front line police.

I'm aware of a family with an adult child who has twice attempted suicide, and both times the family have desperately called for help to the police and mental health services. Both times, although the police maintained contact by phone, both services were so overloaded they couldn't attend.

They've still not been able to get in person follow ups and it's been two weeks now. This is a family that has had a history of mental illness but been able to look after their own, all working as much as they are able and dealing with it as best they can amongst themselves. They never reach out unless they have to, and right now, the system is failing them, and many, many others.

We have a high suicide rate in this country, along with record rates of homelessness and mental illness. Poverty has increased dramatically, as has meth and alcohol use, and we're losing that battle.

I'm not educated enough on ngos or how charities operate to comment, and of course am naturally inclined to blame this and previous governments - but right now, it's a crisis. I don't know the answers here, but I can point to the reckless slashing of programmes, funding and core services that this government have implemented.

The system is fundamentally broken, and the cynic in me, along with neoliberal patterns the world over, points to privatisation and the fact that the parties of the right just don't care enough as this isn't their voter base, nor is it within their ideologies.
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And yet you were up in arms about this government funding gumboot Friday. You are all over the place.

Please explain how this or any Government intends to privatize mental health.
 
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