United Future

Wow! It is quite scary that such a large percentage are in favor of more foreign debt. Perhaps it is time for compulsory economics classes in school.

I find it odd that we are quite happy to donate to the Red Cross to help support victims of the Christchurch earthquake and yet we are so unwilling to pay the extra 0.3c per dollar to avoid New Zealand slipping deeper into debt.

Tax is not a punishment and as a society we need to decide that we are all willing to pay our fair share to maintain not only a stable society, but a moral one too.

Why are we so afraid of paying a little more tax for a better country? Are we all really that self interested?

Why not think outside the box and have options other than the above? The govt/RBNZ has the ability to print it's own money and as long as it doesn't flow through the trading banks in the first instance and is used specifically for infrastructure needs it is unlikely to be inflationary and would also prevent the need to borrow $20b. In addition use govt powers to require that all inputs into the rebuilding of Christchurch is done at cost, ie wages/materials/administrative support - there is no reason why anybody should make profits from this disaster.

I would suggest abandoning the mess and build a newer centre in a lesser damaged suburb area possibly where it would become more practical to restart than to have to patch and restart as you discover new problems in the current demolished centre. You would have less compliance costs without O.S.H hanging around in case a structure was having to be dealt with to start with !!