Jan 2010
10 New Year wishes for farming
24/01/10 11:40 Filed in: Newsletters
Column for Canterbury Farmer
It’s looking like a happy new year for dairy farmers; global demand for Fonterra's milk powder has picked up and the payout for 2010 is forecast at $6.05 – the second highest since the co-op was created in 2001; much of the extra cash will go on paying off rural debt. But the primary sector needs the government to get much busier if any recovery is going to last.
So here are my ten top wishes for farming at the start of a new decade:
Water, water, water - stored
Niwa has just confirmed that the first decade of the new millennium has been the hottest on record in New Zealand. That means we’re going to have to get much smarter very soon at storing water.
At the moment the government is only spending a small fraction on water storage - just $700,000 per year through the Community Irrigation Fund. It’s promising to do more. But this issue has been left on the back burner for too long already.
More research, quickly
Unfortunately for farmers, David Carter said in parliament recently that he was ‘adhering to his own strict timetable’ in allocating funds to research and development. That appears to mean doing nothing in 2009 and not much more in 2010 - for example, there’s only $25 million available in the next financial year to fund projects in the new Primary Growth Partnership (this has to be compared to the $700 million allocated by the Labour/Progressive government to the Fast Forward Fund over a ten year lifetime).
I want to see the process speeded up in 2010.
Don’t sell-out our lean meat reputation
Stall-based farming where cows can be kept in boxes for 24 hours a day will undermine New Zealand’s reputation for free-range, healthy meat.
Environment Minister Nick Smith is trying to duck for cover in 2010 and make Environment Canterbury responsible for the final decision on whether to approve the application for this kind of factory farming in the Mackenzie Basin. The government should have the backbone to make the decision itself.
Less photo ops, more action.
2009 was the year of smiles and photo opportunities for the new National government, with John Key ending the year in Copenhagen, all smiles but no progress on climate change. I’d l like to see less photos in 2010, and more action.
Find new ways to tap global markets
Sales on Fonterra’s internet-based trading platform ‘globalDairyTrade’ have just reached $1.36 billion. This is a great use of new technology to tap overseas markets. I hope we see more new ideas like this in 2010.
Farmers deserve affordable dental care too
The cost of basic dental care is a barrier to many people with a cash-flow problem, including farmers. I would like to see a multi-party agreement that affordable dental care become accessible to everyone.
Get rid of the Brash Taskforce
In Don Brash’s entire 150-page ‘2025 Taskforce Report’, farming got just 24 words. Anyone who believes that farming is a ‘sunset industry’ should not be given tax-payers money. Get rid of the Brash Taskforce in 2010.
Change the fishing act
Any Fisheries Minister must have a clear mandate to protect our oceans as a priority, when fish stocks are low or a species is threatened with extinction.
At present, the Act is unclear and that needs to change.
Get the banks back into local communities
Westpac’s recent decision to return to local branches in small communities (closer to farmers) demonstrates the impact Kiwibank has had on banking in New Zealand. I predict the other big banks will follow this path ‘back to the future’ in 2010.
Don’t forget working New Zealanders
Working New Zealanders, including farmers deserve a break too. I want to see more bright ideas in 2010 from this government on how to create jobs, and more support for those with big new ideas on how to trade better with the world.
2010 will be a good year for all of us if we’ve got more jobs and a decent return for honest hard work.
It’s looking like a happy new year for dairy farmers; global demand for Fonterra's milk powder has picked up and the payout for 2010 is forecast at $6.05 – the second highest since the co-op was created in 2001; much of the extra cash will go on paying off rural debt. But the primary sector needs the government to get much busier if any recovery is going to last.
So here are my ten top wishes for farming at the start of a new decade:
Water, water, water - stored
Niwa has just confirmed that the first decade of the new millennium has been the hottest on record in New Zealand. That means we’re going to have to get much smarter very soon at storing water.
At the moment the government is only spending a small fraction on water storage - just $700,000 per year through the Community Irrigation Fund. It’s promising to do more. But this issue has been left on the back burner for too long already.
More research, quickly
Unfortunately for farmers, David Carter said in parliament recently that he was ‘adhering to his own strict timetable’ in allocating funds to research and development. That appears to mean doing nothing in 2009 and not much more in 2010 - for example, there’s only $25 million available in the next financial year to fund projects in the new Primary Growth Partnership (this has to be compared to the $700 million allocated by the Labour/Progressive government to the Fast Forward Fund over a ten year lifetime).
I want to see the process speeded up in 2010.
Don’t sell-out our lean meat reputation
Stall-based farming where cows can be kept in boxes for 24 hours a day will undermine New Zealand’s reputation for free-range, healthy meat.
Environment Minister Nick Smith is trying to duck for cover in 2010 and make Environment Canterbury responsible for the final decision on whether to approve the application for this kind of factory farming in the Mackenzie Basin. The government should have the backbone to make the decision itself.
Less photo ops, more action.
2009 was the year of smiles and photo opportunities for the new National government, with John Key ending the year in Copenhagen, all smiles but no progress on climate change. I’d l like to see less photos in 2010, and more action.
Find new ways to tap global markets
Sales on Fonterra’s internet-based trading platform ‘globalDairyTrade’ have just reached $1.36 billion. This is a great use of new technology to tap overseas markets. I hope we see more new ideas like this in 2010.
Farmers deserve affordable dental care too
The cost of basic dental care is a barrier to many people with a cash-flow problem, including farmers. I would like to see a multi-party agreement that affordable dental care become accessible to everyone.
Get rid of the Brash Taskforce
In Don Brash’s entire 150-page ‘2025 Taskforce Report’, farming got just 24 words. Anyone who believes that farming is a ‘sunset industry’ should not be given tax-payers money. Get rid of the Brash Taskforce in 2010.
Change the fishing act
Any Fisheries Minister must have a clear mandate to protect our oceans as a priority, when fish stocks are low or a species is threatened with extinction.
At present, the Act is unclear and that needs to change.
Get the banks back into local communities
Westpac’s recent decision to return to local branches in small communities (closer to farmers) demonstrates the impact Kiwibank has had on banking in New Zealand. I predict the other big banks will follow this path ‘back to the future’ in 2010.
Don’t forget working New Zealanders
Working New Zealanders, including farmers deserve a break too. I want to see more bright ideas in 2010 from this government on how to create jobs, and more support for those with big new ideas on how to trade better with the world.
2010 will be a good year for all of us if we’ve got more jobs and a decent return for honest hard work.
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National shows its true colours – health cuts
22/01/10 11:52 Filed in: News Releases
A quick chat on the phone, and no more home help for you. This is how 2010 is starting for many elderly New Zealanders across the country, and the National Government couldn’t give a damn, said Wigram MP and Progressive Leader, Jim Anderton.
“Last year I was inundated with calls from elderly people in my electorate who were having their home help cut. Then I predicted that this would be repeated across the country. Unfortunately it looks as though I was right.”
Jim Anderton’s electorate office in Sydenham was receiving 15-20 calls a day from elderly people facing cuts, or concerned people worried about their neighbours.
The Kapiti Observer recently reported the same treatment of elderly people in the Kapiti region. Over forty upset locals have complained to Grey Power over cuts to Capital and Coast District Health Board funded home-help.
Elderly people are assessed over the phone, and then find that their 1-2 hours home-help with cleaning or shopping has been cut.
“Although it’s the District Health Boards making these decisions, whether in Wellington or Christchurch, they are cutting services because resources are limited. That’s a problem for the government, and Tony Ryall as Minister of Health should be doing something about it.”
Until now, elderly people who need it get help with basic domestic and personal activities like vacuuming and showering.
“I suspect this is just the tip of the iceberg. If you get a government that promises tax cuts, then you’re going to have less money to spend on essential services, and then there’s only one way to balance the books.
“When my office contacted the Christchurch District Health Board, it was told that ‘families will need to take more responsibility for their elderly parents...If old people can’t go out shopping, there’s always on-line shopping; and if they can’t manage the cleaning they can just clean one room a day with a carpet sweeper.’ Well, I’d like to see my 90 year old constituent who has just had her help cut, carpet sweep the house on her walking frame!
“We need to have a proper public policy debate to work out how we’re going to deal with the health and welfare of the increasing numbers of aging New Zealanders. This shambles is certainly not the way to do it,” Jim Anderton said.
“Last year I was inundated with calls from elderly people in my electorate who were having their home help cut. Then I predicted that this would be repeated across the country. Unfortunately it looks as though I was right.”
Jim Anderton’s electorate office in Sydenham was receiving 15-20 calls a day from elderly people facing cuts, or concerned people worried about their neighbours.
The Kapiti Observer recently reported the same treatment of elderly people in the Kapiti region. Over forty upset locals have complained to Grey Power over cuts to Capital and Coast District Health Board funded home-help.
Elderly people are assessed over the phone, and then find that their 1-2 hours home-help with cleaning or shopping has been cut.
“Although it’s the District Health Boards making these decisions, whether in Wellington or Christchurch, they are cutting services because resources are limited. That’s a problem for the government, and Tony Ryall as Minister of Health should be doing something about it.”
Until now, elderly people who need it get help with basic domestic and personal activities like vacuuming and showering.
“I suspect this is just the tip of the iceberg. If you get a government that promises tax cuts, then you’re going to have less money to spend on essential services, and then there’s only one way to balance the books.
“When my office contacted the Christchurch District Health Board, it was told that ‘families will need to take more responsibility for their elderly parents...If old people can’t go out shopping, there’s always on-line shopping; and if they can’t manage the cleaning they can just clean one room a day with a carpet sweeper.’ Well, I’d like to see my 90 year old constituent who has just had her help cut, carpet sweep the house on her walking frame!
“We need to have a proper public policy debate to work out how we’re going to deal with the health and welfare of the increasing numbers of aging New Zealanders. This shambles is certainly not the way to do it,” Jim Anderton said.
FTT better than increasing GST
21/01/10 11:43 Filed in: News Releases
A financial transactions tax is a better option for widening the tax base and reducing income tax than increasing GST, MP for Wigram and Progressive Party leader Jim Anderton says.
“GST is a regressive tax,” Jim Anderton says.
“GST falls hardest on people who spend most of their income every week - low and middle income earners. For people on fixed incomes, like superannuitants, it’s almost impossible to make up for the price rises they would pay at the shops.
“Instead of increasing GST, the government should look at paying for personal tax cuts by introducing a low financial transactions tax.
“A financial transaction tax could be set at a rate that for most transactions would be similar to the fee people pay for using an ATM, EFT-POS or electronic banking.
“A financial transaction tax is fairer than increasing GST because the majority of financial transactions are made by people with large sums of money to move around.
“Moving more of the tax burden to people who move very large sums of money around in search of speculative gains means people who actually work for a living have to pay less of the total tax share.
“James Tobin, the economist who invented the modern financial transaction tax, points out that it would reduce speculation and volatility in financial markets. After the global financial crisis exposed the irresponsibility of the finance sector, the time is right to take a fresh look at the idea.”
For more about financial transaction tax, see this Guardian newspaper article from December 2009.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/dec/07/tobin-tax-climate-change-investment
And this November 2009 column by Nobel laureate in economics, Paul Krugman, “a financial transactions tax is an idea whose time has come.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/opinion/27krugman.html?_r=1
“GST is a regressive tax,” Jim Anderton says.
“GST falls hardest on people who spend most of their income every week - low and middle income earners. For people on fixed incomes, like superannuitants, it’s almost impossible to make up for the price rises they would pay at the shops.
“Instead of increasing GST, the government should look at paying for personal tax cuts by introducing a low financial transactions tax.
“A financial transaction tax could be set at a rate that for most transactions would be similar to the fee people pay for using an ATM, EFT-POS or electronic banking.
“A financial transaction tax is fairer than increasing GST because the majority of financial transactions are made by people with large sums of money to move around.
“Moving more of the tax burden to people who move very large sums of money around in search of speculative gains means people who actually work for a living have to pay less of the total tax share.
“James Tobin, the economist who invented the modern financial transaction tax, points out that it would reduce speculation and volatility in financial markets. After the global financial crisis exposed the irresponsibility of the finance sector, the time is right to take a fresh look at the idea.”
For more about financial transaction tax, see this Guardian newspaper article from December 2009.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/dec/07/tobin-tax-climate-change-investment
And this November 2009 column by Nobel laureate in economics, Paul Krugman, “a financial transactions tax is an idea whose time has come.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/opinion/27krugman.html?_r=1