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Closing tac loopholes for famers and business

Closing Tax Loopholes for Business and Farmers

Gareth MorganSeptember 6, 2016Tax and Welfare

A principle of a good income taxation regime is that it is neutral, that all income gets taxed in the same way. Unfortunately ever since New Zealand moved from land and property taxes to income tax an anomaly has been … Read More

The Societies of Tomorrow

Geoff SimmonsSeptember 5, 2016Environment

Rod Oram’s new book covers a lot of ground, both physically and metaphorically. The title is pretty self-explanatory; he travels to Three Cities with the goal of Seeking Hope in the Anthropocene. The three cities in question are Beijing, London … Read More

Whiteboard Friday: What’s Peter Dunne?

Gareth MorganSeptember 2, 2016Environment

This week Peter Dunne announced the United Future environmental policy: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1609/S00004/dunne-speaks-six-steps-to-future-proof-the-environment.htm No one seemed to notice, but we did! This Whiteboard Friday is all about the six steps Peter announced. The one area where we outright disagree with Peter is … Read More

Paris Climate Agreement Ratification: Forest & Junk Credits Cast Shadow

Forests and Junk Credits Cast Shadow Over Paris Ratification

Paul YoungSeptember 1, 2016Environment

Two weeks ago Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett announced her intention to ratify the Paris climate change agreement before the end of this year. This is great news! There is strong momentum behind bringing the agreement into force as early … Read More

New Zealanders deserve swimmable rivers, not excuses.

Is the Government doing all it can to improve water quality?

Geoff SimmonsAugust 31, 2016Environment

Last night Environment Minister Nick Smith delivered the annual environment lecture at Lincoln University. Minister Smith reiterated that he felt having swimmable rivers and lakes is an unrealistic goal, despite that being the preference of the majority of New Zealanders. … Read More

Microchipping the cats of Upper Hutt

Gareth MorganAugust 30, 2016Environment

Wellington City Council has led the country by including cats in their Animal Bylaw, making microchipping of cats mandatory. Now we have our next opportunity to move towards a Predator Free Wellington, with Upper Hutt consulting on their Animal Bylaw. … Read More

How Minister Smith Could Deal with Land Banking

Geoff SimmonsAugust 29, 2016Economics

The average price of a house in Auckland is predicted to pass $1m when official figures are released later this week. In an interview on TV3’s The Nation over the weekend the Housing Minister Nick Smith (dubbed by Paddy Gower … Read More

Fact check ‘surplus carbon credits are clean’ – Whiteboard Friday:

Gareth MorganAugust 26, 2016Environment

The debate is heating up about the ratification of the Paris Agreement, and in particular whether New Zealand should use surplus credits from the past to meet our future obligations. The Green Party has pointed out that the only reason … Read More

We should all have the opportunity to benefit from our fresh water resource in the way that commercial water users (such as farmers) do.

Freshwater – How do we share?

Gareth MorganAugust 25, 2016Environment

Following the outbreak of campylobacter, Havelock North residents now face a potential water shortage this summer. The full costs of commercial water use and pollution are starting to be felt by ordinary people. It is becoming increasingly clear that clean … Read More

Is Keeping Marijuana Illegal the Best Way to Reduce Harm?

Geoff SimmonsAugust 24, 2016Economics

Last week a poll revealed majority support for decriminalising marijuana, and legalising its use for medicinal purposes. Prime Minister John Key responded that the law is enforced on a discretionary basis and he is ‘not a fan’ of law reform: … Read More