tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post7243793936696000118..comments2024-03-29T03:41:12.499+13:00Comments on Bowalley Road: Not Understood: Why New Zealand’s Current-Affairs Television Is So Bad.Chris Trotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09081613281183460899noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-79469088253799146802015-06-26T11:42:08.925+12:002015-06-26T11:42:08.925+12:00@ Wayne
If Wayne you be..
Average and median wa...@ Wayne<br /><br />If Wayne you be.. <br /><br />Average and median wage definitely not the same so your habit of playing fast and loose with the truth continues unabated.<br /><br />Median weekly gross $600<br /><br />Average weekly gross $991<br /><br />http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/income-and-work/Income/NZIncomeSurvey_HOTPJun14qtr.aspxGrantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-81003364905518524592015-06-24T20:16:42.270+12:002015-06-24T20:16:42.270+12:00Upton Sinclair a 'muckraker'?; The Jungle ...Upton Sinclair a 'muckraker'?; The Jungle exposed the disgrace of the meatpacking industry at the time. Sinclair was undercover; only way he could gather the evidence.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-329375765936115362015-06-21T21:13:43.015+12:002015-06-21T21:13:43.015+12:00Yes Chris, as well as what Wayne Mapp says about y...Yes Chris, as well as what Wayne Mapp says about you paying virtually no regard to statistics, you ignore the market evidence. <br /><br />The Lamborghinis in the ad in Saturday's Herald is the sort stuff you should note. A third of them have sold so that shows how well off we are. There will be all sorts of ruckus as thousands fight to buy the top priced one and I can't believe they are prepared to let it go so cheaply given the demand. It's a snip at $736,000 and even though we're all raking raking it in and can afford such trinkets having moved out to the provinces, such beasts should not have to suffer commuter traffic snarl-ups.vortexxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-81153726902141302712015-06-20T16:26:37.964+12:002015-06-20T16:26:37.964+12:00There is a pollyannerish self censorship that goes...There is a pollyannerish self censorship that goes with the current status quo. Any critique is seen as cynicism. People are afraid of losing what they have and not progressing on to the Elysian Fields of capitalism.Neil Millernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-73709588842111972992015-06-20T12:40:41.360+12:002015-06-20T12:40:41.360+12:00Chris,
You have made an assertion that "Thi...Chris, <br /><br />You have made an assertion that "Thirty years of neo-liberal extremism has produced a society in which, for nearly half the population, life has become a bitter struggle for survival." <br /><br />I can only assume that when you make such a statement you pay virtually no regard to statistics. <br /><br />For instance in 2014 the average weekly wage and salary was around $55,000. Household income was higher at $90,000. The average and the median are virtually the same. Wage increases were around 2.5%. Inflation was 0.8% for 2014. Interest rates were, and are continuing to fall. <br /><br />In short people have actually had an increase in real incomes for about 3 years in a row. Even the minimum wage has increased faster than inflation. And there is a huge amount of evidence that National Superannuitants are doing relatively well - they mostly own their own home.<br /><br />Now I am not suggesting it is easy for everyone. But for the majority of the population, probably around 70 to 80%, they have become better off over the last thirty years. For the last 3 years, once the GFC was got through, the facts are incontrovertible. For virtually everyone in employment they are better off than 3 years ago.<br /><br />Where I would agree is that beneficiaries and unemployed have had a struggle (and also those on law wages). Since 1984 unemployment is on average higher than prior to 1984, when it was around 1%. Benefits have only increased by inflation since 1992. However beneficiaries, unemployed and low income families (excluding superannuatants) are not nearly half the population. A lot of low income earners are young people in their first or second job. Many will earn more than the average income at their peak earning years.<br /><br />Obviously buying a house in Auckland is not easy. The price multiple is higher now than it used to be, but then interest rates are now at an historic low. It always has taken at least two years solid saving for a young couple to get the deposit to buy their first home. However, we no longer have capitalization of family benefit for a deposit, and that was hugely important for young couples with children and on one income. Perhaps the biggest gap that now exists is for young families on modest incomes trying to get their first home, especially in Auckland. <br /><br />In the 1970's places like Manurewa were full of such families. Today such people would really struggle to put the necessary $40,000 to $50,000 deposit together. Ironically they could afford the mortgage at current rates. On a $400,000 mortgage, the weekly payment would be around $500 per week. Low income families are eligible for Accommodation Supplement for mortgage payments. But a family on say $40,000 to $50,000 salary supplemented with Family Tax Credit and Accommodation Supplement would not be able to put the deposit together. <br /><br />But they probably could afford a house in Rotorua, or any number of provincial towns and cities.Wayne Mapphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12906396523791648270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-50467003202243428622015-06-19T13:24:39.102+12:002015-06-19T13:24:39.102+12:00I'm not sure there's a great deal of brill...I'm not sure there's a great deal of brilliant journalism in the US, but there is some – but what do the lower class white people watch? Faux news. And therefore vote against their own interests, because they think Obama is Kenyan or something. Providing people with good quality news doesn't necessarily mean they'll watch it unfortunately.Guerilla Surgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03427876447124021423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-65590128051333793992015-06-18T13:07:57.304+12:002015-06-18T13:07:57.304+12:00I think it's likely that "the poor" ...I think it's likely that "the poor" also choose not to see or be advised, for many obvious reasons.Saranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-28328386921489853402015-06-18T12:53:18.147+12:002015-06-18T12:53:18.147+12:00Those making it aren't making it because of ne...Those making it aren't making it because of neo-liberalism, but despite it. It has to go, one way or another. Probably not before I depart this earth, but it has to go!peteswriteplacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04474922953916383101noreply@blogger.com