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Post by 11SQNLDR on Feb 18, 2024 11:32:41 GMT 12
A 200Bn debt mountain, Govt spending up 84% over 6 years with F-all to show for it. Don't forget the increased tax intake due to inflation and non moving tax bands (meaning more people were paying tax at the top rates). The money to spend on defence was there, at one point, but the govt chose to spend it elsewhere. To cry foul when defence spending is cut because the country is broke seems a little disingenuous. You could get rid of the NZDF and most kiwi's wouldn't care. Cutting spending from the NZDF is like shooting fish in a barrel. Most people only think of the NZDF when some idiot gets lost in a boat and needs an aircraft to find them or to make condescending comments about boys toys. Unfortunately this country is very, very inward looking so explaining the intricacies of defence relationships with people who are fed "couldn't we spend that money on hospitals?" by the media would have the same effect talking to a wall. Those are all fair and valid points. The NZDF needs a decent cash injection just to keep up & I'm talking about just the basics like housing and other infrastructure - not capital investment on replacing aircraft which also needs to continue. And I'm the first to admit all past Governments in the last decade or more, be it left or right of centre, have under-invested which has lead to the poor state of affairs now. Collins has her work cut out for her with this portfolio but she's one I'd back to get some sort of positive result... |
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Post by madmac on Feb 18, 2024 19:31:11 GMT 12
The whole thing is completely insane, 7.5% reduction in spending just for shits and giggles (because a correcting government overspend doesn't require massive tax cuts as well), although one does have to note that a significant contribute to this governments election was the multi year foreign disinformation campaigns aimed at the previous government which by extension contributed to the election of the current government. What a deluded statement - cuts needed for 'shits and giggles'  And I won't even touch the weird foreign disinformation thing. Your side lost and indeed was thumped because the average Kiwi taxpayer was sick of the endless incompetence, woke hand-wringing drivel, the talentless ministers and the sickly divisive type of apartheid they were attempting to shove down peoples throats. Try educating yourself on the current financial state of play regarding the Govt's books and the mess the new lot have inherited. A 200Bn debt mountain, Govt spending up 84% over 6 years with F-all to show for it. Even the bumbling incompetent G Robertson admitted the present interest alone on the debt was $7BN a year, climbing to $10Bn per annum by next. The number is appalling and is greater than the total Defence and Police budgets combined - and that's just the interest payments!! Try running your own finances this badly & your bank manager would be calling in a mortgagee sale  But as usual the few remaining blinkered far left supporters won't accept this  Accept that the country is on the bones of its arse and sadly Defence like other Ministry's will need to trim back-end costs to shore up the front line services. 2024 /25 won't be easy years thanks to the morons in charge previously but hey, give her a Damehood and hope she never returns to our fair shores. Net government debt as of 8 months ago $86 billion. www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/government-finance-statistics-general-government-year-ended-june-2023/Foreign interference www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/11/new-zealand-intelligence-report-accuses-china-of-foreign-interferenceThere is also reports that at one point a couple years ago 40% of global russain bot traffic was aimed at NZ. The phase "your side lost" suggests you are probably in a far right wing American filter bubble, as thats a classic Thump propaganda phase, yet another foreign interference campgain which we suffering the halo effect of. We are in very deep shit and National is just digger deep for no purpose except to enrich their friends which means they are ensuring failure is not left to chance. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 18, 2024 19:51:31 GMT 12
Everyone, please discuss this topic with a little less political vitriol aimed at each other, it is not helping and it just gets people angry here.
The facts are thanks to previous governments the NZDF is royally stuffed, and the current government has a duty to reverse and repair that situation before it gets any worse. Sadly, as it looks right now, they do not look to be that keen to step up and fund things properly. I hope they realise that it has to be done pretty soon.
I agree with their stance to cut needless spending from most departments, there was layer upon layer of it under the last government which can easily be trimmed out. But leave NZDF alone. They need more funding, not cuts.
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And I won't even touch the weird foreign disinformation thing. Your side lost and indeed was thumped because the average Kiwi taxpayer was sick of the endless incompetence, woke hand-wringing drivel, the talentless ministers and the sickly divisive type of apartheid they were attempting to shove down peoples throats.
