Helen 'n Hide

A few people are finally getting wind of how the budget is to assist low income families, pointing out that you will only benefit if you have kids. The more kids you have the more you will benefit - a bit like a DPB beneficary, really. A family earning $35,000 can increase their earnings by $20,000 but the loss of tax credits and other assistance means they keep just $5,000. That family can get $5,000 by just having another child.

Yet Rodney Hide has pointed out, thanks to his parliamentary question, that a $5.5b is enough to cut the tax rate to 20 cents a year - and we have a $7.5b surplus. ( note: not online yet) Yet just $250,000 is to be spent on low income earners later this year, with more than a billion dollars next election year. Half is to go to beneficaries - ie those who do not work, but may vote Labour. Am I allowed to say what dates the beneficaries are going to benefit from? OK I`ll keep quiet for now.

Treasury says the average household income for a family with two kids is $74,000 - which is why Cullen's money-bags are full. Some families are getting a lot of money. Our social policies are screwed.

Here's Helen Clark's new blog. Well sort of. Started today. It was obvious she didn’t write this one . It was just so bad. Her new blog is called Popular and Competent. Log on here . The user name is "The Prime Minster" and password is "gloriousleader". Good on you Gordon. Well done

Also, an old Colmar Brunton Poll says that 45% of the country is in favour of the civil union bill. But what This article didn't mention is that 16% supported the bill only for heterosexual couples. In any case, how can you have such a strong opinion of a bill that's not yet out?


UPDATE: This editorial fron The Herald makes a lot of sense.