Landlords being able to claim interest expenses is not a handout, only a correction - no other form of business is taxed on expenses, says Phil Newdick.
OPINION
Budget narratives seem very one-eyed
Re: It’s very small change from some big promises, June 1 column.
The narrative for and against the Budget seems to be very focused on what the contributor’s political inclinations are.
The nothing-for-me section says a small tax refund is worse than nothing - very untrue - and the massive refunds given to landlords are not well thought out.
Firstly, landlords being able to claim interest expenses is not a handout, only a correction - no other form of business is taxed on expenses; secondly, if the residences are rented out, some if not all of the tax relief will be recovered from profits gained from the so-called tax handouts anyway.
One comment I read stated that in Auckland the tax refund would only buy the writer two or three extra flat whites. I am a superannuant, yet my refund would buy me a whole jar of instant coffee. However, as I have enough coffee, I will actually use it to buy a couple of kilos of potatoes as my own garden is unable to produce any at this time of year.
We are all aware that roading, health, education and essential infrastructure are in urgent need of attention. Have the detractors noticed that there have been funds allocated for this in the Budget? Or is the mentality so warped, by the have-anything-you-want philosophy, that like spoilt children they feel they must demand more?
Get a life. Give the Government the people voted for a chance to fix the mess we are in - advise them, by all means, and if they get it wrong toss them out at the next election.
If the detractors are so sure they can do a better job, maybe in 2026 they can be the government and prove their own worth.
Phil Newdick
Open for tourism
We were very disappointed, yet again, to see that the Gisborne i-Site was closed on Sunday, the middle day of a holiday weekend.
Obviously the management of Trust Tairāwhiti have decided that they don’t want to encourage tourists to visit our wonderful region.
I feel sorry for our tourism operators and accommodation providers who all provide exceptional experiences. They are being sadly neglected by not having the i-Site open, especially on a holiday weekend when many visitors were here.
Come on Trust Tairāwhiti, it’s high time you support tourism. The i-Site was never intended to be a Monday-to-Friday operation, like the staff in your waterside office enjoy.
David Hall
Grey St debacle
When did the council announce the $500,000 cost blowout for the Grey St project? Will there be any explanation or accountability for this? What has this extra money been spent on?
Hopefully, the project will make the city more cycle-friendly but in the medium to long term, cyclists are having to negotiate hazardous intersections to get to the Grey St “haven”.
Our existing network of painted cycle lanes stops just before roundabouts and intersections, which have little provision for cycle safety and are particularly dangerous for children. They are possibly the reason why so many cars clog up our roads before and after school.
If the council has money to burn for such joint-venture projects, could it collaborate with Eastland Group to strengthen the railway bridge and restore the vintage rail connection to the wharf? (A much-loved sight for most Gisborne residents.)
This might also help prevent the embarrassing spectre of cruise ship passengers wandering through our dingy CBD where only a dozen or so locally owned businesses make any real effort at presentation. Compare this with the lively atmosphere they can enjoy in Mount Maunganui and Napier.
Marianne Gillingham
Not a ‘hippy zone’
Re: ‘Give it a go’ - plea on Grey St project, May 31 story. I drove it out of interest and struggled to determine the purpose other than business for road painters. This is a main thoroughfare to/from the CBD - SH35 and Waikanae Beach - completely the wrong place for a “hippy zone”. And $900K for a 200m stretch of road smacks of the complete disregard for other people’s money from the previous Government. As a cyclist, I have to navigate the dangers and perils of kilometres of roadway before reaching “the 200m safe zone”. What a patronising load of nonsense.
Iain Boyle
Learning hindered
Re: Digital dilemma: Weighing reward and risk to our kids, June 1 column. Excellent information. Thank you very much Julie. This summed it up well for me: “. . . digital devices have the potential to enhance learning, but there are few situations where this happens currently and many in which learning may be hindered”.
Simin Williams
People are calling for free testing so people would drive safely.