This past week we are starting to see the successes of Labour's economic management in helping the lower and middle class of New Zealand get ahead:
Other data collected by property experts shows mortgagee sales nationally rising almost 20 per cent in the past week as banks foreclose on families and property investors hit by crippling interest rates and the rising cost of living.
Labour - creating equality through bankruptcy
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Why you won't see any true affordable housing
CLARK'S EMPIRE
Assets
* Townhouse: Wellington
* House: Auckland
* Apartment: Christchurch
* Investment property: Rodney district
* House: United Kingdom
* Beneficial interest in Burke Trust and FG Clark Family Trust
* Funds in Government Superannuation scheme
* Bank of New Zealand bank deposits
And just as we have seen what happens to Boarding Houses that try to open in HC's suburb; roads that are going to go near her; airports changing ownership in the same city et al - you can bet changes that might affect the prices of her investment properties aren't going to go through any time soon...
Perks
DPF has raised some interesting points around whether all of MP's perks are really just expenses - and therefore whether they should be subject to public scrutiny.
While I can empathize with his sentiments that there is a difference between a true business related expense and a perk - I cannot relate that this makes either classification any less worthy of disclosure. While any employer will generally "pay for your accommodation, if your job requires you to stay overnight away from home"; this is still something that the employer (which is in this case the public) will have visibility of - and does still form part of the package of being an MP.
Just as my meal expenses when away on business are just expense reimbursement - but are still a perk of the job.
Of course where I completely disagree in terms of his classifications used to determine expense / perk is around the travel reimbursements for spouse / family. Where one MP is able to make an expense claim on the basis of family status and another is not - this is a perk.
While I can empathize with his sentiments that there is a difference between a true business related expense and a perk - I cannot relate that this makes either classification any less worthy of disclosure. While any employer will generally "pay for your accommodation, if your job requires you to stay overnight away from home"; this is still something that the employer (which is in this case the public) will have visibility of - and does still form part of the package of being an MP.
Just as my meal expenses when away on business are just expense reimbursement - but are still a perk of the job.
Of course where I completely disagree in terms of his classifications used to determine expense / perk is around the travel reimbursements for spouse / family. Where one MP is able to make an expense claim on the basis of family status and another is not - this is a perk.
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