New Zealand Listener Issue 23 2018

Boring is a poor epithet for a feature film but most governments can live with it as a description of their Budget. Innovative would be nicer, but boring will do. Boring does not incite people to change their vote, much less protest in the streets. In designing Budget 2018, Finance Minister Grant Robertson had the good fortune to be working with a bigger-than-forecast surplus: $3.1 billion for the current year and expected to be $3.7 billion next year. In most respects, Budgets are far easier to prepare in times of surplus than in times of deficit. The concerns of persuasive ministers can be assuaged, favoured policies and priorities can be funded and the exhortations of the party faithful can be met, at least to some extent. Thus, there was money…

FIND US ONLINE VISIT US ONLINE FOR EXTRA CONTENT AND DAILY UPDATES • noted.co.nz/the-listener • twitter.com/nzlistener • facebook.com/nzlistener “Many happy returns” (May 26) hits the nail on the head when it points out that KiwiSaver management fees can rise even if a fund’s costs barely change. It could have gone further and said some management fees are pure gouging. My fund, a major player, took out a hefty fee the moment I invested quite a large lump sum; that is, without its having earned me a single cent. And then it crowed to me about the growth of my wealth. So there’ll be no more investment from me until the fund changes its attitude and practices. Christopher Johnstone (Grey Lynn, Auckland) THE STRAITJACKET FITS The Labour Government’s insistence on following…

Boring is a poor epithet for a feature film but most governments can live with it as a description of their Budget. Innovative would be nicer, but boring will do. Boring does not incite people to change their vote, much less protest in the streets. In designing Budget 2018, Finance Minister Grant Robertson had the good fortune to be working with a bigger-than-forecast surplus: $3.1 billion for the current year and expected to be $3.7 billion next year. In most respects, Budgets are far easier to prepare in times of surplus than in times of deficit. The concerns of persuasive ministers can be assuaged, favoured policies and priorities can be funded and the exhortations of the party faithful can be met, at least to some extent. Thus, there was money for…

FIND US ONLINE VISIT US ONLINE FOR EXTRA CONTENT AND DAILY UPDATES • noted.co.nz/the-listener • twitter.com/nzlistener • facebook.com/nzlistener “Many happy returns” (May 26) hits the nail on the head when it points out that KiwiSaver management fees can rise even if a fund’s costs barely change. It could have gone further and said some management fees are pure gouging. My fund, a major player, took out a hefty fee the moment I invested quite a large lump sum; that is, without its having earned me a single cent. And then it crowed to me about the growth of my wealth. So there’ll be no more investment from me until the fund changes its attitude and practices. Christopher Johnstone (Grey Lynn, Auckland) THE STRAITJACKET FITS The Labour Government’s insistence on following a National-type “fiscal straitjacket”, as it has been rightly called,…

WINNING CAPTION Michael Smythe, Auckland FINALISTS Hillary Clinton: “This is how you do fourth-wave feminism.” – Phoebe Raye, Christchurch Clinton: “A Shipley passed in the night.” – Rebekah Smyth, Levin Clinton: “Some countries with a prime minister have a president, too. Not that I’m putting my hand up.” – Rex McGregor, Auckland The Biggest Loser: Electoral Edition – Jeremy Ashford, Whangarei Caption Competition {caption@listener.co.nz} TO ENTER Send your captions for the photo above to caption@listener.co.nz, with “Caption Competition No 283” in the subject line. Alternatively, entries can be posted to “Caption Competition No 283”, NZ Listener, Private Bag 92512, Wellesley St, Auckland 1141, or submitted through listener.co.nz/win. Entries must be received by noon, Tuesday, June 5. THE PRIZE The winner of our weekly caption competition will receive a DVD copy…

“Earlier today, Suits actress Meghan Markle married some unemployed dude who still lives with his grandma.” – Saturday Night Live “I doubt alcohol kills more people than it creates.” –author John LeFevre, quoted in the Week “The best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is 73 million millennials with a vote.” – student activist Tyler Suarez “When I was a child, my mother said to me, ‘If you become a soldier, you’ll be a general. If you become a monk, you’ll end up as the pope.’ Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso.” – Pablo Picasso “Trump’s blood type is KFC-positive. At a rally last week, Trump vowed to fight for the rights of the LGBBQ community.” – Trevor Noah “I can tell how intelligent a man is by…