New Zealand 'people's' budget sees Ardern put billions more into health and education
Source: Guardian
The first Labour government in close to a decade has pledged to make New Zealand a kind and equitable nation where children thrive, and success is measured not only by the nations GDP but by better lives lived by its people.
Although the 2018 budget was focused on rebuilding vital public services particularly the health care sector - Robertson said next years budget would be the first in the world to measure success by its peoples wellbeing.
We want New Zealand to be a place where everyone has a fair go, and where we show kindness and understanding to each other, said Robertson. These changes are about measuring success differently. Of course a strong economy is important but we must not lose sight of why it is is important. And it is most important to allow all of us to have better lives ... the government is placing the wellbeing of people at the centre of all its work.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her governments first budget was not focused on the election cycle, but generational improvement in New Zealanders lives.
Rebuild what? said Ardern, defending her governments budget and rounding on the opposition leader, Simon Bridges. Well lets start with New Zealands reputation shall we? We are rebuilding a government that thinks about people.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/17/new-zealand-people-budget-jacinda-ardern-health-education
SergeStorms
(19,201 posts)In contrast to the shit-show we're experiencing in the good old U.S. of A. where children only matter when they're in the womb, and we spend obscene amounts of money on the weapons of war and all the accoutrements thereof. Then, of course, we have to tip the playing field in favor of the already wealthy at the expense of those struggling to merely survive.
In which of these two countries would you YOU wish to live?
Crash2Parties
(6,017 posts)Of course they'd never let the rest of us in, which is probably why the SV guys chose it.
OnDoutside
(19,956 posts)funnily enough the Labour party seem to be tackling or promising to.
A friend of mine had a back problem, and got to see a consultant a couple of days later, when the consultant identified the problem and wanted to do the operation the following day !
As against that, 3rd level education is relatively quite expensive, and the overall standard wouldn't be as high, compared to here in Ireland anyway. The son of a friend of mine moved over to NZ to live with his grandparents and play rugby. His standard in Ireland was a B minus student but within the NZ system he is an A plus student ! But still a lot better than being in a charter school I suspect !
meadowlander
(4,395 posts)and the Labour party is proposing to make the first year free. Tuition for domestic students is only a few thousand a year depending on the subject - the equivalent of a mid-tier state university in the US.
It's a really small country - the whole population of NZ is only 6 million which is less than the population of San Francisco. You wouldn't really expect half a dozen world class universities. And the quality of education depends quite a lot on the subject. There's pioneering research going on in geology, ecology, geothermal energy generation, etc. But for something like a business or computer science degree, you're not going to get the equivalent of Wharton Business School or MIT.
I would say the major downsides are housing affordability, comparatively low wages and very long flights if you ever want to go anywhere else. You have to save a 20% deposit to buy a house and average house prices in Auckland are over NZ$1 million (US$700,000ish). So to buy an average first home it's not unusual to have to save more than $100,000 for the deposit. And the quality of housing is pretty shabby overall. That "average" first home is probably cinder block with a steel roof, no insulation, a postage stamp yard and an hour commute into the city.
I would also grumble about the overall quality of goods and value for money. There is no economy of scale in NZ because the population is so small and the country is so geographically isolated. It can only really support two supermarket chains, one or two of each type of big box retailer and because there is no competition you get gouged for some really shoddy products with no options to buy something better. Of course that's why God invented online shopping...
But lots of pluses too - almost free health care, 80% renewable energy, robust unions, a real social safety net, amazing access to the great outdoors, etc.
OnDoutside
(19,956 posts)it matches up to what my friends have said about it, though dental seems to be an issue. The daughter of one said that she couldn't have had that lifestyle here in Ireland. She rides ponies and they bring her skiing, trekking and kayaking. Stuff they would never have done here in Ireland. That said, as she is now about 7, they plan to move back to Ireland and a large part of that is for her education, where they standard is higher.
SergeStorms
(19,201 posts)Your friend's son got a lot more intelligent just from moving there! Oh, if it were that easy, right?
OnDoutside
(19,956 posts)ansible
(1,718 posts)For all its positives, NZ's weather is pretty miserable in comparison. My ex lives there and she suffers from severe depression partly because of how cold and windy the weather is.
SergeStorms
(19,201 posts)just about anywhere in the north-east and have the same conditions. There are three good months out of the year in the north-east. The rest are transition months, or winter. You can't let the weather get you down, because there's not a damned thing you can do about it (other than moving) anyway. You may as well make the most of whatever you have, and not be a "weather slave".
brettdale
(12,381 posts)to go to a GP in New Zealand.
Its now going to cost $10 Nzl dollars ($7 Us) for low wage New Zealanders.
Children 14 and under can now go for free.
C Moon
(12,213 posts)samplegirl
(11,477 posts)Who lives there and loves it. He can not believe the waste and unfairness do here.
sinkingfeeling
(51,457 posts)one that only kills.
Equinox Moon
(6,344 posts)I find myself enjoying hearing news of Jacinda Ardern's PM term. Her baby is due in June. She is the youngest world leader. She is the second to be pregnant while running a country.
Go Jacinda!
IronLionZion
(45,440 posts)oh wait!....
Young people always feel entitled.
"We are rebuilding a government that thinks about people.