From changes to KiwiSaver and benefits to a business tax break and savings from pay equity changes, here's the key parts of Budget 2025.

I had low expectations, but damn. Lowering the Govt’s KiwiSaver contribution, pay equity changes, income testing for Best Start child payments and 18-19 year olds on the benefit tested against their parent’s income, tax breaks for businesses, increased rebate threshold for SuperGold?

Will we ever get a Government brave enough to means test Superannuation. Boomers and businesses profit again and the younger generations have to pay for it with their futures.

  • eagleeyedtiger@lemmy.nzOPEnglish
    2·
    1 month ago

    I don’t know if we’ll ever get a UBI, but we don’t have one now and is the Govt helping you right now?

    I get the impression this happens a fair bit with change to social programmes that is designed to send project an ideology. Sometimes it almost feels like there are two NZs, one that wants to help everyone become a prosperous society and one that wants to not have social support at all.

    I think social media, algorithms and the huge influence American media and culture has is what has driven a lot of this. It’s definitely gotten worse over time. I really do wonder what the future holds for the next few generations.

    • liv@lemmy.nz
      2·
      1 month ago

      I think you are right. It’s bizarre the number of US “culture war” talking points and polarizations seem to be creeping in. I think the other thing is probably a huge number of New Zealanders now have spent their entire lives in the neoliberal economic paradigm and it’s hard for them to imagine alternatives to things like SOEs and revenue-driven media.

      but we don’t have one now and is the Govt helping you right now?

      I’m not sure I understand what you mean by this question. It feels rhetorical but I’m not sure what conclusion I’m intended to come to? The answer is in some ways and not in others.

      • eagleeyedtiger@lemmy.nzOPEnglish
        2·
        1 month ago

        Ah sorry, it wasn’t very clear. I meant - you have some concerns about the Govt. affording to help people in the case we ever have a UBI. We don’t have one right now and are enough people currently getting helped in those ways? I guess my point is, having a UBI doesn’t rule out other assistance in the future should the need arise. Incremental progress is better than none at all. “Perfect is the enemy of good” and all that.

        You could argue If there was a UBI there would be far less people requiring that kind of help as they would have some form of predictable income outside of other means of earning money.

        • liv@lemmy.nz
          2·
          1 month ago

          We don’t have one right now and are enough people currently getting helped in those ways?

          Definitely not. Which I keep seeing as scarcity, whereas it’s actually a result of priorities.

          Having this conversation makes me feel a bit ashamed as I’m realising I’ve been brainwashed over the years by internalising what Work and Income and Ministry of Health keep telling me.

          Thanks for being patient in your explanation!