Local Government Funding 

Auckland mayor Len Brown believes the Government has its head in the sand when it comes to the funding of local councils.

Local Government New Zealand wants to put local road user charges, petrol taxes and visitor taxes back on the table.

But local government minister Paula Bennett says councils need to get on with the business of local government, like sensible spending on reliable infrastructure.

Mr Brown says there's no way ratepayers can carry the full cost of development... and something will have to give.

Brown has a point.
The migrant numbers are out today and although it is slowing nearly 60,000 have come into the country over the last year.

A fair chunk of them have come to Auckland.

According to the EMA there are 7000 newly registered cars going onto Auckland roads every month.

You can see why the infrastructure can't cope.

Its at breaking point.

Councils should be able to explore alternative taxes and they can do that after they have reformed the way rates are struck away from property taxes.

Sure councils have to look at spending but this is going to blow.

Prison Fight Club

The "fight club" and the booze and drugs inside Mt Eden Prison should never have been allowed to happen.

Its seems pretty obvious that guards were aware of what was going on and turned a blind eye.

Guards are therefore condoning illegal activity inside a prison.

Anyone knowingly sanctioning the fights, booze, and drugs should not only be sacked -they should be charged.

I don't see why this contraband can't be stopped from getting into prisons. Non-contact visitors should be mandatory in all prisons. If visitors are separated from the convicts, the drugs, booze and cellphones can't be passed over can they ?

Foreign Buyers

Despite the hot debate on foreigners buying houses, the Government's sticking to its guns in avoiding a foreign ownership register.

John Key says getting non-residents to register with the IRD will provide enough information.

He says the data might be a bit polluted from New Zealanders living in the United Kingdom or Australia, but there's fewer New Zealanders living in places like China.

This is another thing the Government is digging a hole for themselves over.

Even the Property Institute who last week were defending the new rules are now looking at ways they can see how many foreigners are buying Auckland houses...they just don't how they are going to do it.

Here's the thing : rather than get all knotted up about non resident Chinese buyers, the drivers of house prices are immigration, supply and demand, the economy, low inflation and low interest rates.

Don't underestimate the impact of cheap money.