Another day, another round of vindictive and regressive policy from this government.

  • registrations going up
  • fuel tax going up
  • public and active transport slashed by $1bn
  • 15 new, uncosted roads announced

Remember when these guys campaigned on the cost of living?

  • Xcf456@lemmy.nzOP
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    8 months ago

    Wow, it gets even worse the more people look into these changes.

    Around half of registration fees are ACC levies, and other half is currently only used to to maintain the motor vehicle registration system. This second part is being jacked up more than double to pay for roads so they don’t have to put up fuel taxes this term. But the problem with this is its highly regressive because its not connected at all to how much people actually use the roads like fuel tax and RUC are.

    Like, its blatant cartoonishly cruel shit. Everything is being done to rip public services and money from lower income people to fund roads and tax cuts for the well off.

    • TagMeInSkipIGotThis@lemmy.nz
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      8 months ago

      This post is weird to me - I can see on the page it has 45 responses, but the only one I can see is this one that i’m replying to :)

      • Xcf456@lemmy.nzOP
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        8 months ago

        That is weird, the quirks of lemmy I guess. Don’t worry though, it’s mostly just a big argument about utes :)

  • Ilovethebomb@lemmy.nz
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    8 months ago

    This place is turning into r/newzealand, just a bunch of negative whiners complaining about everything. We’ve even had our first ute whinge.

    • Rangelus@lemmy.nz
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      8 months ago

      You have to admit this is a bit much from the party that claimed no new taxes or increase in fuel tax, right?

      ETA: also Ute are fucking stupid for the main thing I seem them being used for: driving the kids to school, and driving the REA to his office.

      • Ilovethebomb@lemmy.nz
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        8 months ago

        That says more about where you spend your time that anything else. Go to a campground or a boat ramp, you’ll see them doing what they were built for.

        • Rangelus@lemmy.nz
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          8 months ago

          Mate I can’t help that I’m a townie, but so many Utes never see an ounce of dirt.

          I didn’t say they didn’t have their uses anyway, just that far too many on our roads are completely pointless. They are strictly worse tradie vehicles and make rubbish everyday cars.

          • Viper_NZ@lemmy.nz
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            8 months ago

            Half of all Ute sales are to former Commodore/Falcon drivers who need a vehicle that is a phallic representation of their manliness.

            It doesn’t matter if they’re Bob from accounting.

                • Rangelus@lemmy.nz
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                  8 months ago

                  No, not really. I’m quoting something I saw on reddit and found funny. Feel free to ignore it.

                  But honestly, a lot of the time people seem to make ute ownership a personality trait. I used to want a ute. Then I grew up, and so now when I needed a work vehicle I got a van.

          • Ilovethebomb@lemmy.nz
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            8 months ago

            Utes are a Swiss army knife of a vehicle, they may be worse at one job, but they’re good enough at being a trade vehicle and a weekend vehicle that you can just have one to do everything.

            • Rangelus@lemmy.nz
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              8 months ago

              Sure, as I said they have their place. But does a mum need one to drop her kids off at school? Does an accountant need one to meet a client?

              We aren’t talking about tradies or people towing boats (there are better towing vehicles btw), we are talking about all the spotless rangers and hiluxes clogging up city streets.

              • Ilovethebomb@lemmy.nz
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                8 months ago

                How do you know they’re not towing or hauling camping gear over the holidays? Just because you don’t see them doing it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.

                • Rangelus@lemmy.nz
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                  8 months ago

                  Other vehicles are more comfortable, safer and can haul just as well or more. I personally haul a trailer using my SUV, and it does the job fine. It could haul a boat no problem (I don’t have a boat, obviously). There is no reason for a ute to haul a boat.

          • Ilovethebomb@lemmy.nz
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            8 months ago

            I seriously doubt you’d have any experience working out of a vehicle. Besides, they’re usually bought and driven because they’re both a trade vehicle, and a family wagon.

            • Rangelus@lemmy.nz
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              8 months ago

              I know many tradies mate, they all use vans except one, and he complains constantly about his Ute.

              I also make deliveries, would never use a Ute. Van is the way to go.

              Besides, none of this addresses the point. None of the ones I’m talking about are not trade/family vehicles. I see mum’s dropping kids off, bank people and REAs driving to a showing all the time. None of these need a massive fucking Ute that never carries anything or goes off-road.

              • Ilovethebomb@lemmy.nz
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                8 months ago

                Yeah, like when they go hunting or tow a boat. Vehicles with two wheel drive and bugger all ground clearance are awesome like that.

                • Rangelus@lemmy.nz
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                  8 months ago

                  Plenty of tradie vans are 4wd and have decent ground clearance. And their tools won’t get nicked out the back.

                  Oh and don’t forget, plenty of places don’t allow you to use your work vehicle during the weekend anyway.

                • Viper_NZ@lemmy.nz
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                  8 months ago

                  Because Joe from Joe’s plumbing is going to empty the van of all his tools, supplies and parts in order to take it hunting each weekend.

                  Work vehicles are exactly that.

    • Xcf456@lemmy.nzOP
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      8 months ago

      Like a week ago you were complaining about the state of journalism because an article about a jet boat crash was actually a propeller boat. So idk, post a good news story if that’s what you want to see