Roger Armstrong

No flags, no pronouns,

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

@PronouncedHare Put another way the tax receipts from wages will never outpace superannuation costs unless tax rates are increased, or we engineer a large change in demographics.

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

Given we face structural disadvantages like our agricultural dependence, small market and isolation perhaps we should try to be the absolute very best in other areas like reducing regulatory impediments, increasing productive education (not Māori studies etc), attracting outstanding immigrants only and reducing zero worth government expenditure. But successive governments have shown no vision and no balls in these areas and instead got involved in ridiculous vote winning activities (payWave surcharges from National, numerous from NZ First)

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

@SimeonBrownMP Why stuff around with $1500, why not a million. Put the minimum wage up to $100 an hour while you are at it. Must be so much fun being a politician giving away “free stuff” and voting ourselves rich. Magic!

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

For those you don’t live in Christchurch this was what we call a norwest day (globally people talk about Fohn or Foenh winds), where rain in the nearby mountains compresses and raises the temperature of air on this side of the mountains. I guess it was a record because the norwest struck on a day when the initial air temperature was warmer due to weather patterns to the south/north. You would have thought a science agency would explain this rather than scream “record” with no context, almost as if they are global warming catastrophists!

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

@MarkHubbard33 Your attitude is great, not sure about your book choice. William Boyd’s any human heart or John boyne’s the heart’s invisible furies are better (also less serious) “whole of life” yarns.

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

@MHReddell Many in this country and globally are so snide about the USA because the mainstream media serves them up a diet of negative stories, esp in Trump times, but they just smash us economically, mainly through attitude.

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

listed company fisher and paykel healthcare always takes delight in saying how its overseas sales are bigger than the exports of the entire nz wine industry. It’s not that big at around 2b. Delegats on the nzx gives you a current window on the wine industry, it’s tough but not a disaster.

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

@JosephMooneyMP labour politicians never bring up Lange/douglas without disowning them. If I was a national politician I would never mention Muldoon, but maybe you are too young to know the damage he did.

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

Asia is such a broad category and immigration has from Asia has evolved. If you interviewed me I would say Chinese immigration from decades ago has been fantastic, the small number from SE Asia has been good but it’s too early to call the recent and growing wave from India. But, yes, right wing reactive X is in a world of its own on this subject.

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

@aniobrien How many people know the last labour government netted the superfund assets off debt to make the books look better? National reversed this deception.

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

I love the little known urumau track. Walk up from lyttelton past the wonderful out graveyards (damaged by the earthquake) and the track starts at the top of fosters terrace. Reasonablely challenging but climbing up a spiny ridge you get great views of the other end of the harbour. For a short walk come down charmers track with its native bush,

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

@JosephMooneyMP Your government has made no serious effort to decrease the size of the state. It’s why so many right wingers look to the other two parties. I have landed on act even though I hate Seymour with a passion.

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

@roonsopo I think the biggest reason is the increase in wage costs through huge minimum wage increases, a week extra sick pay, an extra public holiday plus the mondayafication of another. Add on general inflation .

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

@catturd2 Yeh, but that roof top video of where the streets have no names.

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

I’m with you but look into the advice treasury gave the government, not once did they comment on the unfairness to one industry, they just said it was too rushed. Having worked there 45 years ago I find it astounding that the IRD was harder and more direct on this than the Treasury. It appears as if Treasury has been captured by progressives. Your government should have fixed this, you might have thought harder about your fiscal lunacy if you had hard talking economists shaming you regularly!

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

@pennymarienz @KennyCarmody What it doesn’t touch upon is that it changed my view of the majority of my fellow humans, that they were convinced by illogical propaganda and not only put up with the draconian stupidity but (many) turned on dissidents.

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

Yes, but bluntly cost is an issue. Eg for most monoclonal antibody treatment of cancer outside of keytruda ( the miracle drug in this area) the average increase in lifespan is not large (6 months is common) but the cost can be $100k+. Medsafe is probably not the gatekeeper on this, but Pharmac needs to have a look.

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

@dissdisinfo @SimeonBrownMP @minhealthnz @dbseymour @CaseyCostelloMP @NZNationalParty It’s worse than that. In the USA you can get veterinarian ivermectin, but in NZ “someone” has made it that there is no pure product, only mixes with ingredients you don’t want to be putting in your body.

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

@the_salty_one_ By housing providers I bet they mean Iwi get first option.

[Roger Armstrong @SumnerRog]

@TrevorH53038397 @franks_lawyer 1960: Holyoke, then marshal very briefly, followed by Kirk, Rowling and Muldoon. The only one with any vision was Muldoon, but unfortunately his vision was like that of a LSD user! Damage done. Since then, 2 good governments but some terrible ones including the current.