Make the tax on Alcohol & Tobacco reflect actual costs
Both Alcohol and Tobacco have a major cost to the healthcare system. The proposal is to modify the tax on these to ensure such costs are fully recovered from the actual users. It could be adjusted each year to recover the forecast costs and keep the balance even.
Abolish LAQCs and implement capital gains on housing
The proposal is that tax schemes like LAQCs that allow people to dodge tax on housing should be abolished. Capital gains should be implemented on housing. The housing market reformed to encourage a market for home owners instead of property investors.
Reduce the number of District Health Boards
There are currently 21 District Health Boards. Each has its own management structure, seperate duplicated departments, etc. They do not operate cohesively and efficiently. They do not share resources or staff when needed.
The proposal is that the number should be dramatically reduced and the health system should operate with more unity to save costs.
Preparation for diminishing oil supplies
Should the Government be required make an effort to prepare for diminishing oil supplies rather than leaving it to later?
For example, placing more emphasis on public transport now, so it doesn't cost the country more later when steel, rolling stock, etc. prices go up due to the dramatically increasing demand.
Action on broadband - Fibre to the Home (FTTH)
Should the abysmal state of telecommunications be solved once and for all with the deployment of a Fibre to the Home (FTTH) network?
There are many ways this might be achieved, working out what is preferred and whether that should even be included in the referendum wording can be done in a user poll closer to the time.
Just for example, one option might be a Government subsidy of $1000 for each home connected. Of course to qualify for the subsidy the network would need to meet certain design standards, be flexible, and would be required to operate as an open wholesale network only.
Another option might be simply to give the money to local councils to decide best how to use it for their region.
And of course maybe an SOE, 25% funded by Government subsidy, and 75% through bond issue or some other debt mechanism that is paid back through subscriber revenue.
Return some of GST back to local councils
Should a portion of the GST collected from each district be returned to that district to make them more autonomous and for spending on things like transport, etc.
For example, the out of the 12.5% GST, 10% would go to Government, while 2.5% would be returned to the district in which is was generated.
Alternatively districts could be granted authority to implement a sales tax.
Ban Smoking in public places
A referendum to ban the sale of tobacco and its use in public spaces. The exact nature and timeframe will be decided using forums and polls when enough participates have signed up.
Develop a Constitution for New Zealand
Start a long term (5-10 year) process of public consultation and debate to develop a constitution for New Zealand.
The constitution should establish the rights of citizens, the powers of the various branches of the state, their purpose, and the fundamental aims of the Government.
Ban drug companies from advertising/promoting prescription only and restricted medicines.
A review of the laws allowing the advertisement of prescription only medicines by drug companies on TV etc. New Zealand and the United States (US) are the only two developed countries that allow such advertising of prescription-only medicines. These advertisements attempt to influence consumers’ choices about medicines.
Fat and sugar tax, or subsidies on healthy foods
Should there be a referendum on creating some kind of fat or sugar tax? Possibly with the money going towards some kind of subsidy to encourage healthier foods.
Reform the credit-check/personal-information laws
Reform the credit and personal information industry (e.g. Baycorp) by placing the responsibility on such companies to ensure all information is accurate.
All data must be made freely available to the person on request (in a timely manner) for free. The person may declare any information erroneous in which case it has to be fixed within a set time from the notification or the company incurs a penalty that is paid to the person. All persons have the right to ask for their data to be removed entirely.
The privacy commisioner is responsible for audits to ensure that companies do not maintain data that is outside of the bounds that they are legally allowed to maintain. And that they do not continue to maintain any data in secret (or accidently as residue in a system).
If a person suffers any loss due to erroneous or illegal information being provided by a company, then that loss may be claimed from the company by that person.
No company is allowed to pass on your information to anyone else without signed consent.
Entrench the Bill of Rights Act
Currently, human rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to a fair trial are affirmed in NZ law through the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990. However, while the BORA requires all laws to be interpreted so as to be consistent with it insofar as this is possible, nothing stops our Parliament from passing laws which are blatantly inconsistent with it.
One option is to entrench the BORA, preventing Parliament from amending it without a supermajority, and allowing the courts to overturn laws which are inconsistent with it. Alternatively, a hybrid system could be devised, allowing the courts to make declarations of inconsistency and overturn laws unless Parliament expressly confirms them (IIRC a similar system is used in the UK).
Place of manufacture and company ownership displayed on packaging
Flags depicting the place of manufacture and the country where the profits ultimately end up, should be displayed with every consumer product sold in New Zealand.
The flags should be of reasonable prominence, for example 1cm wide label stuck or printed onto the front of any packaging.
This lets consumers easily avoid buying products such as those made in countries with reputations for poor heath/safety standards or where the profits ultimately go a country with a dubious human rights record.
Life Cycle Assessment (sustainability) available for all products sold in NZ
A product's life cycle starts when raw materials are extracted from the earth, followed by manufacturing, transport and use, and ends with waste management including recycling and final disposal. At every stage of the life cycle there are emissions and consumption of resources. An LCA is a tally of these emissions and consumptions.
If a basic LCA (just how simplified can be decided later) is available for all products, it gives the consumer another factor for choosing one product over another thereby letting the average consumer choose the level of environmental responsibility companies must maintain in order to be commercially successful.
I suggest that a basic LCA available online be mandatory for a product to be sold in NZ (with the url printed on any packaging).
Ban Police Taser use in New Zealand - Tasers are a form of Torture, according to the UN.
Police use of Tasers has NO place in New Zealand society.
"TASER electronic stun guns are a form of torture that can kill, a UN committee has declared after several recent deaths in North America."
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22814674-5001028,00.html?from=public_rss
Adopt a new national flag
We've had four national flags to date. Has the time come for another update?
It need not be the flag promoted by the NZ Flag Trust, there are other alternatives (http://newnzflags.blogspot.com/).
It need not mean that New Zealand becomes a republic (Canada is not a republic, but they ditched their defaced (red) British ensign).
Does the current flag represent us, and will it adequately represent the next couple of generations? How recognisable is it on a flagpole or from a distance, or in a small icon size? Is it something you'd wave at a sporting event?
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