Things I still can't do in November 2014 • Hacker News Board

Re: Things I still can't do in November 2014

#151

Post by jacques_chester » Tue, Nov 25, 2014, 2:14 AM UTC

fphhotchips wrote: post #150

jacques_chester wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The oral history is that the UK's systems were built by Australians, because we and the kiwis have had this level of convenience since the late 90s.

We do? I wrote my message on this from Australia, still frustrated by the level of convenience we have. It's actually worse in some places?

When I explain EFT and EFTPOS to Americans, they're often surprised that we Australians had it for decades.

The USA flew men to the moon, built the bomb and invented the internet. Their principal form of funds transfer is still with pieces of paper. Pieces of actual paper.

Re: Things I still can't do in November 2014

#152

Post by girvo » Tue, Nov 25, 2014, 7:27 AM UTC

frtab wrote: post #102

girvo wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As far as 30 is concerned, we already make smokers and drinkers pay more taxes through the various huge taxes on cigarettes and alcohol directly (at least in my country). It's not so far fetched, and if it reduces obesity then it's a net good for society.

The equivalent of taxes on alcohol and cigarettes would be a tax on unhealthy food, not a tax on unhealthy people.

That was the solution I was implying, although I did so badly :)

Re: Things I still can't do in November 2014

#153

Post by thomasfoster96 » Mon, Dec 01, 2014, 7:11 AM UTC

crdoconnor wrote: post #128

thomasfoster96 wrote: post #92

I'm sure 30 is probably best achieved by putting a 5% GST-like tax on food and drinks that exceed a certain calorie, sugar or fat content. Making people get weighed for their taxes isn't exactly going to be logistically, morally or politically possible in the foreseeable future.

Subsidizing fresh fruit and veg wouldn't hurt either.

At the moment in Australia we have 10% GST on things or no GST on things. Changing that to 15% (for most unhealthy items) and -5% is the sort of thing I'd like to see.