Re: The Hulstrian Chronicle - Die Hulstrian Chronik
Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 8:59 pm
Major strategic aims
- the government aims to mobilise a tripartite partnership between trade unions, businesses and the government to ensure an equitable execution of the economic strategy for all stakeholders. In particular, the government will leave large parts of negotiating labour conditions to the social partners.
- the government aims to attract investment by promoting the high quality and relatively low cost (at the moment) of Crownlander labour. By investing in education and technology, the government aims to revitalise technology and science in the Crownlands in particular to create a knowledge economy.
- the government aims to promote sectors of historic importance in the Crownlands, such as tourism, through targetted campaigns.
- the government aims to restructure taxation and the public finances to ensure an equitable tax on businesses and workers, funded by an increase in indirect taxation. Cuts to income tax are necessary both to improve the spending power of all citizens and in particular to stop brain drain of educated and talented citizens to other countries.
- the government aims to jumpstart private initiative by relaxing regulations on private businesses and privatising non-vital public enterprises to return the majority of the economy to private hands.
Economic partnership
- reintroduction of Schneeberg (OOC: Rhineland model) model bargaining between government, employers and the unions in the areas of salary caps and working conditions, urging the social partners to observe a measure of wage restraint to keep inflation under control.
An attractive investment climate
- Opening up the markets to foreign employment and investment. Foreign investment will be introduced only after the major privatisation of non-essential companies will be completed.
- Active pursuit of free trade deals with longstanding allies such as the Luthori Commonwealth, Kazulmark and Indrala will be pursued.
- Wage restraint will be urged of employers and unions in the economic partnership to keep growth high and inflation low, in exchange for greater influence over working conditions. The government believes that spending power will remain on par through the restructuring of the tax system and the introduction of benefits.
- Corporation tax to be cut in half in order to facilitate the growth of business.
- Investment will be made into the national transport infrastructure in cooperation with local governments.
- The currency exchange rate will be allowed to fluctuate; the Crownlander Central Bank will be granted further independence to ensure the professional conduct of monetary policy.
Jumpstarting the private sector
- the privatisation of all non-essential public industries, so that the majority of the economy is in private hands again. The lion's share of this operation is to occur before the planned relaxation of foreign investment regulations.
- the Kronlander Bundesbahn (Crownlander Federal Railways), the public media and the power grid will not be privatised. Adjustments will be made to put these companies at arms-length from the state while still maintaining ownership of all shares.
- the energy companies, energy generation and the post office will all be privatised; regulations will be reviewed in the telephone sector.
- the healthcare sector will be privatised, with a mandatory basic insurance policy for all citizens including the most essential healthcare. The government shall regulate that hospitals and health insurance companies, though private, shall be run on a non-profit basis.
- the abolition of mandatory Democratic Workers' Councils running all businesses, to be replaced by a mandatory representation of stakeholders on the boards of all corporations above a certain size.
- Eminent domain will be abolished following a transition period during which an independent tribunal will determine compensation for seizure of private property in the pursuit of vital infrastructural projects.
Improving the quality and attractiveness of labour; investing in skills
- the government will inject significant investment into the education budget and the science and technology budget to attract technological startups.
- the government will reintroduce universal student grants to promote the pursuit of higher education, increasing the education level of the workforce in line with this ambition.
Strengthening our historical sectors
- The government will end farm size regulations and look into easing regulations to support our farmers.
- The government will invest to promote tourism, promoting city trips, historical sights and our mountain resorts in particular, in conjunction with local governments.
- To this end, the government will keep investing in preserving our national heritage, and will end the forest clearance policy to protect the natural heritage of our nation.
- The government will seek the return of originally Crownlander companies such as the Tenkoun Corporation to Hulstria and Gao-Soto by creating the requisite conditions.
- To promote tourism and stimulate the development of vital infrastructure, the government will look into the possibility of hosting a major international event such as the Winter Olympics.
Restructuring the public finances
- To increase spending power, the government will abolish the lower rate of income tax.
- To combat brain drain, the government will restructure the top rates of income tax.
- The government will simplify the income tax system to cut administrative costs and make work more attractive and profitable.
- The government will end punitive taxation on corporations.
- There will be a shift from direct taxation to indirect taxation.
- The government is committed to a balanced budget. Recognising the size of the needed investment, however, the government commits to use the reserves accumulated during the years the government ran a surplus to compensate any necessary deficit for the first 4 years.
- Costly public projects such as the nuclear arms programme and the space programme will be discontinued and their funds reallocated. The government is of the opinion that the nation can ill-afford such standing prestige projects.
- The retirement age shall be raised to 65 to keep the pension system sustainable; the ban on private pensions shall be lifted, with private plans being encouraged.