Kite flying.

In terms of framing a Budget, it usually starts in July. The kite flying for Budget 2016 started last December when we were promised tax cuts. Of course, this had nothing to do with a looming election or an attempt to ease the pain of various domestic charges. The Government just likes us.

Speculate to accumulate.

It worked time and time again so why should the next time be any different? We love easy money. OK, the crash might have given us a bit of a jolt but, just like riding a bike, we can get back into the saddle.

Kite flying.

If you use a DART or a train, there was a very big kite flown in your direction this morning. Figures released today show there was a 6% increase in passengers in the first few months of this year. Here’s what Barry Kenny told Newstalk what we can expect come January next year.

The good news is the Transport Minister also thinks the time is right to invest in quality public transport. He understands the benefits of a well-run transport system. One where you can actually sit down on a journey. How radical is that?

The thing is that January is a long way away. Will a sexy tax cut be too hard to resist? A few bob in people’s pockets eases the real pain of standing during a train journey. Do we even make the connection between the two? Do we care that the two kites marked ‘tax cuts’ and ‘good public services’ don’t really fly in formation?

And then there’s public pay. The Labour party knows a large amount of its support comes from the public sector. They’re itchin’ for some serious rises to get them back to their boom-time levels of popularity. One Minister claims that might happen without any productivity agreement. Economist Dan O’Brien outlined how that just won’t work on Lunchtime earlier today.

So there you go. What kite do you want to fly? Will you be travelling in relative calm or will you be going crazy, spending your tax cut?

Think about it the next time you are waitin’ on that train...