This is all too common.  The NZ Herlad reported yesterday Half of Kiwi business owners oppose GST hike.

Simple right?  So 50% or so are not happy?   No, not at all.  As stated in the article:

The latest MYOB business monitor of more than 1000 New Zealand business owners has found 31 per cent are dissatisfied with the Government’s support of their business, with Wellington business owners (31 per cent) showing the most dissatisfaction of any region.

So 31% is the HIGHEST dissatisfaction of any region?  That’s less than a third (I say that in case the journalist who wrote it is reading this – as they clearly struggle with fractions).

It goes on to say

Business owners in the retail and hospitality (40 per cent) and construction and trades (37 per cent) sectors showed the highest levels of industry-based dissatisfaction.

So I haven’t event seen ONE figure that’s 50%.  Not half of a region, half of a group, half of ANYTHING, and they are all the top (highest) number they are quoting, so all others are LESS.

In fact the article is so poor, that I cant find ANYWHERE what the actual overall level of dissatisfaction is.   It’s not the 31% that’s mentioned above, as it cant be the same as the HIGHEST of any region unless all regions were the same.    I do know it’s not 50% or anywhere near it.  In fact it MUST be less than 31% (since Wellington has the highest dissatisfaction, all others must be less, meaning the average is less).

Black and White Version: Sloppy Journalism (Journalist even) that makes up headlines or just doesn’t know that half is 50%!

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