Hon Grant Robertson

Minister of Finance

Hon Stuart Nash

Minister of Revenue

20 December 2017

Tax Working Group members announced

Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Revenue Minister Stuart Nash today announced the members being appointed to the Government’s Tax Working Group.

“The Tax Working Group has been established to look at the structure, fairness and balance of New Zealand’s tax system. The wide range of expertise and experience among the membership means the Working Group is well placed to consider changes to make our tax system fairer,” Grant Robertson says.

Along with chair Sir Michael Cullen, the Working Group members being appointed are:

· Professor Craig Elliffe, University of Auckland

· Joanne Hodge, former tax partner at Bell Gully

· Kirk Hope, Chief Executive of Business New Zealand

· Nick Malarao, senior partner at Meredith Connell

· Geof Nightingale, partner at PwC New Zealand

· Robin Oliver, former Deputy Commissioner at Inland Revenue

· Hinerangi Raumati, Chair of Parininihi ki Waitotara Inc

· Michelle Redington, Head of Group Taxation and Insurance at Air New Zealand

· Bill Rosenberg, Economist and Director of Policy at the CTU

· Marjan Van Den Belt, Assistant Vice Chancellor (Sustainability) at Victoria University of Wellington

“We’ve got a good mix of people on the Working Group - from tax experts and academics, to people with private sector, union and Maori community expertise. The Working Group is tasked with looking at how we can make our tax system fairer for all and the diversity in this team makes it well placed to do that,” Stuart Nash says.

The Tax Working Group will also look at how the tax system can promote the long-term sustainability and productivity of the economy.

“New Zealand faces significant opportunities and challenges in the future of our economy. It is prudent to start thinking now about how we respond,” Grant Robertson and Stuart Nash say.

Updates on the Group's work will be available through its website - taxworkinggroup.govt.nz. Its first meeting is set to be held towards the end of January 2018.

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