National Party’s $4 A Week 'Pathetic'

The temporary tax relief proposed by National Party today is pathetic and unprincipled, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.

Union spokesman Jordan Williams says, “The proposed income tax cut would give workers just $4 a week. That’s pathetic – not even enough for a cup of coffee. And because it kicks in at the bottom of the income scale, it doesn’t do anything to ease the high marginal tax rates that discourage workers from increasing skills or productivity.”

“Tax relief should be used to grow the economy and slay the government debt monster. But this policy won’t do that.”

“The company tax idea is even worse. Creating a two-tier tax system for different-sized businesses creates a perverse incentive for small businesses to remain small, and structure their affairs around tax rules. The idea also sets a disturbing precedent that will be exploited by lefties and protectionists who want to use the tax system to drag down large, successful companies.”

“Grant Robertson’s massive spending allocations in response to COVID-19 have shown that there is plenty of government fat that could be clawed back to enable more substantial tax relief. A big-spending centre-left government requires bold opposition from the Right, but National’s tax policy suggests they’ve been dragged by Labour into the mushy middle.”

“Grant Robertson is a ‘Tax-Master General’ – taxing Kiwis a record $97 billion last year despite COVID. The Nats should be able to find more than some loose change under the couch.”

“This union was not consulted in the development of this out-of-the-blue tax policy, and it shows.”

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