Tuesday 20th May 2008

Duties and Taxes Huge Burden on Household Budgets

Independent MP Gordon Copeland, the Kiwi Party spokesperson on Finance, today endeavoured to table a nine-page document in Parliament listing the excise duty, levy and fee changes which have occurred since the Labour Government came to power in November 1999, but it was blocked when Labour objected.

"The list of increases during the eight and half year reign of this Government is quite staggering,'" said Mr Copeland.

"It includes the usual increase in duties on tobacco and alcohol and a 16.7 cents per litre increase in the price of petrol, including GST, but the long list of other increases will surprise most New Zealanders.

"That includes road user charges and new levies or fees on electricity, gas, telecommunications, buildings, imports, exports, air travel, fire services, passports, wine making, beekeeping, car ownership and drivers licences.

"The increases in these duties, charges and levies have increased the cost of living for all New Zealanders, contributed to inflation and helped to force up interest rates. In spite of that reality, in over eight and half years, the Minster of Finance has never seen fit to give off-setting income tax cuts to the 2.5 million tax payers in this country who are excluded from the relief given through the Working for Families package!

"Instead the Government has increased the burden on Kiwi's through every kind of duty, levy or charge you could dream of. They could, and should, have given off-setting income tax reductions and their failure to do so leaves many families and individuals now struggling to cover the increased cost of basic commodities such as dairy products and petrol".

Attachment- List of excise duty, levy and fee changes.

ENDS

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