24 October 2001 Media Statement

Alliance won’t support flatter tax scales

The Alliance will not agree to increasing taxes on low and middle income New Zealanders and cutting taxes for the affluent as advocated in the Tax Review, Alliance leader Jim Anderton said.

The final report of the Review was released today.

“There is no truth in the suggestion that poor people have too much money and rich people don’t have enough. We won’t be signing up to any flattening of the tax scales.

“But while the Alliance won’t accept that recommendation, I welcome the Review’s point that decisions about tax and spending are related. Anyone who wants to cut taxes is obliged to say what spending they will cut,” Jim Anderton said.

The Review’s recommendations on other taxes, including wealth taxes, financial transactions taxes and carbon taxes would be carefully studied in the preparation of new policies for the next general election.

ENDS

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