Hon Bill English MP National Party Leader

30 June 2003

Flatulence Tax must go says English

A National Government would scrap the so-called 'flatulence tax', says National Party Leader Bill English.

"The tax is discriminatory and a nonsensical way for the Labour Government to lay the bill for Kyoto on the door step of agriculture.

"Labour has lumbered the sector with increasing compliance costs, rising ACC levies, new petrol taxes, an electricity tax and it has allowed New Zealand to be sidelined in the race for a Free Trade Agreement with the US. "On the 'flatulence tax' Labour has also broken a key promise to agriculture," Mr English notes.

"Just six months ago senior Government Ministers were assuring farmers they would not have to pay for Labour's premature decision to sign up to Kyoto.

"Those promises have turned out to be worthless hot air.

"Instead, Kiwi farmers will be paying a tax that none of their competitors are facing," says Mr English.

"I'm offering my support to the farmer organised public meeting in Palmerston North on Wednesday.

"Helen Clark needs to be given a clear message that the agricultural sector can't be expected to pay for Labour's ideological extravagance any longer," Mr English says.

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