Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Labour Dumps Tax Policies for Upcoming Election
David Cunliffe: Labour Dumps Tax Policies for Upcoming Election
David Cunliffe's weekly pre-caucus press conference – 22 January 2014
By Peter Kerr
Click for big version.
Labour Dumps Tax Policies For Upcoming Election
Labour has dumped two bothersome tax-related policies from its last election campaign which it estimates will free up about $1.5 billion a year.
A previously proposed $5000 tax-free zone and a GST exemption on fresh fruit and vegetables have been given the boot – along with the potential for opposition parties to quiz exactly how the policies would work in practice.
Labour leader David Cunliffe said other policies, including tax-oriented plans, will be announced in his State of the Nation address next Monday.
Cunliffe said the $1.5 billion saving will provide fiscal headroom to assist in proposed new policies, though its capital gains tax policy will remain. This tax will not apply to a family home and will not be retrospective he said.
He reinforced the notion of Labour’s vision for a better, fairer, more innovative New Zealand in:
• A high value economy with
more jobs and better wages that closes the inequality
gaps
• More targeted relief, not just for the poorest
New Zealanders, but also for the mid income bracket
•
A continued commitment to raising the minimum wage to
$15/hour in Labour’s first 100 days in office
• A
change to the industrial relations framework
• A
fiscally responsible, fully costed budget. “We won’t
write cheques that can’t be cashed,” Cunliffe
said
• A modification of laws around deep sea oil
exploration to world best practice. Labour is not opposed to
ocean drilling in principle, and will not impose a
moratorium
• Labour will not form a government with
ACT or the Conservative Party, and is unlikely to do a deal
with United Future
• Cunliffe is not ruling out a
post-election arrangement with Labour as the largest party
Click a link to play audio (or right-click to
download) in either
MP3 format or in OGG format.
Peter Kerr
Message maker
Writer, communicator, simplifier, storyteller.
Versed in the art and science of translating something complicated into an understandable message.
Binoy Kampmark: The Australian Defence Formula, Spend! Spend! Spend!
Ian Powell: New Hospital Building Trumps ‘Yes Minister’ Hospital Without Patients
Mike Treen: Prices Are Still Rising - It's A Cost Of Living Crisis
Gordon Campbell: On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
Peter Dunne: Newshub And TVNZ Tip Of Media Iceberg
Harry Finch: Austerity – For And Against