The gloves are off as charities prepare to battle with the Government over proposals to tax charitable organisations, National's Revenue spokesperson Annabel Young said today.

"The Government's discussion document 'Tax and Charities' has resulted in the Inland Revenue Department being flooded with submissions. At the end of July, 499 had been lodged, despite the closing date being 31 August.

"Charities won't take this lying down. They're determined to fight for their tax-free status and they're taking the matter up personally with the Finance Minister and with Labour MP's in their home electorates.

"I'm know that many charities are still finalising submissions, so the Government can expect a further wave of anger in the next few days.

"These charities are defending their right to do charitable work without the Government taxing their efforts.

"Dr Cullen obviously thought that attacking charities was an easy way to grab more tax, but he has seriously misunderstood how determined these charities are to keep these tax proposals at bay," Annabel Young said.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>