Media Statement

For immediate release

Wednesday 11 February 2004

Copeland – things the PM did not say!

United Future finance and revenue spokesperson Gordon Copeland has pointed out the things the Prime Minister did not say in her Statement to the House on the resumption of Parliament.

“She did not mention

* An adjustment to the income tax brackets for inflation since 2000 which is now taking an extra $60 per year from those earning under $30,000, $540 per year from those earning under $60,000 and $840 per year from those earning $65,000 or more.

* The removal of GST on rates.

* A reduction in the company tax rate to 30%

“Although a glib reference was made to “the smart economy”, no reference at all was made to the smarting part of our economy, i.e. the farmers, the foresters, and other exporters who saw their incomes shrink last year and are in for even more belt-tightening this year.”

Mr Copeland said “The Prime Minister made no reference to any kind of strategy to reverse these outcomes by building New Zealand’s exporting capacity.”

Ends

© Scoop Media

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>>