ACT Forces Govt U-turn On Export Levy

Education Minister Trevor Mallard's U-turn on the Education (Export Education Levy) Amendment Bill shows why ACT is the party of influence in Parliament, ACT New Zealand Education Spokesman Deborah Coddington said today.

"ACT has campaigned against this punitive tax on private education providers from the start," Miss Coddington said.

"At my first Education Select Committee meeting in 2002, I questioned Tertiary Education Minister Steve Maharey hard about the ideology behind taxing private providers, when Labour had just bailed out State-owned polytechnics to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. Two years later, the Government has finally seen sense.

"It's a pity that hundreds of busy people - who should be concentrating on the business of education - have wasted their time preparing submissions on this legislation.

"Once again, this poll-driven Government - desperate to retain the baubles of power - has desperately U-turned. But the public will see through this cynical ploy and turf it out come election time," Miss Coddington said.

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