Media Statement
For immediate release
Friday, 4 June, 2004

Copeland: Back tax backdown common sense

Common sense has prevailed in Inland Revenue's backing down on its earlier decision to bring in back taxes from lowly paid Barnardos caregivers, United Future's Gordon Copeland said today.

"This is exactly what I suggested should happen this morning, and I am delighted to see that some sense of fair play will be brought to bear," he said.

IRD had previously announced it would impose a retrospective tax bill on Barnardos home child caregivers, dating back to April last year. It this afternoon promised to work with Barnardos to introduce the taxes with minimal disruption, but with no back taxes.

"When this is done, the Government should lift the donations rebate to organisations such as Barnardos from $630 a year to $5000 a year, allowing Barnardos to increase their caregivers' pay rates to at least ensure that their net take home pay is maintained," Mr Copeland, United Future's revenue and charities spokesman, said.

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>>