IRD must clarify Tamihere’s tax actions

National Party Leader Don Brash says the Commissioner of Inland Revenue needs to explain immediately whether or not John Tamihere's actions over his tax payments are acceptable.

“It is appropriate to do this now, at a time when there is much festive-season spending, so others are not inclined to withhold money from the till or not declare income for tax purposes.

“If the Commissioner fails to act now, he will certainly be asked to explain himself before a parliamentary select committee.

“It is simply not acceptable that a Cabinet Minister cannot declare $175,000 of income, and get away with it, while other workers are expected to be meticulous with their tax returns, or get prosecuted by IRD,” says Dr Brash

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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>>