Park tax u-turn a win for everyone, bar Dunne

The car park tax u-turn is excellent news for New Zealanders ranging from city workers to city cleaners, although not for Peter Dunne, says Labour’s Revenue spokesperson David Cunliffe.

“John Key has cracked under overwhelming pressure and applied the hand-brake to Peter Dunne’s latest petty tax.

“From the moment this tax was proposed Labour has campaigned against it. The back down came just one hour after the Council of Trade Unions joined the alliance of the Labour Party, the Unite Union, and Auckland and Wellington businesses.

“The tax was inefficient, unfair and downright dangerous. It was set to cost twice as much to administer as it would have brought in. It included only two CBDs and would have forced city cleaners to walk the streets at dangerous hours of the night.

“The car park tax was just another of the penny-pinching proposals from this Government. Now that they appear to have come to their senses, hopefully they will reverse last year’s ridiculous tax on paper boys and girls and scrap the proposed tax on cell phones and iPads.

“The truth is United Future Minister Peter Dunne has been hung out to dry by his frenemies in the National Party.

“Just this morning Mr Dunne was making a muddled case for the car park tax in an interview with the Herald, while John Key was making it clear on the radio the tax was a goner.

“Peter Dunne is now a lame duck minister. If he can’t even get a car park tax through, what are the chances of National listening to him on any other proposal?

“A good tax system can help encourage the use of public transport and cycling but this proposal wouldn’t have done either. Better plans are needed.

“If the National Government really wants to increase revenue, chasing after paper deliveries, cell phones and car parks isn’t the way to do it. Comprehensive overhauls including a capital gains tax and research and development tax credits will raise revenue and help kick-start the economy,” says David Cunliffe.

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