Tuesday, 28 September 1999, 8:48 pm Press Release: Green Party
Politicians missing the point in tax discussion, say
Greens
The major political parties' media arguments
today over tax issues missed the point over whether
politicians were even taxing the right things, the Green
Party says.
Green Party Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said
in order to increase employment, taxes should be shifted off
income and enterprise and on to waste and pollution.
A
carbon tax on fossil fuels would reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and encourage the use of renewable forms of
energy. A tax on toxic materials would reduce spray-drift,
over-use of pesticides and encourage organic
farming.
These taxes could then be used to remove tax off
the bottom level of income - the first $5000 - which would
help the low-paid and encourage more employment, Ms
Fitzsimons said.
"The incentives our tax system creates
are just as important as the level of taxes, and the
discussion should be about whether the current system
targets the right areas of
society."
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