No Election Bribes, Dr Cullen - Libz

"A flat rate of income tax of 20% is entirely possible even if Dr Cullen only offered to give the surplus back to New Zealanders in today's Budget" declared Libertarianz Leader Bernard Darnton today. "And that's without even cutting ANY spending at all!"

"It is utterly outrageous that the Department of Legalised Theft confiscates the income of New Zealanders right, left and centre so that the Labour Party can dole out election bribes," says Darnton, who calls: "Give people back their money, Dr Cullen."

Libertarianz believes that even without any of the many, many cuts in spending that should be made, New Zealanders should at least be getting back their $7 billion. With the cuts he could be making and without boosting spending at all, Dr Cullen's budget would be able to:

- Boost the incomes and standard of living of the majority of households;

- Significantly increase the competitiveness of New Zealand business by shifting company tax from 33% to 20% boosting employment and investment;

- Significantly encourage New Zealanders to save and invest, as tax on interest and dividends would also drop to 20%;

- Make it far easier for student loans, mortgages and other borrowings to be paid off;

- Cease penalising people for their own success by removing the envy tax rates of 33% and 39%;

- Encourage more professionals such as doctors, teachers and nurses to stay in New Zealand because they will be taxed less than Australia and the UK.

"Of course Libertarianz believe that most government spending should be dumped and most taxes should be dumped, including fringe benefits tax, stamp duty, taxes on alcohol and tobacco, tariffs and GST. All should go eventually," says Darnton, "but giving people back that 'surplus stealing' would be a good first step. Unfortunately, today's budget will be a lolly scramble, and in many case New Zealanders are being fleeced by Dr Cullen to pay for their own lollies."

© 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>>