media release

Government Should Pay Attention, Not Stifle Debate

“The Government should heed the message to lower taxes, coming from the 2025 Taskforce and the Tax Working Group,” says Steve Thomas, Researcher at Maxim Institute.

“In the space of two days, both Government-appointed groups have said that our current tax system is detrimental to New Zealand’s economic performance.” According to Steve Thomas, “unless New Zealand shifts its economy into high gear very soon, it will not be able to generate the sorts of jobs and opportunities that will help support a good standard of living for everyone.”

“The 2025 Taskforce and the Tax Working Group have rightly said we should reduce average and effective marginal tax rates because when these taxes are high they negatively affect how much New Zealanders value working for an extra dollar or starting a business,” says Steve Thomas.

“Yet the Government is dismissing anything that isn’t in line with its election promises. It’s admirable that the Government doesn’t want to break its promises, but that doesn’t mean we can’t talk about the issues and sustainable, long-term solutions,” says Steve Thomas. “The Government should lead a proper debate and start looking at what measures should be incorporated into policies for the next election.”

“This Government prides itself on being pragmatic. If that means just doing what works in the short term, without a sense of longer term vision, then that is a dangerous way to govern. Just doing what is expedient or convenient is not what New Zealand needs. The Government should genuinely contemplate change if it actually wants to see more New Zealanders enjoy a better quality of life,” says Steve Thomas.

“If the Government does not muster up the courage to act now, the next generation of New Zealanders will be poorer for it,” says Steve Thomas.

ENDS

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