Seymour package affordable, even without cuts to corporate welfare

12 MAY 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Responding to ACT Party Leader David Seymour's announcement of the Party's 2017 tax policy, Jordan Williams, Executive Director of the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union, says:

"Given the state of the Government's books, especially the announcement yesterday that the running surplus is more than $1.3 billion above forecast, we were expecting something more ambitious from David Seymour.

"ACT has tied its tax package to meaasures to reduce corporate welfare. According to our calculations, even if Steven Joyce refused to cut any of that spending, ACT's tax relief package is still affordable and within the surplus amounts."

NOTES:

Seymour's package is similar to one of the options modeled earlier in the year based on John Key's claim that a $3 billion tax relief package was necessary for something 'meaningful' – refer to option 3 (pages 13-14) in 5 Options for Tax Relief in 2017, available at www.taxpayers.org.nz/5_options.

ENDS

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