The Tax Review is not even off the drawing board, as the following timeline shows.

Timeline to a Tax Review/Inquiry set up by Cullen

31 July 2000 Cullen announces Tax inquiry as part of post-Cabinet debrief to media.

1 August 2000 Cullen produces detailed media release setting out the Terms of the Inquiry. Statement includes details of budget ($500,000) and staffing from IRD . Cullen tells media that he has 3 of the 4 names of inquiry members sorted out.

Over the next few days Cullen announces that refined or more detailed terms of reference will be produced. This appears to be a response to media comment that the terms are so vague that they are meaningless.

Cullen describes flattening the tax rates as a "loony idea". Cullen says that the review team will not be allowed to even consider "loony ideas" such as flattening the tax rates and the membership of the Review Team will be constructed to ensure that they only consider ideas that are acceptable to the Minister.

14 August 2000 Cullen responds to Parliamentary question from Annabel Young that the inquiry will start "Soon". In response to a supplementary question Cullen also says that he expected to be taking the final names of the inquiry to his colleagues for approval within the next 10 to 15 minutes.

The real situation appears to be that no names have been agreed by Cabinet ; and no names have been agreed by either the Labour or the Alliance Caucuses; and no individuals have received a formal approach to serve on the Inquiry/Review

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Annabel Young MP National Party Spokesperson on Revenue National Party List MP responsible for Wellington Central and Rongotai Do you want to be added to my tax email group? Have a look at my tax web-site http://www.tax.org.nz

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