Grant Robertson is riding inflation to execute an unjustifiable tax grab, says the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union in response to today's Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update.

Speaking from the HYEFU Treasury lock-up, Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke, "The Government is set to increase its tax take by an extra $7 billion each year for the next five years. That's perverse in the context of a pandemic that has left businesses reeling and households facing rising living costs. New Zealanders deserve tax relief, but Grant Robertson seems proud to be taking more and more."

"A major cause of Grant Robertson's revenue bonanza is inflation, which is now forecast to hit 5.6% next year. Inflation this high should be intolerable - there's a reason the Reserve Bank targets 1-3%. But rising living costs are made even more painful by the Government's refusal to adjust income tax brackets to keep up."

"Someone on the average salary ($58,836) is set to pay an extra $955 in income tax next year, assuming they're lucky enough to get an inflation-level pay rise. Of course, their real pre-tax buying power will be no higher, so eitherway everyone is left poorer."

"In response to a question from Brad Olsen of Infometrics, Grant Robertson flatly ruled out the adjustment of income tax brackets, and made no apology for his Government's contribution to inflation via massive spending."

"Tax brackets haven't been adjusted for a decade. National and Labour might have thought taxpayers wouldn't notice slow, inflation-driving tax creep, but with inflation curving up, the elephant in the room is now impossible to ignore.

"Taxpayers need relief from the corrosive effect of inflation. Grant Robertson's refusal to acknowledge this is cruel."

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