Waatea News Column: Māori Party Tax Policy demands attention

By
Martyn Bradbury
-
15
626
Last week the IRD released an important review that found the mega-wealthy pay barely half of the tax worker pay.
In 2011, NZ had 104,000 of those who are in the 1% wealthiest, in 2021 that number is 284,000.
The mega-wealthy love NZ and its pitiful tax regulation.
Economist Bernard Hickey noted that if we had an effective capital gains tax, it would have raised $ 200 billion in revenue.
As we attempted to comprehend the vast injustice of this, Labour quickly calmed everyone down by promising not to raise any new taxes on the wealthy.
Some would argue this type of political cowardice is not what we need in 2023 as we face an onslaught of need.
That’s why the Māori Party Tax policy demands our attention. They have been clear that GST will be taken off food and their Financial Transaction Tax would punish speculators and the mega-wealthy most.
If Labour is unwilling to do something serious about the sprawling inequality of our tax system, (which in turn robs us of the revenue to build our public services), voters must consider The Māori Party this election.
With food inflation likely to continue spiking, tax and the cost of living crisis will be issued whether Labour like it or not.

 

First published on Waatea News.

15 COMMENTS

  2. To take GST OFF certain items destroys the simplicity of the current system and there would be little benefit as the 15 percent gain will be lost in administration. All it would do is pay for more public servants in an already bloated market.

  3. Keep spending 1 million dollars on Kainga ora housing that doesn’t last more than 3 years! Plenty more money available, to tax others to pay for it! (I wonder why people are leaving NZ?)

    Auckland flooding: Several Kāinga Ora houses lifted off their foundations
    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2023/01/auckland-flooding-several-k-inga-ora-houses-lifted-off-their-foundations.html

    “When they moved in Maria said she was told it was a million-dollar home.

    She and her mother are wondering why their three-year-old home was so badly damaged in the floods.”

    • Or perhaps those that have donated millions to Nationaland ACT could put that money to better use and support quality housing for those in desperate need. I thought not.

  4. Agree their tax policy is reasonable but it comes with a big dose of Maori sovereignty so unlikely to appeal to too many

    • With all due respect, they only need to appeal to 16% of the population. ACT policy is geared to the top 1% of the population and will drag as many others into the fold as they can. TPM are no different.

      As for your claims of sovereignty, TPM want the treaty to be recognized, and the for the words on the treaty to be honoured, which is not sovereignty.

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