National Party Finance Handmaiden Paul Goldsmith jumps to the defence of NZs elite oligarchy – why it helps Labour’s Symbolism
Isn’t that lovely?
While so many New Zealander’s are doing it hard in every strata of life except for the very wealthy, here’s National Party Finance Handmaiden Paul Goldsmith jumping to the defence of the richest 2% who will pay Labour’s mainly symbolic tax shanking…
No need for more tax ‘at a time like this’ – National’s Paul Goldsmith
Finance spokesperson Paul Goldsmith told Morning Report we don’t need more taxes “at a time like this”.
“Higher income earners pay a lot more right now, it’s a progressive scale and that’s appropiate.”
‘Nobody’s got themselves out of a recession by increasing taxes.”
…oh for the love of Christ, COME ON.
Fuck the rich, they are insulated from the harsh realities of this pandemic and recession. That they have to pay a meagre and tiny increase to their tax isn’t the issue and that’s the true irony in all of this.
Labour are pitching symbolism this election, not policy. Matariki as a public holiday is brilliantly clever in doing that and so is this joke tax rise. It’s symbolism and little else. The fact National are screaming about it plays into Labour’s hands by pretending that they’ve done something huge when it’s just tinkering.
It’s the old bait and switch and National keep falling for it.
The latest internal UMR Poll shows that the incredible 50%+ run for Labour may ensure a majority Government with the Greens either getting in because of Chloe or getting dumped altogether.
If we see a Majority Labour Government, the factions inside Labour become politically relevant for the first time since MMP.
It is to those factions that progressive activists must turn to in order to gain real policy change post October 17th.
It will be the new Labour factions that wield the power.
Union, Māori, Feminist, Public Service, Rainbow.
Let’s get ready to rumble.
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Labours budget is fully costed and paid for thanks to Adrian Orr buying government debt at 1% interest. The rise in wealth taxes no matter how symbolic is accounted for. So instead of having a well-resourced contact tracing and pandemic response infrastructure with the potential of securing open borders. This measly human being says 1 or 2% rise in top taxes is too much beer for the National Party just to try and open the borders up at best speed.
RE: The Labour factions: There is also a Green faction within Labour, some who are strongly pro-environment and for taking strong protective measures against Climate Change, but who prefer to stay with Labour than change parties.
As the Labour spin went, 98% of NZers will not pay more tax! there is a “check your tax rise“ graphic on a Labour FB post, and sure enough the overwhelming majority of us will not pay any more.
There are holes a-plenty such as the fact that the 0.1%er types who claim incomes of $70,000 per year while the corporate entities they are associated with rake in hundreds of millions per year, may go unmolested by IRD again, but it is pointless to debate such detail. As Martyn says it is about keeping the “feel good” happening up to the election, and, giving the PM an answer for when Mrs Collins launches the inevitable “what crazy tax theft are you going to inflict on honest, hard working, god fearing, heartland, white, New Zealanders?”
I saw the tax as a bargaining chip. Could be negotiated if any coalition party makes it back in, in a more sophisticated “tax neutral” manner to trade mark John Key, by raising it further and lowering GST.
Room for movement potentially.
Good plan to tax the super rich as they have not offered to help, so tough shit 2% suck it up.
Goldsmith is a cling-on of ‘Steven Joyce the ten billlion hole man’ – so we cant trust Goldsmiths figures as they will be full of holes like Steven Joyce was found to have a ten billion hole remember that????
I am waiting to see the TV debates . These will make or break Collins as she asks the hard questions of Ardern. With Act getting more votes by the day the chance of a National lead government is on the cards . Those that want change from a Labour government can see that is a distant dream if this tax change is a sample of what to expect and the Greens solution is very frightening
Labours’ tax policy is a good start but as we are now living in unprecedented times this may require another approach. And we may need to revisit a CGT, raising the age of super or making super compulsory or even means testing super. Perhaps the state can help those that cannot contribute in some way and adjust super entitlements for those in menial work. We already know many NZers are not good savers, this means we need policy to encourage saving or alternative ways of paying for a decent standard of living we have become accustomed to. We may also need to look at the tax thresholds these may need to be adjusted. Living costs particularly housing costs is too high and still rising.