Andrew Little on the Panama Papers: NZ is a soft touch

27 comments on “Andrew Little on the Panama Papers: NZ is a soft touch ”

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1. ianmac 1

   5 April 2016 at 1:59 pm

   Well said Andrew!
2. Anno1701 2

   5 April 2016 at 2:00 pm

   Key has done nothing because i bet you dollars to donuts he has advised his friends & family (if not himself) to arrange their financial affairs JUST like this …

   If you want a deep look into the mindset of these kinds of people I suggest you find and read a book called “bye bye big brother” or “BBBB” by an author who uses the non de plume “grandpa” . Its the definitive unapologetic guide book to this kind of financial chicanery for the super rich …. Hardback copies sell for over $750 USD as the contents are deemed to be so valuable to tax dodgers etc…
3. Keith 3

   5 April 2016 at 2:26 pm

   National are embarrassing this country with its never ending lack of ethics and morals. Key doesn’t not want to do a damned thing, he’s happy just the way things are.

   We, quite rightly, look like a corrupt bunch of dirty little money launderers in some tin pot tax haven. We may as well have billboards advertising “Come hide you drug money, your vice money, you crime obtained cash here in NZ with the blessing of our ask no questions government”.

   But if the heat does not die down and Farrar can’t construct a persuasive script for Key and his fellow dodgy Nat ministers to defuse this crookedness then I expect the launching of the good old inquiry to take it off the front pages but meanwhile leaving the whole sham just t he way it is.
4. Bill 4

   5 April 2016 at 2:47 pm

   There’s a beautiful comment below a ‘stuff’ article…

   Look, I know what people are probably thinking.

   They will have just read the previous story about National pursuing the arrest of a student for not paying back their student loan and then this about their incredibly lax stance on corporate tax.

   They will be thinking that this government has a major issue with double standards, prosecuting the little guy while letting the big corporations of scott free.

   They will be feeling frustrated and helpless, that this government favours the needs of foreign multi-nations over the individual citizens of this fine nation.

   Well look here. There’s more to life that fairness, equity and justice. What about money people. Glorious money.

   I for one applaud John Key for being brave enough to sell off the nation’s principles for a bit of quick cash

   JK Fan (9th comment down on http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/78511167/nz-trusts-at-the-centre-of-malta-money-scandal-mossack-fonseca-papers-show)
5. Puckish Rogue 5

   5 April 2016 at 2:49 pm

   The Trustee Act 1956 was created under National.

   Then it was amended under Labour with the The Trustee Amendment Act 1988.

   In 2005 Labour’s Finance Minister, Michael Cullen, tightened up reporting requirements for the trusts but emphasised that their activities would remain tax free
   • AmaKiwi 5.1

     5 April 2016 at 2:58 pm

     In Sept. 2011, the NZ tax haven loophole came into force. That was NATIONAL.
   • Murray Simmonds 5.2

     5 April 2016 at 3:02 pm

     In the absence of a full-stop after “remain tax free” I presume the bit you didn’t get around to quoting goes something like “. . . unless the owner(s) of the trust are liable for tax in NZ.”
     • Murray Simmonds 5.2.1

       6 April 2016 at 6:29 am

       Here’s one link to the video – may not be the best one.

       http://www.inthehouse.co.nz/
6. NZJester 6

   5 April 2016 at 2:57 pm

   He needs to add in that the company in question the leaks came from that has been using New Zealand to hide cash has also knowingly helped child sex traffickers and those selling goods to embargoed countries to help them commit war crimes launder their money. It would not be surprising if some of that money has passed through a New Zealand trust.

   National is supporting a company that helps Pedophiles, Rapists and Dictators looting money from their own people!
7. AmaKiwi 7

   5 April 2016 at 2:59 pm

   I’m waiting for Key to say, “I’m comfortable with that.”
8. Murray Simmonds 8

   5 April 2016 at 3:08 pm

   Yep AmaKiwi, That’s exactly it. In fact I think right now he’d be comfortable with a 50 cm Teflon-coated frypan rammed up his . . . er . . . wotsit.

   That is because he’d be hoping that some of the Teflon might rub off on him. To patch the cracks, as it were.
9. Ad 9

   5 April 2016 at 3:29 pm

   With a target the size of a barn, Little needs to find his real populist range on this one, then hit it. And hit it again.
   • Anne 9.1

     5 April 2016 at 5:04 pm

     I think the above video is a very good start. I have noticed when Andrew is really riled about something his rhetoric is superb. All the hesitating and repeating of words disappears. His mana will rise rapidly if he continues to speak like this…
     • Murray Simmonds 9.1.1

       6 April 2016 at 6:23 am

       Yes Anne, and hopefully someone has (or will) put up the video of question time in Parliament yesterday.

       Key’s idiotic responses (aided and abetted by the Speaker), were nothing short of disgusting.

       I”d put up the video myself if I knew how . . . .

       And they call this a DEMOCRACY? What an utter joke.
       • Anne 9.1.1.1

         6 April 2016 at 9:28 am

         Just google “in the house” and you will get the latest videos of each individual question. They usually appear online within 30mins of the questions being asked.

         Here’s the link: http://www.inthehouse.co.nz/
10. esoteric pineapples 10

    5 April 2016 at 4:40 pm

    In a way, what Prime Minister John Key and this government is doing with New Zealand’s financial reputation is another form of asset stripping. They are using up the reputation that New Zealand has built up over a century for their own benefit. They will have used all of New Zealand’s goodwill with other countries by the time they are gone, leaving that reputation as an empty shell. Remember, “goodwill” is actually an asset purchasers of businesses pay for.
    • Colonial Viper 10.1

      5 April 2016 at 5:46 pm

      Not sure what you are on about. It appears that NZ has a great reputation with the international private banking class.
11. dv 11

    5 April 2016 at 5:38 pm

    Apparently NZ is mentioned 60,000 times in the panama papers!!!!!
    • Anne 11.1

      5 April 2016 at 6:33 pm

      Did someone actually count em? 😯
      • Dv 11.1.1

        5 April 2016 at 7:27 pm

        Probably a find like in adobe
    • Bob 11.2

      6 April 2016 at 4:47 pm

      So we are mentioned once every 191 pages.
      • dv 11.2.1

        6 April 2016 at 4:57 pm

        Great maths BOB WOW
        • Bob 11.2.1.1

          7 April 2016 at 9:12 am

          Yip, we are so complicit in the whole fiasco that we are mentioned on average about 2 times per average novel (is this where I add the 5 exclamation marks for effect?)
12. whateva next? 12

    5 April 2016 at 7:11 pm

    Key riding on the coat tails of decent NZers, and destroying OUR reputation for the future. Just go now.
13. Michael 13

    5 April 2016 at 8:51 pm

    When Andrew is populist and fired up, his rhetoric is much better and he doesn’t make gaffes.
14. saveNZ 14

    6 April 2016 at 9:40 am

    Andrew Little came across well.
15. TopHat 15

    6 April 2016 at 11:17 am

    What has me wondering is that this is just one law firm. How many more are operating like this and with our infrastructure? No time to worry now though, they’ve sold KiwiBank to divert our attention.

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