Don Brash: Hypocrite on CGT

Written By: - Date published: 4:05 pm, July 14th, 2011 - 17 comments
Categories: capital gains, don brash, Economy, tax - Tags:

I see Brash has put out a release headlined: “CGT Reactionary, Ruinous, Retrograde and Wrong – Brash”

Is that the same Brash that put out a booklet when he was reserve bank governor, which said:

The absence of a capital gains tax, and the over-taxation of many types of productive investment (largely because of depreciation allowances based on historical cost), together mean that inflation creates a strong bias in favour of real estate investment and against investment in plant and equipment.

Or made a speech in 1998 that said:

It is not at all clear to me why, given an already-strong tendency for New Zealanders to invest in property, we should give special tax advantages to that form of investment.

Or Don Brash from Monday who said:
I think you will find most economists feel uneasy about the fact that someone who works for wages can pay tax at 33 percent…and someone who makes a capital gain pays no tax on that. It does on the face of it seem unfair.

Hypocrite.

17 comments on “Don Brash: Hypocrite on CGT ”

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  1. Lanthanide 1
    14 July 2011 at 4:18 pm

    What was the 2025 taskforce’s opinion on CGT?

    Or, knowing them, they never even mentioned it…

  2. Dan 2
    14 July 2011 at 4:24 pm

    What about Phil saying a CGT wouldn’t be a priority for an incoming government? I can’t really trust anything anyone in parliament says anymore, regardless of which side they’re on.

    • Colonial Viper 2.1
      14 July 2011 at 6:03 pm

      Thats BS mate

      The Labour platform for Nov 26 has been made clear.

    • burt 2.2
      14 July 2011 at 10:02 pm

      CV

      Are you saying Labour hasn’t changed it’s position on CGT at all ?

      Pssst. The whale has a video you may want to see….

      This sort of instant ‘That’s BS’ retort when you clearly have no idea what you are defending is just crap for your credibility CV.

  3. tc 3
    14 July 2011 at 4:26 pm

    Look at me, look at me, over here, no not there HERE …LOOK AT MEEEEE !!!!!

    See that bloke smirking in the background, that’s Rortney with his Hollowmen funded next gig in the top pocket thinking ‘electoral poison eh….what does that make you buddy’

  4. mik e 4
    14 July 2011 at 4:26 pm

    This is the same person thats going to put the spine in National yeah right whatever. just pandering to John Key. its hard to know what ACT stands for I don,t think they know themselves . I know they,ve got Gary Mc cormick to stand for them from the pull your yourself together party.

  5. Danyl Mclauchlan 5
    14 July 2011 at 4:31 pm

    Damn you – I’d been saving those quotes for the last week, and I was only away from my PC for a few hours today and Brash opened his mouth.

    • lprent 5.1
      14 July 2011 at 4:35 pm

      The e-mail came through with the above text. I did a single read and checked the links. Then I tossed it up. It is so perfect.

      But I’d love to see your take on it – but you can’t let Brash himself provide all of the comedy…

  6. Dan1 6
    14 July 2011 at 6:35 pm

    It’s time for Don to walk the plank. He did it so well last time!

  7. tsmithfield 7
    14 July 2011 at 7:22 pm

    The only problem is that what Labour has proposed is nothing like what Brash or the Tax Working group had in mind.

    So its not surprising that they aren’t very impressed with something that is an abortion of a CGT.

    • Eddie 7.1
      14 July 2011 at 10:34 pm

      so your only problem with CGT is that it doesn’t go far enough, and therefore you’ll oppose it altogether. Sounds far too convenient, far too Brash-esque for me.

  8. Rusty Shackleford 8
    14 July 2011 at 7:30 pm

    Politicians are hypocrites. How is that newsworthy?

    • Reality Bytes 8.1
      14 July 2011 at 7:35 pm

      I think you may have typed the wrong URL into your browser.

      This website concerns itself with politics mate.

  9. burt 9
    14 July 2011 at 10:20 pm

    Of course Brash is a hypocrite on CGT. It’s a political hot potato and he’s a politician. What else would you expect. But hey Brash might have got CGT confused with GST and forgotten about it.

  10. Puddleglum 10
    14 July 2011 at 10:30 pm

    For crying out loud, there it is again (in Brash’s press release) – now it’s the “envy button”! I said it on the other thread and I’ll say it again – grow up. This ineptly transparent attempt to re-frame the discourse into being about ‘envy’ is utterly disingenuous and intellectually cowardly.

    So much for Brash being the rational intellectual who only wants what is objectively best for New Zealand. This constant refrain of ‘envy’ is such an appallingly pathetic attempt to divert attention from the arguments that it suggests there actually is no argument against a CGT that Brash can bring to mind.

    How often have I heard right wingers complain about ‘ad hominem’ attacks? Have they ever wondered why ad hominem arguments are considered fallacious? It’s because motivation is irrelevant to the veracity of a claim.

    Yet, then they bang on about this tax obviously being ‘bad’ because it’s motivated by ‘envy’??? Hypocrites! If they were the clear thinkers they like to proclaim they are then what’s it to them what the motivation is?

    And, who exactly is supposed to be so fuming with ‘envy’? Everyone who might support a CGT?? Half of the people who might support a CGT?? A quarter?? Ten percent?? Some bloke and his dog?? Those poor people you don’t like?? Those brown people you don’t like?? Those women you don’t like?? Who?

    It’s just pathetic and the kind of ‘argument’ I’d expect from someone unused to thinking.

    Inept, hopeless comments from Brash. Wasn’t he meant to be the great, white, rational hope or something?

    God that ‘envy’ line of ‘argument’ really makes me angry! (not envious!)

  11. Frank Macskasy 11
    17 July 2011 at 3:38 pm

    1998: Brash supported a CGT.

    2011: Brash opposed a CGT.

    Which is the real Don Brash?

    And do we care?

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