Granny Herald: Cunliffe wrong to be right

19 comments on “Granny Herald: Cunliffe wrong to be right ”

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1. Descendant Of Sssmith 1

   2 April 2013 at 9:42 am

   One of the reasons I would tax business at a gross rate same as employees.

   It wouldn’t be difficult to apply to all electronic purchases cause you are not having to piss around with expenses and profit.

   Leave those aspects between the company and the owners / shareholders.

   You sell goods in NZ you pay tax in NZ.
2. Socialist Paddy 2

   2 April 2013 at 9:56 am

   What the? Politicians should pull their head in and accept the law the way it is even though it allows multinationals to rip us off and not pay tax for the privilege of doing so? I guess it is not as if members of Parliament can do stuff like change the law … ooh wait …

   It is also not as if Apple’s margins are tight. I hear they make about a third in instant profit every time they sell an iPod.

   And I agree with you Eddie about the Herald having a whack at politicians like Cunliffe and Norman. They are obviously seen to be threats and need to be taken down at any chance by that mouthpiece of the rich and powerful.
3. logie97 3

   2 April 2013 at 11:43 am

   Words from the article attacking Cunliffe.
   opportunist, simplistic, populist (x2), outburst – methinks this editorial is written by someone fearful of Cunliffe.
   • Draco T Bastard 3.1

     2 April 2013 at 12:21 pm

     Pretty much any dyed in blue National supporter then.
     • The Al1en 3.1.1

       2 April 2013 at 8:17 pm

       And at least 22 of caucus
   • Joe Bloggs 3.2

     2 April 2013 at 2:32 pm

     oooops spot the typo…

     here I’ll correct it for you:

     opportunist, simplistic, populist (x2), outburst – methinks this editorial is written by someone dismissive of Cunliffe and his crackpot outburst.
4. DH 4

   2 April 2013 at 11:51 am

   It is a rather strangely confused & contradictory piece. This bit here is odd….

   “The activities of technology companies could, therefore, be likened to exporters of goods who traded with New Zealand, rather than in New Zealand.”

   If Google & Apple etc were selling direct to the consumer from overseas that argument might have some merit. But if that were the case they’d pay no tax at all in NZ and they do pay tax so they must be domiciled and can’t be likened to exporters. A local NZ company should be paying tax commensurate with the profit that their turnover could be reasonably expected to generate.

   A comparison can be made with the likes of McDonalds. Their overseas head office charges royalties too but since they franchise their outlets to local NZ operators the royalties have be low enough for the businesses to make an NZ sized profit. No-one complains about McDs because the franchises do pay a reasonable amount of tax here.

   Seems more like an opportunistic dig at Cunliffe than a reasoned editorial.
5. Ad 5

   2 April 2013 at 11:57 am

   We really are a country ruled by just a handful of companies, and we really are being driven into the dirt face down because we have so few unions to protect us from anything. If Key could stick up for regions and workers like he sticks up for multinationals and bails them out, we would actually feel prouder living here.

   Good God if Labour could allow Cunliffe to stick up for the great unwashed masses as well, by kicking the multinationals hard and often. The last guy to understand that patriotism and protection and economic management can be coherent in one sentence was … Winston Peters. And that 6% never seems to go to Labour, though it could. And so we have a 2014 scenario that requires the Patron Saint of populism to work.

   The Herald is in a panic of course as its owners keen stripping profits from within New Zealand to prop up a dying media empire. Mere self interest from overseas owners.

   Can’t even remember the last time the NZHerald attacked a Labour MP on a straight policy issue like this. Go hard at them Cunliffe.
6. saarbo 6

   2 April 2013 at 12:44 pm

   “Come on, Granny. There’s standing up for the interest of the capitalist elite like you always do, and then there’s making a fool of yourself in your own editorial page. Get it together”

   I’m glad you have posted this, I couldnt understand where the hell the NZ Herald was coming from here…weird. Clearly they have lost the plot.

   There is an absolute case for taxing their profits in NZ, with a company like Apple selling Itunes, I suspect Revenue in NZ almost = Profits in NZ. Tax the lot…change the laws to make it happen …is it Transfer Pricing or something like that…make it happen.
7. Elizabeth Bourchier 7

   2 April 2013 at 1:35 pm

   Apple has US$100BILLION in cash outside of the USA.
   This is profit from its overseas operations.
   It paid damn all TAX in the overseas territories and defers taking the cash into the USA to defer paying TAX there also.

   Cunliffe is on the money.

   I’m delighted the Herald is slagging him.
   Cunliffe should wear it like a badge of honour.
   • Shaz 7.1

     2 April 2013 at 8:52 pm

     Yo! +1
     • Strategos 7.1.1

       3 April 2013 at 6:00 am

       Remember what Wellington said at Waterloo .. hit then hard, and hit them often.

       When Rangitoto goes up, they’ll all be running to Ōtautahi .. currently Christchurch
       .. including Granny.

       More Cunliffian broadsides are on order, as Shearer plays ‘nice guy’ for his local rag.

       +1
   • Colonial Viper 7.2

     2 April 2013 at 11:44 pm

     Elizabeth

     You are very well informed

     http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-09-30/presenting-worlds-biggest-hedge-fund-you-have-never-heard
     • Elizabeth Bourchier 7.2.1

       4 April 2013 at 10:27 am

       O Viperous one, I’d never interrupt my hectic social calendar to blog with anything but the most informed commentary.
       The strength of this delightful organ is the quality of the information posted. That is what distinguishes us from the rig raf.
       Thank you. I’ll have Perrier Jourt Belle Époque with brunch to celebrate your nice words.
8. BillODrees 8

   2 April 2013 at 3:05 pm

   There are 40 comments on the Herald editorial nearly all supporting Cunliffe and taking the piss out of the Herald.

   Wow, someone up there sees Cunliffe as a threat to current consensus.

   Welcome back from the backbenches David.
   • RedBaronCV 8.1

     2 April 2013 at 8:22 pm

     +1
   • xtasy 8.2

     2 April 2013 at 11:34 pm

     Do NOT forget, these comments are only online and will never get printed in the print edition! So few will see and read them!
9. xtasy 9

   2 April 2013 at 11:32 pm

   What is this by “Granny Herald”? Plain tall poppy hatred! When a smart politician comes and says something, especially from a quarter the right leaning editors, cosy with Key and gang, hate, then it gets shot down instantly.

   That is still NZ, the good ol, of sorts, but they shoot too much into their own foots, that is the damned problem.

   I give Cunliffe credit for having travelled Scandinavian countries last year, to learn and see how things can be done better, to combine good business, and enterprising practice, with social conscience and practice.

   Now that is what Key and consorts HATE.

   They adhere to right wing, old fashioned anglo saxon hate economics, divide and rule tactics and the likes, so no wonder their editorial mates in the media (and they are everywhere, I am considering to collate info on this, suggestion to Karol also) are joining forces yet again to “defend” the “brand Key””. NZ is run like a kind of soft dictatorship now, as National has put so many key personnel in key positions in government, media and business cooperation now.

   No wonder we get the “news” that we get fed every night and day.

   SICK!
10. tracey 10

    3 April 2013 at 4:29 pm

    Remember when the right wing bloggers were urging labour to appoint shearer not cunliffe? God they must laugh at how easy it all is.

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