Tax cuts hard to sell

Written By: - Date published: 8:32 am, October 19th, 2016 - 8 comments
Categories: debt / deficit, economy, tax - Tags: , , ,

A (mostly) good piece by an anonymous editor at The Herald this morning:

Govt should use extra to cut debt, not taxes

The Prime Minister, an endlessly agreeable politician,

Yeah Duncan Garner has something to say about that.

…entertains talk of tax cuts whenever the Budget surplus turns out to be higher than expected. It is well past time that he stopped doing so and instead made the public better acquainted with its debt position.

John Key and his Government know very well that the reason they have managed to bring the economy through a recession and earthquakes in good shape owes just about everything to the very low debt left by the previous Government.

Nice to see that acknowledged every now and then.

We are nearing the end of a fourth year of economic upturn and these are years the Government ought to be banking surpluses, just as Sir Michael Cullen did during the boom of 2000-2007. Cullen resisted pressure from his own party for social spending and from National in opposition who were constantly criticising the size of his surpluses and calling for tax cuts.

It is too much to expect politicians to admit it, but Team Key must have been relieved when they came to office that Cullen had ignored their advice. …

Tax cut bribes are going to be a hard sell for the Nats.

8 comments on “Tax cuts hard to sell ”

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  1. ianmac 1
    19 October 2016 at 8:51 am

    “Tax cut bribes are going to be a hard sell for the Nats.”
    Not sure about that. So a huge debt but at the moment do we care whether it is 30 or 50 or 90billion? Just some distant numbers.
    Do we care that we would get $30 or 40 more per week in take home pay? Yep.
    Wisdom versus the venal.

  2. Draco T Bastard 2
    19 October 2016 at 9:07 am

    Tax cuts hard to sell

    No, tax cuts are easy to sell – if you don’t give the taxpayers full information and National aren’t giving the full information and twisting that which they are giving.

    It’s called lying and it should end with them in jail.

  3. save nz 3
    19 October 2016 at 9:29 am

    We all know the National government wants power no matter what even if it destroys us in a Global Financial meltdown when he gives out tax cut bribes.

  4. greywarshark 4
    19 October 2016 at 9:59 am

    I’ve go a comment out there in cloud-cuckoo-land about tax cuts. If anyone finds it could they post it here? Thanks.

  5. esoteric pineapples 5
    19 October 2016 at 4:40 pm

    Duncan Garner is funny like that – one day he blows hot and the next he blows cold, which at least is better than Mike Hosking

  6. Peter Bradley 6
    19 October 2016 at 6:56 pm

    A hard sell? Who are you kidding. National won’t have to win any arguments in the NZ electorate. In fact the complete opposite will be required. The Labour Party need to grow a pair and start making clear arguments against tax cuts and in favor of stronger government investment in public services and more engagement in the economy. NZ will need to be told in very strong terms what the cost of tax cuts means for the future provision of health and education. Labour will also, ultimately, need to make the case for greater wealth redistribution via higher taxation and some form of Universal Basic Income. Yes. Boring and ugly isn’t it – try explaining the UBI to one of your non “raging socialist” friends or colleagues.
    I think it’s pretty obvious who’s going to have the hard sell and it won’t be National on tax cuts.

    • AmaKiwi 6.1
      20 October 2016 at 10:27 pm

      I think the opposition parties can make a stronger case about what the imaginary surplus cost the country: cuts in services in hospitals, schools, mental health: filthy waterways, substandard steel for our bridges, homelessness, full-time workers living in poverty; CHC still a disaster area; AKL traffic nightmares. . . add your own comments.

      A family can’t say they have a substantial surplus at the end of the year if they have neglected to repair their house and car, allowed health and mental health problems to go untreated, eaten unhealthy food, etc.