Two headings in today’s Herald caught my eye. One from John Armstrong (who I don’t always agree with but who is most often an obersver of skill) who says “Tax plan turns divide into ideological chasm”:
After months of deliberately lying low on policy details, National has finally been obliged to put its head above the parapet. The policy shows that Key does stand for something. At last, Labour has something substantial to shoot at….
A family on $40,000 will get just $22 a week extra. They are $10 better off under Labour. Under Labour, the maximum weekly cut anyone earning above $80,000 can get is $55.
Under National, the country’s highest-paid public servant, Social Development Ministry chief executive Peter Hughes, whose salary is between $530,000 and $539,000, would get a weekly tax cut of $235. So much for sharing the sacrifice in hard times.
National MPs’ “barely buys a block of cheese” mocking of Labour’s cuts when they were pushed through Parliament after the Budget rings somewhat hollow.
Those on low incomes could at least buy a full block of cheese with Labour’s cuts. They won’t be able to do so with the extra sum National is offering them.
Then “Time for a rethink Bill” from Mary Holm: ”
Employees are the current favourites in the KiwiSaver game, with the self-employed and other non-employees the underdogs. At first glance, National seemed to be levelling the playing field. But now it appears to be tilting the field the other way.
What’s more, refereeing the game will turn into a nightmare.”
All in all some testing times ahead for Mr Key and his National team.
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