21 May 2002
The Taxation (Annual Rates, Maori Organisations, Taxpayer Compliance and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill currently before
the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee, which will mean that Maori Trusts will only be liable for 19.5% tax rates
is of serious concern to New Zealand First on moral, legal and constitutional grounds.
New Zealand First will also be requesting that members of the committee who have a pecuniary interest in Maori trusts
and agencies stand down from the committee for the Bill’s hearing.
“Morally it is questionable that a particular group be able to pay less tax because of their race. It doesn’t take a PhD
in philosophy to see that this is racial preference and racial discrimination of the worst kind. South Africa at the
height of Apartheid didn’t have a separate tax system for blacks, whites and coloureds—but now we have legislation in
front of us which would do just that.
“Legally this type of legislation would impinge on the Human Rights Act and the Race Relations Act. We would in effect
be asking IRD to contravene their own stated objectives and to act as some sort of racial judge.
“Constitutionally it is questionable for one group to gain racial favour. If we are to believe the Treaty of Waitangi
requires Maori be accorded the same rights and protections as non-Maori then clearly this is not the case with this
legislation.
“New Zealand First maintains that all should be equal in legislation regardless of race,” concluded Mr Peters.
ENDS