robson-on-politics Thur 30 June 2005
robson-on-politics, a newsletter from Matt Robson MP
Deputy Leader of the Progressive Party
www.progressiveparty.org.nz
Thur 30 June 2005
The great tax debate
TV One, 8.30pm tonight: I’ll be joining the tax debate. Progressive is campaigning for no change to income tax rates,
but for a cut to the company tax rate as the policy to promote economic and social development.
The people versus the liquor lobby
Great meeting on Tuesday with Otago halls of residence students on standing-up against the booze barons. There is a
50/50 chance that the next Parliament will restrict broadcast liquor advertising, strengthen the law against supplying
liquor to minors and up the hurdle to buying alcohol: Success will depend on how many party votes Progressive gets
because we're the party 100% committed to standing-up against the barons.
If you vote NZ First, you're voting for asset sales
The NZ 1st Party campaigned in Election '96 as the only party able to get rid of the asset-selling, National-United
government of the day. After votes had been cast, we got the National-NZ 1st asset-selling government instead.
In the following three years, strategic national assets (Auckland airport and electricity generator Contact among them)
were hocked-off at bargain-basement prices. Fast forward to 2005 and nothing has changed.
Labour, United, NZ First, National sold out NZ
The strategic asset sales of the last Labour government in the '80s, and the National-led governments propped up by
United and NZ First in the '90s, incurred massive dislocation costs in terms of jobs shed, but the thing is those failed
policies continue to hurt us to this day.
It’s the current account constraint, stupid!
Foreign owners of many New Zealand companies continue to send inflated profits out of the country in dividends. That
outflow is reflected in our large current account deficits with the rest of the world year after year
United is campaigning to sell 40% of the last remaining strategic national assets like Kiwibank, NZ Post, Air NZ,
Genesis etc. That is a pointer to how any National-NZ First-United Future government after September would pour fuel on
to the fire.
And all the anti-NZ parties promise significant income tax cuts to be funded from increased government borrowing which
means a Nat-led coalition would contribute in two further ways to blowing out the current account deficit.
A Brash-Peters-Dunne government, using the credit card to pay for tax cuts which mainly benefit the well-off, would add
to the current account deficit, firstly, via its own borrowings and, secondly, because up to 70% of the untargeted
income tax cuts would go straight into household consumption, delivering a big jump in imported consumer goods and
overseas travel.
Mr Brash is anti-thesis of Mainstream
Mr Brash is the guy who gave the vital one vote needed to liberalize law on prostitution but subsequently went on to
vote against Civil Unions that strengthen loving, long-term relationships. Then last month he voted against
Progressive's proposal to raise the alcohol purchasing age. Mr Brash didn’t even want it to be considered by Select
Committee. He is the opposite of what some might call a "Mainstream Kiwi."
Hamilton Summit on child abuse
An eight-party summit on child abuse yesterday, organized by Parentline, was an opportunity to listen to some of the
good ideas being promoted by others, as well as to try and get understanding of why Progressive wants action on alcohol
and why our work in government against drugs, and in favour of early intervention, are so important in the campaign
against child abuse.
Low esteem caused by lack of work and income among parents is also co-related to child neglect. That is why I also like
to highlight our Working-for-Families tax relief, and our job-creating regional development work.
Working for Families is providing increases to family incomes. The average family assistance payment in April was $113
a week and from next April, low-to-middle income families will be eligible for the In-Work Payment of $60 a week unless
National-United-NZ First gets into government and cancels targeted pro-families financial assistance in favour of their
proposed tax cuts which will mostly benefit the already well-off.
ENDS