Tax Freedom After 141 Days Paying For Government

Rodney Hide
Monday, 22 May 2006
Press Releases - Taxation

ACT Leader Rodney Hide is wishing Kiwi workers a happy "Tax Freedom Day", as they stop paying for central and local government and start working for themselves.

"Kiwis are overtaxed, and if the IRD sent taxpayers a bill, they wouldn't pay it", Mr Hide said.

"Central government and local councils cost Kiwi workers 38 cents from every dollar they earn. Since we're now 38% through the year, this is the day we start working for ourselves.

"The average Kiwi needs to work for 15 minutes to afford a cup of coffee, about two days to buy a week's groceries, and 141 days to pay for central and local government.

"The tax we pay is largely invisible, subtracted from our pay packets before we open them, or included in prices at supermarkets and petrol stations.

"Kiwis stopped paying for central government on April 27 - but we've spent the last 24 days paying for local government.

"We pay taxes to receive government services, but under Labour we wait in traffic, wait for justice and wait for healthcare.

"Our cousins overseas don't have to work for so long to fund their governments - Australia's Tax Freedom Day arrived on May 11. Americans stopped paying for their government on May 16, and Koreans on April 24.

"To succeed as a nation we need government off our backs and out of our pockets.

"We should be moving towards lower, flat taxes, and limiting the growth of government with a Taxpayers Bill of Rights", Mr Hide said.

ENDS

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