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Dunne: Cullen dismissed Goff tax-free idea years ago
Hon Peter Dunne
Minister of
Revenue
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Media
Statement
Dunne: Cullen dismissed Goff tax-free idea years ago
Labour leader Phil Goff’s pledge to make the first $5000 of income tax-free was rejected out of hand by Michael Cullen in the last government, Revenue Minister Peter Dunne said today.
“So when did a bad idea become a good idea?” Mr Dunne asked.
“I know what Labour’s thinking on this was as I was Revenue Minister at the time, and part of those discussions and decisions.
“Michael Cullen is on the record as specifically discounting such a threshold as of little benefit to low income earners and far too costly.
“In Dr Cullen’s own words, such a move would have ‘minimal benefit for a very small number of low income earners’.
Mr Dunne said voters would see this for what it is: “a political party down in the polls and grasping for populist straws.
“People see through these kind of flip-flops and hip pocket bribes.
“Michael Cullen – a Labour icon – saw it as bad policy; Phil Goff needs to really explain why it’s now this week’s latest, greatest idea,” Mr Dunne said.
ENDS
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