“If a group of wealthy New Zealanders wants to pay more tax, ACT will share the IRD’s bank account number with them, so there’s no need for them to force their values on other New Zealanders”, says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“The most tiresome humblebrag comes up in tax debates around the world every few years, ‘I’m so rich I want to pay more tax’.

“Wealth doesn’t entitle someone to a greater say about public policy. But it does enable them to voluntarily give more money if they want to. The IRD accepts extra contributions, so I guess their problem is solved.

“A further issue this group seems to miss is that tax is applied equally to all under the law. A capital gains tax applied to houses, such as the Greens promote, will apply to Mum and Dad property investors as well as the superrich, although I doubt the humblebraggers thought that through.

“New Zealanders have made clear they don’t want a capital gains or wealth tax. It’s anti-aspiration and will do nothing to make us a more successful country.

“Some people are obsessed with dividing, rather than creating, wealth. But simply shuffling wealth around will not help us retain our status as a first world nation.

“Our country is in decline. There is no law saying New Zealand must remain first world. Our status as a first world nation is at risk if we do not change course.

“The risk comes from weak politics. The good news is, whether New Zealand keeps declining is a decision for us.

“The next Government can deal with the hard issues, or it can carry on pretending they don’t exist.

“We’ve been poorly served by two major political parties who each say the other is ruining the country but will run it the same way if it gets them into office. They sound so similar that voters struggle to tell them apart.

“Kiwis need lower, flatter taxes, paid for by reducing wasteful spending. We need to scrap government departments that don’t add value. We need less red tape on hardworking New Zealanders.

“ACT’s alternative budget to be released on Monday – A Time For Truth – will set out a real alternative.

“Evicting the current government only to keep its policies isn’t change. We need to evict bad ideas to deliver real change.”

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