28 April 2008
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Parents hail income splitting –it’s about time!
“It’s about time the contribution of at-home parents was recognised,” says Christina Reymer, spokesperson for Parents As
Partners, in response to a Discussion Document on Income Splitting, released by the Minister of Revenue Peter Dunne on
the weekend. “Parents who invest their own time in raising children are workers too, and this work is absolutely vital
for a healthy sustainable society,” says Ms Reymer.
“Over the past decade or so we have seen a significant decline in investment in parenting as government subsidies for
parenting substitutes (day-care for babies and young children) has increased. It is about time that the tables were
tipped back to restore some sort of level playing field, so that parents who choose to raise their own children are not
disadvantaged.
Parents as Partners, a lobby group for recognition of parenting through income splitting, questions why parenting and
raising children cannot be recognised as real work just as any other partnership activity such as farming or running a
business. Currently such couples are able to split income regardless of how they divide the tasks of earning the family
income or caring for children, but couples whose income is from wages or salary may not.
“It is time we took a broader view on what constitutes work and recognise parenting as real work. It is simply a matter
of justice with important social implications” says Ms Reymer.
Parents As Partners urges all parents to have a close look at the Discussion Document which is available online at
www.taxpolicy.ird.govt.nz . Submissions close on 30 June 2008.
ENDS