Tuesday 16 April

Now is the time to make the decision to increase fairness in our tax system and close the biggest gap caused by the lack of taxes on wealth in this country, says NZCCSS.

That is why we are joining with the other supporters of Tax Justice Aotearoa to urge the government to move on implementing a capital gains tax in this country as one of the steps needed to make our tax system fairer and help reduce inequality and poverty.

The Tax Working Group (TWG) identified the high level of income and wealth inequality in this country as a major problem. The TWG also said that the tax system is making this worse by not doing enough to reduce inequality. The recommendation to introduce more taxation of capital gains is a good first step to help rebalance our tax system that currently favours those with wealth and high incomes.

The communities that NZCCSS member organisations work in all hope for better housing, good hospitals and health care, schools where they can learn well. They want to have their waterways, beaches and forests looked after well and the chance to live well into the future. All those who live in this country need to contribute fairly from their different sources of income.

A capital gains tax helps makes that possible when combined with other steps to help make the system fairer. Other steps include reducing income tax on lower incomes, a higher tax on the highest in income earners, and increasing transfers through the welfare system to people needing support.

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