Good work Bryan and the suggestion re: transportation would be excellent were it not that The Troika are totally committed to road transportation at any cost. The real problem is the lack of vision by both major parties ever since the 80's. The Green Party who advocate for such solutions are cast as nut jobs, by all unthinking fools, out to wreck NZ.
I totally agree about rail ‘ coastal shipping- but the other thing is electric vehicles. There are already some amazing electric trucks carting goods on our road, and EVs are much safer, cheaper to run (free on home Solar), and no pollution or emissions. After active transport & electric public transport they are the best.
Electric rail is better, but needs an infrastructure spend to electrify from Waikanae to PN- and from Hamilton to Auckland. Then there are the branches to all the regions. I’d love to see it reinstalled with good passenger rail. What a great way to travel our country for Kiwis & tourists.
Re taxes- I think we should remove GST and put back pre 1980s top tax rates, or better- as well as closing tax loopholes, bringing in a CGT or wealth tax, taxing more than 2 houses (house and Kiwi Bach) hard, and making white collar tax avoidance a top priority. I’d also like to remove tax from the lowest 15-20% of earners. We need to close the inequality gap.
History of our tax rates - pre1980-now:
New Zealand went through a major program of tax reform in the 1980s. The top marginal rate of income tax was reduced from 66% to 33% (changed to 39% in April 2000, 38% in April 2009, 33% on 1 October 2010 and back to 39% in April 2021) and corporate income tax rate from 48% to 28% (changed to 30% in 2008 and to 28% on 1 October 2010). Goods and services tax was introduced, initially at a rate of 10% (then 12.5% and now 15%, as of 1 October 2010). Land taxes were abolished in 1992.
We certainly need to do something -
Maybe a CGT and a maximum & minimum wage that are tied, or with a reducing gap (wage freeze the top salaries, while bringing up the bottom ‘ middle.
The top 1% of NZ owns 25% of the wealth. The top 10% owns 70% of the wealth. The bottom
*half* of the country owns less than 2% of the wealth… and inequality is getting much worse under this government.
A more egalitarian society has less crime, less violence, fewer addicts, better health for all, is more productive and has much better well-being for all.
Love your ideas the neo liberalism has done us no favours. I don't know if GST was bought in at the same time but I can't say I'm totally against it particularly because of our small population however I still think there's a lot of loop holes that rich people can hide money to avoid tax & they need to plug those. Definitely like the idea of shipping more cargo & rail.
My problem with GST is that it punishes the poor because they spend a greater proportion of their income on Food than do the rich. I'd p[refer a range of percentages charging 0% and up to 20%on luxury goods.Not elegant I know but fairer.
Good work Bryan and the suggestion re: transportation would be excellent were it not that The Troika are totally committed to road transportation at any cost. The real problem is the lack of vision by both major parties ever since the 80's. The Green Party who advocate for such solutions are cast as nut jobs, by all unthinking fools, out to wreck NZ.
Missing from your list is the cost of climate change and the resulting increase in nYural disasters.
I totally agree about rail ‘ coastal shipping- but the other thing is electric vehicles. There are already some amazing electric trucks carting goods on our road, and EVs are much safer, cheaper to run (free on home Solar), and no pollution or emissions. After active transport & electric public transport they are the best.
Electric rail is better, but needs an infrastructure spend to electrify from Waikanae to PN- and from Hamilton to Auckland. Then there are the branches to all the regions. I’d love to see it reinstalled with good passenger rail. What a great way to travel our country for Kiwis & tourists.
Re taxes- I think we should remove GST and put back pre 1980s top tax rates, or better- as well as closing tax loopholes, bringing in a CGT or wealth tax, taxing more than 2 houses (house and Kiwi Bach) hard, and making white collar tax avoidance a top priority. I’d also like to remove tax from the lowest 15-20% of earners. We need to close the inequality gap.
History of our tax rates - pre1980-now:
New Zealand went through a major program of tax reform in the 1980s. The top marginal rate of income tax was reduced from 66% to 33% (changed to 39% in April 2000, 38% in April 2009, 33% on 1 October 2010 and back to 39% in April 2021) and corporate income tax rate from 48% to 28% (changed to 30% in 2008 and to 28% on 1 October 2010). Goods and services tax was introduced, initially at a rate of 10% (then 12.5% and now 15%, as of 1 October 2010). Land taxes were abolished in 1992.
We certainly need to do something -
Maybe a CGT and a maximum & minimum wage that are tied, or with a reducing gap (wage freeze the top salaries, while bringing up the bottom ‘ middle.
The top 1% of NZ owns 25% of the wealth. The top 10% owns 70% of the wealth. The bottom
*half* of the country owns less than 2% of the wealth… and inequality is getting much worse under this government.
A more egalitarian society has less crime, less violence, fewer addicts, better health for all, is more productive and has much better well-being for all.
Love your ideas the neo liberalism has done us no favours. I don't know if GST was bought in at the same time but I can't say I'm totally against it particularly because of our small population however I still think there's a lot of loop holes that rich people can hide money to avoid tax & they need to plug those. Definitely like the idea of shipping more cargo & rail.
My problem with GST is that it punishes the poor because they spend a greater proportion of their income on Food than do the rich. I'd p[refer a range of percentages charging 0% and up to 20%on luxury goods.Not elegant I know but fairer.
My understanding was that 3 things were supposed to happen in tandem:
1. Introduction of GST
2. Lower income tax / PAYE rates
AND...
3. The introduction of a CGT or wealth tax of some sort.
And that only (1) and (2) actually happened.
I get that about GST maybe they should take it off all the staples.
I would rather see a 0.75% LAND TAX on all residential zoned land . Easy to collect and no loop holes
A Capital Gains Tax is tricky to administer and easily avoided
GST is a very unfair tax .
That's my take on tax 😊