If National wins ...

[Banksie]

Heaps. It is not only fair, but produces great results. I think there are about 20 countries now who have moved to a flat tax. Google will tell you plenty.

Google did indeed give me a list of countries with flat tax, which ones do you see as being comparable to NZ?

Abkhazia
Albania
Andorra
Anguilla
Belarus
Belize
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
East Timor
Estonia
Georgia
Greenland
Grenada
Guernsey
Guyana
Hungary
Jamaica
Jersey
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Lithuania
Macedonia
Madagascar
Mauritius
Mongolia
Montenegro
Nagorno-Karabakh
Poland
Romania
Russia
Saint Helena
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Seychelles
South Ossetia
Transnistria
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Ukraine

[Banksie]

There has been a lot of research done in this area over the years which I've read but can't highlight any reports of the top of my head perhaps a goggle search will reveal them but aside from that its common sense that if the tax rate is fair most people don't feel the need to avoid paying it.

Don't be lazy. I try and substantiate my point of view. Substantiate yours. Find me one report.

And don't come up with the old chestnut "I don't have time". If you don't have time to properly engage in the debate, don't bother commenting at all.

[couta1]

Don't be lazy. I try and substantiate my point of view. Substantiate yours. Find me one report.

And don't come up with the old chestnut "I don't have time". If you don't have time to properly engage in the debate, don't bother commenting at all.

Goggle Cato Institute they have a report titled The Global Flat Tax Revolution, I'll find more when I have time but must go to work now so I can pay more tax.

[Banksie]

Goggle Cato Institute they have a report titled The Global Flat Tax Revolution, I'll find more when I have time but must go to work now so I can pay more tax.

Lol - fair enough.

I think you will find that many of the countries that have a supposedly low flat tax rate actually have a total tax burden similar or greater than ours.

[craic]

Just for the record, a few facts for the left. John Key discussed the flag issue with Leighton Smith the other morning. He made the point that a National flag is an important image in the world and our current flag is not easily distinguished from the Australian flag and has very little that is distinctly NZ. He stated that IF the matter was on the table, there would first be an effort to decide which of the alternative designs most people preferred and then a referendum on whether to retain the existing design or replace it with the most favoured alternative. That referendum might possibly run with the next general election at greatly reduced cost.

[Banksie]

Just for the record, a few facts for the left. John Key discussed the flag issue with Leighton Smith the other morning. He made the point that a National flag is an important image in the world and our current flag is not easily distinguished from the Australian flag and has very little that is distinctly NZ. He stated that IF the matter was on the table, there would first be an effort to decide which of the alternative designs most people preferred and then a referendum on whether to retain the existing design or replace it with the most favoured alternative. That referendum might possibly run with the next general election at greatly reduced cost.

Sounds sensible. There has been a lot of teeth gnashing over the cost, which hasn't even been presented yet.

[westerly]

Interesting article in the Herald by Peter Lyons. Sums up nicely why a CGT will happen at some stage and why the present status quo and Nationals steady as you go will not last for long

"This election was a vote for the status quo. That is understandable given the apparent benign economic situation at present. But there is something wrong in a system where those with wealth can gain just through the appreciate of the assets they own. Those who earn a living and come from less affluent or privileged backgrounds continue to pay taxes on often meagre incomes. It is not a question of just doling out money to the poor. It is about a tax system that doesn't discriminate between those who earn an income from their labour as opposed to those who enjoy capital gains from owning assets.
It is about ensuring that the redistributive function of a government is effective and fair on both the taxation and spending sides. It is not about rewarding star teachers but ensuring all children have access to quality teachers.
The electorate has spoken and it has gone for the status quo. Middle New Zealand prefers the security of the known. We are becoming a polarised society. The resentment and desperation that this breeds is real as are the outcomes. We are a small community living on a few isolated islands. We often think that overseas experts and ideologies have the solutions. The reality is that we need to work it out for ourselves. We are failing to do so. "

westerly

[fungus pudding]

Google did indeed give me a list of countries with flat tax, which ones do you see as being comparable to NZ?

Abkhazia
Albania
Andorra
Anguilla
Belarus
Belize
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
East Timor
Estonia
Georgia
Greenland
Grenada
Guernsey
Guyana
Hungary
Jamaica
Jersey
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Lithuania
Macedonia
Madagascar
Mauritius
Mongolia
Montenegro
Nagorno-Karabakh
Poland
Romania
Russia
Saint Helena
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Seychelles
South Ossetia
Transnistria
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Ukraine

I don't think any are as they don't have a WFF scheme for targeted redistribution like we do.

[elZorro]

BC et al, I have had a look at the interview with John Campbell from the other night. I thought DC handled himself really well. Without going into specifics, it looks to me like he has a good handle on the things that went a bit haywire with the campaign. He's quite right, I don't think there is anyone as match fit as he is, to lead us into the next election process.

This is a battle, no doubt about it. Fair vs unfair, taxed vs untaxed, asset light vs asset heavy. Innovation vs. stagnation. Employment vs unemployment. Green vs unsustainable.

OK, maybe Labour and the Greens don't have all the answers. But at least they'd be heading down the right road to find them.

Back to the Pike River disaster, proof that they didn't look after their staff.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/bett...-of-everything

We have to learn from our mistakes. They must not be repeated.

[slimwin]

I don't think there is anyone as match fit as he is, to lead us into the next election process.

I think your right there EZ. And that"s a tragedy for the Labour party as DC has'nt a hope in hell of getting the centrist swing voters to like him.