ACT's David Seymour - i like his style.

[Daytr]

But I already have barriers to access healthcare as I am Pakeha, so get pushed down the list..... Thats happened under Labour.

Oh you poor middle class whitey. Woe is me, its such a tough life being born white
Anyway the stats say otherwise.

However what I am saying is with ACTs tax cuts will mean the likes of health, education etc will be further underfunded.

[fungus pudding]

Oh you poor middle class whitey. Woe is me, its such a tough life being born white
Anyway the stats say otherwise.

However what I am saying is with ACTs tax cuts will mean the likes of health, education etc will be further underfunded.

Not neccesarily. Where does NZ sit on the Laffer curve? Maybe sliding down the right-hand side.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politi...AZFGHJCC3AYIE/

Act’s David Seymour jokes he suspected TV journalist was ‘blazed’ before ‘tense’ interview

Act leader David Seymour has jokingly suggested Newshub Nation co-host Simon Shepherd was stoned during a tense interview between the pair.

Speaking at a media stand-up after announcing Act’s health workforce policy in Auckland today, Seymour was asked about Act’s Free Press e-newsletter which yesterday quoted feedback from Newshub Nation viewers who said Seymour “owned” Shepherd during their interview on Saturday.

Asked whether criticising the media was an election campaign strategy, Seymour laughed and said the commentary was directed at Shepherd.

“It was a pretty hefty swing at poor old Simon Shepherd, who tried to interview me on Saturday, rather haplessly I have to say,” he said.

“My suspicion is Simon misread the results of the cannabis referendum, he thought it was legal, blazed away the night before and then tried to interview me. It didn’t go well for him.”

Poor Simon

[SBQ]

I dunno about you guys but today's talk radio (NewstalkZB) had talk about Act's view of cutting taxes. I'm sure all the listeners jump to conclusion that we can't afford a tax cut. However no one has ever questioned why gov'ts always rack up huge budget deficits and spend and spend and spent regardless of the situation. It's not a matter that we can't afford a tax cut, what really matters is if you present too much of the tax revenue for gov'ts to procure, they're going to massive over spend. A tax cut is a way to discourage the behaviour of excesses on over gov't spending. Under inflationary times, gov'ts never reign in their spending. So it's only prudent we should remove the chips off the table.

[Aaron]

I dunno about you guys but today's talk radio (NewstalkZB) had talk about Act's view of cutting taxes. I'm sure all the listeners jump to conclusion that we can't afford a tax cut. However no one has ever questioned why gov'ts always rack up huge budget deficits and spend and spend and spent regardless of the situation. It's not a matter that we can't afford a tax cut, what really matters is if you present too much of the tax revenue for gov'ts to procure, they're going to massive over spend. A tax cut is a way to discourage the behaviour of excesses on over gov't spending. Under inflationary times, gov'ts never reign in their spending. So it's only prudent we should remove the chips off the table.

Short concise and to the point with no mention of what they do in Canada, well done SBQ.

I agree with you about cutting taxes and that more money does not equal better outcomes, but rather than taxing the bottom half more so the top half can get a tax cut. How about a tax free threshold at the bottom for everyone.

Although David Seymour gets confused when there is more than one or two tax rates so probably too difficult for ACT to work out. Is ACT Stupid or Mean hard to know.

How do we work out where we sit on the Laffer Curve FP? We don't have a capital gains tax like Australia and our top tax rate of 39% is way less than Australia's 45% so we are way below Aussie on the Laffer Curve.

If you suggest a 20% flat income tax rate I will lose all respect for you.

Also with Australia's unaspirational and uninspirational tax system why are we worried about people moving there. Obviously they must all be the bludgers looking for a handout that we hear about on this thread as the aspirational people would be attracted by our lower tax rates here in NZ.

[Balance]

Short concise and to the point with no mention of what they do in Canada, well done SBQ.

I agree with you about cutting taxes and that more money does not equal better outcomes, but rather than taxing the bottom half more so the top half can get a tax cut. How about a tax free threshold at the bottom for everyone.

Although David Seymour gets confused when there is more than one or two tax rates so probably too difficult for ACT to work out. Is ACT Stupid or Mean hard to know.

How do we work out where we sit on the Laffer Curve FP? We don't have a capital gains tax like Australia and our top tax rate of 39% is way less than Australia's 45% so we are way below Aussie on the Laffer Curve.

If you suggest a 20% flat income tax rate I will lose all respect for you.

Also with Australia's unaspirational and uninspirational tax system why are we worried about people moving there. Obviously they must all be the bludgers looking for a handout that we hear about on this thread as the aspirational people would be attracted by our lower tax rates here in NZ.

The best measure to compare taxes between countries - as a %tage of GDP with comparative countries:

NZ 33.8%
Australia 28.5%
US 26.6%
Canada 33.2%
UK 33.5%
OECD average 34.1%

https://www.oecd.org/tax/tax-policy/...s-brochure.pdf

All that Labour & their supporters can think of is ever more transfer-payment, non-productive & wasteful spending to be funded by ever higher taxes from the existing productive sector. Never a thought about effective and efficient spending which is what all countries must do to grow and progress towards that utopia of a happy country. Never a thought about how to grow the economy to benefit all NZers. It's always about more spending and more taxes.

[Aaron]

The best measure to compare taxes between countries - as a %tage of GDP with comparative countries:

NZ 33.8%
Australia 28.5%
US 26.6%
Canada 33.2%
UK 33.5%
OECD average 34.1%

https://www.oecd.org/tax/tax-policy/...s-brochure.pdf

All that Labour & their supporters can think of is ever more transfer-payment, non-productive & wasteful spending to be funded by ever higher taxes from the existing productive sector. Never a thought about effective and efficient spending which is what all countries must do to grow and progress towards that utopia of a happy country. Never a thought about how to grow the economy to benefit all NZers. It's always about more spending and more taxes.

Interesting but that does not answer my question why ACT did not just create a lower tax free threshold that everyone benefits from. I should not be suggesting policy but why give a hand up to those at the top and a slap in the face to those at the bottom.

Roger Douglas reserved a stinging criticism for his former party, claiming recent Act articles and policies reinforced a view among New Zealanders that it “represents only the wealthy”, citing his displeasure with Act’s opposition to ending “bracket creep”, which increases tax paid by average wage and salary earners because doing so would require higher taxes on wealthier people.

And to provide balance he also said.

He claimed Labour and the Greens promoted policies that made people dependent on the government in order to get their vote, while National “stand for very little” and didn’t introduce “new and exciting policy”, Douglas believed.

here is a good example of what happens when you have too many taxpayer dollars floating around.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/former...J7HGYNEXMNSD4/

$1.4mill is what they found. Sickening to think that this might be going on in NZ.

[Balance]

Interesting but that does not answer my question why ACT did not just create a lower tax free threshold that everyone benefits from. I should not be suggesting policy but why give a hand up to those at the top and a slap in the face to those at the bottom.

Roger Douglas reserved a stinging criticism for his former party, claiming recent Act articles and policies reinforced a view among New Zealanders that it “represents only the wealthy”, citing his displeasure with Act’s opposition to ending “bracket creep”, which increases tax paid by average wage and salary earners because doing so would require higher taxes on wealthier people.

And to provide balance he also said.

He claimed Labour and the Greens promoted policies that made people dependent on the government in order to get their vote, while National “stand for very little” and didn’t introduce “new and exciting policy”, Douglas believed.

here is a good example of what happens when you have too many taxpayer dollars floating around.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/former...J7HGYNEXMNSD4/

$1.4mill is what they found. Sickening to think that this might be going on in NZ.

What hand up to those at the top?

Are you asserting that governments (especially those indulging in wasteful spending) should be able to keep cranking up tax rates and tax takes until the country becomes another Venezuela?

33% top tax rate + 15% GST = already 48% tax paid on money earned & spent by the top tax bracket earners before Robertson's envy tax of 39% top rate = 54%!

A government (especially the wasteful one like this clueless yet spendthrift Labour government) should never take more than 50% off any taxpayer imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e97kq2XflKE

By all means, introduce a CGT which I believe is well overdue in NZ as part & partial of a comprehensive tax reform package in NZ.

Then, introduce a comprehensive government spending reform as well so that the government is accountable for every $1m spent of taxpayers' funds.

NZ will then start getting somewhere back up the ladder of ever rising living standards.

[Aaron]

What hand up to those at the top?

Are you asserting that governments (especially those indulging in wasteful spending) should be able to keep cranking up tax rates and tax takes until the country becomes another Venezuela?

33% top tax rate + 15% GST = already 48% tax paid on money earned & spent by the top tax bracket earners before Robertson's envy tax of 39% top rate = 54%!

A government (especially the wasteful one like this clueless yet spendthrift Labour government) should never take more than 50% off any taxpayer imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e97kq2XflKE

By all means, introduce a CGT which I believe is well overdue in NZ as part & partial of a comprehensive tax reform package in NZ.

Then, introduce a comprehensive government spending reform as well so that the government is accountable for every $1m spent of taxpayers' funds.

NZ will then start getting somewhere back up the ladder of ever rising living standards.

If we are still talking about ACTs income tax policy someone on $48,000 or less ends up paying an extra $180 whereas someone earning $800,000 saves $38,269. If you wanted to cut taxes why not an initial tax free threshold that everyone benefits both rich and poor?

I am not discussing govt spending, plenty of waste I imagine.

BUT ACTs income tax policy seems very mean spirited to me. Admittedly they are the party for the wealthy (according to Roger Douglas) so I guess they should provide policy that appeals to their voter base but I just do not think it is a good idea for the country as a whole.

[Balance]

If we are still talking about ACTs income tax policy someone on $48,000 or less ends up paying an extra $180 whereas someone earning $800,000 saves $38,269. If you wanted to cut taxes why not an initial tax free threshold that everyone benefits both rich and poor?

I am not discussing govt spending, plenty of waste I imagine.

BUT ACTs income tax policy seems very mean spirited to me. Admittedly they are the party for the wealthy (according to Roger Douglas) so I guess they should provide policy that appeals to their voter base but I just do not think it is a good idea for the country as a whole.

You are looking at NZ's tax regime as is where is and from there, what's the best way to adjust tax rates.

ACT to me is looking at the tax regime holistically and making the call as to what the tax regime must be for NZ to regain its competitive positioning in all matters relating to tax.

One thing is for sure - tinkering around with the tax regime since the introduction of GST has delivered bugger all in terms of fairness on the one hand and provision of incentives to work hard and take risks on the other.

“There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?” GB Shaw