Prime Minister John Key has given strong indication that top-marginal personal tax rates will be significantly cut in the upcoming Government Budget. He justified the decision by claiming it will decrease the “brain drain” seen in New Zealand. On May 17th John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand, appeared in a television interview and made it clear that the upcoming budget will feature cuts to personal taxes across all levels, but with special emphasis on top-marginal rates. John Key’s comments led economist ... Read More

The New Zealand personal-tax system lacks integrity and is unfair for many New Zealand families, and the upcoming budget promises to address the issue, said Bill English, New Zealand Minister of Finance. Confirming the Tax Working Group’s analysis of the New Zealand tax system, Bill English delivered a speech on March 23rd calling the taxes burden faced by an average working family “unfair and inequitable.” According to the Minister the root of the problem resides in the current definition of income and ... Read More

The New Zealand Labour Party has announced that it will be launching a cross-country bus tour in protest to the National Party’s proposed Good and Service Tax rate increase. Phil Goff, Labour Party leader, announced on February 22nd that a two week protest bus-tour will be launched on February 28th to fight the possibility of a the GST rate being raised to 15 percent. He claimed that the tour’s aim was to visit New Zealand communities and "to show them just ... Read More

New Zealand’s era of tax cuts is over, according to Finance Minister Bill English. Bill English put a blunt message forward to New Zealand, the time of tax cuts has passed. On the 2nd of August at National Party conference in Christchurch, Bill English stated that “There is no possibility of just cutting taxes." Bill English said that the government is projecting deficits of up to NZ$12 million, which leaves no room for tax cuts. There has already been an effective cancellation of the ... Read More