Wednesday 4 February 2009

Is that it?

Another day, another announcement. Today, it’s National’s “half billion package (0ver four years) of policies to help small and medium sized businesses, during the economic downturn,” at the heart of which is “a suite of 11 tax changes costing $480 million” (over four years).  Details here at Kiwiblog.

Q: Costing who?
A: Costing the government.

Q: So is this actually a “cost,” then?
A: No, not unless you think that $480 million was government’s in the first place.

I won’t go over the 11 tax changes that make up the derisory promise to refund such a small amount of the money small businesses make since Mr Lineberry does a pretty good job on that.  Instead I’d like to note that nearly a third involve changes to the iniquitous  Fringe Benefits Tax, and ask readers if they can wrack their brains and remember who it was who introduced the whole iniquitous FBT regime, which effectively and at a stroke reduced many people’s take-home pay.  Anyone?

5 comments:

Berend de Boer said...

PC: ask readers if they can wrack their brains and remember who it was who introduced the whole iniquitous FBT regime

Please don't remind us.

Anonymous said...

National

Come on. Say it out loud.

National.

National did it- maggots that they are.

Do ya reckon they've changed?

LGM

Peter Cresswell said...

Bzzzt! Sorry, LGM. Thank you for playing.

The name rhymes with 'Rugless.'

Anonymous said...

PC

Really!

Surely not!

Surely you jest!

Because that means that it was ACT's founding messiah what did it! Such principles as these ACT was founded upon. Woe, oh woe!

Doesn't bode well for what ACT is likely to get up to in the future if this is the type of thing their founding fathers got up to when given the chance.

LGM

Elijah Lineberry said...

Curiously enough, if you read the 1984 Budget speech ..(which the ACT people inexplicably view as some sort of 'Libertarian Founding Document')..Douglas mentions FBT first, so, strictly speaking, the first thing Sir Roger ever did as Finance Minister was to introduce an evil tax to wallop businessmen! ha ha!

(It is so hilarious how he has been conning EVERYBODY for 25 years)