Time to ditch your tax plans, Mr. Luxon

The Conservative Party in the UK has ditched its inflationary tax cuts, and the National Party should do the same.

The Reserve Bank has increased the Official Cash Rate today by 50 basis points to 3.5% in an effort to slow inflation.

“Cutting tax for the richest few is wholly irresponsible, especially at a time when costs for most families are going up,” the Green Party’s finance spokesperson, Julie Anne Genter said.

“People should look to the UK Conservative Party for a sense of what could happen if the National Party got into power here. It should be a cautionary tale for us all.

“The difference between the UK Conservative Party’s tax cuts and National’s tax cuts is paper-thin.

“Of course the UK and New Zealand economies have been designed differently but people will not miss the basic point - unfunded tax cuts for the richest few do not work.

“The National Party’s ongoing defence of its proposed tax cuts is incoherent.

“For a start, when costs are rising for most families, throwing tax cuts into the mix could push inflation up even higher.

“This would put pressure on the Reserve Bank to raise interest rates further, which would mean unemployment would likely increase and our economy harmed.

“People also get the fact that it is impossible to cut taxes without taking a hammer to our public services.

“The previous National Government will live long in the memory of our teachers, nurses, aged carers, social workers, doctors, firefighters, and other essential workers.

“Most I’m sure look back on that nine year period and see the familiar pattern of neglect that accompanies every National Government - and it looks like Mr. Luxon will be no different.

“The Green Party will continue fighting for a fair tax system where the wealthiest pay their fair share of tax so we can fund strong public services and ensure those with the least have enough to live on” says Julie Anne Genter.

Volunteer

The Greens are proud to be driven by passionate people like you. Today we need your help to take action on the biggest issues facing New Zealand.

Action

Save Auckland's Climate Budget

Sign the petition to stop Mayor Wayne Brown's proposal for dangerous cuts to climate and environmental programmes that protect us from extreme weat...

Action

No New Mines 2023

Action

Expand Voting

Now more than ever, young people in Aotearoa are impacted by Government decisions, and they deserve to have a say. We are calling on all Members of...

Action

End Intensive Winter Grazing

Sign the petition to Labour Ministers, to move faster in bringing regulations into force and end intensive winter grazing.

Action

Trains for Climate

Add your name to our open letter urging the Minister for Finance Grant Robertson to save our passenger trains between Wellington, the Wairarapa and...

Action

Healthy Oceans 2022

Join our Healthy Oceans Crew to help us keep the health and protection of our oceans high on the Labour Government’s political agenda.

Action

It's time: A Ministry for Rainbow Communities

Join our call asking the Prime Minister to establish a Ministry for Rainbow Communities that can champion Rainbow issues.

Action

No new mines on conservation land

Sign the open letter asking Labour Ministers to stick to their promise of banning new mining projects on conservation land.

Action

Allow community ownership of our buses

Public transport is an essential service and helps to tackle the climate crisis by reducing our carbon emissions. But there are barriers to communi...

Action

Local Events

We have activists across Aotearoa / New Zealand who are working hard to build a brighter future for our kids and grandkids. This page lists upcomin...

Latest Finance Announcements

Story

Tax the banks

Instead of creating an appeal fund and one-off lotto draw, the Labour Government could tax the billions of dollars banks have made in unearned, exc...

Urgent action needed to support families

The tools exist to help families with surging costs – and as costs continue to rise it is more urgent than ever that we use them, the Green Party ...

BPS constraints risk impacting low income people the most

The Government will constrain itself unnecessarily at Budget 2023 unless it changes the tax system to raise revenue from the wealthiest few which c...

Case for excess profit tax on banks clearer than ever

The Government should adopt an excess profits tax and use any revenue raised to help people make ends meet, following the rise in the Official Cash...

Tax excess profits, don’t leave it to the good will of large corporations

The Green Party is once again calling on the Government to introduce an excess profits tax and use the money to support people, rather than relying...

RBNZ report strengthens case for excess profit tax and more income support

A drop in household income from rising bank interest rates further demonstrates the need for an excess profits tax, the Green Party says.