Tax consultation needed

WELLINGTON: New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says nothing is a done deal regarding tax changes, including whether the Government passes legislation to implement them ahead of the next election.

The Government’s Tax Working Group recommended a broad capital gains tax and a raft of other changes to the tax system, including environmental taxes and changes to savings taxes, in its report back to the government a fortnight ago.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson has long made it clear the Government’s plan was to pass legislation implementing any tax changes, including a possible capital gains tax, ahead of the next election.

That would give New Zea landers the chance to vote on the changes, as it would not take effect until April 2021. The law could be repealed if the Government were to change.

In response to a question about whether the tax changes would be legislated for this term, Mr Peters said ‘‘that remains part of the consultation process’’.

‘‘At the end, when we’ve finished consultation and come to a decision, that question will be able to be decided then, but it’s not now.’’

Mr Peters said regardless of what Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern or Mr Robertson had said, it would still be a matter for consultation.

‘‘We don’t know where this thing ends up and what its componentry and elements would be.’’ —RNZ