Seeing through CGT hot air
The capital gains tax certainly got a response, particularly from Simon Bridges and Amy Adams. They were beside themselves and couldn’t wait to to put forward arguments that were supposed to have the Government change their minds immediately, if not sooner.
Bridges came out with the usual
“. . . an attack on the Kiwi way of life”. Actually, I thought he could be right. The CGT could be seen as an “attack” on some of the inequities of our current tax system, as the money recovered will be put into reducing the tax for those on the lowest incomes.
I think more people are seeing through the insinuation that only those with high incomes and two or more properties are the “hardworking Kiwis” of Bridges’ imagination. Those who have two people from the same household working long hours, most likely for the minimum wage, are not working hard?
And Amy Adams apparently doesn’t realise when she claims “CGT is a tax on a tax” that the capital gains she is talking about have only come about through ridiculous increases in property prices, not money earned through long hours working.
If Adams is looking for a “tax on a tax” she need look no further than GST which is 15 per cent off just about everything the minimum wage earners get, because they spend it all.
And, by the way, it was National that increased GST when they were last in Government. That obviously didn’t affect Bridges’ hard-working Kiwis.
JOHN MILNES
Whanganui
Resettling refugees
I am in favour of resettling refugees in Whanganui if they are like the ones that flooded through Ellis Island, NYC, and who worked during the day and went to night school to better themselves.
Shane Jones would be able to use them as examples to get his “nephs” off the couch.
My only concern is that they are all going to deprived (Labour Party) strongholds, and they will, I fear, feel obliged to vote Labour.
It’s called pork-barrel politics.
BOB HARRIS
Whanganui
Sting in scorpion’s tail
My thanks for publishing my missive in the Chronicle (February 22).
In these days of uncertainty, it is gratifying to know that the is true to its principles, even with the pending departure of the editor.
Yet again the “sting in the scorpion’s tail” was edited out, undoubtedly because it may have offended a minuscule number of Castlecliff residents. C’est la vie.
D PARTNER
Eastown
Reasons for escape
Refugees do not simply leave their familiar homesteads merely to seek new ones within their own country. Instead, they flee to foreign lands and often to countries that are financially and economically more prosperous than their own homelands.
So it transpires that thousands of refugees abruptly flee their homelands and swarm into foreign, more prosperous nations.
In turn, these nations become swamped with foreigners, causing almost insurmountable problems.
Countries that accept these refugees are forced to spend millions of dollars that are paid for by the host nation’s taxpayers.
Such refugees have limited personal financial security, for example a house or land which they have been able to sell in order to finance their escape. More often than not, they make financial demands on the refugees’ host nations, including
Have your say
The Chronicle welcomes your views on all manner of topics.
Letters should be kept to 350 words and must not be abusive.
Include your name, address and daytime phone number — for verification purposes, not for publication. Noms de plume are not accepted.
The editor reserves the right to edit, amend or reject any letter.
The views expressed are not those of the Chronicle or its staff.
Send your letters by email to; letters@whanganui chronicle.co.nz
Or mail them to:
Editor, Whanganui Chronicle, 100 Guyton St, Whanganui 4500.
for monetary donations, housing, vehicles, living expenses, clothing and social aid of various types. Yet people who ought to flee their homeland for reasons of personal safety rarely have the funds to pay for their escape; their finances simply prevent them from doing so. They simply cannot afford to flee. Very few indeed can truly be categorised as refugees. Among the many thousands there are but a few people. Only people who have had to flee for their lives when escaping from their homeland are actual refugees.
Such refugees would not be permitted to stay in the host country beyond the end of their term once a state of somewhat normal economic and living standards has been re-established in their homeland.
IAN BROUGHAM
Tawhero
Unfair tax
Any home that sits on 4500sq m of land will be subject to capital gains tax? This includes the outskirts of most, if not all, towns and cities in New Zealand. So unfair, because it takes a lot of work to maintain these properties as they are not financially viable; you can’t make money from them.
More importantly, you can’t sell off the excess land because of zoning controls.
All family homes should be exempt.
CAROL ROCKELRATH BBS (VPM)
If you can’t make money, surely you won’t pay capital gains tax? — Ed.