Kerre Woodham: Yet another feel good policy

All feels a bit ground hoggy day, doesn't it?

Nicola Willis, the deputy leader of the National Party, broke the news that Labour would be removing GST off fruit and veg weeks ago and we discussed it then. Anyone who knows anything about tax, and that includes our very own Minister of Finance, has thought it's a silly idea. And that if the aim is to make life a bit easier for those families who are struggling, there are way better and more effective ways of doing that.

Cam Slater: They Really Think We Are Stupid

The Dumb and Dumber of New Zealand politics, Chris Hipkins and Grant Robertson, must really think we are exceptionally stupid. They are bravely forging ahead with their GST-off-fruit-and-vegetables policy, despite denying they were going to have this as a policy just a few short weeks ago.

You will remember that Nicola Willis announced Labour were going to do this, and Robbo and Chippy both denied it. Now they’ve launched it, hoping we’ve forgotten about their previous denials.

Peter Williams: Where's the GST simplicity gone?

Labour want to take away its greatest strength

If you want to know how stupid the Labour Party policy of removing GST from fresh and frozen fruit vegetables is, and how complicated it will be to work out what is exempt and what is not, consider the case of coleslaw.

Cabbage and carrot sliced up in a plastic bag will be exempt, but if you add mayonnaise to it won’t be, because the coleslaw will be deemed to have been processed.

Garrick Tremain: Dropping the GST

 Here is Garrick Tremain's cartoon commentary on removing GST of fruit and vegetables! 

Kerre Woodham: Labour's plan to remove GST from fruit and veges a desperate plan to win votes

I was about to write my opener this morning on Labour's widely anticipated move to announce the removal of GST on fruit and veg, when an ACT party press release landed in my inbox and I thought David Seymour said it best: “If Labour announces a policy to remove GST from fruit and vegetables, that's not a sign they want to address the cost of living. It's a sign of a truly desperate political party willing to throw any semblance of sensible policy making out the window to snare some votes.”