Cam Slater: You Can’t Trust Labour on Tax

Labour’s botched tax grab on Kiwi savers was the fastest reverse ferret ever seen in modern politics. It was so fast that the Taxpayers’ Union barely had time to beg for money to oppose it. Labour polls every night during the working week. The news broke on Wednesday night about their sneaky, slimy, secret and untrustworthy tax grab; and they must have received absolutely parlous polling information that saw them quickly back down and reverse their position. But the underlying belief amongst voters is that you can’t trust Labour on tax.

Kate Hawkesby: This Govt has done its chips and panic mode isn't going to save them

 

It’s becoming more apparent every day that this Government is on its way out and I just wonder whether that’s why they’re spiralling now into the realm of the nutty.

The KiwiSaver tax announcement certainly looked like it. And now the embarrassment of axing that within about 5 minutes of announcing it due to such widespread backlash. What a cluster.

Mike Hosking: Spectacular U-turn shows an out of touch Government

As far as U-turns go, this is a spectacular one.

On Tuesday, the Government announce GST on KiwiSaver fees, Wednesday afternoon they're gone, so less than 24 hours.

They were gone before they even arrived.

Heather du Plessis-Allan: People power- saving our retirement funds

 

It is a good day in New Zealand. The Government has backed down on their plans to tax your Kiwisaver. 

Is this the fastest back down in the history of backdowns in this country? 

Somebody needs to check David Parker for whiplash, such is the force with which he slammed the brakes on his own tax plan.

Point of Order: Wow – How closing the KiwiSaver tax loophole gave the Govt a springboard for a world-class policy somersault

The Ardern government has improved its gymnastic skills and this week executed one of its fastest somersaults of its turbulent career on what the mainstream media had labelled “the KiwiSaver tax grab”.

Of course, that label was a misnomer. Even so, a clever politician would have sensed the gathering storm long before it burst.

Even now, the government is left fretting as it surveys the damage done, rather like the Nelson residents who lost their homes last week.

Mike Hosking: This Government is simply dishonest about tax

Once again, I find myself a bit confounded by a government that seems, at heart, basically dishonest.

Can they argue the GST treatment on KiwiSaver fees is not a new tax, given they said there would be no new taxes?

Yes they can, because GST is not a new tax.

But are you paying more tax because of the Government's move on KiwiSaver fees?