Minister defends ‘baby’ commercial

Press, 12 September 1986, Page 8

Minister defends ‘baby’ commercial

Wellington reporter The Acting Minister of Finance, Mr Caygill, yesterday defended the Government’s latest television commercial that promotes tax changes against assertions that it amounted to taxpayer-funded political propaganda. The commercial, featuring babies crawling on the floor while a voice

extols the benefits of goods and services tax, income tax cuts, and Family Support, was conveying real facts to the widest possible audience, he said. He dismissed a newspaper report that top advisers had urged the Government to scrap the commercial. The Opposition had tried to sow discord in consumers’ minds and mislead them into thinking GST would be harmful, Mr Caygill said. The “baby” commercial had contained five key statements about the

changes, all certified as factual by Government advisers, he said. The commercial says the changes mean a “fresh start with new, fairer taxes,” that “hidden” sales taxes will be abolished, that personal taxpayers will have more take-home pay, that people working harder “are encouraged, not punished,” and that families will receive more through Family Support. Answering Opposition questions in Parliament Mr Caygill said,the commercial would cost about $500,000.