Taxation

Press, 18 February 1989, Page 24

Taxation

Sir, —Just what does the Prime Minister take us for? He said that the rise in income tax would still leave us below the Australian rate by a few cents. Australians do not pay GST, or any similar tax, therefore a New Zealand family living on the very modest income of $15,000 a year would have to spend all of this to maintain any standard of living and would therefore pay $l5OO a year in addition to P.A.Y.E., which would surely put us well above the Australians. Why does he persist in omitting GST from tax calculations? He obviously does not credit us with any intelligence.—Yours, etc.,

T. C. BERRIDGE. February 14, 1989.

(1) Letters submitted for printing in this column must not exceed 150 words. They should be written inink or preferably typed on one side of the paper. Ample space must be left in the margins and between lines for sub-editing marks. (2) Letters written over pen-names or initials will not ordinarily be considered for publication. A legible signature and full postal address — not a P.O. Box number — are essential. (3) The correspondent must say whether the letter has been or is to be submitted elsewhere.