Thursday, 14 March 2019 08:38

Capital pains

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National's constant prodding in Parliament recently about capital gains tax (CGT) has caused the Prime Minister to drop her veil of kindness and reveal anger and petulance instead.

The Tax Working Group’s fulsome push for a CGT has Labour on the back foot for now, as shown by the PM’s temper flashes, question dodging and strange desire to explain her ‘small business experience’.

And it has revealed a hard truth for Labour, as noted by political journalist Richard Harman on his website Politik. That is, “the future of any CGT depends on NZ First”. Harman writes that while the party publicly says it isn’t conducting any formal process to decide its policy position on CGT, its supporters are making their thoughts known loud and clear, at public meetings and on the party’s Facebook page, “mostly opposing a capital gains tax”.

“This may explain what is fast becoming obvious -- that Peters is carefully avoiding any suggestion he might support the tax.”

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Dreams aren't plans

OPINION: Milking It reckons if you're National, looking at recent polls, the dream scenario is that the elusive economic recovery finally roars to life.

If voters see some growth and wages rising faster than prices, the government could say they've "fixed" things as they ride into the next election.

Back here on Earth though, the economy they inherited is a basket case, and the long-term headwinds are fierce.

Political commentator Liam Hehir says, "dreams are not plans" and if the turnaround doesn't come in time, National may have no choice but to go negative.

"Everybody wants to fight on the economy if they can. But when neither side has a compelling story, the contest shifts to other issues. That's not new. In fact, it's the stuff of politics everywhere, always."


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