Originally Posted by
elZorro
I don't like trusts either, accountants seem to like them, so that's not a great recommendation is it? I believe in standing by your good name and your spouse, too.
Regarding a post at the UN, I didn't know that generally their salaries are exempt from tax. The difference there is that Helen Clark applied for a job and won it, despite fierce competition. All of those rules and perks were laid out already, she accepted the terms.
However, John Key worked his way up to be the National Party leader within a short period of time, didn't do his groundwork (so obvious now) and has become PM. It's not a highly paid job, the hours are long, and he's supposed to pay tax on his income in NZ. He could behave like many ministers before him, and buy farms, forestry blocks, houses, commercial buildings etc, thus defraying his income with interest and trying to ensure a net capital gain over the period, until he steps down. John's more likely to be playing the markets, and he won't want to be doing that openly. A foreign trust or overseas vehicle would be perfect for that. Hence, IMO, the extreme evasion with the questioning from Guyon.