Originally Posted by
SBQ
Indigenous land ownership 'unique to NZ'? I beg to differ. Australia doesn't seem to have a problem imposing land tax on their aboriginal lands nor the ability to have exemptions. BTW, like Canada, Australia also has a GST system that seems to make certain foods exempt from that tax. In fact, everywhere else around the world seems to have exemptions of some sort without ailment. Canada has successfully created an insurmountable level of taxation around owning real estate, yet the principal owner is exempt from the likes of; vacancy tax, non-resident 20% surcharge to buy the property tax, rates and insurance sur-charges, CGT. All these countries don't seem to have a problem with 'complexities', then why would NZ have any issues? You mean IRD's computer is not big enough and NZ doesn't have programmers? Poppycock in the same form as how we can't build decent energy efficient homes (on the recent NZBC regulations, thicker walls are not the solution for energy efficiency).
The only confusion I see is Green Party voters are clueless at moving a country forward. They believe a Robinhood style of wealth redistribution is going to improve the situation of the poor. This has never ever worked in other countries that spew socialism to the extreme. If the Green Party ever gets these kinds of policy through, it will solidify my family's future plan to move back to Canada as the NZ gov't will do nothing for those with mental or physical disabilities (having 2 children with ASD and ADHD). There's no worse way in punishing hard working families who have children with special needs just because they've worked hard to achieve a nest egg, to only be taxed without consideration of their family needs. I DO know in Canada, the gov't there recognises Autism as a disability and gives exemptions in all areas from taxation, to social services. For starters, a Disability Trust allows the individual to be not taxed at trust rates but at individual progressive tax rates. Their investments also can grow 100% tax free in a RDSP stock market portfolio. None of these programs exist in NZ because the gov't is happy pushing them on the WINZ benefit for eternity. Ok enough of my rant...