Fair Tax Campaign
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Why a #TaxJustice campaign – and why now?
New Zealand’s tax system is unfair and we need to fix it. A fair tax system is a powerful tool in building a society where every New Zealander gets a fair go.
The Tax Working Group has given us options to help fix our tax system. On matters like the Capital Gains Tax, the Tax Working Group has presented yet another solid case for treating all income the same whether it is capital income or earned income.
But, so far, there has been insufficient public focus on how tax reforms could create greater tax fairness. And the role of options such as the Capital Gains Tax in promoting fairness and reduced inequalities has not been prominent in in the public domain.
Tax Justice Aotearoa New Zealand sees a rare opportunity to emphasise that, if we want to reduce inequality and poverty, we need to make real changes to our tax system. The time to mobilise more voices that support a fair tax system, including a Capital Gains Tax, is now!
Who is Tax Justice Aotearoa NZ and how can you help?
Tax Justice Aotearoa New Zealand is an independent non-governmental organisation, linked to the global Tax Justice Network. We want transparent, democratic and fair tax systems for people and planet to flourish. To do this, we have initiated a #TaxJustice campaign. We have sufficient initial funding to go public with a couple of
billboards in Wellington and ads in several major newspapers.
The messages for this will be simple and direct, along the lines of ‘We need a fairer tax system involving CGT and we need it now!’
We can’t do this alone. The Fabian Society is supporting this campaign. Can you chip in some putea/ funding to help make this happen?
Bill Rosenberg on Tax Fairness
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Bill Rosenberg was a member of the Tax Working Group. His presentation at the Fabian Society in Wellington is summarised here. The summary is taken from his article in the NZCTU monthly economic Bulletin. The full article will be published in the Papers and Presentations section of the website.
The Tax Working Group (TWG) has reported back. The reactions to the proposal for taxing the income from capital gains have ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous and from “it doesn’t go nearly far enough” to “this is the end of the kiwi way of life”. They have exposed a class society where one group of people seemingly believe that almost everyone owns at least one investment property and a bach (no wonder they didn’t believe there is a housing crisis) while the experience of most is that buying even one house is increasingly unaffordable.
Revisiting the Kurow Cure: Dr Don Matheson
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88 years ago a mass migration of economic refugees was occurring in Kurow, North Otago as desperate families moved into the area in search of work from the Waitaki hydroelectric dam.
The New Zealand Fabian Society
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The Fabian Society is an independent membership-based organisation that aims to provide a forum for education and debate on progressive policy priorities by providing quality events, publications and research. Via a series of lectures and seminars, we will provide a forum for critiquing the prevailing economic orthodoxy and the advocacy of viable alternatives.
Fabian Societies have been established and been active in New Zealand from time to time; in Christchurch in the late 19th century, and in Auckland in the 1940s and 1950s. Peter Fraser and Walter Nash extablished the Wellington Fabain Society in 1934 with the express purpse of hearing a lecture from Bernard Shaw, then visiting New Zealand.
The New Zealand Fabian Society was established in 2009 as an Incorporated Society, with branches currently active in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Fabian Societies have helped develop an independent social-democratic tradition throughout the 20th century in English-speaking countries, particularly Britain and Australia.
While independent of other Fabian groups, the New Zealand Fabian Society aims to generate and disseminate ideas that are original, meet the challenge of the times, and are of high quality. Our values are that we are independent of all political parties, open and progressive. We do not believe that “There is no alternative”; rather that there are not enough alternatives. Our motto is “Inciting debate – Wero o te ahi”.
Review: My Story Your Story Together Builds Communities
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Yvonne Powley, Ruth Greenaway, Megan Hutching and Richard Howard. (2016) My Story Your Story Together Builds Communities; Ko aku korero ko au koero Ka whakamana te kotahitanga o te hapori: Auckland’s North Shore; Te Raki Paewhenua. Auckland North Community and Development Inc. New Zealand.
Reviewed by Phil Harington; School of Counselling Human Services and Social Work, Faculty of EdSW, UoA.
Read more: Review: My Story Your Story Together Builds Communities