Brown Peter: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Brown Peter: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:612;Page:9093] 
10.  
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Revenue 
: What licence fees Government charges taxes or levies have increased since 1999 and by how much? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Minister of Revenue) 
: 
 Most levies licence fees and Government charges will have been reviewed since 1999. Nearly all of these are not my responsibility as Minister of Revenue. The main tax change has been the new 39c tax rate in incomes over $60000 and related changes. In order to assist the member if he cares to put down a written question to the Minister of Finance I will do my best to ensure a coordinated answer is prepared. 
Peter Brown 
: Noting that answer is he aware that since Labour became the Government income tax has gone up fringe benefit tax is up trust income tax is up resident withholding tax is up tobacco tax is up petrol tax is up an import fee has been introduced the accident compensation petrol levy is up alcohol tax is up the accident compensation employment levy is up the accident compensation motor vehicle levy is up birth death and marriage certificate fees are up driver’s licence renewal fees are up the fire service levy is up the fishing licence levy is up the cattle slaughtering levy is up— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! 
Peter Brown 
: I have nearly finished. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: All right. If there are two more the member can have the last two. 
Peter Brown 
: The export education levy is up and the fund withdrawal tax for superannuation is up; and does he believe that is compatible with the promises he made before he got into Government? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: I am amazed at my ability to get things up but could I point out to the member that in the last poll I saw approval of the Government’s economic performance was 67 percent for and 28 percent against. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. This is the second time today that a senior Minister has stood up and started to give on the matter—by way of the biggest part of the answer—some latest poll figures. That is not the answer. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: This has the latest poll. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Yes. That cannot be an answer. The member in his primary question asked about a matter and the Minister gave as his first answer that he was the Minister of Revenue and that the member should put down a question to the Minister of Finance—which he also is officially I might add although there is not much evidence of that. 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: Speaking to the point of order I say that the question has to be put to Ministers in terms of their portfolio responsibilities. This question was put to the Minister of Revenue. If the member had put the question to the Minister of Finance then indeed I have the responsibility as Minister of Finance for all those areas in some form or another. But as Minister of Revenue I am responsible only for direct taxes indirect taxes and related matters. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: With more than a billion dollars a year additional revenue from new and increased taxes and levies why has the Minister done nothing to reverse the 42 percent increase in income tax as a proportion of gross wages for average production workers since he has been Minister as shown by OECD research published this year? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: That data is highly debatable in terms of assumptions. The important point is that tax as a proportion of gross domestic product has risen only very slightly during that period and we are still well below the OECD average in that regard. If the member wants to wait until next year I am sure he will find the Government making some significant moves to assist families—low to middle income families with children. He of course will not qualify under either head.