Robertson Grant: Taxation (Tax Administration and Remedial Matters) Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
Robertson Grant: Taxation (Tax Administration and Remedial Matters) Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:675;Page:20765] 
GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central) 
: 
 During the call that Brendon Burns has just taken Simon Bridges interjected from the other side of the Chamber that Labour was interested in “envy tax”. Well I have something to say to Mr Bridges. I am interested in a fair tax system where people pay their fair share—a fair tax system where people pay their fair share. We have heard a lot about the need to tighten our belts as a country as we deal with recession. We have heard a lot from members on the other side about the fact that these are tough times and there need to be cuts and we need to make sure that every dollar is spent wisely. Who bears the brunt of the need to tighten our belts? Who has to take the steps to deal with the recession? It is those on the lowest incomes. When do we see the people who benefited most in the financial boom times—the people who benefited most from the very things that actually led to the recession—paying their fair share? When do we see that from the Government? That is why on this side of the Chamber we are opposing the Taxation (Tax Administration and Remedial Matters) Bill. The abolition of gift duty is yet another step by this Government in saying that the people who have to pay for the effects of the recession are those on the lowest incomes while at the same time tax cuts—round after round of tax cuts—benefit mainly the highest-income earners. Now gift duty is being taken away. As other speakers have said it is not just about the revenue gathered; it is about the tax-avoidance measures. We now see yet again from this Government— 
Aaron Gilmore 
: Mr Robertson’s a tax expert! 
GRANT ROBERTSON 
: Aaron Gilmore says “tax expert”. I will tell members what I think I might be a bit of an expert on and that is fairness. That is actually giving people a fair go. 
Amy Adams 
: Fairness? Oh my God! 
GRANT ROBERTSON 
: Amy Adams decries the concept of fairness. Well if we do not have fairness in our society if we do not try to include people in our society and give them the chance to achieve their potential then we run the risk of people feeling excluded. We run the risk of London-style activities happening because people have no role in the future of their society if we do not include them. If we as a country keep letting the gap between rich and poor grow that is how social exclusion grows. That means people are not able to fulfil their potential. Bills like this that abolish gift duty and taxation packages from the National Government that favour those who have the most against those who have the least will lead to the gap between rich and poor growing. 
This measure adds to unfairness. It does not mean that people will pay their fair share in our taxation system. And I would say that that should be the basis of any taxation system. Regardless of the details where tax experts are required the fundamentals that parliamentarians get to decide on are whether a tax system is fair. This Government throughout its term has made our tax system more and more unfair. It has weighted all of the tax cuts in favour of those who earn the most; and those who earn the least—those who have actually struggled through the recessionary times—are the people who constantly have to make the sacrifices. The sacrifices are not being made by the people who have not paid tax for years and years. 
We have heard about Warren Buffett from Brendon Burns. We heard from Sam Morgan who said that he should be paying more tax. He said that he should be paying more tax—and he should be paying more tax. He acknowledges that he wants to do that. But Mr Gilmore and his colleagues on the National side are saying that those on the lowest incomes have to take the cuts in services and have the punitive measures put in place and those on the highest incomes continue to get tax cuts and no longer have to pay gift duty. Those are the people being favoured by this kind of provision and that is wrong in my view. This bill has been brought before Parliament as my colleague Lianne Dalziel said through what is called an administration and remedial matters bill but in actual fact the removal of gift duty sits alongside other fundamental policy issues that in my view have made our tax system more unfair and in turn will make our society more unfair. We can do so much better than this by having a tax system that actually taxes income in all its forms. I believe we must do that.