Williams Andrew: State Sector Amendment Bill Public Finance Amendment Bill (No 2) Taxation (Livestock Valuation Assets Expenditure and Remedial Matters) Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeWilliams Andrew: State Sector Amendment Bill Public Finance Amendment Bill (No 2) Taxation (Livestock Valuation Assets Expenditure and Remedial Matters) Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 10 July 2013. Volume:692;Page:11954. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]State Sector Amendment BillPublic Finance Amendment Bill (No 2)ANDREW WILLIAMS (NZ First):I take a call on this bill the Taxation (Livestock Valuation Assets Expenditure and Remedial Matters) Bill on behalf of New Zealand First and what a pleasure it is this time to be able to speak after Dr Paul Hutchison rather than before. What a great morning in the House it is when we can alternate our positions and have a chance to comment in reverse.Dr Paul Hutchison: The member supports the environment.ANDREW WILLIAMS: Exactly—and in this case Dr Hutchison you will be most pleased that New Zealand First is supporting this bill and that we are in line with much of the thinking that is in this bill. Rather than the previous State sector legislation where we were opposing the gutting of the Public Service in this case we are supporting thisbill. In this respect we support some of the measures including the livestock valuation rule changes. We support the GST changes which remove the inequitable situation of non-resident versus resident businesses. We support that this bill provides tax deductibility for expenditure on trees and plantings for erosion shelter and water protection purposes. As Dr Hutchison just said this is a good measure because increasingly with our changing climate and the situation where we are having increasingly erratic weather conditions we certainly do need to be very mindful of the significant erosion that is occurring around New Zealand. Therefore tax deductibility to farmers and others of course in terms of the planting of trees and shelters and water protection - purpose plantings is all good for the environment and it does help to mitigate some of the adverse effects that are occurring in the environment.This bill also gives donee status to three charity organisations that operate internationally and again this is sensible for those three charities concerned. It also eliminates tax treatment mismatches to certain foreign currency hedges. Again in that foreign currency area this is sensible policy to sort out that particular matter.We were very pleased that the Government withdrew from this bill the car-park tax on the Auckland central business district and on the Wellington central business district. They were a nonsense and again they were going to cost in the order of something like $30 million to secure $17 million in tax revenue. That was a no-brainer so New Zealand First did put pressure on to have it withdrawn and we were pleased that the Government did withdraw it from the bill.Overall this is a bill that helps to strengthen the tax system. It helps to streamline aspects. It takes out quite a number of loopholes and makes improvements where they are needed. The bill makes it easier for taxpayers both personal and corporate taxpayers and so New Zealand First will be supporting it.