Cunliffe David: Income Tax Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
Cunliffe David: Income Tax Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:616;Page:12088] 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Associate Minister of Revenue) 
: 
 I do appreciate the support of members opposite including the National Party members. The only thing is that when they give support they sometimes have a funny way of showing it. I understand that they will be voting for this bill and I appreciate that because the content is worthwhile. But I guess that also means they will be voting for the provision on Maori trusts—and why would they not? They did not change it the last few times they were in power. It has been around since the 1950s. 
Hon David Carter 
: What is the definition of a Maori trust? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: I really wish Mr Carter would read the bill for himself but it is on page 1878 in clause OB 1. 
But let us get back to what is really being said here. I am afraid it is another example of “Brash disease” spreading throughout the Opposition caucus. It is really another attack on Maori and I must say I am getting rather sick to death of this. People are using very generic legislation and even legislation for purposes with which they agree and provisions for which they will be voting but it does not stop them attacking people because of their ethnicity. 
Now if we are talking about who is actually paying tax and who is not paying tax then I think we need to be talking about— 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I just ask you to caution the Minister. I think he has broken the Standing Orders already. He has talked about the “Brash disease”. I do not think you would allow us to talk about the “Clark disease” which is far more virulent and dangerous. I do not think you would allow us to attack members of Parliament for attacking people on the basis of their ethnicity. That has not happened here today but what Mr Cunliffe is doing is accusing us on this side of the Chamber of racism by using cute words to get around it and I ask you to caution the Minister in the chair against going down that chute. In fact my speech was that I loved the 19.5c; I just wanted it for everyone. 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I thank the honourable member for his contribution. I had been thinking along those lines so I am glad he drew it to my attention and it has been drawn to the attention of the Minister. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: This Government does believe that the same rates should apply to organisations in the same situation. There is no parallel for the situation of Maori trusts whose uses of the funds they hold in trust are limited. There is no parallel for the fact that 90 percent of beneficiaries have an income that is in the lowest tax rate. That is why they are being treated appropriately and at the end of the year people pay the full tax wash-up. 
If the ACT party wants to talk about who is and who is not paying full rates of tax then they might wish to think about some of their own supporters. They might want to think about things like trust funds or complex tax structures using series of shelf companies. I would be quite interested to hear Mr Prebble come back to the Committee and tell members about complex company structures that might not provide full information about people’s tax liabilities. 
I would be interested to hear someone talk about how much tax the major banks are paying for example. I would not want to say anything that was taxpayer-specific but I would be very surprised if any of them were paying 19.5c in the dollar and that is a matter that the Government—as Dr Cullen has said—has under investigation. 
Before members start talking about Maori—and members opposite have mentioned the foreshore—let us remind ourselves about the substantial holdings of coastal land that some very high-wealth Pakeha individuals have. 
Sitting suspended from 6 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.