Wednesday, 08 May 2024 14:55

Reality check

Written by  The Hound

OPINION: Your canine crusader gets a little fed up with the some in media, union hacks, opposition politicians and hard-core lefty whiners who claim the answer to all the country’s current financial woes is to tax the rich even more.

This is despite findings of a research paper by the NZ Treasury, based on data from the fiscal year ending March 2019, that the top 20% of income earners paid most of the taxes.

The research found that while Wellington collected over $40b in income taxes from individuals, it was the top 20% of earners who contributed more than 50% of that total amount.

As Professor of Public Policy at Victoria University Arthur Grimes points out, the public might not know, but a small percentage of high-income earners pay the majority of tax revenue, while “most people at the poor end are net recipients from the government”.

More like this

Wrong, again!

OPINION: This old mutt well remembers the wailing, whining and gnashing of teeth by former West Coast MP and Labour Agriculture Minister Damian O’Connor when Chineseowned Yili took over the troubled dairy company Westland Milk a few years back.

No accountability!

OPINION: Readers of this column will know that your old mate has been a long-time critic of $55 million of taxpayers’ money handed out to ‘favoured’ media outlets via the Public Interest Journalism Fund (PIJF) through NZ on Air by the previous government.

Tough job

OPINION: The Hound reckons school teachers like nothing better than to complain constantly about how tough things are for them and that their generous holidays are all spent ‘marking school work and preparing for next term ahead’.

Cut with care

OPINION: The new government has clearly signalled big cuts across the public service.

Bubble burst!

OPINION: Your canine crusader is not surprised by the recent news that New Zealand plant-based ‘fake meat’ business is in the process of shutting down.

Featured

Feds make case for rural bank lending probe

Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.

National

Fonterra unveils divestment plan

Fonterra is exploring full or partial divestment options for its global Consumer business, as well as its integrated businesses Fonterra…

Fonterra appoints new CFO

Fonterra has appointed a new chief financial officer, seven months after its last CFO’s shock resignation.

Machinery & Products

GPS in control

In a move that will make harvesting operations easier, particularly in odd-shaped paddocks, Kuhn has announced that GPS section control…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Wrong, again!

OPINION: This old mutt well remembers the wailing, whining and gnashing of teeth by former West Coast MP and Labour…

Reality check

OPINION: Your canine crusader gets a little fed up with the some in media, union hacks, opposition politicians and hard-core…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter