Oh, goody – Nash says some tax relief is in the offing but only a few of us will benefit from it

After a string of spending decisions over the past two days, the Government today announced some cheering news on the revenue-gathering side of its activities.  It is moving to ease financial stress for around 149,000 taxpayers by changing the rules around write-offs for tax debt.

As a consequence, fewer people will have tax bills to pay this year.

But not too many fewer.

According to Treasury figures,  we have 3,850,000 taxpayers who generate $36,850 million of revenue.  Around 4% of those taxpayers – by the looks of it – will benefit from the Government’s relaxing of the rules.

Revenue Minister Stuart Nash said Inland Revenue’s end-of-year automatic income tax calculation process for individuals is currently underway and is expected to run until early July.

This is the annual wash-up which results in people either having tax to pay or receiving a refund.

Stuart Nash has been remiss in staying silent about IRD’s political transgressions

Whether two examples of Inland Revenue’s follies amount to an “ongoing failure”to stay out of politics is open to argument.  But the Taxpayers’ Union is to be commended for drawing attention to IRD’s specific constitutional obligation not to enter politics and demanding that Revenue Minister Stuart Nash act immediately to restore the integrity and neutrality of his agency.

The demand follows IRD’s admitting it was wrong to ask for New Zealanders’ political persuasions in a survey they have been carrying out for the Government on the eve of the release of a crucial tax reform report.

The department has been researching the public’s views on globalisation and fairness in the tax system.

Among the survey questions, respondents were asked where they sit on the political spectrum.  This raised the issue of whether taxpayers are funding sensitive political polling.

And as Stuff now tells us:

Nurses won lots of sympathy – but who says tax collectors are invaluable?

A press release from the PSA at 9:32 am  which advised IR and MBIE workers on strike TODAY.

WHEN: Today, Monday 23 July, 1pm – 3pm

WHERE: Various locations around New Zealand (see below)

WHAT: 4000 PSA members from IR and MBIE take strike action

The statement advised that PSA members at Inland Revenue and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment “will reluctantly hold a second day of strike action today”.