Guest Blogger Peter Grove makes a point.

 

 This blog is a response to a Wheeler's Corner weekly email news letter. If you would like to receive the news letter each week just contact me at: wheeler@inspire.net.nz and I will put you on the mailing list.

 

The author is Peter Grove: He is a guest blogger on W/C from time to to time,  

 

 

Peter,

In response to your; 27 6th August 2017.

Here is a copy of a letter I submitted to the troglodytes of Grey Power with my views on inequality as applied to pensioners among other things.

For Grey Power's contribution to the coming election, wouldn't it be a good idea to introduce the idea to the various candidates a change in the wider plan of things, that would see Super Gold Card Holders receiving exemptions from GST by the simple expedient of producing their Gold Cards to cashiers at the time they front up to pay for their purchases. Every receipt issued shows a separate amount for GST levied on purchases. How easy would it be to institute a system whereby this amount was shown as a deduction rather than an addition on the final account?

There has been universal disappointment among our people to find GST is still being levied on Rates payments, in spite of the claim in the days of the introduction of GST there was to be NO TAX ON A TAX. If this were to be the case and was observed on a universal basis it would have to be applied to the 63% tax levied on all motor fuel purchases. It just goes to show how much official greed there is in the make up of our successive governments.

It is quite clear the present government and preceding governments, begrudge the miserable pittance they have the hide to call NZ Superannuation. On top of that they have all authorised the IRD to get its greedy fingers into the mix with the tax levied on NZS at source. Haven't our elderly contributed more than enough by way of tax during their lifetimes?

We saw the sale of our electricity generation plants bought, paid for, and owned, by earlier generations of taxpayers sold off to 'mum and dad investors'(?) to offset the utter profligacy of successive governments. At the time GST was introduced Sir Roger Douglas was famous for his claim that a levy of 10% should be more than enough to run the affairs of government. If that was the case then, why isn't it the case still?

We all watched the scandalous introduction of fresh water bottling plants springing up in our country. We heard the continuing cries that nobody owns water. If that is the case why is it our coal, and oil, are being exported for profit? Those are completely natural resources just as is water. Why isn't the same profit motive being applied to all of them?

The parliamentarians have no qualms about their excessive salaries. An ordinary back bencher sits on a salary of around $170,000, ten times the miserable pittance they begrudge the superannuitants. On top of that they have the tremendous hide to canvass their supporters to donate to their party expenses. Don't we already donate enough by way of our taxes, to the parliamentary circus as it is? Our taxes pay for the entire parliamentary system, the exorbitant salaries, free travel and all the rest of the perks they enjoy.

I proposed to one of the parties back in February. In response to a call to an electorate committee to do its utmost with fund raising to assist that party's election expenses. I wrote to the instigator of the request it would be a better idea to institute a system of tithing for all parliamentary personnel, on a varying scale according to salaries received. Lead Balloons had nothing on that suggestion!

Churches have tithing as a time honoured principle not withstanding they pay no taxes. What's so different with a parliament?

Peter.