Sense from UN Secretary General

The Herald reports:

The head of the UN, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, has challenged the Government to slap a tax on pollution by shifting taxes “from salaries to carbon”.
Speaking at a breakfast with high school leaders in Auckland, Guterres said he wanted to convey a message.
“Shift taxes from salaries, to carbon. We must tax pollution, not people,” he said.
This means reducing income tax as a tax on carbon is applied, Guterres said.

“We need to make sure that when we adopt measures that increase costs, that we reduce costs in other aspects of the economy.”

This is absolutely right. Any environmental taxes should not be used as a way to increase the tax burden overall on New Zealanders. Income tax should be cut as compensation when environmental taxes are imposed.

For once I will say I hope the Government listens to the UN.