The Taxpayers’ Union eight recommendations for the economic package
The Taxpayers’ Union has released a paper with recommendations for the Government’s economic response to Coronavirus. The summary is:
- Provide all New Zealand employees with one month of sick leave in addition to existing rights for the rest of 2020, paid for by the taxpayer;
- Use buyouts rather than bailouts. Taxpayer funds paid must be in return for the Crown taking a significant/majority or total shareholding;
- Scrap the 2020 increase to the minimum wage — but if the Government insists on going ahead, have it meet the costs to employers for the next 18 months;
- Fund unlimited childcare for health workers, aged care workers, and Police staff for the next 18 months;
- Partner with Progressives, Foodstuffs and Uber to make grocery delivery free;
- Give lump-sum payments to taxpayers by retrospectively cutting the bottom tax rate from 10.5% to 5% for the 2019/2020 tax year;
- Expand ‘Winter Energy Payments’ to begin immediately and continue through winter 2020; and
- Suspend interest and penalties for late tax payments from employers.”
This may be the only time you see the Taxpayers’ Union calling for a massive boost in spending.
The key is that it should be smart spending, which will directly help affected families and businesses.