by Nick Clark, National Manager General Policy At a Glance Big spending Budget. Emphasis on cost of living, health, and climate change, plus ‘business support’ and Māori. Surplus return delayed a year. Next year’s will be even bigger. The Big Picture: Hey Big Spender Budget 2022 is being sold by the Government as putting New […]
Tax
Economic Week – May 20
by Nick Clark, National Manager General Policy Budget 2022 was a big spending budget with a strong emphasis on cost of living, health, and climate change. Its approach was sold by the Government as putting New Zealand on a path to a ‘Secure Future’. The Government considers its new and increased spending and its […]
Feds to Govt: Focus spending on value for money
Federated Farmers has called on the government to do its bit to dampen down inflationary fires by being responsible about managing its finances and ensuring spending provides bang for buck. Speaking to Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Select Committee earlier this month, Feds President Andrew Hoggard and Group Manager National Policy Nick Clark said in percentage […]
Economic Week – January 14
by Nick Clark, Group Manager National Policy Happy New Year and welcome back. Here is Feds’ first economic update for 2022. Plenty in it as it’s been four weeks since our last one for 2021. Banking Survey Just before Christmas we released results from our November 2021 Banking Survey. Overall, they were relatively positive, with […]
Feds notches some gains on Council Long-Term Plans
Federated Farmers has just published its 2021 Rates Report, with the disappointing headline news that rates rises continue to outstrip inflation. In the last decade average rates have jumped a whopping 63% versus CPI increases totalling 18%. Fighting local authority excesses and poor decisions continues to be a major focus for the Federated Farmers policy […]
Economic Week – 27 August
With the Level 4 lockdown into its second week the economy will be taking a hit each day it continues. Vehicle traffic has taken a dive and consumer spending has slumped – except at the supermarkets. Essential businesses and services, including farming and food production, have been able to continue but under restrictions which will […]
Rein in rates and show some backbone on water plan, ECan urged
Federated Farmers is strongly urging Environment Canterbury to demonstrate financial discipline and stick with current water plans developed with the community, rather than cave in and start a $25 million exercise re-writing them. Feds Mid-Canterbury President David Clark and fellow Ashburton farmer and national board member Chris Allen said the Federation’s Canterbury membership of around […]
Bills on tax bracket creep and sound law-making deserve debate
A government committed to fairness and responsible law-making should not allow two bills recently drawn from the Member’s Ballot to sink without debate, Federated Farmers says. “At the very least the Regulatory Standards Bill and the Income Tax (Adjustment of Taxable Income Ranges) Amendment Bill deserve to go to select committee for examination and public […]
Digging up property taxes
by Nick Clark, Manager General Policy, Federated Farmers of New Zealand OPINION: In April 2019, in responding to the report of the Tax Working Group, Prime Minister Jacinda Arden categorically ruled out a capital gains tax, not just in the short-term but for as long as she is leader of the Labour Party. Fast forward […]