Listen now (25 min) | Hipkins rules out wealth tax for his time as PM after ditching plans in Budget for a revenue-neutral wealth tax on the top 0.5% to pay for a $20/week tax cut for bottom 99.5% because...just because.

Absolutely great read from Bernard Hickey on Hipkins’ wealth tax announcement and the treasury report released yesterday:

That’s it. It will now be almost impossible for a wealth or capital gains tax to be implemented within the next decade or two.

The future of Aotearoa’s political economy will now remain frozen in its stagnant, unequal, unjust, unproductive and unhealthy state for the forseeable future. That’s what our leaders, and ultimately the only voters that matter, have decided. Those hoping to change that frozen landscape should now look after themselves and their families, and/or hope and work for an electoral miracle that gives parties who want such taxes dominant positions in any post-election negotiation.

  • EduardoDelgado@lemmy.nzEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Anyone else willing to believe that they can’t do a wealth tax due to some back room discussion with political donors who are all standing to lose if it goes through? Seems plausible no?

  • Ascyron@lemmy.oneEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Here’s my voting struggle.

    According to a political compass test I did last election, I’m most closely aligned to the policies of NZ first. I refuse to vote for them because they’re headed by an immoral, racist, unethical, racing-industry-owned scumbag.

    I’d vote greens except they’re fighting hard to take the “most racist party” crown from Winnie.

    I’d vote TOP except they don’t exist outside the internet - none of my family or friends have ever heard seriously of their policies or what they stand for and it feels like a losing battle to get them to even 1%.

    I’m not the right ethnicity to vote for te pati Maori, they don’t want my vote.

    And then labour completely lack the balls to actually make any form of change - they allegedly mean well but fuck it all up so badly it’s worse than if nact were in power.

    So I’m left with national and act as the least bad?

    I want to see change but I’m so damn tired and worn out from trying to stay afloat that I can’t be the change I want to see.

    I wonder how many other median voters feel the way I do…?

      • Ascyron@lemmy.oneEnglish
        01·
        1 year ago

        Yep, you’re right. I’m a cis white male and therefore I’m the cause of all the world’s violence plus my opinions aren’t worth anything. Thank you for showing me the light!