Impotent Reviews

The Government seems to specialise in impotent reviews. The so called rates review has such a narrow terms of reference that even United Future is saying nothing will change as a result of it.

I was planning to submit a paper advocating a move away from rates to local income taxes. This would not be a one pager but probably take dozens of hours to put together as a well researched submission. But now I doubt it is worth the effort as the review looks to be impotent.

The other impotent review was that into business costs. A review “with teeth” was announced in May. In its first report we learn that most of the issues raised with them have been ruled to be outside the scope of the review. The only compliance cost reduction identified so far seems to be aligning dates for paying excise duties on alcohol products and alcohol advisory council levies. Woo hoo – break out the party balloons.