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25 March 2011
PRESS RELEASE ~~ PRESS RELEASE
Victory: Tax (Income Sharing) Bill recommended to proceed
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has come through with a recommendation that Tax (Income Sharing) Bill proceed, following their consideration of over 100 submissions on the Bill.
This is a victory for ordinary ‘Mom and Dad’ families in New Zealand who struggle for some recognition and support for their efforts to invest their own time in raising their children. “It just makes commonsense, and is only fair that couples earning the same total income with the same number of children should be taxed the same,” says Christina Reymer, spokesperson for Parents As Partners, a lobby group that has campaigned for income splitting for over 15 years.
The committee stated in their Report “We support the policy intent of the bill, and on this basis are recommending that it proceed. We consider that there is a need to support families with dependent children, and a need to recognise the interdependence of those within a family unit and acknowledge the important role of caregivers who forgo paid employment to raise their children.”
It is interesting to note that this report coincides with the Children’s Commissioner John Angus’ call this week for parents to be helped to stay at home to raise very young children. Parents As Partners maintains that this is not only better for babies and their families, but it is also more cost effective.
If the government is reluctant to put more funding into care of under twos in institutions, then it only makes sense to at least recognise the investment parents are making in their own efforts to care for their children. Income splitting does just that.
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