Political & Economic week ahead: IRD getting sweeping new powers
Rob Hosking gives his in-depth analysis on the big stories to watch out for this week on NBR Radio and on demand on MyNBR Radio.
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Politically, at least some of the heat will go out of this week, with Prime Minister John Key out of the country for a week or two.
With last week having been dominated by accusations of "you support rapists and murderers," "you're gutless," and the like, Parliament this week should be a little less heated.
Relatively anyway.
The tragic events in Paris should put some of the local domestic politics into its petty and parochial context.
But it should not be forgotten that the origins of last week's parliamentary boilover was New Zealand's closest ally holding New Zealand citizens in conditions which belie any claims to being bound by civilised western values.
So, perhaps the events in Paris are not so out of out of context after all.
Also drawing attention this week should be proposals for far more sweeping powers to gather financial information from businesses and individual citizens, and to share that not only with other government agencies but also with other governments.
That is a big change in how New Zealand's tax authorities work.
There is a growing level of concern about the implications of this. The shift is being driven by two things: One is the ability of Inland Revenue to collect far more data electronically and easily without even having to knock on the taxpayer's door. The second is the global crackdown on tax avoidance and tax minimisation.
The extension of powers involved and the changing role of Inland Revenue should come under far greater scrutiny than has so far been it has so far.
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NBR Radio
Mon, 16 Nov 2015
Mon, 16 Nov 2015
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Political & Economic week ahead: IRD getting sweeping new powers
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