Media Release
8 May 2009
Victoria University to coordinate Tax Working Group
Victoria University in partnership with Treasury and Inland Revenue is to coordinate a small, high-level working group of experts who will identify medium-term policy options for New Zealand’s tax system.
“Tax is an important issue for all New Zealanders and this working group will consider the medium-term direction of New Zealand’s current tax system and assess policy options in what is a very challenging global environment,” says Bob Buckle, Victoria University Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Commerce and Administration and Chairman of the Tax Working Group.
“We’re excited that Victoria University’s Centre for Accounting, Governance and Taxation Research is again providing a forum to bring together leading tax experts from the private sector, Treasury, Inland Revenue and academia.”
Private sector and academic experts on the Group will include Rob Cameron, Paul Dunne, Arthur Grimes, Rob McLeod, Gareth Morgan, Geoff Nightingale, Casey Plunket, John Prebble, Mike Shaw, John Shewan, Mark Weldon and David White.
“The Group will consider topics like the fiscal framework, the structure of personal income tax, corporate tax, GST and the integrity of the tax system,” says Professor Buckle.
The Group is being set up with the support of the Minister of Finance, the Hon Bill English and the Minister of Revenue, the Hon Peter Dunne.
Through a series of regular meetings between June and November 2009, and papers prepared by officials or commissioned from tax experts, the Tax Working Group will provide a forum for informed discussion over medium-term tax policy that can feed into advice to Ministers and wider public debates on tax policy.
The culmination of their work will be a major public conference to be hosted by Victoria University in December 2009.
Regular updates on the Group’s work will be disseminated via Treasury, Inland Revenue Policy Advice Division and Victoria University’s Centre for Accounting, Governance and Taxation Research websites.
For further information contact Victoria University Pro Vice-Chancellor Bob Buckle on 021 228 5822