![]() And of course, it’s true that wielding political power always involves compromise. According to Treasury, the draft plan rejected by Hipkins would have made almost everyone better off, while raising $10.6 billion over four years from the wealthiest 0.5 per cent among us.įair enough to note that Parker’s resignation embarrassed his Government. That gap still exists, and several tax reforms have been proposed to address it. In his maiden speech to Parliament in 2002, Parker spoke of the “unjustifiably large gap between the earnings of low and high-paid workers”. That effectively trashed the policy aspirations Parker and others in his party had spent years developing, with party support. Parker’s predicament came when his boss, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, ruled out any form of wealth or capital gains tax. Sure, reality forces compromise, but don’t we want them at least to try? Arguably, a perceived lack of principles is at the very heart of what people think is wrong with politics. ![]() Don’t we want our politicians to be principled? Imagine having a Parliament full of people who stood by what they believe in and refused to betray their values. “Petulant”, “self-indulgent” and “jaw-dropping” were among the many insults thrown David Parker’s way when he gave up the Minister of Revenue job.īut hang on. ![]() A Cabinet minister resigned his portfolio on a matter of principle last week - and almost every commentator called him dumb for doing it. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |