Taxing NZ pensions is ‘breaking tradition’

Dear Editor, Richard Neves’ letter to the editor on Saturday January 18 (‘Reliable tax base crucial – Neves’) in part reads: “I believe most people would not like to be in a society where someone fulfils their tax obligations in a timely manner and others don’t.” Mr Neves, from 1996-2010 when Sir Geoffrey of the Cook Islands Party was Prime Minister, followed by Democratic Party Prime Ministers – 17 years altogether – by the grace of those great Cook Island leaders, NZ-paid pensioners were never taxed – I repeat, never taxed! And there was no animosity among the people toward us non-tax paying mamas and papas.

Dear Editor, Richard Neves’ letter to the editor on Saturday January 18 (‘Reliable tax base crucial – Neves’) in part reads: “I believe most people would not like to be in a society where someone fulfils their tax obligations in a timely manner and others don’t.” Mr Neves, from 1996-2010 when Sir Geoffrey of the Cook Islands Party was Prime Minister, followed by Democratic Party Prime Ministers – 17 years altogether – by the grace of those great Cook Island leaders, NZ-paid pensioners were never taxed – I repeat, never taxed! And there was no animosity among the people toward us non-tax paying mamas and papas.