If Walsh wants to pay more taxes, she can go right ahead

The Taxpayers' Union is telling Dame Therese Walsh to put her money where her mouth is and make a donation to the IRD before she grandstands about wanting higher taxes.

Speaking to Radio NZ's "30 with Guyon" the Air New Zealand Chair, Walsh suggests that New Zealand needs a tax system better at "picking people up" and is personally "happy to pay a higher tax rate because I earn more than the average Kiwi”, going on to say "I think I should contribute more, and that's what I'm happy to do.”

Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams said:

"This is the sort of woke business ‘leadership' that makes us all poorer.  Instead of standing up for entrepreneurship, competitive markets, and tax policy that allows Kiwis to get ahead, Dame Walsh wants an even bigger state, and higher taxes."

"We wonder why New Zealand businesses under-perform. Perhaps if the likes of Walsh took more of an interested in fighting for economic opportunity rather than falling over themselves for Guyon Espiner and RNZ to like them, New Zealand would get ahead."

"I guess Walsh's point of view is understandable when your career is based on quasi-protected business like banking, or chairing an airline dependant on taxpayer handouts. Dame Therese has many admirable achievements, but economic expertise is not among them."

"What make Walsh's comments particularly galling is that she is rumoured to be lobbying for the role as the next Governor General.  These political comments – calling for New Zealanders to be taxed even harder, right on the eve of an election year budget – demonstrate why she is totally unsuitable for the constitutional appointment.”

"Craig Stobo was recently sacked for similar political comments – but at least the FMA isn't losing taxpayer money like the airline which Walsh chairs."

"Walsh sounded a lot like Jacinda Ardern in couching higher taxes around aroha and 'lifting people up'.  Say that to the average income earner who is struggling to afford the groceries let alone the cost of an Air NZ flight in recent years."

"The only thing Walsh achieves in that interview is Labour's endorsement to be Governor General. Clearly that's what she set out to achieve."