Budget 2015: Housing, capital gains tax on wishlist

Action on the housing market was close behind this, with half of the 140 respondents putting this on their wishlist. Photo / NZME.

Development of physical infrastructure has topped a business wishlist for today's Budget, according to a snap poll of EY clients.

Action on the housing market was close behind this, with half of the 140 respondents putting this on their wishlist.

The poll was sent to 1700 EY clients and "contacts", 140 of whom chose to take part and respond to questions mostly on the Budget and economy.

Education, skills and training ranked third on this wishlist followed by resource management reform.

The majority of respondents supported Finance Minister Bill English's plan to keep annual operating allowances for Budget 2015/16 at $1 billion, despite a downturn in revenue and the spectre of a deficit.

More than 80 per cent thought the Government's present economic management was good for business overall.

Almost two-thirds of respondents in the EY survey thought there was a housing bubble and almost 70 per cent supported a capital gains tax for investment properties.

However, there was little appetite for family homes being subject to the same tax, with only 5 per cent of the respondents in favour of such a measure.

The majority of those who took part thought multinationals were not paying their fair share of tax.

An even greater number supported extending GST to a wider range of imported goods and "e-services".

Eighty-six per cent of respondents thought the present company tax rate of 28 per cent was "about right" and the remainder that it was too high.

The survey provided respondents the opportunity to comment anonymously.

"It's the make or break Budget for the Government - need some bold choices for NZ's future rather than dull and more-of-the-same," one said.

However, another respondent was not sure this would happen: "Will be a steady as she goes [Budget] with little in the way of surprises, as per usual - which is a good thing."

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