Govt names 10 people from unions, business, academia, public and private sector for Tax Working Group

The tax working group group will be chaired by former Labour finance minister Sir Michael Cullen. Photo / Doug Sherring

The Government's tax working group will be informed by views from unions, business, academia, Maori, and the private and public sector.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Revenue Minister Stuart Nash today announced the members this afternoon:

• Professor Craig Elliffe, University of Auckland

• Joanne Hodge, former tax partner at Bell Gully

• Kirk Hope, Chief Executive of Business New Zealand

• Nick Malarao, senior partner at Meredith Connell

• Geof Nightingale, partner at PwC New Zealand

• Robin Oliver, former Deputy Commissioner at Inland Revenue

• Hinerangi Raumati, Chair of Parininihi ki Waitotara Inc

• Michelle Redington, Head of Group Taxation and Insurance at Air New Zealand

• Bill Rosenberg, Economist and Director of Policy at the CTU

• Marjan Van Den Belt, Assistant Vice Chancellor (Sustainability) at Victoria University of Wellington

The group will be chaired by former Labour finance minister Sir Michael Cullen and its work will recommend changes to the Government for a fair, simple and efficient tax system - though no major reforms will take effect until after the 2020 election.

The group will look into cooling the housing market, such as a capital gains tax excluding the family home, as well as how the tax system can deliver good environmental and ecological outcomes.

The Government has signalled one change that might occur before next election is whether small businesses could have a lower tax rate, which could ease the pressure of higher minimum wages.

A number of items are outside the scope of the group's work, including an increase to income tax rates or the rate of GST, inheritance tax, or changes to the taxation of the family home or the land under it.

Work that is part of Inland Revenue's transformation programme, including abolishing secondary tax, will also be separate.

Its first meeting is set to be held towards the end of January 2018.

"The Tax Working Group has been established to look at the structure, fairness and balance of New Zealand's tax system," Robertson said.

"The wide range of expertise and experience among the membership means the Working Group is well placed to consider changes to make our tax system fairer."

Nash said it was a good mix of people.

"From tax experts and academics, to people with private sector, union and Maori community expertise. The Working Group is tasked with looking at how we can make our tax system fairer for all and the diversity in this team makes it well placed to do that."