National to lift curtain on tax

National will finally reveal its tax policy on Monday, with Don Brash announcing the campaign centrepiece in Auckland.

National has already said it will lower the company tax rate from 33c to 30c, but has withheld details of what it will do to personal tax rates and thresholds.

Labour has argued tax cuts cannot be afforded without deep cuts in core public services, while National has argued the cuts are affordable by cutting wasteful spending, running a lower surplus and borrowing.

Dr Brash said he waited for the date of former Prime Minister David Lange's funeral and memorial service to be decided before announcing when he would unveil the policy. The public service will be on Saturday.

When the election date was announced on July 25, Dr Brash said the tax policy would be revealed in mid-August, giving voters at least four weeks to assess the package.

Announcing it on August 23 gives voters one day shy of four weeks. The election is September 17.

Finance Minister Michael Cullen accused Dr Brash of missing another deadline.

"First it was going to be soon after the Budget, then soon after the Prime Minister called the election, then voters were told they would have at least a month to analyse what National was offering.

"They have now missed that deadline too. Doesn't inspire much confidence in their ability to keep their word, does it?"

National's finance spokesman John Key will outline the party's alternative Budget on Friday.

Tomorrow Treasury releases the latest Government books and economic forecasts - the pre-election economic and fiscal update.

The National Party will refocus voters' minds on the issue with two advertisements to appear on primetime television tonight.

The first features a slapstick animation of the "Clark/Cullen taxathon" - a take-off of the old Telethons. And it adds new life to the Telethon jingle: "Thank you very much for your high taxation, thank you very much".

The underlying theme is that New Zealanders are "donating" their hard-earned dollars to a government headed by the Wastemaster-General and the Prime Moneywaster - Michael Cullen and Helen Clark respectively.

The cast extends to a row of dancing Labour ministers or ex-ministers, including John Tamihere with a foot in his mouth, Police Minister George Hawkins and 111 call problems and a policeman with a speed camera hiding in a bush.

On the edge are the bouncing tennis balls - a reference to former Associate Education Minister David Benson-Pope. National had steered clear of making capital over the allegations made about him, but decided all bets were off after Mr Benson-Pope began popping a cardboard Energiser battery on his desk when Dr Brash spoke in Parliament.

The National leader, who finishes the show with an almost cheeky wink, will also feature in a standard address-type advertisement beginning today.