No free ride for anyone

If this Government is serious about making life fairer then it needs to look at the tax system and start making the wealthy pay to support this world we live in.

The widening gap between the rich and poor just seems to get harder to close for many families.

As they struggle to put bread on the table, this Government is selling off assets which could have been providing some sort of financial relief to many.

My adult daughter put this into perspective this past weekend as we discussed how difficult it is meeting the cost of basics such as rent, power, food and clothing so we can save money.

She said baby boomers, who she considers middle class, are caught in a debt trap - buying things because they "can".

And you know, I think she is right.

If we only had rent, or a mortgage, food and utility costs to meet we'd be able to survive on what we earn.

But in reality, we need cars to travel to work and then comes insurance, road costs and petrol to consider along with warrants of fitness and registration costs.

Then, of course, you can't possibly not have nice furniture - so there is another hire purchase to consider.

Yes, my girl was correct - we are people who want to take advantage of credit offers. Her words were "just because you can have it, you will buy it".

She's right too but when you work you'd think there would be enough to have some luxuries in life - and yes, today it seems having a car is a luxury.

But to be honest it shouldn't be and I get annoyed when I feel I can't have something I think I should be able to afford.

My girl said middle-income earners were supporting beneficiaries while the wealthy get huge tax cut incentives. Why can't low and middle income earners get these too?

Admittedly, we don't have huge outlays but, honestly, if these huge earners paid their share of tax and didn't find every loophole in the book to get out of paying, then this would be a better place to live for hard-working, honest New Zealanders.

Gone are the days when we got tax returns. Seems most years many of us owed the taxman because we were pushed out of a lower tax bracket because of a few hours' overtime.

If this Government is serious about making life fairer then it needs to look at the tax system and start making the wealthy pay to support this world we live in.

It shouldn't be a free ride for anyone.