Comments on: English docs the A-G will consider II – the lease device

By: DavidW

DavidW — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:45:44 +0000

Try telling the IRD that your old house in NZ is not evidence of a permanent establishment if you go overseas for some years. You don’t6 have to live there for them to declare that you are subject to NZ tax on your worldwide income.

By: LabRat

LabRat — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:56:35 +0000

On the issue of the trust, it is common for the trustees (i.e. administrators of the trust) not to be beneficiaries. If the Endeavour trust is similar to my family trust, the children are likely the beneficiaries and the parents the trustees. The trustees perform the administrative tasks involved with running the trust without legally having a financial interest in the trust. So nothing wrong there in my opinion.
However, I still think he’s been rorting the system by claiming his primary residence is Dipton.

By: Trevor Mallard

Trevor Mallard — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:24:07 +0000

Tim @ 9.17 & 10.04 how about answering the questions you have been asked on this site and the standard about your view of English’s moral position and whether he has lost the credibility a Finance Minister needs. English is the issue and you doing silly comparisons doesn’t fool anyone.and look forward to John Key doing it with me.

And I’m happy to open up all trust arrangements I am involved with – and look forward to John Key doing it with me.

By: Ianmac

Ianmac — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:38:04 +0000

Yes as an after-thought it did seem odd that the “legally entited Trust” had received no money rather than Bill. Anyway if Bill or the Trust had not been receiving the money wouldn’t that have an effect on Labour Research? Has Bill been playing games, and has the nature of the Answers been misleading?

By: ghostwhowalksnz

ghostwhowalksnz — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:09:18 +0000

You mean the spokesman for the Trust !!.
Bill has no legal connection… we are told.

Doesnt tally with the ‘automatic payments’ in the lease details. Perhaps another round of OIA requests to get to who is asking to stop the payments

By: Ianmac

Ianmac — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:04:37 +0000

News at 12:00 Monday. Bill English’s spokesman says Bill English has not claimed any payments since July???!!!

By: Tim Ellis

Tim Ellis — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:04:19 +0000

ghost, I don’t see how that is relevant. By the same measure, where abouts in Mt Roskill is Thorndon? How about Clevedon, is that in Mt Roskill as well?

It’s public record that Mr English worked in Wellington before returning to Wallace to farm, when he stood as an MP. People move. Have you always lived in the same town? I haven’t and nor has Mr Mallard, who previously lived in Hamilton. Mr Cunliffe lived in Wellington before being an MP too. Do you have a point?

By: ghostwhowalksnz

ghostwhowalksnz — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:36:39 +0000

Tim before Bill English was selected as national candidate for Wallace ( the original rural Southland seat) he was Chairman of the Lyall Bay branch of the National party.
Where abouts in Southland is Lyall Bay Tim ?

By: Tim Ellis

Tim Ellis — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:17:20 +0000

Mr Mallard I will wait until the Auditor General’s report comes out before I form an opinion on the legality of Mr English’s accommodation entitlement. I don’t have the facts at hand to be able to form a view. I don’t doubt you’ve got one set of facts Mr Mallard but I suspect they aren’t the complete set.

On the issue of the ethics of Mr English claiming an accommodation allowance, I think Mr Mallard your party is on a very slippery slope indeed. I personally think the public would no better regard as ethical a politician renting out their property, pocketing the cash, and living in a ministerial home, as they would Mr English’s situation. Despite the attempts to dance on the head of a pin over distinctions between Mr English and other politicians, Mr Mallard, as you say ethics are not about strict niceties. It’s what the public would view as appropriate.

If you really want Mr English to open up his trust and property arrangements I think it’s only fair for Labour MPs to do likewise.

By: Trevor Mallard

Trevor Mallard — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:53:24 +0000

So Tim you tell me if you think English has acted properly ethically and in a way which enhances his credibility as Finance Minister at all times.

And I certainly don’t accept that English has been primarily resident in Dipton since at least the mid 1990s.