Tax
Page updated 18 Dec 2007
The Treasury provides advice to the government on New Zealand's tax system and its impact on the economy.
The Treasury's Role
New Zealand operates a simple and transparent tax system relative to other countries.
The Treasury advises the government on New Zealand’s tax system and its impact on the economy. We also conduct research into the effect of taxes on economic behaviour, and advise the government on the performance of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD).
Responsibility for developing tax policy is shared by the Treasury and IRD.
For further information on tax, see the Revenue section of the Government Finances menu on this website.
Tax Revenue
Tax revenue is the major source of core Crown revenue. This totalled $53,023 million in the 2006/07 financial year, and is forecast to be $56,639 million in the 2007/08 year and $57,492 million in 2008/09. These figures are reported in the Notes to the Forecast Financial Statements in the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2007.
Tax Forecasts by the Inland Revenue Department
In line with established practice, the IRD prepares an independent set of tax forecasts, based in the short term on analysis of taxpayer information, and in the longer term on the same broad macroeconomic trends that underpin the Treasury’s tax forecasts.
The Treasury’s forecasts are the Crown’s official forecasts.
For more information on IRD's tax forecasts and a comparison against Treasury's tax forecasts see the Revenue and Expenses section of the Budget 2007 Economic and Fiscal Update.
Treasury Research and Policy Papers
To read Treasury papers on tax see the Taxation subject list in the Research and Policy Papers section of the Publications index.
Tools
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The Glossary of Tax Terms provides a useful explanation of other terms that are used in the Tax Outturn Data table
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Estimates of Revenue Effects of Small Tax Rate and Tax Base Changes (formerly the Ready Reckoner)
- Key Facts for Taxpayers