I was absolutely gobsmacked to read this. Complete banana republic stuff. Imagine threatening the media with tax affairs. Cullen is threatening the herald with rethinking a tax adjustment on the basis of their criticism of him. Does his arrogance have no bounds?
While the 2003 determination restated the principle that Parliamentary Service funding was intended for parliamentary purposes, Dr Cullen said, "What is complicated is exactly what is included as parliamentary purposes".
"The Herald would be wise to consider the consistency of its position," he added. "The owners of the Herald recently found themselves liable to a very large tax bill even though they could reasonably argue that the transaction which triggered it would not at the time have done so according to the general understanding of the law. "As a result the Government has agreed to support legislation which effectively retrospectively validates that understanding and relieves the Herald's owners of the bill."
He said the bill would pay for a large number of elective operations.
Herald has own 'spin' says Cullen . Fortunately Dr Brash had a similar opinion to my own.
National leader Don Brash said of Dr Cullen's comparison: "Anything more directly intimidatory or bullying it would be hard to imagine. "He seems to be threatening APN with a major tax obligation unless you guys toe the Labour Party line."
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