to GST or not to GST

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John Key and Bill English are squirming a bit over pre-election comments they would not raise GST. Key has retreated to the argument that he'd meant it would not be raised to counter the deficit. That seems to me to be splitting straws. He’d been better to argue that the promise had been made in good faith but that changed circumstances make it necessary now.

Unfortunately for him he also added that if the Government was doing ‘a half-decent job’ a rise would be unnecessary. Goff’s smile is less forced and Key’s is more so. The perils of Government.