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WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 1989
MARRIED COUPLES NOT TREATED FAIRLY
THE CONCEPT OF SEPARATE TAXATION FOR MARRIED COUPLES HAN NOT BEEN REGARDED BY HONG KONG'S TAX PROFESSIONALS AS BEING ONE WHICH CAN BENEFIT OUR ECONOMY OR SOCIETY, AND IT MERELY DEFLECTS THE ATTENTION AND RESOURCES OF THE INLAND REVENUE DEPARTMENT FROM MORE WORTHY AND REWARDING OBJECTIVES.
THE HON PETER WONG SAID THIS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE INLAND REVENUE (AMENDMENT} (NO. 3) BILL 1989, WHICH SOUGHT TO INTRODUCE SEPARATE TAXATION FOR MARRIED COUPLES FOR SALARIES TAX.
HE SAID THE ADMINISTRATIVE COST OF THE CHANGE WOULD BE VERY HIGH AND YET THERE WOULD STILL BE SOME COUPLES WHO WERE WORSE OFF UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM THAN BEFORE.
THEREFORE, MR WONG SAID, HE WOULD ABSTAIN FROM VOTING ON THE BILL AS "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS EQUITY IN TAXATION AND THIS ATTEMPT TO TREAT FAIRLY MARRIED COUPLES A9 THOUGH THEY ARE TWO SINGLES IS FLAWED IN THAT IT MAKES OUR SALARIES TAX SYSTEM NO LONGER SIMPLE."
MR WONG OBSERVED THAT THE BILL MUST BE CONSIDERED AS A POLITICAL ACT OF FAITH ON THE PART OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND THAT HE MUST COMPLIMENT THE COMMISSIONER OF INLAND REVENUE IN PRODUCING A VERY WORKMANLIKE BILL TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE SURRENDER BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE POWER OF THE FEMINIST LOBBY.
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"THE COMMISSIONER HAS BENT OVER BACKWARDS TO BE AND HELPFUL, HE SAID.
SYMPATHETIC
MR WONG ALSO ASKED THE ADMINISTRATION TO CONFIRM OFFICIALLY THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY THAT THE INLAND REVENUE DEPARTMENT'S COMPUTER PROGRAMMES WOULD SHOW WHETHER THE TAXPAYERS HAD MADE THE BEST CHOICE BASED ON THEIR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES AND HAD INSTRUCTED THE ASSESSORS TO MAKE THE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS OPTION KNOWN TO THE TAXPAYERS EVEN IF THEY HAD MADE THE WRONG CHOICE INITIALLY IN THEIR RETURNS.
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