TNAG-1727-FCO40-2440-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 63

NP

-2

Cp3

Capt

5

6

7

8

NP

9

The introduction of working wife allowance is used as a

smokescreen to shelve the public's strong demand for another

two years.

صنف

why do I say that the introduction of the working wife wives allowance is smoke/screen? A smoke screen will

三

smoke/screen

wis2

disperse eventually and the workingfwive allowance can

any time always be withdrawn Did we not have a working wife allowance before? It was withdrawn shortly after implementation. This is already a precedent.

3

£

But this will not be the case for separate taxation. It would

مه

10

11

not be as easy to withdraw the system once introduced.

12

13

14

16

17

18

19

21

22

23

This

is the crux of the whole issue, and not reasons such as: 'The

question needs to be

further considered'; 'the subject is complex'; or, 'it.. is difficult to implement':eter help but wonder, when the newly introduced working wife

allowance will again be withdrawn.

and so on.

I can't

Some may ask: Am I not making a mountain out of a molehill?

fussing about trivialities as if they are vital issues, by

20 casting a a dissenting vote against the entire Budget just because of the simple question of separate taxation? But I feel that from another point of view, this is not something

trivial. It: is, by itself, truly, and indeed, a vital issue. 24 Separate taxation has long been a strong demand of the public. On this question, the unofficials of the Legislative Council

have truthfully reflected public opinion and we have reached a 27 consensus within the in-house meeting and lend our unanimous

28 support to the demand.

2 2 2 2 2.

25

26

29

32

33

be

taxatum.

also

Sc 30 Yesterday, I learnt that Mr. Andrew WONG objected to the idea

* 31 of separate taxation

excluded when I said that we reached a consensus within the in-house meeting. The Government has deliberately turned a 34 deaffear to the consensus of the unofficials, and totally 35 disregarded the strong and long-standing public demand 36 unanimously supported by the unofficials.

DX So perhaps Mr. Andrew WONG should be

Is this trivial?

сер

сар

Cannot