The Capital Gains Tax ghoul is stirring. John Key’s waving of the cross on Monday has evidently not reassured the congregation. The National Business Review online edition posts that the  Tax Working Group has reported on capital gains tax. The post has the congregation looking out their  rosary beads and hunting for the garlic.

Critics are scratching to express their horror (no doubt before reading the report). They’ve settled on the description of the authors as ‘academics’. I’m sure Dr David White will enjoy some of their choice fulminating against academics he’s stirred up.

Plainly Bill English is fostering intellectual integrity in Wellington. I understand he’s had to emphasize to officials that Labour has gone. He wants to resurrect traditions of strong and independent advice, not  propaganda to support conclusions pre-limited by dogma.

From what the Tax Group is producing they’ve taken him at his word. "Give me the pros and cons, and tell me what you think, not what you think I want to hear. Leave us to deal with the politics. You give the advice without fear or favour."