ATTEMPT TO SCRAP GST ON RATES THROWN OUT OF PARLIAMENT.

(From New Zealand Press Association)

Wellington, Aug 4 - United Future's attempt to scrap Goods and Services Tax (GST) payments on rates was thrown out of Parliament tonight.

United Future finance spokesman Gordon Copeland put forward a member's bill to ``provide welcome relief for ratepayers'' by zero-rating GST.

``GST on rates is a tax on a tax. GST was not levied on income tax for that reason, and as a matter of tax principle it should also not have been levied on rates,'' Mr Copeland said.

A number of other countries exempted tax being placed on top of rates.

``Australia, Canada and the European Union got it right and I am …