Off—Almost

P-NG Tax Clearances Off—Almost

The clearest thing about Papua- New Guinea Press Statement No. 45 is the heading which says: “Territory Taxation Clearances Discontinued”.

The statement then goes on to say, in paragraph one. that the Minister for Territories has approved the abolition of Territory Taxation Clear ances—“which would be welcomed everywhere”.

In paragraph two, the Administrator of P-NG says that Tax clearances are a means of protecting public revenue and although local conditions permit a general relaxation, amending legis lation to be placed before the Legis lative Council will permit the Chief Collector of Taxes to require a clear ance before departure from the Terri tory “where such action appeared necessary”.

Any relaxation of the present stupid blanket requirement on tax clearances will be welcomed. As matters have stood, a traveller from Australia to P-NG had to get a tax clearance be fore leaving, and one in the Territory before he returns. A Territorian travel ling to Australia has had to get clear ances both ends.

Australia invented the “tax clear ance” in the early 1930’s when an absconding financier hopped the country via New Zealand without pay ing his tax. Since then NZ, Fiji and— latterly—New Guinea have followed suit, and are the only countries we know which drive the visitor of more than a few hours to go through the same hoops. The rule in Australia for transit visitors going off somewhere else is that if they don’t take the first available transport to that place, they must get a tax clearance.