Mr Chairman, the IFP supports this Bill. What is in the Bill is commendable and adequate, with the exception, perhaps, of the guarantees for the independence of the ombudsman. We would have liked to have seen a greater connection between the ombudsman and civil society, rather than an immediate appointment from the Minister and a functional relationship with his department. However, Minister, our concern is not about what is in the Bill. It is about what is not in the Bill. The Bill addresses only one aspect of the fundamental debate on this matter. It addresses the aspect of efficiency and fairness in the application of the tax law. Very good. It does not address perhaps the most fundamental aspect of the fairness of the tax system. This is an aspect which needs to be addressed by our echoing requests for a citizens' committee to be provided for by statute to negotiate and re-examine the entire tax system; and for the establishment of a budget office in Parliament, which would enable members of this Parliament, especially the Finance committee, to interact with such a structure.
We have calculated that we pay - and the only thing we have in common in this House, for sure, is that we all pay taxes - about 60% of our income in taxes, compounding direct and indirect taxes. This means that we work for the government for seven months a year, and for the rest of time, we work for ourselves. The fairness of the taxation system, the elements of regressivity in the taxation system, and the balance between direct taxation and indirect taxation are things which need to be re-examined.
So, the function of the ombudsman, very well entrenched here in respect of the correct application of this Act, needs to be extended in a new organ of state with the power of assessing the overall fairness of the tax system. Besides that, we support the Bill, and we thank the Minister for his expedited finalisation. Thank you.