Tax break for top rugby players?

**Winston001** · 15th April 2008, 21:24

And about time too - great idea - http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/rugby/new...blacks-country

How are we going to stop these guys leaving the country otherwise? The big pockets overseas are too much for the NZRFU so I reckon tax breaks are the least they can expect. It might just be enough to retain our top players.

**Trouser** · 15th April 2008, 21:30

Bugger them. If they are only going to chase the money, fine, leave.

Who really thinks that rugby played by professionals is even rugby at all? Lost all credibility to me when thay went pro.

**Swoop** · 15th April 2008, 21:32

They are getting paid well for what they do. Pay the appropriate tax or fu*k off.
Why should they get a tax break? The rest of the country isn't getting one.

**Forest** · 15th April 2008, 21:36

Rugby is a professional sport that collects hundreds of millions of dollars in game related revenue. If they want to retain the talent then the NZRFU should pay their players more.

If we offer a tax-break to rugby players we will effectively be offering corporate welfare to a private company.

**firefighter** · 15th April 2008, 21:37

How about the defence force, police, fire and ambulance staff getting one first???? They earn (well defence and fire) get paid massively less (well crap), and put their lives on the line, I think they get paid well enough considering how often theyr'e really at "work" and a tax break for sports stars would be an insult to real professionals.

**JimO** · 15th April 2008, 21:41

how about they win a few games first

**Winston001** · 15th April 2008, 21:49

Is this the five minute argument or the full half hour?

**Quasievil** · 15th April 2008, 21:54

Nah fuck em, Mums and Dads dont have the option of going overseas for big cash offers, they have to stay and slug it out, if the big rugby nuts want to go I say Go, who cares, rugby players are dispensable.......very dispensable

**davo** · 15th April 2008, 22:09

i hope this is a joke..

**Hitcher** · 16th April 2008, 09:12

Bugger them. Over-indulged, self-centred and under-skilled. If they don't understand or value the cache that a winning All Blacks teams gives all New Zealand rugby players, then there's little value in trying to explain it to them.

**Trudes** · 16th April 2008, 09:18

Agree with most of you, why should they be any different to any one else? They get paid pretty well from what I can see, what about the other hard working/playing sports people in NZ who get paid bugger all or nothing for representing NZ in their chosen sport but have to hold down a full-time job as well, like the Silver Ferns, Tall Backs, Soccer players, Hockey players etc, where's their tax breaks?? Oh that's right, they don't play our "National Sport", even though there are actually more soccer and netball players in NZ than rugby players. *sigh*

**Subike** · 16th April 2008, 09:19

Tax break for rugby players
bahh humbug
just another ploy by the sitting gommint to grab votes this election
Rugby fans do vote dont they?

Agree with many previous posts
Low Income Families should get the first round of tax breaks
At least they will spend the extra money on comodities
Not like most rugby players who will just piss it up against the wall, get into scraps, become infamous in the media, cry sob stories about being hard done by, and then laugh at us all in the face when Holden/Ford/Toyota supply them with new cars for the season!
This is crap
Wanna leave NZ for more money
then fuck off!

**Tank** · 16th April 2008, 09:29

Some really good points in this thread.

I pay a fucken fortune in tax - over 1k per week - and Ill be fucked if I think its fair that people who are still getting paid more than me (for playing a sport) should get tax breaks to stay here.

The only reason that they are needed is so that the NZRFU can have a better chance to win the cup (Tui) and make more money. Why should the man on the street subsidise that?

I could get more money overseas as well - but I choose to be here.

No group of people are more special than others - and all should be taxed with the same set of rules.

and IF the fucktards that run this country select Rugby players as the only people to get tax breaks then I'll be even more disgusted in them.

**Winston001** · 16th April 2008, 10:01

Originally Posted by davo

i hope this is a joke..

Not according to David Moffat of the NZRFU - its his idea.

Come on you guys, think outside the square. This is a cultural issue. There is always a generic need for engineers, teachers etc but they come and they go. Their value is general and not specific to New Zealand.

However rugby excellence defines us as a nation, it is a core part of our culture, an art form writ large upon the world stage. There is only one Daniel Carter - if we lose him, that is a loss to our nation.

We place a huge emotional value on the Victoria Crosses which were recently stolen, yet replicas can be made and their history can never be sold or lost.

Carter and Howlett cannot be replicated.....

**Tank** · 16th April 2008, 10:03

Originally Posted by Winston001

Not according to David Moffat of the NZRFU - its his idea.

Come on you guys, think outside the square. This is a cultural issue. There is always a generic need for engineers, teachers etc but they come and they go. Their value is general and not specific to New Zealand.

However rugby excellence defines us as a nation, it is a core part of our culture, an art form writ large upon the world stage. There is only one Daniel Carter - if we lose him, that is a loss to our nation.

We place a huge emotional value on the Victoria Crosses which were recently stolen, yet replicas can be made and their history can never be sold or lost.

Carter and Howlett cannot be replicated.....

Hell 'Ol pinetree's gone, so is Buck - but we managed to cope when they left as well.