New Zealand tax authorities apologize for ‘taxing’ Halloween treats

In its official tweet, the New Zealand tax authorities wrote over the weekend that “a tax on Halloween treats teaches children responsibility”.

“Take some of their candy and tax it,” the IRS suggested. It was advised that a third of the total income be forfeited, equivalent to the maximum New Zealand tax rate.

“The Scariest Smile”

Strong criticism came from the New Zealand opposition. The former leader of the largest opposition party, Judith Collins, called the tax and customs administration a “creepy Halloween smile”.

Another politician called “peeking into the brain of a tax and customs employee the scariest thing this year on Halloween”.

Critics were also heard on Twitter. “Is this a joke?” someone asked The Guardian. “This is the dumbest thing I have ever seen a government agency do,” another wrote.

‘meaning slightly’

A spokesperson for New Zealand Revenue and Customs said in a statement that the tweet was intended “lightly” in the spirit of Halloween. Because it received so much criticism, the service decided to remove the post. “We’re sorry if the tweet was offensive,” the spokesperson said.

Revenue and Customs was not the only New Zealand government agency to receive social media attention over Halloween. The police also posted a message.