'Love is all around' – MPs trade song titles as Finance Minister asked about Greens 'tax is love' comment

Marama Davidson made the statement on the latest instalment of Q+A.

MPs traded song titles in the House today as Finance Minister Grant Robertson was asked about Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson's recent "tax is love" comment.

Ms Davidson made the statement on the latest instalment of TVNZ 1's Q+A with Jack Tame while discussing the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We have an opportunity to re-imagine an Aotearoa that does take better care of all of our people, not just a few, and our planet and our living systems.”

She said people were increasingly starting to realise the issue of inequality that propped up the few in expense of the many.

“Tax is love,” Ms Davidson said. “Tax is about making sure that everyone has enough to live, that we’ve got the public services.”

During question time today, National MP Paul Goldsmith asked the Finance Minister for his thoughts on the comment.

"Does he agree with the opinion of Marama Davidson that tax is love?"

"That's not a phrase I'm using," Mr Robertson began his response. "Tax it what we all pay to ensure a fair society where we all look after each other, or in the words of Gerry Brownlee 'tax is something that people contribute in order to have the sort of society that they live in'".

Shortly after the answer another MP shouted out "what is love?" likely in reference to the 1993 Haddaway hit.

Mr Goldsmith was happy to play along, adding "and why does it do it to me?"

Not to be left out, Mr Robertson pulled one out of the archives himself when he said, "to coin a phrase, love is all around".

After the laughter subsided in the House question time continued, sans nostalgic music references.


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