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6:00 am, October 28th, 2025 - 25 comments
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Open mike is your post.
For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.
The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Step up to the mike …
I’ve been largely convinced by Res Republica’s argument for supporting Labour now if we want a centre left government next year. As opposed to ongoing Labour bashing.
I’m being severely challenged in my commitment to that by Labour’s CGT announcement today. This is depressing but I can’t tell if it’s the comms, or the actual policy.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/577021/labour-to-campaign-on-narrow-capital-gains-tax-no-wealth-tax
[micky has a post up on the CGT, please comment there:
https://thestandard.nz/is-that-it/ ]
The timing with the multiple storms and civil emergencies and parts of the country is frankly weird. Could they not have postponed at least until this present storm has gone through the country?
The policy was leaked hence the abrupt announcement.
The policy was announced abruptly on Tuesday morning after RNZ was earlier leaked details over the long weekend.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/10/28/labour-to-campaign-on-narrow-capital-gains-tax/
thanks, that does make sense of it.
Hard to see the rationale for RNZ publishing the scant leaked details, other than click bait.
AFAICS – media always publish leaks. It gives them a perceived advantage over their competition.
Who leaked it. Not a friend of the left.
Ha! Media never release their sources.
But it seems pretty incredible that anyone on the right would have access to internal Labour policies.
I'm sure, but it hardly serves the public good in a case like this. I'd say it causes harm because we don't have the details to discuss it.
The policy has been released. My understanding is that the release was 'pushed' because the details had been leaked – but the media is commenting on the actual Labour policy.
https://www.labour.org.nz/news/release-targeted-tax-to-grow-the-economy-and-fund-free-doctor-s-visits/
Doesn't seem that much different to the bright line test, bit of a weird one. Guess the thinking is to start small so as not to scare people then extend it?
Personally, I'd prefer a cgt at a lower rate but much broader which I do accept would be a harder sell. Either way it's not some kind of silver bullet that's going to solve our problems it's just a way of broadening the tax base.
And signalling a direction of travel. Which is arguably even more important for businesses. The public sector might be used to (or at least resigned to) wild policy swings, but the private sector needs clarity and a bit of runway to adjust.
If the story is a CGT now and progressive tax reform over the next two or three electoral cycles, then we can still get the job done without stalling the economy any further than NACT already has.
I might be wishcasting here, but even if Labour’s been forced to release a half-assed policy because of a leak, there’s still room for a graceful pivot.
Assuming the leadership and caucus have the political skill to pull it off.
Thanks, Weka. I’ll take the compliment 😄
Clearly someone in caucus has been reading my posts and decided I needed a real challenge. Or maybe Chris Hipkins, a man I have never met, just hates me for some reason.
They really do seem hellbent on making the job more difficult…
My guess is they’ve road-tested this within an inch of its life and have polling suggesting that a full wealth tax would be a bridge too far for most voters. Or that (more likely) the electorate simply wouldn’t trust a Hipkins-led Labour government to deliver it fairly.
In that light, a halfway house that can be framed as cracking down on property speculation without sounding like “class envy” makes a kind of grim political sense. Nothing to stop Labour from going further once the election’s won and we know the makeup of the next government.
I could see a Lab/Green/TPM government being fully on board with that. But if they have to include NZF, it becomes a much dicier proposition.And would require a bribe big enough to make the PGF look like pocket change, wiping out any fiscal gain before it even starts.
The timing, though, absolutely reeks of a leak. Which could explain why the rollout feels so haphazard and defensive.
Which is just silly. This is what your Coms and PR teams are *for*.
Taking the message – and reframing it at short notice.
Even if they had 20 minutes notice from RNZ – "We want to discuss this leaked policy on CGT with Hipkins at 7am" – they absolutely should have been able to put a briefing together – with key soundbites and headline policy detail – for Hipkins to deliver.
If you can't work with short deadlines in turning around possible disasters – you don't belong either in PR or in politics.
Soundbites like:
Not saying these are perfect (PR isn't my primary strength) – but this kind of thing should be bread and butter to a competent Coms team.
I don't disagree at all. Whether Labour's comms people are up to it? Different question entirely.
Amateurs write policies. Professionals shape narratives.
100%
Ahh snap, I've just said much the same in the other post.
Hipkins is covering these just fine today and National aren't even scratching it.
The useful thing on the GP visits is everyone who's been in Australia already has a card for their doctor visits already.
Which is why it's bizarre that they weren't prepared to front foot this on RNZ this morning.
This needs a billboard:
Soft on VIOLENT crime for a dollar.
https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/360865074/revealed-cabinet-ignored-police-advice-linking-bottle-store-booze-violent-crime
The careless coalition is selling us out. Again.
With the Maori Party preparing to kill its own this week, maybe the Greens could take their leftover unwanted MPs.
Given that Kapa-Kingi is an electorate MP – the 'worst' that can happen to her is to become an Independent.
The previous rumblings from Ferris – make it fairly clear that he regards himself as effectively an independent MP, as well.
And, given the loyalty in the Maori electorates to person over party – it may well result in more than one Maori party in parliament going forward.
When I heard this CGT I couldn’t believe it… Offering people 3 free Drs appointments is beyond belief. As if that will sway a voting public… what in the hell is going on.
Does David Parker still have leadership ambitions?
Short term thinking:
https://www.farmersweekly.co.nz/politics/govt-told-to-stop-stalling-on-kiwisaver-fix/?
Years ago – pre Kiwisaver – most firms – or at least the large ones – had superannuation schemes where the employer and the employee both paid about 5% of earnings to save for the employees retirement. It wasn't a perfect system, but the money was locked in . . . – which meant that a lot of people had an adequate income in retirement – and wre still able to purchase a home.
Now we have a scheme where the employers pay less than previously, and employee s cannot afford to save for a home – so they are now allowed to make life harder in retirement – and the government has reduced taxes so that support from government is less than previously . . .
Why do the parties of the right live for the short term, and not care that they are destroying our ability to look after an increasing proportion of elderly that cannot live on NZ Super alone . . . It is all about looking after their wealthy funders . . .
It's a dated perspective given KS Funds are now rising faster than property values.