The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi (NZCTU) supports the direction of the Green Party’s taxation policy, which would increase taxation on capital and wealth while reducing the burden on earned income.
NZCTU President Sandra Grey says New Zealand’s tax system had long been stacked against working people.
“Every dollar a worker earns gets taxed – but the wealthiest New Zealanders often pay little or nothing. That needs to change. We need taxation that lifts the load from working people and makes sure the wealthy are actually paying what they owe,” says Grey.
The NBR rich list shows the combined wealth of New Zealand’s richest 150 individuals and families grew substantially over the past year, while many working families continue to struggle with the cost of living.
Grey says the Green Party’s proposal would help address that inequality.
“This plan takes aim at landlords and property speculators. It also includes inheritance taxes to start tackling the growing gap in wealth between generations. This is a much-needed conversation in New Zealand.”
Grey says the Greens’ plan would also provide additional resources to help make sure taxation is collected properly.
“Making sure multinationals can’t use complex structures to minimise their obligations and reforming the use of trusts to minimise tax – these are long-overdue changes. The system needs serious reform, and it’s good to see this is now an election issue.
“Voters deserve to see fully costed fiscal and taxation plans from every party before they go to the polls, so that they have clarity when they vote. The NZCTU will always back plans that put working people, strong public services, and communities first – and this is a step in that direction.”