# Question 172: I work in hospitality in Queenstown and rent a room. Finding a stable place to live near work is difficult for me, and I worry about losing my room during busy visitor periods. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. Do the parties differ on holiday rentals and housing available for permanent residents in Queenstown Lakes, and what could government change compared with the district council? Collected 31 October 2026 [NZ Election 2026 · Edition 7 study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/7) ## ChatGPT Answer ID: 77f36d88-fa32-4e41-bd35-19abe2b3fb39 # Queenstown housing and the 2026 New Zealand election The issue you're raising is an important one for Queenstown: the difference between housing as a place for people to live and housing as accommodation for visitors. For someone working in hospitality, this isn't just about house prices. It's about whether the people who keep the tourism industry operating can afford to live in the community, particularly during the periods when visitor demand is highest. There are three connected questions to consider when comparing parties: 1. Should owners be able to use residential properties as short-term holiday accommodation? 2. Should more housing be built, protected or reserved for permanent residents and local workers? 3. Should decisions be made by central government, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), or both? An important distinction: the 2026 election is on 7 November, and party policies are still subject to change. I'll distinguish published commitments from existing rules and policy possibilities rather than assume every party has a specific Queenstown proposal. ## 1. What is happening in Queenstown Lakes now? ![7 Brisbane Street, Queenstown, Queenstown | NZ Sotheby’s Realty | QBS14092](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/Xf8MDDoW2lHFGgTdfpKKjt-B7z-HrhvcmfQQpP_CPN3QLns9OqtlnK5NgqgUWB_0D4ooGPdyTmxMLcZs0HvTaQHuozIj8yaWrymCNSf4ldwcuAZH3j5ZIxIcjoxtcWpbf-CjIjP6JW4D5GhyHf2AHx0mSn38x89asulFMqGczuI?purpose=inline) ![Queenstown Apartment holiday rentals | Airbnb](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/E9jt_KyqNOImCP8zp60b3KAhGQ5x8aOYo7ioqBlzkAFjKU3QlBIi7WYv35LR86S9p9SlQT7EdipXbQ5xDG3iK34zT-Y4NpPKaQgYPhrItIp_3y9bZBDYY1zVIXoGNdtckodyv1lpAirWCwujZO-fVXQcFWY5wkj6LV0QPPDOBZc?purpose=inline) ![Big boost to Queenstown housing stock](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/dWS7q58FzJciixBYUH-sTAI8d8qLbSKRcg36DqYa8cxv8e-EFGsJgZzy632BQhpW4MehnATV7fhMtI6i6DRQBNesYJ8YuKnwNp8Bc-UL3D7qkCfU_q9DUJO2Ie1wdkor_AYuE2AtSS1UqZAr0yxl6JyjwJAubUH5UXVzbWeJ9IM?purpose=inline) 9 QLDC itself acknowledges that short-term visitor accommodation contributes to the district's housing shortage because homes used for visitors are unavailable for long-term rentals. [Short Term Accommodation](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/services/rates-property/short-term-visitor-accommodation) The council currently distinguishes between: - Residential visitor accommodation: A residential house or self-contained flat rented to paying visitors for fewer than 90 days. - Homestays: The owner or resident lives at the property while hosting visitors. - Visitor accommodation: Dedicated visitor accommodation, such as hotels, motels and managed apartments. The distinction matters because different planning rules apply. Under current QLDC rules: - Residential visitor accommodation must be registered. - Permitted nights and other requirements depend on the property's district plan zone. - Operating outside permitted standards can require resource consent. - Homestays have different rules, and in most zones there is no annual night restriction if the requirements are met. - Short-term accommodation can also attract higher council rates. [Short Term Accommodation](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/services/rates-property/short-term-visitor-accommodation)[QLDC](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/services/resource-consents/do-i-need-a-resource-consent) This means the council already has some ability to regulate the conversion of residential properties into visitor accommodation. However, it does not have complete control over the economic incentives that make holiday letting attractive. ## 2. How the major parties differ on housing The most useful comparison is not simply whether a party promises to build more houses. It's what it proposes to do about rental security, property investment, public housing, land use and the incentives for owners to put properties into visitor accommodation. Here is a comparison of the published 2026 positions. | Party | Relevant housing and rental policies | Potential relevance to Queenstown | | --- | --- | --- | | National | Supports more development and planning reform, expanded 5% first-home deposits and no new taxes. Has restored landlord interest deductibility. | Emphasis on increasing supply and enabling development rather than introducing new taxes on residential investment. | | Labour | Better rental protections, banning no-cause evictions, more notice for tenants, a targeted capital gains tax and Crown support for community housing. | Could improve rental security and community-housing investment, although it has not announced a specific Queenstown holiday-rental restriction. | | Green Party | Rent increases capped at 2%, stronger renter protections, a Rental Warrant of Fitness, substantial public housing investment and reversing landlord tax cuts. | Would change the financial and regulatory settings around renting and residential property investment. | | ACT | Generally emphasises property rights, lower regulation, development and reduced taxation. | Its general approach is more consistent with retaining flexibility for property owners than imposing additional restrictions on residential property use. | | New Zealand First | Has proposed prioritising New Zealand citizens for social housing and returning a share of mining royalties to regions for infrastructure. | More emphasis on social housing eligibility and regional infrastructure than a clearly specified Queenstown short-stay policy. | | Te Pāti Māori | Proposes more public and Māori-led housing, rent controls, a vacant-home tax and action against land banking and property speculation. | Its vacant-home and rental proposals could affect the economics of leaving residential properties unused, but a holiday rental is not automatically a vacant home. | Sources: party policy publications and the 2026 housing policy comparisons. [2026 Election Policy](https://www.national.org.nz/policies)[Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)[Manifesto 2026](https://www.greens.org.nz/manifesto_2026)[Greens announce plan to end homelessness & fix housing crisis](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_announce_plan_to_end_homelessness_fix_housing_crisis)[Election Policy Comparison](https://www.propertynz.co.nz/advocacy/election-policy-comparison)[The property policies: How election 2026 housing promises line up](https://www.interest.co.nz/property/140674/housing-policies-capital-gains-tax-solar-roll-outs-rent-controls-and-offsetting)[Policy](https://www.maoriparty.org.nz/policy) ### A closer look at the differences National: build and enable development National's published policies include expanding access to 5% first-home deposits, planning reform and keeping taxes down. It has also restored interest deductibility for landlords. This is relevant because tax treatment can affect the relative attractiveness of property investment, although it does not determine whether an individual owner chooses long-term or short-term letting. National's current housing approach also includes faster approval of developments, including the 2,800-home Homestead Bay project in Queenstown, approved through the Fast-track process in February 2026. [2026 Election Policy](https://www.national.org.nz/policies)[2026 Election Policy](https://www.national.org.nz/policies)[Major Queenstown Housing Development Approved through Fast-track](https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/major-queenstown-housing-development-approved-through-fast-track) Labour: rental security and community housing Labour's current policies include: - Banning no-cause evictions. - Giving tenants more notice. - Improving rental warmth and safety. - A $950 million Crown guarantee for community housing. - A targeted capital gains tax on commercial and residential investment properties. These policies address the security and affordability of renting, but don't amount to a published proposal to cap Airbnb nights in Queenstown. [Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)[Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/our-policies/) Greens: housing as a basic need The Greens' March 2026 housing announcement is particularly relevant to the distinction between investment property and homes for residents. It proposes: - Limiting annual rent increases to 2%. - Reversing no-cause evictions. - Building tens of thousands of public homes. - Financing community housing providers and councils. - Reversing landlord tax cuts. The Greens' manifesto also sets out a broader programme for affordable housing. [Greens announce plan to end homelessness & fix housing crisis](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_announce_plan_to_end_homelessness_fix_housing_crisis)[Manifesto 2026](https://www.greens.org.nz/manifesto_2026) ACT and New Zealand First: different priorities ACT's approach places greater emphasis on private property rights, economic incentives and enabling development. Its policies should be considered in that context rather than assuming it has proposed a particular Airbnb policy. New Zealand First has put forward a citizen-first social housing position and regional infrastructure funding proposals. Neither should be confused with a specific policy to return holiday rentals to the permanent rental market. [Election Policy Comparison](https://www.propertynz.co.nz/advocacy/election-policy-comparison)[NZ election 2026: What every party plans for housing, ranked](https://realestate.co.nz/news/property-market-news/market-insights-and-analysis/nz-election-2026-what-every-party-plans-for-housing) Te Pāti Māori: vacant homes and rent controls Te Pāti Māori has proposed: - A 2% annual vacant-home tax on residential properties empty for more than three months. - Universal rent control. - Repealing no-cause evictions. - Building 2,000 homes on Māori ancestral land over four years. - More social housing and support for Māori-led housing. One important qualification: a property being used for paying holiday guests is not necessarily vacant. The precise design of any tax would matter. [The property policies: How election 2026 housing promises line up](https://www.interest.co.nz/property/140674/housing-policies-capital-gains-tax-solar-roll-outs-rent-controls-and-offsetting)[Policy](https://www.maoriparty.org.nz/policy) What is missing from the comparison? I haven't found a clearly specified, district-wide Queenstown holiday-rental cap or ban among these published party commitments. There are differences in the parties' broader approaches to property taxation, planning and renting, but those shouldn't be mistaken for a direct promise to restrict holiday homes. ## 3. What can central government change that the district council cannot? This is probably the most important distinction when thinking about your vote. The two levels of government have different powers. Central government – Parliament and ministers National laws, taxes, funding and regulation - Change the Residential Tenancies Act to strengthen renters' rights. - Change income tax, capital gains tax and GST rules affecting property owners. - Introduce national rules for short-term visitor accommodation. - Change planning legislation and national planning requirements. - Fund Kāinga Ora, community housing and affordable housing programmes. - Fund major infrastructure and transport projects. - Set immigration and employment rules affecting the hospitality workforce. QLDC – Queenstown Lakes District Council Local planning, consenting, infrastructure and rates - Set district planning rules for residential and visitor accommodation. - Decide where short-term visitor accommodation is permitted. - Set registration and resource-consent requirements within its powers. - Zone land for residential development. - Enable higher-density housing in appropriate locations. - Work with developers and housing trusts to deliver affordable homes. - Set local rates and invest in local infrastructure. [Central and local government responsibilities under the RMA](https://environment.govt.nz/acts-and-regulations/acts/resource-management-act-1991/central-and-local-government-responsibilities-under-the-rma/)[Councils, plans, and the resources they manage](https://environment.govt.nz/publications/getting-involved-in-council-plans/councils-plans-and-the-resources-they-manage/)[Short Term Accommodation](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/services/rates-property/short-term-visitor-accommodation)[QLDC](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/your-council/council-projects/improving-housing-outcomes) ### What could central government actually do about holiday rentals? There are several possible approaches. | Possible government action | Potential effect | | --- | --- | | National limits on short-term letting | Could prevent some permanent homes being converted into holiday accommodation. | | Different tax treatment | Could change the financial incentives for holiday letting versus long-term renting. | | Stronger local planning powers | Could give councils more ability to restrict holiday accommodation in residential neighbourhoods. | | Public and community housing investment | Could increase the supply of homes not dependent entirely on private landlords. | | Workforce accommodation funding | Could help hospitality businesses and housing providers establish longer-term accommodation for workers. | These are possible policy interventions, not all existing party commitments. ### What could QLDC do? QLDC already has some relevant powers. It could consider: - More restrictive short-term accommodation rules in residential zones. - Different permitted-night limits depending on the area. - Stronger monitoring and enforcement of unregistered holiday rentals. - Incentives for landlords to provide longer-term accommodation. - More partnerships to build housing specifically for local workers. However, national legislation can constrain or expand what councils are allowed to do. ## 4. An important development: the Otago Central Lakes Regional Deal There is also a significant development that deserves attention in this election. On 6 October 2026, central government signed the Otago Central Lakes Regional Deal with QLDC, Central Otago District Council and Otago Regional Council. It establishes a 10-year partnership, based on a 30-year vision, addressing: - Housing supply and development. - Transport infrastructure. - Health and social infrastructure. - Energy supply. - Regional economic development. The government says it will build on the existing Queenstown Joint Housing Action Plan and investigate ways to support affordable housing. [Otago Central Lakes Deal signed to back growth](https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/otago-central-lakes-deal-signed-back-growth)[Otago Central Lakes deal - Our work - Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport](https://www.mcert.govt.nz/our-work/local-government/city-and-regional-deals/otago-central-lakes/) This is relevant because it demonstrates that central government and local councils can work together on housing problems that neither can solve independently. It also gives you a useful question to ask candidates: what would they preserve, expand or change about this agreement if elected? ## 5. Why the existing Queenstown housing plan matters QLDC has already developed a Joint Housing Action Plan with central government, Kāi Tahu, the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust and community partners. It recognises that the district needs more than just additional houses. Its nine areas of work include: - Purchasing and developing land for affordable housing. - Supporting community housing providers. - Encouraging developers to provide affordable housing. - Finding rental solutions for the local workforce. - Investigating barriers to long-term rentals. - Improving planning rules to enable more housing. One particularly relevant part is its commitment to investigate workforce rental solutions and the impact of short-term letting on the availability of accommodation. [QLDC](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/your-council/council-projects/improving-housing-outcomes)[Queenstown Lakes District](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/media/p1epjwti/joint-housing-action-plan-final.pdf) This is worth investigating because there is a difference between building expensive new houses and making affordable, stable accommodation available to hospitality workers. A development can increase the number of houses in the district without necessarily making it easier for someone on hospitality wages to rent a room. ## 6. Something particularly important if you rent a room There is another issue that could affect your security regardless of which party wins. Under New Zealand tenancy law, renting a room does not always mean you have the same legal protections as someone renting an entire property. For example: - If you are named on the tenancy agreement, you are generally a tenant covered by the Residential Tenancies Act. - If you rent a room from a homeowner who lives in the property, you are generally a flatmate rather than a tenant. - If you live in a property where someone else holds the tenancy agreement and you are not named on it, you are generally a flatmate. Flatmates are not automatically covered by the Residential Tenancies Act. Their rights generally depend on their agreement with the homeowner or head tenant. [Flatting » Tenancy Services](https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/starting-a-tenancy/flatting/)[Who tenancy law protects » Tenancy Services](https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/starting-a-tenancy/who-is-protected/who-tenancy-law-protects/)[Who tenancy law does not protect » Tenancy Services](https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/starting-a-tenancy/who-is-protected/who-tenancy-law-does-not-protect/) This is an important area where Parliament could make changes to improve security for people renting individual rooms. You can read the official guidance at [Tenancy Services – Flatting](https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/starting-a-tenancy/flatting/?utm_source=chatgpt.com). ## 7. What should you look for when comparing candidates? Rather than looking only at general promises about housing affordability, I'd suggest examining six specific questions. | Question to ask | Why it matters | | --- | --- | | Will you restrict whole-home holiday letting in residential areas? | Could protect some homes for permanent residents. | | Will you support stronger long-term rental incentives? | Could encourage owners to offer stable rentals. | | Will you invest in affordable workforce housing? | Directly addresses accommodation for hospitality workers. | | Will you strengthen protections for people renting rooms? | Addresses the insecurity of room-based accommodation. | | Will you support more social and community housing in Queenstown Lakes? | Provides alternatives to expensive private rentals. | | Will you provide infrastructure funding alongside new housing? | Makes additional housing development practical and sustainable. | I would also ask candidates how they intend to measure success. For example: - How many additional affordable rental homes will be available? - How many homes will be reserved for long-term residents? - How will they measure improvements in rental affordability? - What will happen to accommodation availability during the summer and winter tourism peaks? These questions help distinguish a general housing announcement from a policy that could make a tangible difference to people living and working in Queenstown. ## 8. Where to investigate the parties yourself These resources provide useful starting points. - [Policy.nz – 2026 election housing policies](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/housing?utm_source=chatgpt.com) – compare housing policies across parties. - [National Party policies](https://www.national.org.nz/policies?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [Labour Party policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [Green Party 2026 manifesto](https://www.greens.org.nz/manifesto_2026?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [Te Pāti Māori policies](https://www.maoriparty.org.nz/policy?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [QLDC – Improving housing outcomes](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/your-council/council-projects/improving-housing-outcomes?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [QLDC – Short-term visitor accommodation rules](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/services/rates-property/short-term-visitor-accommodation?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## My overall assessment of the issues to examine There are three distinct policy debates here: 1. Holiday rentals versus permanent housing: How much freedom should property owners have to use residential homes for visitor accommodation, and what protections should exist for the permanent housing supply? 2. Housing supply versus housing affordability: Is it enough to approve more developments, or should governments also invest in housing that ordinary local workers can afford? 3. Rental rights versus rental availability: How can renters be given more security without overlooking the need for sufficient rental supply? These are not necessarily competing objectives, but parties have different ideas about how to balance them. For Queenstown, I'd pay particular attention to whether a party has specific plans for workforce accommodation, long-term rental availability and the regulation of whole-home holiday rentals, rather than relying solely on its headline housing targets. One final distinction worth keeping in mind: your party vote determines the overall composition of Parliament, while your electorate vote helps choose your local representative. You can question local candidates about Queenstown Lakes housing even when their party's national housing policy is the same as its policy elsewhere in New Zealand. Your concern is a legitimate local democratic issue: the people who work in Queenstown should have a realistic opportunity to live there, not just provide services to the people who visit. ## ChatGPT Answer ID: ef01c56b-35dc-44cd-8fa1-1f4c949f32f0 # Queenstown housing and the 2026 election: what the parties could change Your concern raises an important distinction in Queenstown: a house can be financially valuable as visitor accommodation while being essential as somebody's permanent home. For someone working in hospitality, that difference is particularly significant. Queenstown's tourism economy depends on people being able to live locally, but competing demand from visitors, property investors and permanent residents puts pressure on the same limited housing supply. There are three separate questions to consider when comparing the parties: 1. Can government make it less attractive or less profitable to use residential houses as holiday rentals? 2. Can government increase the supply of affordable, secure long-term rentals? 3. Who has the power to make those changes: central government or Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC)? The 2026 general election is scheduled for 7 November 2026. The policies below reflect published positions available in October 2026, rather than assuming campaign promises have already become law. [Election Policy Comparison](https://www.propertynz.co.nz/advocacy/election-policy-comparison)[Know Your Vote](https://knowyourvote.nz/) ## 1. What is happening in Queenstown now? ![5 Hobart Street | Queenstown | Queenstown | Houses for Sale - OneRoof](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/5uzyk2jLfJ0oFLZzHOTmFBdb98KtVeXGqXBluS_wpFrDJjQn8Xq6ZozPcMGTNb1R4BU_ekY0hLbRDnvfeXJLrb3aCvWKF28sFdiJbwSYXc8_32NrRM52qtqA3QKCfgDXH9b2s8n13261_26XyNse4G846GuYTlYgwTuhcquhV4Q?purpose=inline) ![Aussichten über Aussichten in Highview! - Häuser zur Miete in Queenstown, Otago Region, Neuseeland - Airbnb](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/faBpaKVW3XT_Qp58TcRF9N2EE15ZlETxCx5KtcZZ_NCdr1lrRqhBPftHeyh9lPLMInWRYQY1mZQfn6VR0pQ3yG2nzXClGPr70tFFFnny7dNnHVOPJQ3Ea_OG0SUukovFhkglkeUE80HmKDO_PtiOIr7ao4XP-iBx0c3tJ3TEZsM?purpose=inline) ![Purpose-built worker digs nearly finished | Otago Daily Times Online News](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/nh-S3GOCy1mEtBzZV15xQ8s8kA6JPwp95nuesWwViTfIBkNWRgNKQBaMSQq_LCFyYWCy0gbXBx0LtL7uiPF_S5mcexQVTiF-X18xxV0cUueE9E5onmbZ5IhZ8M9L48reTBmcngNjkPOf026cr5b49l8hE-FV0uSeJYf7vKq8TJ4?purpose=inline) 9 QLDC explicitly acknowledges that short-term visitor accommodation contributes to the district's housing shortage because houses used for visitors are unavailable for long-term rentals. Its current rules distinguish between: - Residential visitor accommodation: A residential property occupied by paying guests for fewer than 90 days. - Homestays: The resident lives at the property while hosting paying guests. - Visitor accommodation: Dedicated visitor accommodation, such as hotels, motels and backpackers. Residential visitor accommodation must be registered and comply with the applicable District Plan rules. Depending on the zone and operating arrangements, resource consent may be required. QLDC also applies different rating treatment depending on how extensively a property is used for visitor accommodation. [Short Term Accommodation](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/services/rates-property/short-term-visitor-accommodation) This is important because not every Airbnb is equivalent. Someone occasionally renting a spare bedroom in their own home is in a different situation from an investor operating an entire residential property as a holiday rental all year. ## 2. How the parties differ on housing and holiday rentals One of the clearest distinctions in the current campaign is that the Green Party has announced a specific policy addressing short-term visitor accommodation. Several other parties have housing policies that could affect renters, but that is not the same as directly restricting holiday rentals. Here is a comparison of the main parties. | Party | Relevant published 2026 positions | | --- | --- | | National | Emphasises private-sector housing supply and first-home ownership. Proposes raising the First Home Loan income cap to $300,000. Its campaign includes a commitment not to introduce new taxes. | | Labour | Proposes stronger rental protections, including banning no-cause evictions and providing tenants with more notice. Also proposes a 5% deposit first-home pathway and rent-to-buy options. | | Green Party | Proposes a national short-term accommodation register and allowing councils to impose a visitor bed levy, with a higher rate for short-term rentals. Also proposes substantial public housing construction and a 2% annual rent-increase limit. | | ACT | Its housing approach emphasises planning reform, development and reducing regulatory barriers. I haven't found a clearly specified 2026 proposal to restrict residential Airbnb use in Queenstown. | | New Zealand First | Has fewer directly relevant housing proposals in its published programme. I haven't found a specific Queenstown holiday-rental restriction proposal. | | Te Pāti Māori | Its published housing positions should be checked for further detail; I haven't verified a specific short-term accommodation proposal. | | The Opportunity Party (TOP) | Has proposed more substantial changes to land taxation and housing incentives, including land-value taxation. These could affect property investment decisions, but are not equivalent to an Airbnb ban. | Sources: [Know Your Vote](https://knowyourvote.nz/)[Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/housing)[Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)[Greens give councils tools to fund tourist infrastructure](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_give_councils_tools_to_fund_tourist_infrastructure)[The property policies: How election 2026 housing promises line up](https://www.interest.co.nz/property/140674/housing-policies-capital-gains-tax-solar-roll-outs-rent-controls-and-offsetting) ### The Green Party's short-term rental proposal Specific policy announced On 14 October 2026, the Greens announced two measures: 1. Give councils the power to introduce a local visitor bed levy, with a higher rate for short-term accommodation such as Airbnb. 2. Establish a nationally supported register of Airbnb and other short-term accommodation properties. The idea is to help councils recover some of the infrastructure costs associated with tourism and improve their ability to monitor visitor accommodation. For Queenstown, this could mean: - A greater contribution from properties earning money from holiday guests. - Better information about how many homes are being used as short-term accommodation. - More ability for the council to respond to the effects of tourism on the local housing market. However, a bed levy is not the same as a restriction on holiday rentals. It does not automatically return properties to the long-term rental market. [Greens give councils tools to fund tourist infrastructure](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_give_councils_tools_to_fund_tourist_infrastructure)[Know Your Vote](https://knowyourvote.nz/) ### Labour and the Greens: an important distinction for renters Both have proposals relevant to rental security, but their approaches differ. - Labour focuses on tenancy protections, including ending no-cause evictions and improving notice arrangements. - The Greens propose a more interventionist approach to rental affordability, including limiting annual rent increases to 2%, as well as expanding public housing. These are proposals, not existing guarantees. Neither automatically guarantees that a hospitality worker will find an affordable room near their workplace. [Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)[Know Your Vote](https://knowyourvote.nz/)[The property policies: How election 2026 housing promises line up](https://www.interest.co.nz/property/140674/housing-policies-capital-gains-tax-solar-roll-outs-rent-controls-and-offsetting) ## 3. What can central government change versus QLDC? This is arguably the most important part of your question. The two levels of government have different responsibilities and powers. Central government — Parliament and national government Can change national laws, taxes, funding and the regulatory framework. - Change tenancy law and renters' protections. - Introduce national registration requirements for short-term rentals. - Give councils new powers to charge visitor levies. - Change tax treatment of residential property investment. - Fund Kāinga Ora, community housing and affordable housing initiatives. - Change national planning legislation and the rules councils must follow. Queenstown Lakes District Council — local government Applies local planning, rating, consent and infrastructure decisions. - Set District Plan rules for short-term visitor accommodation. - Determine which zones permit holiday rentals and under what conditions. - Require registration and resource consents where applicable. - Apply different rating categories to residential and visitor accommodation. - Plan infrastructure and residential development. - Work with housing trusts and other organisations to support affordable housing. The distinction is practical: QLDC can regulate how a residential property is used under its District Plan, but it cannot independently rewrite national tenancy legislation or introduce a national property tax. Similarly, Parliament can give councils additional powers, but that does not mean every council must use them in the same way. Sources: [QLDC](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/services/resource-consents/do-i-need-a-resource-consent)[Short Term Accommodation](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/services/rates-property/short-term-visitor-accommodation)[QLDC](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/your-council/council-projects/improving-housing-outcomes)[Greens give councils tools to fund tourist infrastructure](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_give_councils_tools_to_fund_tourist_infrastructure) ## 4. What could actually make a difference in Queenstown? There are several policy mechanisms worth understanding beyond the parties' campaign slogans. | Potential change | Possible effect on permanent residents | | --- | --- | | Tighter Airbnb rules | Could return some existing residential properties to long-term rental use. | | Short-term rental register | Makes it easier to monitor how many residential properties are used for visitors. | | Visitor bed levy | Could help fund infrastructure and reduce some of the costs borne by residents. | | More public and community housing | Could provide additional secure, affordable accommodation. | | Build-to-rent developments | Could increase the number of properties specifically intended for long-term tenants. | | Stronger tenancy protections | Could reduce the risk of sudden displacement for renters. | | More housing density | Could increase the total supply of homes, provided infrastructure and affordability are addressed. | QLDC already has a Joint Housing Action Plan, developed with central government, the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust, Kāi Tahu and the local community. Its stated objective is that anyone choosing to live in the district should be able to access quality, stable and affordable housing. That matters because housing shortages in Queenstown are not solely caused by holiday rentals. Land availability, construction costs, infrastructure, population growth and the economics of building affordable rentals also contribute. [QLDC](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/your-council/council-projects/improving-housing-outcomes)[Short Term Accommodation](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/services/rates-property/short-term-visitor-accommodation) ## 5. Something particularly important if you rent a room There is a distinction between renting a room as a tenant and living in a shared house as a flatmate. For example: - If you have a tenancy agreement with the property owner, the Residential Tenancies Act will generally provide protections. - If you are a flatmate who rents from another tenant, rather than directly from the landlord, you may not have the same protections under that Act. - If the owner decides to move from long-term renting to holiday accommodation, the security of your arrangement can depend on your legal status and agreement. This means that policies about eviction protections and rental security could be just as relevant to you as policies about Airbnb restrictions. I would pay particular attention to whether parties explain how their proposed protections apply to people renting individual rooms, not just entire houses. ## 6. Questions worth asking candidates in Queenstown You can also look beyond national party manifestos and ask local electorate candidates specific questions. These are five useful questions: 1. Would you support restrictions on whole-home Airbnb rentals in residential areas where long-term housing is in short supply? 2. Would you give QLDC greater powers to limit the conversion of permanent homes into holiday accommodation? 3. Would you support government investment in affordable rental accommodation specifically for essential and hospitality workers? 4. Would you support longer-term rental security and protections for people renting individual rooms? 5. Would you support requiring major tourism operators and visitor accommodation businesses to contribute more towards housing and infrastructure for the local workforce? The answers may reveal more about what a candidate would actually advocate for than a general promise to improve housing affordability. ## 7. Where to check the policies yourself These are useful sources to keep open while considering your vote: - [Policy.nz – 2026 housing policy comparison](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/housing?utm_source=chatgpt.com) — compare parties on housing, renting and social housing. - [QLDC – Short-term visitor accommodation rules](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/services/rates-property/short-term-visitor-accommodation?utm_source=chatgpt.com) — understand current Airbnb rules. - [QLDC – Improving housing outcomes](https://www.qldc.govt.nz/your-council/council-projects/improving-housing-outcomes?utm_source=chatgpt.com) — read the district's housing strategy. - [Green Party – Visitor bed levy and accommodation register](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_give_councils_tools_to_fund_tourist_infrastructure?utm_source=chatgpt.com) — read the specific proposal. - [Labour – Published policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy?utm_source=chatgpt.com) — read its rental policy. ## My suggested way of evaluating the issue I would separate your concerns into three things when assessing the parties: - Housing availability: Will more homes actually become available for permanent residents? - Housing affordability: Will someone working in hospitality be able to afford a room on their wages? - Housing security: Can you stay in your home without worrying that the owner will change its use or end your arrangement during the busy season? These are three different policy challenges. A party might have a strong proposal on one without addressing the other two. And one final point: Queenstown needs tourism to sustain its economy, but it also needs workers who can afford to live here. The question of how to balance those interests is a legitimate and important election issue. I can take this one step further by comparing the parties specifically on the interests of Queenstown hospitality workers who rent rooms, rather than comparing housing policies from a homeowner's perspective. You can also explore: Compare the parties on affordable housing for hospitality workers ## Gemini Answer ID: a3e33449-1601-428c-921d-909265a19f81 Working in hospitality in Queenstown and trying to secure stable long-term housing—especially with the constant pressure of shifting visitor seasons—is a well-known struggle in the district. When thinking about your vote in a New Zealand general election, it helps to separate what **central government (political parties)** can influence compared to what the **local district council (QLDC)** handles. --- ### 1. Central Government vs. District Council: Who Does What? * **Central Government (Parliament & Political Parties):** * Makes national laws (such as the Residential Tenancies Act, tax laws, and resource management framework reforms). * Determines national settings around tenant rights, accommodation taxes, and broad economic drivers. * Can mandate nationwide housing growth targets, infrastructure funding, or broad rules on short-term rentals if they choose to legislate. * **Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC):** * Manages local planning through the **District Plan**. * Directly regulates rules on short-term visitor accommodation (STVA) and holiday rentals—such as zone-based night caps (e.g., 90-day limits in standard residential zones) and council rates adjustments for properties used for Airbnb. * Deals with local infrastructure, building consents, and local growth strategies. --- ### 2. How Political Parties Approach Housing & Holiday Rentals While specific policy platforms shift with each election cycle, New Zealand political parties generally approach the tension between tourism and permanent resident housing through different lenses: * **Centre-Left/Left Parties (e.g., Labour, Greens):** * Generally favor stronger regulatory guardrails for renters (such as tenancy protections, security of tenure, and exploring measures to cool investor-driven demand). * Historically more open to central government intervention or enabling local authorities to levy targeted taxes or tighter controls on short-term holiday rentals to preserve long-term rental stock for locals. * **Centre-Right/Right Parties (e.g., National, ACT):** * Focus heavily on increasing overall housing supply through freeing up land, streamlining resource management (RMA) laws, and incentivizing private development. * Generally lean toward market-led solutions, emphasizing that the best way to ease rental pressures in high-growth areas like Queenstown is to build more houses overall rather than heavily restricting property owners or short-term rental platforms. --- ### 3. What a Government Change Means vs. Council Action * **What a change in Central Government can change:** A new government can rewrite national tenancy laws (strengthening or weakening tenant security), alter property tax settings (which affects investor appetite for holiday homes versus long-term rentals), and overhaul how land release and infrastructure funding are prioritized across high-growth tourism districts. * **What stays with the Council:** Even with a change in Wellington, day-to-day enforcement of Queenstown’s specific rules—like checking if an Airbnb is exceeding its annual night cap, issuing resource consents, or managing local rates penalties for mixed-use properties—remains the job of the QLDC under the local District Plan. ### Looking Forward If your primary concern is finding stability and avoiding displacement during peak visitor surges, central government elections will influence the broader economic climate, tenant rights, and how aggressively housing supply is scaled up nationally. Meanwhile, local council decisions dictate the immediate local guardrails placed on holiday homes in your specific neighborhood. What specific aspect of your housing stability—such as tenancy laws, rental costs, or local building supply—is most important to you as you weigh your options? ## Gemini Answer ID: 10684510-d23f-41e4-8f97-059eb35beda1 For a hospitality worker renting a room in Queenstown, the tension between housing available for permanent residents and short-term visitor accommodation (like Airbnb and Bookabach) is a critical local issue. The differences between how national political parties approach the housing and holiday rental markets compared to what local government (the Queenstown Lakes District Council, or QLDC) can do involve distinct powers, responsibilities, and policy tools. --- ### 1. National Government Change vs. District Council Power Understanding what a change in central government can achieve compared to the local council helps clarify how they split responsibilities: * **The District Council (QLDC):** Operates under the *Resource Management Act (RMA)* and local governance rules. * *What they do:* The council controls local planning, zoning, and specific rules on visitor accommodation. For example, QLDC enforces rules that cap unconsented residential visitor accommodation (usually at 90 days a year in standard residential zones) and requires registration to mitigate the loss of long-term rentals. They also deal with local infrastructure, building consents, and council housing initiatives. * *Limitations:* The council cannot easily rewrite national tax law, change tenancy laws nationwide, or print money to build massive public housing infrastructure without central government backing or legislative frameworks. * **Central Government (Parliament):** * *What they do:* Central government shapes the macroeconomic and legal environment. They control national tax settings (such as interest deductibility for landlords, bright-line property tests, and GST rules on short-term rentals), tenancy legislation (the Residential Tenancies Act), and funding streams for infrastructure and social housing. * *Impact on Queenstown:* National policies dictate whether property investors find it more lucrative to house long-term tenants or flip properties/run short-term visitor accommodation. --- ### 2. How the Political Parties Approach Housing and Short-Term Rentals While party platforms on housing cover a wide spectrum, their approaches generally fall along philosophical lines that indirectly impact resort towns like Queenstown: * **National / ACT (Centre-Right):** * *Focus:* Generally favor pro-growth, supply-side solutions and property-investor-friendly policies (such as restoring interest deductibility for landlords and rolling back portions of the bright-line test). * *Implication for Queenstown:* The argument from the right is that incentivizing private landlords encourages more overall housing stock to be built or bought, which eventually filters down. However, critics argue that making property investment more lucrative can also increase competition for houses, pushing prices up and encouraging owners to chase high-yield short-term tourist rentals rather than long-term leases for hospitality workers. * **Labour / Greens / Te Pāti Māori (Centre-Left to Left):** * *Focus:* Tend to favor tighter regulation of the housing market, support for renters' rights, building more public/affordable housing, and sometimes introducing measures or enabling local authorities to curb speculative pressures. The Green Party and left-leaning groups have historically been more sympathetic to calls for stricter national or local controls on short-term holiday rentals to protect long-term residential housing stock. * *Implication for Queenstown:* Policies from this side often focus on protecting tenants from sudden evictions (e.g., prior policies around limiting no-cause evictions) and supporting state or community housing trusts (like the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust) which are vital for local workers. However, critics on the right argue stricter tenancy laws can sometimes shrink the private rental pool if landlords exit the market. --- ### Summary for Your Vote If your primary concern is the vulnerability of your living situation, stability against visitor-season displacement, and the balance of houses in Queenstown: * **Look at Central Government policies** through the lens of **tenancy security** (rules around how and when a landlord can end a tenancy) and **tax incentives** that steer properties either toward long-term rentals or short-term tourist accommodation. * **Recognize local limits:** Remember that while central parties set the macro-rules and funding, day-to-day measures like night-caps on holiday homes and local resource consents are fiercely managed at the council level. Local advocacy and council elections dictate how tightly those local visitor accommodation rules are enforced. ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: 9e6d0252-bc5f-40ae-ba6e-e443b5a32391 For a hospitality worker renting in Queenstown Lakes, the distinction between what local government (the district council) handles versus what central government political parties debate is fundamental. Your anxiety about housing stability, seasonal shifts, and short-term rentals sits right at the intersection of local resource management and national housing/tax policy. * * * District Council vs. Central Government: Who Does What? * **Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC):** * _Role:_ Manages local district planning, zoning rules, and resource consents under the Resource Management Act (RMA). * _Actions:_ QLDC regulates short-term visitor accommodation (STVA) locally. For instance, rules dictate how many days a residential property can be rented out to paying guests without a resource consent (under 90 days annually before triggering specific consents or mixed-use rating categories). The council also collaborates regionally via initiatives like the _Grow Well Whaiora Partnership_ and the _Joint Housing Action Plan_ to support the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust. * _Limitations:_ Councils do not set national tenancy law, income tax settings, or national visitor levies. They rely on the legal and financial toolkit provided to them by Parliament. * **Central Government (Parliament / Political Parties):** * _Role:_ Sets national tenancy laws (such as the Residential Tenancies Act), national taxes, local government funding frameworks, and resource management reform. * _Impact on you:_ A change in central government alters the legal framework that governs renter security (e.g., rules around evictions and notice periods) and whether local councils are granted specific taxation or levy tools to manage tourism-heavy infrastructure. * * * How the Political Parties Differ on These Issues National political parties offer distinct philosophies and policy approaches that indirectly or directly affect high-tourism areas like Queenstown Lakes: * **The Green Party:** * _Stance on Holiday Rentals & Councils:_ Strongly favors giving local authorities more fiscal tools. They have campaigned on empowering councils to implement a local "bed levy" on short-term accommodations like Airbnbs, alongside a national register to track short-term rentals. The argument is that high-visitor districts need direct mechanisms to manage tourist-driven infrastructure costs and level the playing field against long-term residential rentals. * **The Labour Party:** * _Stance on Renters and Housing Security:_ Focuses heavily on nationwide residential tenancy regulations. Labour's housing platform emphasizes renter protections—such as advocating for banning no-cause evictions and lengthening notice periods required if a landlord changes the use of a property or sells. For a tenant worried about a room being flipped or reclaimed for seasonal visitor accommodation or family use, these national tenancy standard changes directly dictate your legal notice and security. * **The National Party:** * _Stance on Local Government & Taxes:_ Generally rules out new broad local taxes or bed levies, preferring to manage tourism funding by resetting and redistributing the existing International Visitor Levy (IVL) to councils from central government pools rather than allowing individual municipal taxes. National's broader housing strategy centers on incentivizing housing supply through planning reform, infrastructure funding, and reinstating rules like 90-day no-cause tenancy terminations (which they argue keeps rental stock fluid), rather than tightening restrictions on short-term holiday letting. * * * What a Government Change Means vs. Council Action * **If the Government Changes:** A shift in central government changes the _rules of the game_ for tenancy security across New Zealand and determines whether QLDC gets extra legislative backing or funding mechanisms (like a dedicated visitor/bed levy). However, a change in Wellington will not instantly rewrite your local district plan or build more workforce housing overnight. * **If it Stays with Local Council Domain:** Day-to-day enforcement of residential visitor accommodation limits, monitoring whether an unauthorized Airbnb is operating next door, and local land-use zoning remain strictly with QLDC under the District Plan. If your primary concern is **tenancy stability and protection from sudden displacement** , national party policies on the Residential Tenancies Act (such as rules around evictions and notice periods) will heavily influence your rights. If your concern is **the structural squeeze of entire neighborhoods turning into holiday homes** , the debate over whether central government should allow councils to levy or register short-term rentals is the key policy divergence to watch. ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: 14968de0-1747-4ed8-8016-4c02aeae62c5 As a hospitality worker renting a room in Queenstown, your concerns reflect the core pressure points of the district: balancing a booming tourism economy with a functional, year-round community. When considering your vote and the distinction between central government (parties) and local government (the district council), the division of powers is distinct. * * * Central Government vs. District Council: Who Does What? * **Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC):** * **Role:** Manages local planning, the **District Plan** , zoning rules, and resource consents. * **Short-Term Rental Impact:** QLDC sets the exact rules for how many nights a residential property can be rented out as unhosted visitor accommodation (e.g., the caps requiring resource consents after a certain number of days per year). They also manage local infrastructure, community land initiatives, and local rating differentials. * **Central Government (Parliament / Political Parties):** * **Role:** Sets national legislation, taxation rules (like interest deductibility for landlords or bright-line tests), tenancy laws (the Residential Tenancies Act), and funding frameworks for infrastructure or social housing. * **Short-Term Rental Impact:** National parties generally do not write local district plans or micromanage Queenstown's nightly caps. Instead, they shape the _economic incentives_ for property owners—such as whether it is more profitable to rent to a local worker long-term or list a property on Airbnb/holiday rental sites. * * * How the Parties Generally Differ on Housing and Renters While national political campaigns focus broadly on housing supply and tenant rights rather than micro-zoning Queenstown holiday homes specifically, their philosophical approaches differ in ways that directly impact your situation: * **Labour & The Green Party:** * Focus heavily on **strengthening renters' rights**. For instance, Labour's platform emphasizes rolling out fairer renting rules, such as restricting no-cause evictions, which could directly address your anxiety about suddenly losing your room during shifting seasonal periods. * Tend to favour regulations that rein in speculative property investment and support public/community housing supply. * **National, ACT, & NZ First:** * Focus more on **supply-side economics and landlord incentives**. They generally roll back heavy-handed rental market regulations to encourage private landlords back into the market, arguing that increasing the overall supply of houses and easing resource-management laws (like the RMA) is the best way to stabilize accommodation costs. * They place higher emphasis on private property rights and market-led solutions rather than prescriptive restrictions on how people utilize or rent out private dwellings. * * * What This Means For Your Vote in Queenstown If your primary anxiety is **housing stability, protection from sudden eviction, or the balance of long-term rentals vs. short-term holiday churn** : 1. **For Tenancy Security (Eviction rules, notice periods, and tenant protections):** Parties like Labour and the Greens offer explicit legislative changes to the Residential Tenancies Act aimed at giving renters more predictability. National and ACT generally oppose these as anti-landlord regulations that might shrink the pool of available rentals. 2. **For Local Zoning and Holiday Home Caps:** A change in central government will **not** automatically rewrite Queenstown’s district rules on short-term visitor accommodation. If you want tighter caps on Airbnb or holiday rentals in residential zones, that lever is pulled locally via [QLDC](https://www.qldc.govt.nz) consultations and the District Plan, though central government policy can alter local taxation or rating frameworks to discourage the conversion of permanent homes into holiday silos. ## AI Overviews Answer ID: 275b18ad-4818-4b1f-bb3d-69fc2bc43d87 Navigating Queenstown's rental market as a hospitality worker can be highly challenging, particularly when seasonal visitor surges put intense pressure on housing stability. In the context of the 2026 New Zealand general election, **political parties differ fundamentally on whether to use market-driven supply policies or government intervention** to manage the balance between short-term holiday rentals (like Airbnb) and long-term accommodation for permanent residents. What the Central Government Can Change vs. The District Council While the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) can regulate local land use and impose specific district plan rules (such as placing caps on the number of days a property can be let as a short-term holiday rental or adjusting commercial vs. residential rates), central government holds the power to change the overarching legislative framework. Central government changes that directly impact local housing include: * **The Residential Tenancies Act (RTA):** Parliament sets the legal boundaries for tenancy agreements, notice periods, evictions, and what defines a legal tenancy versus a flatting or boarding house arrangement. * **Taxation and Incentives:** Central government dictates tax rules for property investors, such as the brightness line test and interest deductibility, which heavily influence whether landlords prefer long-term tenants or short-term holiday markets. * **National Planning Rules:** The government can rewrite national planning standards to override local council restrictions, forcing councils to allow denser housing development. * * * How the Political Parties Differ in 2026 The political landscape splits into two main philosophies regarding rental availability and tenant security: 1\. Supply-Focused & Deregulation Approaches * **National:** Focuses primarily on increasing overall housing supply. National supports incentivizing private landlords by maintaining restored interest deductibility and a shorter bright-line test. Their philosophy relies on increasing total build volume to ease competition, rather than placing hard legal caps on short-term holiday platforms. * **ACT:** Strongly champions a market-driven approach and property owner rights. ACT opposes local or national restrictions on short-term rentals, arguing that homeowners should have full autonomy over how they lease their property. They favor cutting red tape to allow rapid new construction to absorb worker demand. 2\. State-Led Intervention & Tenant Protection Approaches * **Labour:** Favors targeted market regulations and state-supported housing initiatives. Labour’s platform supports protecting the long-term rental stock for workers and has historically investigated stricter standards or potential nationwide frameworks to ensure local councils can efficiently regulate short-term holiday rentals in high-demand tourist zones. * **The Green Party:** Advocates for strong intervention in the rental market to prioritize residents over visitor accommodation. The Greens favor strict regulatory limits or taxation on short-term holiday lets to push those properties back into the long-term market. They also advocate for enhanced renters' rights, such as implementing rent controls, restricting no-cause evictions, and strengthening the legal protections for room-renters and flatmates. A Note on Your Living Arrangement Your vulnerability during the busy tourist periods depends significantly on the **legal nature of your arrangement**. If you sign a fixed-term tenancy under the Residential Tenancies Act, your landlord cannot ask you to move out for visitor season before the contract expires. However, if you are a flatmate or in an informal room-renting agreement not covered directly by the standard RTA, your legal notice protections are significantly lower. When evaluating party policies, consider how each party plans to address the legal definition and security of "room renters" and informal flatmates. ## AI Overviews Answer ID: b07810b8-5bfc-40da-a167-6ad252d0dedf District Council vs. Central Government Roles * **Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC):** Manages local land use, the District Plan, and short-term visitor accommodation (STVA) rules (such as night caps ranging from 42 to 90 nights a year depending on the zone, or requiring resource consent). It also sets rating differentials (e.g., mixed-use or commercial rating spikes for properties used for short-term lets). However, council tools are restricted to local planning and rates; they cannot rewrite tax law, tenancy laws, or national immigration/tourism settings. qldc.govt.nzShort Term Accommodation - QLDCQueenstown, New Zealand ShortShort-term rental rules NZ 2026: councils, consent and rates * **Central Government:** Controls national legislation—such as the Residential Tenancies Act (evictions, rent rules), tax policy (interest deductibility, capital gains, land taxes, visitor/bed levies), foreign ownership rules, and infrastructure/regional funding deals. * * * Party Differences on Holiday Rentals, Housing, and Tourism (2026 Election Context) * **The Green Party:** * **Short-Term Rentals & Levies:** Proposes a national register for Airbnbs and short-term accommodations to track and levy short-term lets, alongside enabling local councils to implement visitor/bed levies and rates differentials on empty or short-term houses. * **Renter Protections:** Advocates capping annual rent increases (e.g., at 2%), banning no-cause evictions, ending interest deductibility for residential rentals, restoring a 10-year bright-line test, and requiring tenancies to be long-term/permanent. fullstackproperty.co.nz * **The Labour Party:** * **Renter Protections:** Proposes banning no-cause evictions, limiting rent increases to once every 12 months, and scaling up social/affordable housing delivery (targeting 6,000+ social housing places). * **Taxation:** Proposes capital gains tax measures and renter support packages, though local tourism levy stances have shifted through regional deal negotiations. wanakaapp.nzHope for Otago Regional Deal Signing Before ElectionNew Zealand Labour Party | Better starts now! by New Zealand Labour Party on Instagram - 10 seconds * **The National Party (Coalition/Current Government):** * **Tourism & Growth:** Focuses on economic growth, infrastructure support through a National Infrastructure Agency, and easing worker/immigration settings rather than backing a general Queenstown bed tax/visitor levy. * **Property/Investment:** Re-allows foreign/overseas buyers above $200k/2M thresholds under specific settings, raising first-home loan caps, and focusing on private-sector supply. facebook.comPeter McDonald on Queenstown and Southland seat (Nov 2026) * **ACT Party:** * **Landlords & Market:** Takes a landlord-friendly approach, opposing rent controls and tenancy restrictions, and advocating to abolish loss ring-fencing for residential rentals. * **New Zealand First / Te Pāti Māori:** Focus on infrastructure funding, regional equity, and housing supply through varying mechanisms (e.g., banking/superannuation-based borrowing or targeted regional deals). stories.theconversation.comElection policy tracker: what the parties are promising * * * What a Change in Government Could Mean for You * **If you want tighter controls on Airbnb / short-term conversions of residential rooms:** Parties like the Greens or Labour offer central legislative levers (national Airbnb register frameworks, stricter tenancy security, bans on no-cause evictions, and rent rise limits) that give long-term renters more stability against seasonal owner pivots. * **If you want market-led supply or worker-focused infrastructure:** Centre-right parties (National, ACT) emphasize private housing supply, reduced red tape for development, and broader economic/tourism activity, though critics note that high visitor numbers and unrestricted commercial rental yields can continue to squeeze local room availability. * **Local enforcement vs. central rules:** Even if QLDC tightens local district plan night caps (like the 42–90 night rules), a worker renting a room remains vulnerable to landlord decisions unless central tenancy laws (such as fixed-term vs. periodic rules or eviction protections) are altered by Parliament. bnbcalc.com Review local candidate stances in your electorate via Policy.nz or check regional council updates through [Queenstown Lakes District Council](https://www.qldc.govt.nz).