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For the 2026 New Zealand general election: Who would pay more or less under the parties' tax plans, and how would those plans fund public services?
New Zealand 2026 election: Who pays more or less tax?
Election day: 7 November 2026 · Policy position as at 1 November 2026
The central dividing line in this election is who should carry the tax burden.
- National and ACT favour keeping taxes lower, avoiding new broad-based taxes and encouraging private investment and economic growth.
- Labour wants a targeted capital gains tax on investment property to pay for additional healthcare.
- The Greens and Te Pāti Māori want to shift more of the tax burden towards wealthy individuals, large asset owners and major corporations, while reducing income tax for lower earners.
- Opportunity (formerly TOP) proposes a much bigger overhaul, using land taxation to help fund a universal basic income.
The important distinction is between paying less income tax and paying less tax overall. Someone might receive an income-tax cut but pay more through a wealth, land, property or inheritance tax.
1. What each party proposes
Labour
Targeted tax increases
Who would pay less?
- Small businesses with annual revenue below $10 million could immediately write off eligible assets costing up to $10,000.
- Businesses between $60,000 and $80,000 in annual turnover would benefit from a higher compulsory GST registration threshold.
- People whose only property is their family home would not be affected by Labour's proposed capital gains tax.
Who would pay more?
- People selling residential investment properties or commercial property at a profit after 1 July 2027.
- The proposed tax rate is 28% on gains made after that date.
- The family home, farms, shares, KiwiSaver and businesses are excluded.
How would it fund public services?
Labour proposes directing all capital gains tax revenue to healthcare. It says this would pay for:
- Three free GP visits annually through its Medicard.
- Free prescriptions.
- Free maternity scans.
- Free cervical screening.
- Additional nurses and emergency department improvements.
Labour also proposes replacing the existing broad Investment Boost tax incentive with targeted small-business support.
Its broader fiscal plan aims to return the government to surplus by 2028/29, while keeping expenditure and revenue around 33% of GDP. Labour's 2026 Election PoliciesTax Tips: 2026 General Election
National
No new taxes
Who would pay less?
- National promises no new taxes.
- People earning income from wages, salaries and investments would retain the existing income-tax structure.
- National has indicated it wants to address bracket creep, although a formal income-tax package has not been published.
- Businesses would retain the existing Investment Boost arrangements.
Who would pay more?
- There is no major new tax increase in National's published tax platform.
- Workers would, however, face higher compulsory KiwiSaver contributions under its proposal.
How would it fund public services?
National's approach is to:
- Grow the economy and increase the tax base.
- Control government expenditure.
- Reduce government debt.
- Return to surplus in 2028/29.
- Prioritise existing spending rather than introduce new taxes to fund expanded services.
National's argument is that economic growth and better spending discipline can support public services without increasing taxes. 2026 Election PolicyTax Tips: 2026 General ElectionSummary of 2026 election tax policies
ACT
Lower-tax approach
Who would pay less?
- Investors in qualifying digital assets could benefit from proposed tax exemptions.
- KiwiSaver investors would pay no tax on investment gains under ACT's proposal.
- Charities could benefit from the removal of the cap on donation tax credits.
- ACT also proposes changes to make the tax system more favourable to investment.
Who would pay more?
- ACT has not proposed a major new personal income or wealth tax.
- However, workers could lose the government KiwiSaver contribution under ACT's proposed changes.
How would it fund public services?
ACT emphasises:
- Reducing government spending and bureaucracy.
- Improving public-sector efficiency.
- Encouraging private-sector investment and economic growth.
- Giving councils a share of existing visitor-related revenue through its Local Tourism Dividend, rather than creating a new bed tax.
Its approach is that government should concentrate on core services and deliver them more efficiently. Tax Tips: 2026 General ElectionState of Parties
New Zealand First
Targeted business tax changes
Who would pay less?
- Smaller companies with turnover below $30 million would qualify for a proposed reduced company tax rate of 20%, compared with the current 28%.
- New Zealand First also proposes compulsory KiwiSaver and automatic enrolment of newborns.
Who would pay more?
- There is no comprehensive new personal income or wealth tax package.
- Workers would need to contribute more to KiwiSaver over time under its retirement savings proposals.
How would it fund public services?
Its approach relies on economic growth, business investment and changes to government priorities. It has also proposed substantial spending commitments, including in areas such as infrastructure, law and order and regional development.
An important qualification: New Zealand First has not published a comprehensive tax and fiscal plan comparable with Labour's. Its funding arrangements therefore remain less clear. Tax Tips: 2026 General ElectionSummary of 2026 election tax policies2026 Election Bribe-O-Meter
Green Party
Major redistribution of taxation
Who would pay less?
- Most lower- and middle-income earners would benefit from the proposed $10,000 tax-free threshold and revised income-tax rates.
- Smaller companies would retain the 28% company tax rate.
- People with relatively modest wealth would not pay the proposed wealth tax.
Who would pay more?
- Individuals with net wealth above $10 million would face a 2.5% annual wealth tax, excluding the family home.
- People receiving gifts or inheritances above $1 million would face a proposed 33% Capital Acquisitions Tax, subject to exemptions.
- People earning over $160,000 would face a 45% marginal income-tax rate.
- Larger companies with annual turnover above $30 million would pay 33% company tax instead of 28%.
- Major banks would face a new levy.
- Large technology companies would face a proposed tax on certain offshore payments.
The Greens estimate their wealth tax would affect approximately 0.3% of New Zealanders.
How would it fund public services?
The Greens would use additional revenue from wealthy individuals, inheritances and large businesses to support:
- Public healthcare.
- Education.
- Public housing.
- Climate action.
- Income support and poverty reduction.
The underlying philosophy is that people with the greatest financial resources and capacity to pay should contribute more towards shared services. Tax Tips: 2026 General ElectionElection policy tracker: what the parties are promising
Te Pāti Māori
Large income-tax and wealth-tax changes
Who would pay less?
- People earning up to $30,000 would pay no income tax.
- People earning between $30,000 and $60,000 would generally pay less income tax.
- Eligible people earning up to $60,000 would receive a targeted Kai Credit to compensate for GST paid on food.
- First-home buyers purchasing homes below $1 million would be exempt from the proposed stamp duty.
Who would pay more?
- People with net wealth above $2 million would face an annual wealth tax, with rates rising to 2.5% above $10 million.
- Companies would pay 33% company tax.
- People selling residential property would face a proposed 5% stamp duty, subject to the first-home buyer exemption.
- Owners of vacant houses and land held for speculation would face additional taxes.
- Certain profits transferred offshore would face a proposed 5% tax.
How would it fund public services?
The party proposes using additional tax revenue to improve:
- Healthcare and Māori health services.
- Education.
- Housing.
- Whānau support.
- Public infrastructure.
It also wants greater investment in Inland Revenue and other agencies to tackle tax fraud and evasion, increasing the amount of tax collected without necessarily increasing rates further. Tax Tips: 2026 General ElectionElection policy tracker: what the parties are promising
Opportunity (formerly TOP)
Fundamental tax-system overhaul
Who would pay less?
- Adults eligible for its proposed Citizen's Income would receive $19,400 annually.
- Some low-income households could receive greater overall support through the combination of income and tax changes.
- The policy would replace many existing benefits with a more universal payment.
Who would pay more?
Landowners would pay a proposed annual Land Value Tax:
- 1.75% on urban land value.
- 0.5% on rural land value.
Income tax would be restructured to 28% up to $50,000, 34% between $50,001 and $200,000 and 39% above $200,000.
Some people who own valuable land but earn relatively little could face higher tax bills, although deferral provisions are proposed.
How would it fund public services?
The Land Value Tax would help fund the Citizen's Income, which would replace most existing benefits.
Opportunity also proposes:
- Reforming KiwiSaver.
- Investing in technology and research.
- Simplifying the welfare and tax systems.
This is a much more substantial change than simply adjusting income-tax rates. Tax Tips: 2026 General ElectionSummary of 2026 election tax policies
2. Comparison: who benefits and who pays?
| Party | Likely tax winners | Likely tax losers |
|---|---|---|
| National | Existing taxpayers, businesses and investors | No major new tax group |
| Labour | Ordinary homeowners, small businesses | Investment and commercial property sellers |
| ACT | Investors, businesses, KiwiSaver savers | No major new tax group; some lose government KiwiSaver contributions |
| NZ First | Smaller companies | No clearly defined new tax group |
| Greens | Lower/middle-income earners | Very wealthy individuals, large companies, high earners |
| Te Pāti Māori | Lower-income earners and eligible first-home buyers | Wealthy individuals, companies and some property owners |
| Opportunity | Eligible adults receiving Citizen's Income | Urban and rural landowners, depending on land value |
This is a directional comparison, not a calculation of each household's total tax bill. The effects depend on income, assets, property ownership and eligibility.
3. How credible are the public-service funding plans?
There is an important difference between announcing a tax increase and demonstrating that it will sustainably pay for additional services.
| Party | Main funding approach | Main question |
|---|---|---|
| National | Economic growth and expenditure restraint | Can services improve without additional revenue? |
| Labour | Targeted capital gains tax and fiscal discipline | Will property-sale revenue be sufficient and reliable for healthcare? |
| ACT | Government spending reductions and efficiency | Can savings be achieved without reducing service quality? |
| NZ First | Economic growth and reprioritisation | How will its substantial spending commitments be funded? |
| Greens | Wealth, income and corporate taxes | Will the proposed taxes raise the forecast revenue? |
| Te Pāti Māori | Wealth, property and company taxes | Can the proposed revenue cover its expanded commitments? |
| Opportunity | Land Value Tax | Can the land tax sustainably fund the Citizen's Income? |
There are three particularly important considerations:
Revenue certainty: Income tax is generally collected regularly. Capital gains taxes depend on when people sell property, while wealth and land taxes depend on valuations and collection arrangements.
Economic effects: Higher taxes on wealth, property or businesses could change investment decisions. Equally, lower taxes do not automatically produce enough economic growth to fund better services.
Spending commitments: A party can promise additional healthcare, education and welfare spending, but it needs credible costings and revenue forecasts to demonstrate how those promises will be delivered.
KPMG identifies these structural funding choices as a major dividing line in the election. Summary of 2026 election tax policiesTax Tips: 2026 General Election
4. What about KiwiSaver?
This is another important difference because some proposals affect your take-home pay even though they aren't income-tax changes.
| Party | Main proposal |
|---|---|
| National | Compulsory contributions, progressively increasing employer and employee rates to 6% each |
| Labour | Increase employer contributions to 6%, including for workers over 65 |
| ACT | Remove tax on KiwiSaver investment gains and end government contributions |
| NZ First | Compulsory KiwiSaver and higher contributions |
| Opportunity | New KiwiSaver 2.0, with contributions eventually reaching 6% each |
| Greens | No equivalent major compulsory contribution change identified in the tax package |
| Te Pāti Māori | No equivalent major compulsory contribution change identified in the tax package |
Higher employee contributions mean less take-home pay today, but potentially more retirement savings. Employer contributions can also affect total remuneration and business costs. Tax Tips: 2026 General ElectionSummary of 2026 election tax policies
5. The big picture
If your priority is keeping taxes low
National and ACT are the clearest choices. They favour existing tax settings, spending restraint and private-sector growth.
If your priority is funding healthcare
Labour has a relatively straightforward proposal: tax investment property gains and direct the proceeds to health.
If your priority is reducing inequality
The Greens and Te Pāti Māori propose more substantial redistribution, with lower income taxes for lower earners and higher taxes on wealth and large businesses.
If your priority is changing the welfare system
Opportunity offers the most radical alternative through a universal Citizen's Income funded substantially by land taxation.
6. My overall assessment
The biggest question isn't simply whether you will pay more or less tax. It is whether the proposed tax system can pay for the public services New Zealand needs over the long term.
- National and ACT offer greater continuity and lower-tax settings, but their model depends heavily on economic growth and spending discipline.
- Labour offers a more targeted approach, linking a specific new tax to healthcare improvements.
- The Greens and Te Pāti Māori offer the strongest redistribution of the tax burden, but their proposals involve substantial changes to the tax system and require careful scrutiny of revenue forecasts.
- Opportunity offers a fundamental redesign of income support and taxation, but it also carries significant implementation and funding risks.
- NZ First has some potentially significant business tax changes, but its overall funding framework is less developed publicly.
One important caveat: These are proposed policies, not enacted changes. Coalition negotiations could substantially alter them. The independent tax-policy comparisons from PwC and KPMG are useful for examining the details.
For a voter, I would pay particular attention to three things: your actual after-tax income, whether you own property or other substantial assets, and whether the party's public-service promises have credible long-term funding behind them.
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