National Party misrepresents NZ tax poll

George Driver September 25, 2026
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The graphic makes claims about a poll commissioned by The Spinoff website. Image by AAP FactCheck/Meta

WHAT WAS CLAIMED

A poll found 45 per cent of respondents do not want any new taxes.

OUR VERDICT

False. The poll did not ask this. Instead, it found that more respondents supported several new taxes than opposed them.

AAP FACTCHECK - New Zealand's National Party is claiming a recent poll found overwhelming opposition to new taxes, but that's not what it actually found.

Instead, it showed more respondents supported than opposed a number of new taxes, including a significant majority in favour of a wealth tax. 

The National Party made the claim in a September 24 Facebook post. Health minister and the party's election campaign chair Simeon Brown also made the claim on social media.

The post includes a graphic headed: "BREAKING: POLL SHOWS NO DESIRE FOR NEW TAXES".

It appears to show 44 per cent of poll respondents wanted "less tax", 45 per cent wanted "no new taxes" and four per cent wanted "more tax". 

Simeon Brown also posted the graphic on his Facebook page.
Simeon Brown also posted the graphic on his Facebook page. (Ben McKay/AAP PHOTOS)

"Labour and their mates want nine new taxes," the post reads. "With National there will be no new taxes."

National has repeatedly claimed the Labour Party and its potential coalition partners want to introduce nine new taxes. 

It has launched a website stating these include a capital gains tax and an "asset tax", also known as a wealth tax.

However, the poll referred to in the post did not ask respondents whether they wanted "no new taxes" and it actually found significant support for several new taxes.

The Facebook post cites an Ipsos poll conducted for The Spinoff website between September 3 and 11, which was published on September 24. 

The figures that correspond to those in the post detail respondents' views on the amount of tax they currently pay - not their views on new taxes. 

Chris Hipkins has said a Labour government will introduce a capit
Chris Hipkins has said a Labour government will introduce a capital gains tax. (Ben McKay/AAP PHOTOS)

It found 44 per cent thought they should "pay less tax", 45 per cent thought they paid "about the right amount of tax" and four per cent thought they should "pay more tax". 

However, several other questions explored views on specific tax proposals. 

The poll found 45 per cent supported a new capital gains tax, while 40 per cent opposed it. 

It also found 64 per cent supported a new wealth tax and 26 per cent opposed one.

More supported than opposed a "bed tax" levied on short-term stays to fund regional tourism, with 48 per cent in favour and 36 per cent opposed.

There was less support for a land value tax, with 50 per cent opposing this and 24 per cent supporting.

Most respondents also opposed a commuter tax, with 22 per cent in favour and 62 per cent opposed.

When asked for evidence to support the claim, a National Party spokesperson said the 45 per cent who said they paid "about the right amount of tax"  believe the status quo is correct.

"Therefore, we changed the poll question to 'No New Taxes' in the social media post. This keeps the same intent as the poll question," they added.

Labour has said its policy is to introduce only one new tax - a capital gains tax - and claims it won't support implementing the taxes proposed by its potential coalition partners. 

** UPDATE: 25/9/26 3.23PM: Addition of paragraphs 19 and 20 to include response from the National Party**

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