Kiwis across our community are doing their best to get ahead in a challenging economic environment. Families are managing higher household costs, businesses are focused on growth, and councils continue to face pressure to fund essential infrastructure. That is why National is committed to no new taxes if re-elected.

At a time when many households are carefully managing their budgets, increasing taxes on working New Zealanders is not the answer. The focus needs to be on growing the economy, lifting productivity, encouraging investment, and ensuring that public spending delivers better results for taxpayers.

A fair tax system is one that rewards hard work, supports business confidence, and allows people to keep more of what they earn. Rather than continually looking for new ways to tax New Zealanders, National is focused on creating the conditions for economic growth that generates jobs, increases incomes, and improves our public finances.

This approach can also be seen in the way the Government is funding visitor-related infrastructure. Rather than introducing a bed tax or additional charges that could fall on domestic travellers, we have taken steps to ensure international visitors make a greater contribution through the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL).

Importantly, a share of IVL revenue will now be distributed directly to councils and communities that host international visitors. This means local areas will receive additional support for infrastructure and services used by tourists without placing extra tax burdens on local ratepayers or residents.

The principle is straightforward: where there are costs created by visitor activity, those benefiting from New Zealand's tourism offering should contribute towards meeting them. This helps reduce pressure on local councils while avoiding the need for new taxes on Kiwi families and businesses.

The commitment to no new taxes isn’t just about keeping costs down. It is about recognising that every dollar collected is a dollar that you cannot spend on your future directly. New Zealand's long-term prosperity depends on growth, productivity, and responsible management of public finances, not from asking taxpayers to pay more.

It’s all part of National’s plan to fix the basics and build our economic future.

See you out in our community sometime soon!

Dan Bidois
MP for Northcote

Email: dan.bidois@parliament.govt.nz

Phone: 09 481 1089 

Facebook: @danbidoismp