General Debate 21 October 2026

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NeverMindTheBollocks

Doncha hate the EV agitists during election year. Every single one of their policies boils down to extra tax.

“That (policy suggestions) included tax changes like removing road user charges and fringe benefit tax from EVs; providing financing through a mix of subsidies, low-interest loans and leasing schemes mandating EVs for the government’s 15,000-vehicle fleet wherever possible, and speeding up approvals and connection processes for public chargers”.

If you want an EV, pay for it out of your own pocket, chum! Stop stealing from my wallet.

http://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics_election-2026/2044677/advocates-call-on-politicians-for-more-comprehensive-transport-electrification-plans
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October 21, 2026 8:00am
- RoboRob
  
  We had EV subsidies and petrol / diesel taxes under JA and Hipkins, that was to encourage EV adoption. Under National they were scrapped. The take up on EVs was basically unchanged. If EVs and Hybrids make sense financially people will buy them. No need for the government to skew the pitch. Buying anything based on a government subsidy is a fools errand, the subsidy can disappear overnight.
  
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  October 21, 2026 8:54am
nigel2010

This is a serious question which hasn’t been answered yet, IF the cgt tanks people’s property value like i think it will how will Labour raise any income from it when you don’t gain any capital
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October 21, 2026 8:06am
- All_on_Red
  
  I think you are half right. There is no country in the world where a CGT has lowered values.
  However, in every country the value of houses goes up and down. But that is due to economic conditions not taxes.
  Look at NZ. Our values are currently around where they were pre Covid (went up during Covid and have slid back since)
  So I think your point about there being minimal income is correct but not the cause of any decline in value.
  I’d observe its a very good time to buy a house.
  
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  October 21, 2026 8:43am
  - RoboRob
    
    Agreed, it is a good time to buy.
    
    However the looming threat of Labour / Green / TOP / TPM policy puts a lid on investment properties. I looked at buying a rental about 10 years ago, really glad I didn’t as Labour came in with their anti landlord policies. Even if the right get back in this year, the looming threat remains.
    
    I wonder if the left has ever thought about where rental properties come from and what the effect of supply and demand means to rental prices. Some people want to or need to (short term placements) rent. The left seams determined to create a market where people either own their own homes (and are taxed for doing so) or live in state owned emergency housing.
    
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    October 21, 2026 9:03am
    - All_on_Red
      
      House sale volume is down around 15%.
      But sales to investors still make up around 30% of all sales.
      People still need income to supplement their Pension/Benefit.
      Oh and before people start whining we need to invest in ‘productive businesses’, I say what productive businesses?
      There is no way people will risk their wealth investing in SME’s.
      ‘Safe as houses’ isn’t just an expression, its a strategy.
      
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      October 21, 2026 9:13am
- RoboRob
  
  If we just focus on the things we know as a fact, the CGT makse no sense .
  
  1. Labours 3 free doctors visits funded by CGT kicks in next year.
  2. Revenue from the CGT is around 5 years after implementation.
  
  Where does the money come from for the doctors visits come from?
  
  I don’t think house price values will tank, I think that has already happened. I do think lawyers and accountants will be in for extra work as methods to avoid or reduce the CGT are invented.
  
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  October 21, 2026 8:58am
crash

Some say that because voter enrolment changes close on October 25th until the final election day on November 7, many who were able to enrol on election day in past elections will be denied their vote in this one.

We have three-year election cycles – 156 weeks (or so) between elections. If the new restrictions continue, those enrolling for the first time will have 154 of every 156 weeks to do so. For those that fail to do this in such a tiny closure window, they only have themselves to blame if they are denied their vote.

The reason this was done is because frozen electoral rolls make vote-counting far more speedy than in the past. Note that in the 2023 election (October 14th), with enrolment on election day permitted, it took 3 weeks for election results to be finalised (November 3rd). During that time, we knew which party would lead the Government and who they would invite to join them but Winston Peters refused to start coalition agreement negotiation until the final counts were known – so
there was a 3-week hiatus. Hopefully this will not be repeated this time around.
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October 21, 2026 8:07am
- MCōs
  
  The official election results will be announced 20 days after the election; the same as the last election
  At the last election approximate results were announced based on approximately 80% of votes cast and they changed by one or two seats in the final wash up.
  Not a huge deal last time, but could be this time
  
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  October 21, 2026 9:01am
  - RoboRob
    
    Last election their were huge queues at our voting venue. These were caused by a pile of people wanting to do on day enrolments. Even if the vote count takes the same time, the actual on day voting process should be better.
    
    There is no need to leave registering to the last minute.
    
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    October 21, 2026 9:05am
Tomtoddy

I am so over the TV debates and “expert opinion” nonsense. Government isn’t a TV show.

TV is about entertainment, not education, instruction and in-depth examination of issues. Sadly, too many voters are likely to be influenced by this travesty.
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October 21, 2026 8:13am
- kevn
  
  Tomt… I know people who still get all their ‘news’, as edited by TV1/3.
  
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  October 21, 2026 8:34am
Damocles11

There has been no genuine cost cutting by this government. We are spending well over $9 billion a year on the interest on our debt yet we continue to add to this debt at a frightening pace. ‘Total Crown borrowings and gross debt figures track past $281 billion to over $330 billion depending on the specific scope of liabilities tracked.’ The recent figures posted by Alwyn Poole highlighted a $655 million spend on consultants for 2025/26, up 7.2% in a year. We should be learning from the profligacy of France, not emulating it. As far as I can see, only ACT is serious about cutting costs. Centre-right voters need to strengthen their hand so they can get some meaningful change underway: we cannot go on down this spending track, that way leads to ruin.
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October 21, 2026 8:19am
- RoboRob
  
  Confirmed. Only Act is looking at reducing spending.
  
  https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/bribe_o_meter
  
  National are looking at growth to out pace increased spending to get back to surplus.
  
  NZF, much loved by some here, are pledging to spend MUCH MORE then Labour.
  
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  October 21, 2026 9:07am
Albie

“If voters don’t understand the relationship between productivity, wages, taxation, government borrowing and living standards, they may find it difficult to judge whether a party’s promises are economically credible.”

Just a small excerpt from a response to a question I asked of ChatGPT as to why almost half of New Zealanders polled would want the very people who put the country in the state it’s in back in charge.
Explains why Chippie wants to unwind the positive changes made to the education system under this government perhaps?
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October 21, 2026 8:22am
Hugh Jarse

Tom, 99% agree with you. I disagree with the thought that a lot of voters are influenced by these sideshow ‘s designed to increase the media’s listeners or viewers and appeal to the moderators ego’s.
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October 21, 2026 8:23am
Yvette

The Maori Party is advantaged in comparison to parties that lack ethnically concentrated seats. The Māori electorates will likely allow it to convert support into several parliamentary seats independent of nationwide party-vote performance.

In a word the Maori Party has changed a Party Vote to a Coalition Vote.
Which is totally legitimate under MMP, but taking advantage of special seats that are probably illegitimate in terms of the Declaration of Human Rights – equal voting rights.
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October 21, 2026 8:26am
- mike
  
  Please expand on your argument that the Māori electorates harm others’ rights.
  
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  October 21, 2026 9:12am
Gravelroad

Re the Verian poll from last night:
Does it seem odd that NZF is apparently on 8% support while Opportunity is allegedly on 7%?
NZF is an established political party with a track record.
Opportunity has done nothing and will achieve nothing.
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October 21, 2026 8:26am
- pdm
  
  Obviously the people polled see no track record as better than a track record of unreliability as we have seen from Winston Peters over the 40 plus years of his Parliamentary career.
  
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  October 21, 2026 8:40am
- RoboRob
  
  It seems very strange that this poll has NZF well below Act in polling. Whilst I think that’s a good thing, almost all other polls have the reverse.
  
  National on 32% is great but really out there too compared to all other polling and trends. It seems to me this poll might be ‘rogue’.
  
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  October 21, 2026 9:10am
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  Nope, not really that weird.
  
  They appeal to very different people.
  
  The one thing an unproven party with no track record has in its favour is that all its supporters can think it will be perfect – since it has no track record to prove otherwise.
  
  All things to all people sort of thing. If they do get a bum on a seat then people will know them better – for good or bad – at the next election.
  
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  October 21, 2026 9:14am
Tomtoddy

A High Court Judge recently wrote a judgement that among other things stated, “the tikanga principles of mana whenua and kaitiakitanga may require specific consideration in this case”.

Could the legal minds among us explain what this actually means?

Someone please explain why this does not indicate confusion, uncertainty, and a make work scheme for lawyers and the judiciary.
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October 21, 2026 8:26am
- Yvette
  
  Tomtoddy, if you refer to this case –
  
  Woman vows to continue occupation of abandoned school despite Treaty settlement
  In a decision released this month Associate High Court Judge Andrew Skelton said “the tikanga principles of mana whenua and kaitiakitanga may require specific consideration in this case”.
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/home-property/361048531/woman-vows-continue-occupation-abandoned-school-despite-treaty-settlement
  
  – consideration of tikanga principles of mana whenua and kaitiakitanga may be factors in understanding the situation, but probably as reference rather than the direct means of administering law.
  At least it has relevance to this case, rather than Ellis V R which apparently had no Maori connection.
  
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  October 21, 2026 8:44am
peterwn

Author Sean Ackland commented on Facebook –
“Spare a thought for the right-wing politicians and commentators still trying, in the year of our Lord 2026, to sell Chlöe Swarbrick as some naive, pie-in-the-sky idealist.”
Well, she is. End of matter. There are less kind things that could be said.
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October 21, 2026 8:37am
- David Garrett
  
  How about “a mad communist” ??
  
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  October 21, 2026 9:02am
- Gravelroad
  
  Won’t matter if Ms Swarbrick is a “naive, pie-in-sky idealist” – or not.
  If she gets the influence that MMP votes buy, she could be the next Minister of Finance.
  
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  October 21, 2026 9:06am
  - David Garrett
    
    Gravel: That is a truly terrifying prospect…but very unlikely given Hipkins ruling it out..but then who knows?
    
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    October 21, 2026 9:14am

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