The BFD | ACT’s Week in Action

ACT Party

This week ACT is again on the rise, we call out more hypocrisy from the Greens co-leader and we call for the housing tax grab to be scrapped.

IN THE NEWS

ACT on the up

This week saw two outstanding polls for the ACT Party. The first, taken by UMR for its corporate clients at the start of the lockdown had ACT steady on 13 per cent. Another poll, taken for the Taxpayers Union by Curia more recently had ACT on the highest result in our 25-year history – at 15 per cent.

We’re encouraged by these polls but we’re not taking anything for granted. We are continuing to focus on the issues that matter to New Zealanders. David Seymour has done a press conference with media every day this week, covering the COVID response, vaccination rollout, transparency around Government data, GDP and the COVID Fund.

We’ll keep listening to New Zealanders and proposing ideas to make New Zealand a better place.

More hypocrisy from the Greens

ACT’s Climate Change spokesperson Simon Court made headlines calling out yet more hypocrisy from the Greens.

After claiming there’s a “Climate Emergency” Green co-leader James Shaw gave himself a five-month extension to publish the Emissions Reduction Plan. Shaw has time to fly to Glasgow to talk about climate change but not enough time to meet his own deadlines.

He might want to check the definition of an emergency.

Housing

Deputy Leader and Housing spokesperson Brooke van Velden went into bat for landlords this week.

The Government is rushing through the Housing Tax changes before 1 October under urgency in order to lay their hands on an extra $800 million

From October 1, most residential property investors will no longer be able to deduct interest as an expense when paying tax.

Removing interest deductibility is a tax grab. It is intended to line the Government coffers at the expense of Mum and Dad investors to the tune of an estimated $800 million. We still don’t know what the rules look like, and what the Government deems to be a “new build.”

These changes are divisive and unfair. They’re about blaming investors and are a new source of revenue for the Government but won’t do what they’re touted to do – improve housing affordability. You can sign our petition here.

Brooke also called for common sense and compassion to be used for rental regulation. Alert Level 4 means that tradespeople have been unable to carry out work that was required for the so-called “Healthy Homes Standards” and there will now be massive backlogs.

The Government said that all private rentals must comply within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy after 1 July 2021. This simply won’t be possible for some landlords now and it’s through no fault of their own.

The Government’s guidelines for Alert Level 4 building, construction, and maintenance says work can only be completed if it meets criteria such as to address immediate risk to health and safety or is required for nationally important infrastructure.

OUT AND ABOUT (outside Auckland)

Florists on the forecourt

Parliament wasn’t sitting this week, but it didn’t stop a group of florists from visiting Parliament to show the impact lockdown has had on them.

Shout out to the farmers

Farmers have kept the economy going through COVID. We wanted to give a shout to our own Mark Cameron, who as well as doing his job as an MP, attending Select Committees, responding to constituents and developing policy has still been milking his own cows.

Here is checking his emails while on the farm.