By Duncan Garner
The Labour Party will unveil its new tax policy next week and 3 News understands it will target property speculators who have pushed up house prices.
Labour is planning a capital gains tax on housing, although the family home will be exempt.
It is a way of taxing those who have made big money – but paid little tax – in property deals.
Around 200,000 New Zealanders own second houses like holiday homes and rentals.
For years they have been tax free, meaning if you sell them and make a huge capital gain you can pocket the profit.
But 3 News understands Labour wants to take a slice of that profit by introducing a capital gains tax.
“I think we'll look widely at how we can help Kiwi's achieve the dream of home ownership,” says Labour leader Phil Goff.
A capital gains tax is a tax on the profit you make when selling the rental or bach. It is expected to raise $4.5 billion but could take years to get to that level.
Mr Goff does not want to give too much away ahead of the official release next week.
“I'm not ruling anything in or out at this stage, you will just have to wait for the announcement, until we've completed the policy progress,” he says.
Prime Minister John Key says a capital gains tax would be a disaster.
“They're hideously complex and people spend their life dealing with their tax accountants,” he says.
Dozens of developed countries have capital gains taxes, including Australia, which has had the tax for 20 years and exempts the family home too. The Greens say it is well over due.
“I think it would have been better to have this capital gains tax at the beginning of the boom, at the start of the first Labour Government, but if they have learned then that's progress,” says Russel Norman, Green Party co-leader.
Labour will also release its income tax policy next Thursday too as it attempts to raise revenue to pay for some of its promises.
It will include a new tax on high income earners.
Labour also looked at a land tax and considered a financial transactions tax targeting banks, but ruled out both. Mr Goff has told 3 News next week's policy release is not about tinkering and it will not please a whole lot of people.
It is certainly a bold and courageous move to target property speculators who have operated in a tax free haven for decades. Putting up taxes is never popular and not easy to sell to voters and Mr Goff should prepare for a backlash.
3 News