Discussion
"An LVT levied on urban land owned by landlords and property speculators would surely be passed on to tenants in the form of rent increases."
#GordonCampbell, 2026
https://werewolf.co.nz/2026/08/gordon-campbell-on-opportunitys-turn-in-the-political-spotlight/
Apparently this is a "centre-left" arguments against Opportunity policy. Inconveniently for Campbell, this is *exactly* the argument the NatACTs raised against Robertson's policy of removing tax deductibility from mortgage interest;
(1/?)
The reverse claim - that it would lower rents - was NatACT First's argument for giving landlords millions in free public money ("tax relief") within their first 100 days, by reversing Robertson's policy.
Campbell's argument also ignores the ways that a Land Tax - like much of Robertson's housing policy - discourages people with large pools of wealth from growing it by betting up the capital value of property. And with it, the rents required to pay those mortgages.
(2/?)
It's really quite amazing the intellectual knots some people manage to tie themselves in, trying to explain why Labour under Hipkins is "centre-left", while Opportunity are "centre-right ". Campbell is more skilled than most, and the economic contortionist act he pulls off is truly impressive.
But like this one, most of these arguments don't survive the most basic fact-check. Some do, as I've noted, such as their willingness to fire public servants to balance the books. Focus on those!
(3/3)
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