New Zealand Labour Party challenged on tax policy and Māori relations

National Party finance spokesperson Nicola Willis criticised the Labour government's proposed changes to the Investment Boost and a capital gains tax, saying they would remove more than NZ$5 billion of support for small businesses. Willis argued that scrapping the NZ$6.6 billion Investment Boost in favour of a NZ$1.56 billion figure would hinder investment in equipment and increase costs for owners of farms, manufacturers and trades businesses.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins responded by outlining a different agenda, promising to rebuild trust between Māori communities and the Crown. He reaffirmed support for the Waitangi Tribunal’s role in reviewing Crown actions against the Treaty of Waitangi and defended the party’s backing of legislation that recognises English as an official language, insisting it does not diminish the status of te reo Māori or New Zealand Sign Language.