The Green Party is criticising a National Party attack advert as "AI slop", saying it misrepresents the party's tax policy and New Zealand's tax settings.
The Greens' election tax plan introduces new tax bands, including a tax-free threshold of $10,000. The party would also adjust the top tax rate.
Income of $180,001 and over is currently taxed at 39%. The Greens would adjust this so income over $160,000 was taxed at 45%.
Following this announcement, National ran a social media post attacking the plan.
"You'd probably think they're only talking about taxing billionaires, people with yachts, multi-millionaires. You'd be wrong," the voiceover said.
"Because if you ever want to earn $160,000, you would need to pay 45 percent of it to the Greens and Labour. It's right there in their document."
But the video failed to take into account New Zealand's progressive tax system.
For example, someone earning $75,000 a year is not taxed at a flat rate of 30%.
Their first $15,600 is taxed at 10.5%, their income between $15,601 and $53,500 is taxed at 17.5%, and then only the income between $53,501 and $75,000 is taxed at 30%.
"The National Party is trying to hide behind AI slop and take New Zealanders for idiots," Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said.
She had asked Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to "come out from hiding behind that ad" and debate the Greens about the policy properly.
National's finance spokesperson Nicola Willis yesterday said she had not seen the video but understood marginal tax rates.
"I will go and look at that, and if there's someone on the social media team that needs to be educated, I'll be happy to give them a bit of a lesson in marginal tax rates."
But 24 hours later, the video was still on National's social media pages.
Swarbrick said if Willis was uncomfortable with something "which is actively misrepresenting a progressive tax system", then she could ask to get it taken down.
She also expressed her disappointment National was using AI in its video content.
"I think, especially for a party that is having record donations pouring in at a time where things are incredibly tough for regular New Zealanders, they could perhaps afford to be paying some local creatives to create some content that maybe, I don't know, tells a positive vision for our country."
Clear in the context, says National
It does not look like National will take the video down, however.
"Our video shows the Green Party's own tax policy document, including that everyone earning over $160,000 will be hit with a 45 percent tax rate. It is clear in the context that it refers to marginal tax rates," a spokesperson for the National Leader's Office said.
The Greens had "tried to mislead" people into thinking that taxing the rich only referred to people with yachts and helicopters, they said.
"Our video has drawn attention to the fact that their tax policy hits every hardworking New Zealander earning over $160,000.
"It's not surprising the Greens want it taken down, but we think Kiwis deserve to know the truth about their tax policy."
This story was first published on rnz.co.nz |  |
