Non paywall link: https://archive.ph/PNx3R
‘Literally everything’s taxed’ in Australia - and some across the ditch ‘see NZ as a bit of a tax haven’
By Juliet Speedy
Capital gains tax is shaping up to be one of the major economic battlegrounds of New Zealand’s election campaign, with Labour signalling it would introduce changes if elected.
Across the Tasman, Australia’s latest Federal Budget has already proposed changes to investment taxes, reigniting debate about whether wealthy Australians could begin looking to New Zealand as a more attractive place to invest.
Australia has had a capital gains tax for about 40 years, alongside other costs such as land tax and stamp duty. But the Anthony Albanese Government’s latest budget proposals, which would increase taxes on some investment earnings, have sparked strong reactions across the country.
Previously investors could have a 50% discount if they owned an asset for at least a year.
This is being replaced by a discount based on inflation and a minimum 30% tax for most, while assets purchased before 1985 are now included in a capital gains tax when they weren’t previously.
Stuff spoke to Australians on Sydney’s Martin Place.
"There’s a tax on everything, there’s a death tax, luxury car tax, literally everything's taxed," one man said.
"I think it’s viewed negatively," said another.
"Most people are gonna be unhappy either way. There’s a lot of trade offs involved."
The changes have also reignited debate about whether New Zealand could become comparatively more attractive to investors.

28:48
Gary Stevenson on why a salary won't make you rich
VIDEO CREDIT: Damien Venuto
More comments from Martin Place today:
“I think Australians would see New Zealand as a bit of a tax haven, except for GST.”
“I think the New Zealand Government can also take some lessons from whatever happens in Australia.”
“I think many might see [it] as a prospect to buy property in New Zealand as well.”
But economists say claims that New Zealand could suddenly become a tax haven for Australians may be overstated.
Westpac economist Kelly Eckhold said the idea did not stack up.
“I find it a bit strange… a tax haven is usually a place where people put money to avoid tax, and I would have thought that for Australians, buying property in New Zealand wouldn’t provide much of a shield.”
ACT leader David Seymour said New Zealand should embrace being competitive internationally. Photo: Chino Barrett-Lovie
Labour’s proposed capital gains tax would not begin immediately, but supporters argued it would bring New Zealand more in line with other developed economies.
Labour spokesperson for finance and economy Barbara Edmonds rejected suggestions New Zealand was operating as a tax haven compared to Australia.
“Have a chat to a number of tax practitioners, they’ll tell you we pay more in rates, GST, and other levies.”
Not everyone saw lower taxes as a problem.
ACT leader David Seymour said New Zealand should embrace being competitive internationally.
“It’s not every day I see a headline in the New Zealand media that makes my heart sing. But the fact is, being a competitive place that’s good to work, save and invest is a good thing for New Zealand.”
But the Green Party said becoming a low-tax destination risked creating bigger problems.
Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick questioned whether New Zealand should attract investment by keeping taxes low.
“Do we really want to be a place that is attractive because you don’t pay tax or contribute? That doesn’t seem to solve the problem.”
Governments globally will do anything but regulate social media and other tech companies. The greatest danger to the wellbeing of our society currently is the influence of companies run by tech-bro sociopaths such as Zuckerberg and Musk and Thiel. As we've seen time and again, these companies manipulate discourse for profit and political outcomes and have zero moral compass.
Some examples: Facebook never accepted responsibility for allowing a lifestream from the Christchurch terrorist as he was committing his heinous crimes, and spreading white nationalism globally. YouTube has provided safe haven for disgusting individuals like Charlie Kirk and his cohort. Spotify give us the brain damaged Joe Rogan. Brexit, Trump, and the conservative right cosying up to Putin would have never happened without Facebook etc. Anti-science propaganda is widely spread leading to the fall in vaccination rates and violent threats being made to public health officials and politicians. How about sovereign citizens and religious terrorists?
Forget 16 year olds, the danger of brainwashed and manipulated adults "doing their own research" is the main risk we face from social media companies. A lot of politicians are also in the echo chamber, while others are happy to use it for their own ends no matter the cost to society as a whole.
Don't ban, regulate these companies. They are a clear danger to all of us.
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Government changes climate law to prevent lawsuits.
Key findings:
81% on average across 31 countries think their country should avoid getting involved in the current conflict in the Middle East.
71% of Americans think their country should not be involved in the Iran war and this rises to 79% for those aged 18-34 in the U.S. Israel is the only country where people are more in favour of being involved than not (58% to 43%).
33% think the war will last until 2027 or beyond. 31% think it will end by the end of this year, 26% within three months and 10% within the next month.
In 27 of the 29 countries surveyed in April 2026 and last autumn, the proportion who think the U.S. will have a positive impact on the world has fallen.
On average across 30 countries, a greater proportion think China (50%) will have a positive impact on the world than the U.S. (39%) over the next decade.
Attitudes to the conflict in the Middle East
On average across 31 countries 81% think their country should avoid getting involved in the Iran war, with 48% strongly agreeing their country should stay out of the conflict. Only 19% on average disagree that their country should avoid getting involved.
In 30 of the 31 countries surveyed a majority believe their country should stay out of the conflict. This includes the U.S., where 71% feel their country should avoid getting militarily involved with 44% strongly agreeing the U.S. should avoid it. Israel is the only country where a majority are in favour of the conflict. Forty-three per cent agree Israel should avoid getting militarily involved, while 58% disagree.
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Expectation the war will not end any time soon
One-third (33% on average across 31 countries) predict the war will last until next year or beyond and 31% think it will end by the end of the year. People in Canada are the most likely to think the war won’t end by the end of the year or longer (76%).
Across 31 countries 10% think the war will be over within the next month and 26% think it will be over within three months. In Israel the expectation is the current conflict will be a short one. Forty per cent think it will be over within the next month and 40% think it will end within three months.
U.S. reputation falls further
In 27 of 29 countries surveyed in April 2026 and in October last year, fewer people think the U.S. will have a positive impact on world affairs in the coming decade. Brazil has seen a very slight increase (+1 percentage point to 56%) since last autumn, but the proportion of Brazilians having a positive view of America is down 17pp compared to October 2024, prior to U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term in office. Canada was the other country to not see its proportion who think the U.S. will have a positive impact fall since last October. However, Canadians are much less likely to view the U.S. positively than before Trump’s return to the Oval Office in 2025. We have been tracking attitudes to the U.S.’s impact on the world annually since 2015 and this year’s positive score, along with last October, is Canada’s lowest in that time.
This is the same story with other U.S. allies. Looking at the other G7 countries all have recorded the lowest figures in thinking the US will have a positive impact in the world. Only 19% in Germany currently view the U.S. positively.
This is true even among Americans. Three in five (59%) Americans think the country will have a positive impact on world affairs. Prior to President Trump’s second term this figure had not fallen below 76%.
A greater proportion think China will have a positive impact on the world than the U.S. Half (50% on average across 30 countries) now view China positively, up from 42% (on average across 28 countries) in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. On average people across Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin American countries included in our polling are all more likely to currently feel China will do greater good than the U.S. in the next decade.
Click the link to see the charts with data.
Former Sir Rod Drury employee speaks despite confidential settlement: 'He kissed me over 50 times'
Paula Penfold
PART 1
Sir Rod Drury's former private chef claims he repeatedly kissed her on the lips while she worked for him, describing the contact as unwanted. Megan Ruddle is speaking publicly despite a confidential employment settlement last year. Her account follows claims from two former Xero employees who have also alleged unwanted sexual contact. Drury says Ruddle's allegations are "unfounded" and part of a "sustained media campaign", and he will make contact with police in relation to the allegations, "as I have with previous matters raised publicly."
A recent former employee of New Zealander of the Year Sir Rod Drury claims he repeatedly kissed her on the lips while she was working for him, describing the contact as unwanted.
Megan Ruddle, who began working for Drury as a chef on his luxury catamaran in 2023 and then worked at his Queenstown property, said she wanted to speak publicly having seen him recently knighted and then awarded the New Zealander of the Year title.
"Prestigious accolades that I personally just didn't think he deserved. It didn't paint the right picture of the character that he has. I felt that New Zealand deserved to know the real Rod Drury."
Ruddle has taken the step of speaking publicly in spite of having signed a non-disclosure agreement and reaching a confidential settlement over an employment dispute — a personal grievance complaint she made against Drury and his company Oto60 in 2025.
"I never wanted to settle and sign an agreement in the first place. I think it's in the best interests of people knowing what actually happened. I don't think that this should be able to legally be covered up by an agreement."
In the agreement, neither Drury nor his company make any admission of liability. Last month, Ruddle made a police complaint and has been interviewed.
Her claims follow those of two other former employees from when Drury was chief executive of Xero, the accounting software company he founded in 2005. Both accuse him of unwanted sexual contact.
Ruddle worked for Drury for nearly three years, first as a chef on his yacht, and then later as director of residence and wellness at his Queenstown retreat, Taramea. She also cooked for him. That employment ended last year.
The story goes that Maiki called another press gallery reporter a gay-slur in some function at Nicola Willis' parliamentary office. This happened a year ago and apparently was dead and buried by those involved until recently dragged up by TERF-queen and right-wing diarrhea cannon Ani O'Brien. Coincidentally this happens right when Luxon was facing the night of the long knives.
Obviously, if Maiki called someone a disgusting slur, that's awful and action should've happened at the time if her colleague wanted it to. It sounds like maybe they didn’t want it to go further? If so, who makes hay from bringing it up 12 months on? A year is eternity in politics. The story is deader than Luxon's personality.
The other issue is about people in glass houses. Heather Daddy-Husband has said some pretty awful things about people on her radio show. Again, not linking but BSA complaints etc. I can only imagine her and crusty old Barry sitting around the breakfast table and letting rip on all those #@**&s and %$=*&@s wrecking their comfortable, hetero-pākehā country.