Abstract
Heading into this year’s election, most political parties have limited awareness that a fundamental transformation of our tax system is required. Only the Greens and Te Pāti Māori (TPM) appear to recognise that the tax system is the major tool we have to improve public health and modify the drivers of inequity and poverty.
We surveyed political parties about their tax policies and assessed them using criteria, including their evidence base and relevance to public health objectives of increasing equity and reducing poverty, mortality and morbidity.
From the responses and published party policies, four of the parties met, to at least some extent, the analysis criteria - Greens, TPM, Labour, and Opportunity. NZ First (NZF) had some income tax proposals for low-income households. Neither National nor ACT proposed use of the taxation system to address fundamental public health outcomes.