Ali Cook

Capital gains tax is back on New Zealand’s political agenda. Labour has promised to introduce a targeted capital gains tax if elected in 2026, while National has pledged that it will not introduce one. The debate has already produced the usual combination of tax jargon, frightening hypotheticals and arguments about whether landlords are hardworking investors or property-hoarding parasites. Before deciding who is right, it helps to understand what is actually being proposed. What is a...

The Opportunities Party (TOP) is suddenly close enough to Parliament to be taken seriously. After recently polling at 4.6%, just shy of the 5% threshold, TOP has been rebranded by some as the sensible, fresh, almost-left alternative for voters tired of the old parties. The Coalition parties have been criticising TOP as a left-wing party, citing their Citizens Income Policy as evidence. On the surface, it is easy to see why—TOP proposes paying up to $370 a week to almost every adult, funded...

VUWSA has decided to request $7000 from the VUWSA Trust to fund Re-O Week: a three-day, glorified party scheduled for the second week of Trimester Two. The request alone is concerning. Why would VUWSA consider a party to be a reasonable use of Trust money? Just weeks ago, students were left homeless after flooding damaged their flat. Across the University, demand for the community pantry has increased by 400% since 2024, as reported by Salient. It remains unclear whether VUWSA will...