National leader Judith Collins has described the Greens as "unemployable", and thinks voters should be "very concerned" about the prospect of Marama Davidson as Deputy Prime Minister.
Collins took a crack at the Greens on Wednesday as she campaigned in Hamilton ahead of the election, ramping up speculation that Labour would adopt their wealth tax policy despite Jacinda Ardern ruling it out.
Collins accused the Greens of not paying tax before entering politics and warned her crowd of supporters that if Labour and the Greens formed a coalition, co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson could become Deputy Prime Minister.
"To think he might, if they win, be the Deputy Prime Minister... or Marama Davidson. These people who said that tax is love, and before the media wish to fact-check me, that is exactly what Marama Davidson referred it. Tax is love," Collins said.
"They really do think like that. You know, before they came to politics they never paid much tax, did they?"
Collins said the possibiliy of Davidson becoming Deputy Prime Minister is worrying.
"I think they should be very concerned... the Deputy Prime Ministership of Marama Davidson would be challenging I think for the country."
Collins was asked what she has against Davidson.
"Nothing. I hope she stays as co-leader of the Greens. I think it's excellent. She says that tax is love. That says it all, really."
Davidson did say that "tax is love" during an interview with TVNZ in July as she talked about inequality, but Davidson would have paid tax during her 10-year career at the Human Rights Commission.
Shaw also would have paid tax during his career before politics working with large, multinational companies across Europe and around the world, developing their sustainable business practices.
"Oh well, most of them are unemployable I would've thought," Collins later told reporters, when asked what she meant when she said the Greens didn't really pay taxes before entering Parliament.
Collins was asked who exactly she was talking about.
"Oh, a whole lot of them... Don't wish to be nasty, but there we go... it's the truth."
Collins was reminded that Shaw worked as a consultant before politics and that Davidson worked for the Human Rights Commission.
"Oh a consultant? Right, OK," Collins said.
Shaw told reporters politicians often get tired and "titchy" on the campaign trail, but he said that's no excuse for "rudeness".
In a statement to Newshub, Shaw said, "National are clearly getting more desperate by the minute. They can't land their attacks with Labour, so are scrambling to attack us in the final 72 hours with misinformation."
He added that while Collins may not share the Greens' view, "we unashamedly believe that paying tax is a positive contribution that we all make to live in a civilised society".
Collins earned a rebuke from Ardern on Wednesday after the Labour leader was forced to rule out introducing a wealth tax again.
"It is incredibly disappointing to see the continued misinformation by the National Party, and so we've been very clear and firm on our position," Ardern said.
She pushed back against Collins' speculation that Shaw or Davidson could be her Deputy Prime Minister, flipping it back on the Opposition leader who has not ruled out ACT leader David Seymour has hers.
"That's not an experiment I think I wish to see," Ardern said.
"I would take also for a moment... National, their most likely partner would be ACT, who want to freeze any minimum wage changes for three years and who want a flat tax. We, however, are not accusing National of adopting those policies."
A flat tax is no longer ACT's policy.
Ardern also rubbished Collins' suggestion on The AM Show that, if Shaw was her Deputy Prime Minister, he could put in a wealth tax if Ardern had to take time off.
"That is not only desperate it is also ridiculous."
Collins, citing her experience as a lawyer specialising in employment, property, commercial, and tax law, said implementing a wealth tax is not the way to go and suggested there could be ways around it.
"Tax evasion is illegal. However, arranging one's affairs - as people do to minimise their tax - is actually tax planning, and it's important to understand that," she said.
"But let's hope that that's not needed because we will not bring in a wealth tax. We will actually encourage people to earn more money and actually, to grow our economy."
Collins was asked if it's morally acceptable to avoid tax.
"Well, it's within the law and that's really important. But I'd also say this: what is wrong is actually looking at someone else with this horrible envy and thinking 'they've got more than me, therefore I want to take it'," she said.
"I don't want to ever be that sort of person."
