Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman has slammed the National Party over a 'misleading' wealth tax ad it ran during the election campaign.
The sponsored Facebook National Party advertisement said, "STOP THE WEALTH TAX", according to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The accompanying text said: "A wealth tax would be disastrous for retirees in New Zealand. If you've worked hard to pay off your home and save for your retirement you could be pinged $140 PER WEEK. Only a Party Vote for National will protect your retirement."
The Green Party's wealth tax policy wanted Kiwis with a net worth of more than $1 million to pay 1 percent of their wealth above that threshold to the Government as tax. Those worth more than $2 million would've paid out 2 percent as tax.
The person who complained to the ASA said National's ad didn't give any evidence to back up the claim that retired people could be forced to pay a wealth tax of $140 per week.
The ASA Complaints Board settled the complaint since National removed the ad and agreed not to use it again.
Ghahraman took to Twitter to criticise National for what the ASA deemed as a "misleading" ad.
"Lying to win votes = You probably shouldn't be running this election," she wrote.
"Lying to prevent a solution to poverty in the midst of a pandemic = Please resign from politics and any profession with direct human impact."
Newshub has contacted the National Party for comment.
National opposed the wealth tax policy, with leader Judith Collins saying in October the Greens were "coming after people's money".
"If you've got any money or assets, don't think these guys have any plan to pay down debt other than to take your assets, and that's what they're after," she said.
The party said there were other ways to get the economy back on track, such as providing direct economic stimulus to Auckland so there would be more money for residents from income tax relief.
National maintained throughout the election that Labour would bow to the Greens and introduce a wealth tax, but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Finance Grant Robertson repeatedly ruled it out.
