Chief Treasury strategist Struan Little says it’s no longer about whether we tax capital, but how

Struan Little says the Treasury wants to foster a discussion on capital taxes. (Image: BusinessDesk)

Fri, 21 Nov 2025

Treasury’s chief strategist, Struan Little, says it is not a question of whether we should tax capital, but how.“While there are still good reasons for a small open economy like New Zealand to reduce taxes on new inbound investment, the claim we should not tax on any capital income is no longer supported by the evidence, even at a theoretical level.”Little said this on Thursday afternoon at the Chartered Accountants Australia and NZ tax conference at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland.“The fundamental question is not whether t...

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