Helen Clark dismisses Opportunity Party's tax plan as 'fantasy posing as policy'
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has criticized the Opportunity Party's radical tax reform proposal, labeling it as unrealistic. The party's plan includes a universal basic income funded by a new land value tax.
Why it matters
The proposal represents a significant shift in New Zealand's economic policy debate and highlights tensions between established political figures and emerging parties.
Labour might be open to working with the Opportunity Party, but a former leader apparently wouldn't be so keen.
Helen Clark has described the party's flagship proposal - a radical overhaul of the tax system - as "fantasy posing as policy", and leader Qiulae Wong's appearance on Q+A at the weekend a "trainwreck".
Wong assumed the leadership of the Opportunity Party at the end of 2025, and it has since rocketed up the polls, consistently registering over the 5 percent threshold for the first time since its inception a decade ago.
Unlike other potential kingmaker New Zealand First, Opportunity has said it's open to working with either National or Labour to form a government. National has ruled it out , leader Christopher Luxon calling Opportunity's policies "extreme". Chris Hipkins said there was "no way" Labour would support Opportunity's tax changes, but stopped short of ruling out a deal.
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