The Kākā by Bernard Hickey
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Friday’s Chorus: 'Show us the costings, Nicola!'
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Friday’s Chorus: 'Show us the costings, Nicola!'

Robertson pounces on National's $2.4b foreign buyers tax plan; Independent economists dismantle National's vaguely projected 1,700 sales @ $2.9m each; Willis sticks to 'rock solid' numbers
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Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The Kākā

TL;DR: In the 2011 and 2014 election campaigns then-National PM John Key shredded Labour Opposition leaders Phil Goff and David Cunliffe with the simple challenge to their tax revenue estimates: ‘Show me the money.’

Finance Minister Grant Robertson did the same last night in the finance spokespeoples’ election debate in Queenstown by targeting National’s refusal to release the modelling behind its plan to raise $2.4 billion from a 15% tax on foreign buyers’ purchases over $2 million. This came after an independent economists’ report demonstrated a $2 billion hole in National’s plan.

“At least I’ve got a plan. Where are your costings? Show us the costings Nicola!?” Grant Robertson in last night’s debate in Queenstown.

Paying subscribers can hear more detail and my analysis in the podcast above, including an interview with Nick Goodall from CoreLogic. The interview is also available on its own for the public. along with the PDF of a powerpoint presentation I used in a live webinar version of this for paying subscribers this morning.

The new ‘Show Me The Money’ moment

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The Kākā by Bernard Hickey
Choruses
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