National Drops Two Taxes Amid Election Pledge | Auckland News

Auckland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 23, 2026 · 2m

National’s tax stance just got a major pivot — ditching the controversial accommodation levy and bank tax, as party leader Christopher Luxon locks in a “no new taxes” pledge ahead of the election. Once floated by Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown and even considered by Luxon, the “bed tax” is now off the table because it’d hit weekend getaways too hard for everyday Kiwis. Finance spokesperson Nicola Willis also reversed course on the bank tax, shifting from a promise to introduce her own financial reforms to a cautious stance focused on economic prudence. While these two ideas are shelved, other…