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The Opportunities Party

@top.org.nz

68 followers 9 following 85 posts

This is the official account of The Opportunities Party NZ. TOP is committed to evidence-based, long-term solutions - not for special interests or some particular demographic, but for all New Zealanders. https://www.top.org.nz/

www.top.org.nz

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 1h

These are the very issues that TOP is best suited to address.
We will use our influence in Parliament to revise the Misuse of Drugs Act. Instead of punitive measures, we can save lives and reduce harm with a healthcare driven system that treats addiction as a medical issue not a crime.

#VoteTOP

Banner add which highlights the exacerbation of drug addiction harm by current legislation.

The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 1d

The Government's means testing for jobseeker benefits is is typical of their myopic, populist approach to governance. It will not build skills, create jobs or prepare youth for the impact of AI.

TOP believes Aotearoa needs a comprehensive overhaul of taxes and income support to give youth a chance.

Banner ad highlighting TOP's real support for young workers. You can read our policies here: https://www.top.org.nz/policy

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 5d

Yeah its a lousy metric. GDP fails to capture economic *well-being* by excluding income inequality, ignoring the environmental and social costs of growth (externalities), fails to account for non-market activities such as domestic work, does not reflect changes in the *quality* of goods and services

The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 5d

Luxon can't do maths apparently, telling school leavers to “get off the couch, stop playing PlayStation and go find a job”. Yet his own government has eliminated 9502 public service jobs* and tanked the economy causing the rise in unemployment to 5.2% and fall in our GDP.

#KiwisDeserveBetter

* Data from Stats NZ. Rotorua Daily Post article 3 October 2025.

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 8d

TOP backs a Land Value Tax
because-

1. it lowers incentives for speculation and encourages landowners to put property into productive use
2. taxing it's value is cheaper and easier as it can't be hidden or easily avoided
3. it discourages urban sprawl which supports the environment

#VoteTOP

The list of benefits is quite long. Here is a treasury report on Land Value Tax circa 2014

https://www.treasury.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2017-10/uc-zbigniewdumienski.pdf

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 12d

Luxon’s worried about how fast votes are counted. Kiwis are worried about how fast the economy is crashing.
TOP’s focus is on fixing our two-speed economy with bold tax reform, income security, and housing you can actually afford.
Let’s speed up fairness. Join TOP today: www.top.org.nz/join

TOP banner skeet which highlights the anti-democratic features of the Electoral Amendment bill, currently before the Select Committee
Even Labour's justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said it was a dark day for democracy, arguing the changes would make it harder for people to vote.

"Politicians should be making it easier for people to vote, not harder. That's how we make sure that everybody's voice is heard, that everyone gets a say, and that this democracy - this Parliament - is truly representative.

Webb pointed to the Attorney-General's report that found the proposals were inconsistent with people's rights as further reason the legislation should be scrapped.

"The Attorney-General, frankly, slated this bill. I have never seen an Attorney-General's report which is so bluntly vicious and damning, saying things like 'freezing registration earlier in the voting period has the potential to harm confidence and trust'."

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said it was already clear the bill would not achieve what its proponents were promising.

"This bill proposes the exact opposite of a modern and robust, effective democracy, because it intentionally seeks to deny entire groups of people and communities from having easier access to be able to enrol and to be able to vote, while at the same time it is shifting the threshold for donations to be declared."

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said the changes were cynical.

"It's not a coincidence that the very communities who would be silenced are the same communities that wouldn't vote for this government, and probably the same communities that made up the netballers on the weekend.

"They say they're fixing democracy, but let's remember: this is the same government that has abolished Māori wards, introduced the Treaty Principles Bill, dismantled co-governance, Te Aka Whai Ora. And we know, again, why they do not want to see 16 year olds voting." From RNZ 29 July 2025

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 12d

Without major reform, our public services will falter under the pressure of an aging population. We need more than spin and can-kicking from our leaders. TOP has solutions for the next 40 years, not just the next election. Tax reform, funded health-care, infrastructure investment, climate action

Cited article from Radio NZ website.

Secretary to the Treasury Iain Rennie says New Zealand has been running a structural operating deficit since 2019/20 financial year.

"In 1965, there were seven working-age New Zealanders for every person over 65. Today, that ratio is four to one, and by 2065 it is projected to be just two to one," Rennie said.

"As the age structure of our population shifts, the cost of maintaining NZS (New Zealand Superannuation) in its current form will rise significantly.

"Similarly, health expenditure could increase from 7.1 percent of GDP today to around 10 percent by 2065 if policies remain unchanged."

He says an adjustment to fiscal policy is required to bring expenditure and revenue into balance, even if more favourable conditions prevail in future years.

The report warns unchanged policy would lead to debt rising to around 200 percent of GDP by 2065.

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 15d

"GDP fell 1.1% since last June and is 2.8% smaller than June 2023.
The economy - effectively our standard of living - is flat lining.

The National-led Government’s reaction to this news tells us everything we need to know about its lack of an economic plan and how it’s failing to sell it."-The Post

Banner advert which highlights the failure of current Government's economic policies. "A recent 'Mood of the CFO' survey criticised the Government for its lack of a clear economic strategy and said it was too focused on cost-cutting. Almost 80% believed government policies needed to change to help business. " from - The Post September 25th

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 17d

Politics is broken because the hard decisions keep getting kicked down the road.

Future generations deserve a democracy with the courage to do the right thing.

TOP's plan for Citizens' Assemblies, lobbying reform, and commitment to cross-party consensus on the big issues is where that starts.

Banner advertisement that shows the foundations of a healthy democracy. Current government's "reforms" have been rushed through under urgency to avoid transparency and lack any attempt to seek consensus.

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Reposted by The Opportunities Party

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 18d

Remember: The GOP’s nonsensical culture wars are meant to distract you from corporate corruption and plunder. [Cartoon by Jace Avery]

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 20d

Wealth comes in many forms. Cash, stocks, property all sorts of assets. Our tax on the value of land is a tax on wealth, but some members don't think highlighting that fact is helpful.

The Greens are going all in on the "us versus them" messaging to jack up their base.

Should TOP do the same?

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 21d

It's time for a new New Zealand, built on better ideas.
Like a Universal Basic Income to ease the cost of living. A Land Value Tax to make housing affordable and unleash productivity. Or Citizens' Assemblies to break our political gridlock. TOP will fight for the courageous reform we need.

Join us.

GDP is shrinking under the current government of unqualified opprtunists. When you have a Minister of Finance whose main qualification is a degree in English literature, do you expect? They fired thousands of government employees without knowing what those civil servants actually do. That is a sure way to tank your economy. Those people have options and they will go to Australia where they are better paid and appreciated.

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 21d

We should have a UBI calculator available soon which will show the net change in income, apart from all the other benefits.

The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 21d

Here is more evidence that a Universal Basic Income tends to *increase* rates of employment.

TOP will bring a UBI to Aotearoa because #KiwisDeserveBetter
#NZpol

www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12...

www.mdpi.com

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 24d

The Electoral Reform Bill is in select committee this week. While you sleep your rights and the democratic principles that uphold them are being eroded by the current government. You can read our detailed response to this proposal here:

www.top.org.nz/electoral_am...

Because #KiwisDeserveBetter

There are a couple items in this bill we support, namely the provisions that mean personal addresses no longer need be provided as part of promoter statements. Several women TOP candidates have raised the current requirement as a source of concern for them in light of the increasing hostility that can be directed at public figures.

However, the Government's changes, particularly the elimination of same-day enrolment and the blanket ban on prisoner voting, are inconsistent with TOP's core principles of equality and equitable opportunity. Our party has consistently advocated for measures that strengthen democratic participation. The Attorney-General has concluded that these changes breach the Bill of Rights Act 1990. Her conclusions reinforce our deep concerns about the disproportionate impact of this Bill on democratic rights.

The Bill's proposal to close enrolment 13 days before election day will directly disenfranchise thousands of New Zealanders. The Attorney-General estimates that over 100,000 people could be affected, with young people and Māori, Asian and Pasifika communities disproportionately impacted. In 2023, over 200,000 people enrolled or updated their details in the final 12 days before voting.

This change represents a fundamental erosion of democratic accessibility.
No public consultation was undertaken on these significant democratic changes. The Regulatory Impact Statements were completed *after* policy decisions were made, rather than informing them. This is poor regulatory practice. The lack of meaningful engagement with affected communities violates the principles of good governance and demonstrates a profound disregard for democratic input on electoral law changes.

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 26d

Come out and support TOP member Graeme Tyree in his run for Nelson City Councillor-At-Large.

Because- #KiwisDeserveBetter

#VoteTOP

graemetyree.co.nz

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 29d

Coming soon.

The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 29d

For the first time ever, fewer Kiwis are contributing to KiwiSaver.
Families are forced to choose between paying bills and saving for tomorrow, a clear sign the economy is broken.
It doesn't have to be this way.

TOP will give every Kiwi the opportunity to save for the future.
#KiwisDeserveBetter

Keep an eye out for our income tax calculator. It will incorporate a Universal Basic Income, a capital gains tax on the value of land, a flat income tax rate and reflect the savings from reducing managed benefits. Along with a (draft) compulsory 12% superannuation contribution. 6% from employers and employees each. This would be phased in over 6 years

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · Sep 7

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · Sep 7

TOPs universal basic income can help create jobs. As ecomist Guy Standing argues, security breeds capacity. When people aren't living in survival mode, they invest more in themselves and their communities.

www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

#UBI #KiwisDeserveBetter

Guy Standing FAcSS (born 9 February 1948) is a British labour economist. He is a professor of development studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London,[1] and a co-founder of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN).[2] Standing has written widely in the areas of labour economics, labour market policy, unemployment, labour market flexibility, structural adjustment policies and social protection. He created the term precariat to describe an emerging class of workers who are harmed by low wages and poor job security as a consequence of globalisation. Since the 2011 publication of his book The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class, his work has focused on the precariat, unconditional basic income, deliberative democracy, and the commons.[3]

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · Sep 6

www.top.org.nz/situation_in...

Opportunities Party Statement on Israel-Hamas Conflict and Situation in Gaza

The Opportunities Party

www.top.org.nz

The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · Sep 5

The Central Rail link is nearing completion. Yes the airport line was cancelled.