Election 2020: Exclusive poll - what voters think of National's proposed tax cuts

Half of voters think that National's proposed tax cuts should be implemented - either temporarily or permanently, according to a NZ Herald-Kantar Vote 2020 poll.

Another 29 per cent of respondents thought there should be no change to income tax rates and 9 per cent thought that tax rates should be increased.

National released a policy two weeks ago to cut income tax across the board for 16 months at a cost of $4.66 billion.

The cuts would range from $8 a week to $58 – the more you earn, the bigger the cut.

Someone on $30,000 would get $560 all up, someone on $60,000 would get $2559 and someone on $90,000 would get $4026.

Asked which best fitted their view about National's temporary tax cut policy, 22 per cent said they should be temporary, 28 per cent said they should be permanent, 29 per cent no change to tax rates, and 9 per cent wanted taxes increased – 11 per cent were not sure.

When they released the policy, National leader Judith Collins and finance spokesman Paul Goldsmith said it would put more money into people's pockets and stimulate the economy during the Covid-driven downturn.

Labour has slammed National's tax cut policy as irresponsible – it would come out of the $14 billion unallocated pot of borrowed money in the Covid fund.

Labour's tax policy is to set a new personal tax rate of 39 per cent on income over $180,000 - which would raise an estimated $550 million.

Voters in Auckland were more supportive of tax cuts, 58 per cent for either temporary or permanent, and 33 per cent preferred no change or an increase.

Wellington is a different story with 46 per cent supporting a tax cut, either temporary or permanent, and 48 per cent wanting no change or a rise.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson has labelled the tax cut policy irresponsible. Photo / Mark Mitchell

In Auckland, 23 per cent wanted a temporary tax cut, 35 per cent wanted a permanent one, 24 per cent wanted no change and 9 per cent wanted tax rates increased.

In Wellington 29 per cent wanted a temporary tax cut, 17 per cent wanted a permanent cut, 27 per cent wanted no change to tax rate and 21 per cent wanted a tax rise.
Disproportionately more people aged over 60 think there should be no change – 37 per cent compared with 29 per cent overall.

People earning under $50,000 disproportionately favoured having no change to income tax, 39 per cent compared with 29 per cent overall; and a higher portion of those earning more than $100,000 favoured temporary tax cuts, 28 per cent, compared with 22 per cent overall.

The online survey of 1000 eligible voters in the Consumerlink panel was taken from September 23 to 26, and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 per cent.