2020 election: Greens co-leader James Shaw backs down comments on Green MPs wealth tax

Greens co-leader James Shaw is retracting comments made by one of the party’s top MPs, who said a wealth tax was a “bottom line” in any post-election coalition negotiation.

Julie Anne Genter made the remarks at a Newstalk ZB small business panel this week when she discussed the Greens’ policy to make people making more than $ 1 million and $ 2 million a year pay a 1 million dollar wealth tax. percent and 2 percent, respectively.

An end result, in this context, traditionally means that it is a policy that must be part of a government’s agenda if the larger party wants the support of a smaller party.

New Zealand First is well known for its “bottom line”.

But the Greens have never really had “bottom line” politics, which is what made Genter’s comments so remarkable.

However, speaking to RNZ this morning, Shaw said the wealth tax policy was a policy the party would be pushing for, not an end result.

“It is a top priority.”

Shaw said Genter’s comments were “a matter of timing … what happens during these debates.”

He added that it has been a “very long electoral campaign.”

“People are getting tired and I think she [Genter] was pressed on point. “

He said the Greens set a series of priorities in each election.

Then he analyzes his total vote, how many deputies he has in Parliament and in what position the party is to negotiate.

In the last election, after analyzing these factors, the Labor Party and the Greens agreed on the trust and supply deal.

“This time we will do the same approach,” Shaw said.

The 1News / Colmar Brunton poll on Monday showed the Greens at 6 percent, just above the 5 percent threshold.

If they do not exceed that level, the party will not return to Parliament.

Earlier this month, Shaw revealed that the Greens were prepared to forgo a coalition or a trust and supply deal and sit on the crossed pews if the post-election talks don’t go their way.

He said that if the Greens maintained the balance of power, “there was always the possibility” that they would walk away from negotiations with Labor if they couldn’t get the gains they wanted.