Liam Dann: Are we a tax haven now? Why the Aussies suddenly care about our capital gains rules

PremiumOpinionOpinion byLiam DannBusiness Editor at Large·NZ Herald·23 May, 2026 05:00 PM6 mins to readLiam Dann, Business Editor at Large for New Zealand’s Herald, works as a writer, columnist, radio commentator and as a presenter and producer of videos and podcasts.‌Finance Minister Nicola Willis has been grabbing headlines across the Tasman after making a pitch for Australians to come to New Zealand to enjoy our more favourable tax settings. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Is New Zealand really trying to poach Aussie rich listers as new rules across the Tasman highlight our lack of capital gains tax? Are we a tax haven now?

It all sounded a bit silly to me. Last time I checked, New Zealand was facing an annual net loss