Reiterating his party’s opposition to a visitor levy, he says instead "some kind of GST sharing would be a much simpler and probably more sustainable way".
While emphasising it’s neither government policy nor Act policy, Stephenson notes "we already collect GST, we already know where it’s collected, geographically, and it wouldn’t just be confined to tourists".
"If you found a way to share GST between central government and local government, to fund infrastructure, I just think it’s a much simpler way because it’s something we’re already doing. The minute you’re starting to introduce a new levy or tax, it’s going to require legislation, bureaucracy, all kinds of things."
The fact not only visitors would be targeted would probably please Stephenson’s leader, David Seymour.
In April he told Mountain Scene he didn’t support a visitor levy: "Tourists are already paying through GST and the international visitor levy at the New Zealand border more than their fair share, more than they use."
