Danyl McLauchlan: Notes towards an alt-centrist manifesto

Two of the most significant policy disputes in the run-up to New Zealand’s 2023 election took place within our major parties rather than between them. In May Christopher Luxon pulled out of the cross-party agreement on housing densification – a policy developed by his own deputy leader – and in July Chris Hipkins confirmed he’d killed Labour’s plans to introduce a wealth or capital gains tax, a scheme developed by his finance and revenue ministers.