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# Face of the Day
- URL: https://goodoil.news/face-of-the-day-1191/
- Published: 2025-04-13T18:30:02.000Z
- Updated: 2025-04-13T18:30:01.000Z
- Description: Despite the 2023 loss, Jackson was confident Labour’s support was growing. “I think it’s coming back, I know it’s coming back, we’ve seen that and we’ll be putting some strong policies in place over the next 18 months to ensure that support and continue that support.”
- Author: Good Oil Staff
- Tags: Face of the Day, NZ Politics, Economy

> Senior [Labour](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/labour-party/?ref=goodoil.news) MP Willie Jackson believes his party should have removed GST from meat products while in [Government](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/government/?ref=goodoil.news) to help reduce the high [cost of living](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/cost-of-living/?ref=goodoil.news).  
>  
> That’s despite [Labour](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/nz-labour-party/?ref=goodoil.news)’s [2023 election](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/election-2023/?ref=goodoil.news) policy proposing to [remove GST from fruit and vegetables](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/new-zealand-tax-experts-respond-to-gst-free-fruit-and-vegetables/EVZXXQYZSJH35BQCZZW2ADSSZE/?ref=goodoil.news) being [widely panned ](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/new-zealand-tax-experts-respond-to-gst-free-fruit-and-vegetables/EVZXXQYZSJH35BQCZZW2ADSSZE/?ref=goodoil.news)as complicated to introduce and ineffective at providing relief to those who needed it.  
>  
> Jackson’s comments come as [tax policy](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/taxation/?ref=goodoil.news) discussions continue within the party as the public waits for [Labour’s confirmed 2026 election policy](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/opinion-fresh-faces-headline-labour-reshuffle-amid-chris-hipkins-back-to-basics-state-of-the-nation/LU2XUVQBVFF5BOIZY62YXCERTQ/?ref=goodoil.news), expected to be announced by the end of the year.  
>  
> Appearing on the *Unfiltered with Dave Letele* podcast, Jackson was asked how Labour would win back enough support to return to Government after receiving just 26.9% of the vote in 2023.  
>  
> Jackson accepted communities had felt a “little bit deserted” by Labour amid a painfully high cost of living and persistent inflation. Annual percentage increases of food prices were above 10% from late 2022 to mid-2023.  
>  
> “You’ve got to look after our community in the supermarket and at the petrol pump,” Jackson told Letele.  
>  
> “We made mistakes in those areas. We didn’t do enough in the supermarkets, we should’ve taken GST, probably, off meat.”  
>  
> Despite the 2023 loss, Jackson was confident Labour’s support was growing.  
>  
> “I think it’s coming back, I know it’s coming back, we’ve seen that and we’ll be putting some strong policies in place over the next 18 months to ensure that support and continue that support.”  
>  
> In August 2023, ahead of the election, Labour leader and then Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced a policy stripping 15% GST from fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables. It was similar to Te Pāti Māori’s policy to take GST off all kai.  
>  
> Hipkins had earlier ruled out implementing a wealth tax or capital gains tax if elected in 2023, despite senior MPs such as the now outgoing David Parker developing a wealth tax policy.  
>  
> The policy received very little support from economists, who believed it was overly complex, would increase compliance costs on businesses and wouldn’t lead to the promised financial relief for consumers.  

[Read More](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/senior-mp-willie-jackson-says-labour-government-shouldve-taken-gst-off-meat-to-reduce-cost-of-living/U6EDDFBLKJCCBJWEADALLA7FRM/?ref=goodoil.news)