Labour has outlined a proposal for a targeted capital gains tax that would fund a new “Medicard” system, giving every New Zealander three free doctor visits a year.
The plan would see the Medicard, a form of digital ID, issued at birth or upon gaining residency, functioning as both an identification tool within the health system and a means to track entitlements.
The tax would apply only to profits made from the sale of commercial or residential properties, excluding family homes, KiwiSaver, shares, business assets, inheritances, and personal items. Labour says the measure would “rebalance the system” by ensuring those making profits from property contribute more to public services, with all revenue channelled back into healthcare.
The card would store basic health information, identify individuals within the healthcare system, and record entitlements and usage. It would be available as both a physical card and a digital app, integrated with general practice and community health systems, with alternative options for those without digital access. According to Labour, revenue from the capital gains tax would be directed entirely into the health sector to fund the initiative.
This article was originally published by the Daily Telegraph New Zealand.
