New Zealand Launches Consultation on the Implementation of Residential Land Withholding Tax for Non-Residents

On 31 August 2015, the New Zealand government issued an officials’ issues paper for public comment on the implementation of a residential land withholding tax (RLWT) for non-resident sellers of New Zealand property. The plans for implementing the RLWT follow a proposal for introducing a bright-line test for property tax purposes, where gains on the sale of residential land by both residents and non-residents are subject to tax if purchased and sold within two years ({News-2015-08-27/P/2- prev…