FOR A SMALL party in a small country, New Zealand’s Opportunity Party has some big ideas about how to solve the rich world’s biggest problems. Campaigning ahead of the November 7th general election, Qiulae Wong, its polished(干练优雅的) 38-year-old leader, is pitch(推销、提出)ing a universal basic income(全民基本收入) of NZ$370 ($210) per week. The handout(补助金、施舍物), she says, would replace most other welfare payments and offer a cushion(提供缓冲) for middle-class workers hit by layoff(裁员、解雇)s because of artificial intelligence. To fund the scheme(方案、计划), the Opportunity Party would introduce a tax on urban land at a rate of 1.75% of its value per year.
作为一个弹丸小国的小党，新西兰机遇党对于如何解决富裕世界最重大的问题却有一些宏大的构想。在11月7日大选前的竞选活动中，该党38岁的党魁黄琪乐（Qiulae Wong）干练优雅，正在推销每周370新西兰元（约合210美元）的全民基本收入方案。她表示，这笔补助将取代大多数其他福利金，为因人工智能而失业的中产阶级劳动者提供缓冲。为筹措资金，机遇党将开征城市土地税，税率为土地价值的每年1.75%。
On the campaign trail a 40-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland, Ms Wong (rather bravely) tells a room crammed(挤满的) mostly with rich property owners that the new tax would help to slow rising housing costs by discouraging property speculation(投机). It would also, she says, put capital now sunk into(沉淀于、投入于) land to more productive use. As pensioners on the lawn outside play croquet, Ms Wong field(应对、回答（问题）)s questions about what the plan would mean. The tax might need to be phased in, she admits.
在距奥克兰市中心40分钟渡轮航程的竞选活动现场，黄琪乐（相当勇敢地）对满屋子大多是富裕房产主的人说，新税将通过抑制房地产投机来帮助减缓住房成本上涨。她表示，这项税还能让目前沉淀在土地上的资本得到更有效的利用。当外面的草坪上退休老人打着门球时，黄琪乐一一回答关于该计划意味着什么的问题。她承认，这项税可能需要分阶段实施。
Opportunity is polling at just above the 5% threshold(门槛、临界值) needed to break into parliament. If it does so, analysts say that Ms Wong may well end up as the kingmaker(造王者) between two competing minority coalition(联盟、联合政府)s. Both of the two biggest parties, National on the right and Labour on the left, have seen their polling numbers shrink under the weight of(在……重压之下) unpopular leaders. Christopher Luxon, the incumbent(现任的) prime minister and National leader, has presided over a stagnant(停滞的) economy and stubborn(顽固的) inflation. Chris Hipkins, the Labour leader, succeeded Jacinda Ardern in 2023 but lacks her star power(明星魅力).
机遇党的民调支持率刚好超过进入议会所需的5%门槛。分析人士称，如果该党成功跨过门槛，黄琪乐很可能最终成为两个相互竞争的少数派联盟之间的“造王者”。两大政党——右翼的国家党和左翼的工党——都在不受欢迎的领导人拖累下民调数字缩水。现任总理、国家党领袖克里斯托弗·卢克森主政期间经济停滞、通胀顽固。工党领袖克里斯·希普金斯于2023年接替杰辛达·阿德恩，但缺乏她的明星魅力。