National and ACT split publicly over bed tax ahead of 2026 election campaign

National leader Christopher Luxon told RNZ his party may explore a bed tax if re-elected. ACT leader David Seymour immediately opposed it, proposing instead a "local tourism dividend" — $1 per guest night from existing GST and visitor levies — as an alternative. The two coalition partners are now publicly divided on tourism funding ahead of the 2026 election campaign.