Taxpayers’ Union’s AI ad shows Chris Hipkins as thief over capital gains tax

What happened

The Taxpayers' Union has released a short video advertisement targeting Labour's capital gains tax policy. The AI-generated ad shows a figure resembling Chris Hipkins bursting into homes and stealing wallets and money from families, a renovation site and a barbecue, before revealing the character's true identity in a rear-view mirror. The ad concludes with the message "We can't afford Labour." Hipkins has called the advertisement nasty and desperate. An Auckland University marketing lecturer says the ad walks a fine line between appropriate and inappropriate, noting that while viewers know it is not actually Hipkins, the AI depiction still has an impact. The Taxpayers' Union Executive Director Jordan Williams has defended the ad as intentionally over the top to be humorous.

Why it matters

A political pollster warned on 20 September that significant numbers of New Zealand voters will use AI to help decide how to vote in the upcoming election, calling it a fundamental disruptor of politics. This advertisement demonstrates how political campaigns are now deploying AI-generated content as a central election strategy.

Follow the whole thread: AI use in 2026 election campaigning

Key facts

• Ad targets Labour's capital gains tax policy
• AI-generated depiction of Chris Hipkins stealing wallets and money
• Taxpayers' Union Executive Director Jordan Williams defended the ad
• Marketing expert says ad walks fine line between appropriate and inappropriate

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Coverage across the news outlets we track, as at publication.

Where the outlets differ

Heather du Plessis-Allan's commentary argues the ad is brilliant campaigning and effective, praising its humour and visual impact, while Dr Shahper Richter's analysis presents a more cautious view that the ad walks a fine line and notes the psychological impact of AI depiction even when viewers know it is not authentic. The NZ Herald headline groups this story with unrelated items about RNZ and Health NZ.

What outlets are saying