The Opportunities Party
The Opportunities Party (usually referred to as TOP) is a centrist political party in New Zealand. It was founded in 2016 by economist and philanthropist Gareth Morgan and is currently led by Raf Manji. The party is based on the idea of evidence-based policy, with some policies including achieving a “fair tax system” by implementing a "tax switch" (including a tax-free threshold of $15,000) and implementing the "Teal Card" for young people, as well as specific investments for the city of Christchurch. The party received 2.4% of the party vote in the 2017 general election, after which Morgan resigned from the leadership. It received 1.5% of the party vote in the 2020 general election, and on preliminary results has received 2.1% of the party vote in the 2023 general election. The party won an elected office for the first time in the 2022 New Zealand local elections, with one member elected to the Featherston Community Board in the South Wairarapa District. Policies and principles For the 2023 New Zealand general election, the party's policies included: Fiscal policy Phase 1 (2023–2026) Restructure income tax to include a tax-free threshold on income up to $15,000, a 20% tax rate for income between