What's New
Daily policy updates and platform improvements.
Daily Policy Digest
TOP's Small Business Policy
TOP supports R&D tax credits for small and medium enterprises, strengthening Commerce Commission powers to break up duopolies that harm small business suppliers (particularly in groceries and building materials), the Impact Company legal structure, and the Land Value Tax which they argue will reduce commercial rents by taxing land rather than buildings.
TOP's Employment Policy
TOP's Citizen's Income provides a universal income floor that strengthens workers' bargaining power by removing the desperation to accept any job. They support R&D tax credits to create higher-value jobs, small business support, a fair ACC system, and the Impact Company legal structure enabling businesses to balance profit with social purpose.
TOP's Energy Policy
TOP supports reaching 30GW of renewable generation by 2050, household electrification through low-interest government loans for heat pumps and solar panels, merging electricity regulators to reduce costs and complexity, and opposing any LNG import terminals. They support community energy ownership models.
TOP's Māori Affairs Policy
TOP opposes the Treaty Principles Bill and supports honouring the Treaty of Waitangi. They support te reo Māori language revitalisation, devolution of social services to Māori providers, and argue the Citizen's Income and Land Value Tax will disproportionately benefit Māori who are over-represented in poverty. TOP supports co-governance where Treaty obligations require it.
TOP's Crime & Justice Policy
TOP supports decriminalising drug possession for personal use in favour of a health-based approach, establishing specialised courts for addiction and mental health, raising the youth court age to 18, and investing in rehabilitation over incarceration. The Citizen's Income is seen as addressing root economic causes of crime.
TOP's Environment Policy
TOP supports 30% marine protection by 2035, phasing out bottom trawling and replacing it with cameras on all fishing vessels to enforce sustainable catch limits, stronger water quality regulations, and rewarding land owners for native forestry and wetland restoration through payments for ecosystem services.
TOP's Infrastructure Policy
TOP identifies a $1 trillion infrastructure spending shortfall over the next 30 years and proposes a long-term national infrastructure plan to address it. They support free public transport as a way to reduce road congestion and emissions, replacing the RMA with streamlined environmental legislation, and using the Land Value Tax to fund infrastructure development.
TOP's Economic Policy
TOP proposes increasing R&D investment to 2% of GDP through targeted tax credits, strengthening the Commerce Commission to break up supermarket and building materials duopolies, creating a new Impact Company legal structure for social enterprises, and shifting economic measurement beyond GDP to include wellbeing indicators. They argue structural reform is needed to address New Zealand's productivity problem.
TOP's Education Policy
TOP proposes reforming early childhood education to favour smaller community centres with equal pay for ECE teachers, introducing compulsory civics education from Year 6, investing in lifelong learning and adult retraining, and reducing screen time in primary schools. They also support reducing tertiary student debt through the Citizen's Income, which provides financial security during study.
TOP's Climate Policy
TOP supports fundamental reform of the Emissions Trading Scheme including agriculture, prioritising natural carbon sequestration through soil health and wetland restoration over pine plantation forestry, and giving the Climate Change Commission greater authority to set binding policy. They oppose LNG imports and support electrification of transport and industry.
TOP's Healthcare Policy
TOP advocates for a prevention-focused health system with increased investment in primary care, reinstating smokefree 2025 legislation, expanding the health workforce through better training and conditions, and cross-party agreement on a 10-year health plan to insulate health from political cycles. They support reducing chronic disease through better nutrition education and early intervention.
TOP's Housing Policy
TOP's Land Value Tax is designed as the primary mechanism to reduce housing speculation by taxing the unimproved value of land annually. This discourages landbanking and encourages development. TOP also supports government underwriting of construction finance, streamlined resource consent approvals, and estimates that New Zealand faces an 80,000-home shortage requiring urgent action.
TOP's Citizen's Income Policy
TOP's flagship policy is a universal Citizen's Income (CI) of $370 per week paid to every adult New Zealander, replacing most current benefits and simplifying the welfare system. Superannuitants would receive a top-up so they are no better or worse off. Parents would receive an additional $185/week per child. The CI removes the poverty trap of losing benefits when entering work and eliminates intrusive means-testing.
TOP's Taxation Policy
TOP proposes a Land Value Tax (LVT) of 1.75% on all land to replace the current property tax system, a Citizen's Income of $370 per week funded partly by the LVT, three income tax brackets (28% up to $70k, 34% up to $180k, 39% above), and a KiwiSaver 2.0 compulsory employer contribution of 6%. The LVT targets land speculation rather than productive activity and is designed to be revenue-neutral when combined with reduced income taxes for most earners.
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A great celebration of our Rangatahi. Well done to the hosts, organisers, judges, every tutor, every kapa every performer and every supooerter.
Taxes fund services that create a greater economic return than the cost.A free m
Taxes fund services that create a greater economic return than the cost.A free market economy requires a productive workforce, therefore we invest in education healthcare.Feel free to employ an economist to provide some basic training on this matter … See more
Te Pāti Māori rejects move-on orders: “We will not police our way out of homeles
Te Pāti Māori has denounced the Government’s plan to increase police powers to issue ‘move-on’ orders banning homeless people from public spaces, across Aotearoa. Housing and Homelessness spokesperson Oriini Kaipara warns the move will deepen harm for the most vulnerable, while allowing the system to continue profiting from their exclusion. “It is not about public safety
Government Using Outdated Fuel Data While Diesel Likely Below Emergency Levels
Te Pāti Māori is calling for the immediate release of real-time fuel data, as the Government continues to rely on figures already six days old. The last published data from 8 April showed onshore diesel at just 21.7 days of cover, sitting on the international emergency threshold. Today is the 14th. “At the rate diesel has been dropping, we are likely already below 20 days, and the Government still doesn’t have real-time visibility,” said Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.
MP Govt Floats Nuclear Jones Must Front Up
Te Pāti Māori is demanding answers after Shane Jones casually floated nuclear fission in the House today. Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said, “Aotearoa is not neutral on nuclear. We are proudly anti-nuclear. That position was fought for, defended, and embedded in who we are as a nation.” “Is this Government marching us away from our nuclear-free legacy?
Government Hid Its Own Evidence on LNG
Te Pāti Māori is calling on the Government to release all remaining redacted advice on the proposed Taranaki LNG import terminal and halt the contract process until full public disclosure has occurred. This week RNZ revealed that officials redacted modelling commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment showing low need for LNG imports. In some scenarios, no need at all. That information was only made public after RNZ lodged a complaint with the
Te Pāti Māori Announces Lisa Marie Murch as Te Tai Tonga Candidate for 2026
Te Pāti Māori is proud to announce Lisa Marie Murch as its candidate for Te Tai Tonga in the 2026 General Election. Born and raised in Murihiku, Lisa brings lived experience, education, service, and a deep commitment to whānau Māori across Te Waipounamu. A young Māori mother at sixteen, Lisa knows firsthand the realities many whānau face. Her journey from cleaning and baking, to becoming a head baker, bilingual primary teacher, kaupapa Māori educator, and specialist across Murih
Maipi-Clarke Backs Tribunal Scrutiny of Education Reform
MP for Hauraki-Waikato and Te Pāti Māori Education Spokesperson, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, stands in support of the urgent Waitangi Tribunal hearings taking place this week into Wai 3553. The claim, brought forward by Northland iwi and hapū Ngāti Hine and Te Kapotai alongside NZEI Te Riu Roa and education advocates, raises serious concerns that education reforms will impact how schools uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and weaken support for Māori learners, language, and culture. “T
NZFirst Announces Next Tranche of Candidates
NZFirst Announces Next Tranche of Candidates New Zealand First is today announcing our next set of confirmed candidates to stand in the general election. </
Establishing an Accessible New Zealand for everyone
New Zealand First has today introduced the Accessibility Standards Bill, a Member’s Bill which creates an opportunity to establish practical standards to address avoidable barriers that limit participation, opportunit
Winston Peters - “The Labour Party You Once Knew, Is No More”
Introduction Good afternoon. You may have noticed there was a slight distraction that happened in a flurry in Wellington earlier this week. <span style
NZ First will not let Waikato farmers be buried by Plan Change 1
New Zealand First says Waikato Regional Council’s Plan Change 1 must be paused before it becomes a bureaucratic death sentence for farmers and growers across the region. “Plan Change 1 is a 14-year-old regulatory taniwha, dragged out of the swamp by the old RMA, and
$30m for school drinking water safety is a start but pollution keeps flowing
The Green Party is welcoming Government investment of $30m into school drinking water following their questions on the issue, but warns rural communities will continue to get sick until broader pollution problems are addressed.
Treasury confirms $5 billion bill for Luxon's climate inaction
Treasury has put a price tag on Luxon's Government's climate inaction, with new analysis showing it could cost up to $5 billion to buy the offshore carbon credits needed to meet New Zealand's 2030 climate target.
Greens commit to tax the super-rich and large corporates fairly, cut income tax
The Green Party has announced their 2026 tax policy ‘a tax system for all of us’ today.
Luxon’s Government commits to billion-dollar gas terminal with no plan to pay fo
Luxon’s Government has committed to building a billion-dollar LNG import terminal without knowing how to pay for it.
Calls for Government to scrap family violence agency cuts
The Green Party is calling on the Government to abandon their proposal to cut a third of the workforce at the Centre for Family Violence and Sexual Violence Prevention.
People and nature first in Greens’ rivers and oceans policy
The Green Party is calling foul on the Luxon Government’s dismantling of environmental protection, announcing a policy programme to deliver clean drinking water, swimmable rivers and beaches, and healthy oceans for all New Zealanders.
ACT to give real power to security guards and take back our streets
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McKee delivers real estate fix, ACT says regulators must be pulled further into
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Greens' fertiliser ban would send food prices soaring
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Release: Labour to deliver unlimited public transport for $20-max a week
Labour will make it cheaper for New Zealanders to catch the bus or train, by capping weekly fares at just $20 in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and $10 a week everywhere else in New Zealand. "Our fare cap is a major cost-of-living commitment designed to put money back into the pockets of commuters, students and families," Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. "New Zealanders will be able to use public transport as much as they want all week for only $20 in our major cities and just $10 every
Release: National's conservation land clearance sale
National is treating New Zealand's conservation estate like a clearance sale, with plans to sell off land that belongs to everyone. "Tama Potaka wasn’t made Conservation Minister to put a price tag on our public conservation estate," Labour conservation spokesperson Priyanca Radhakrishnan said. “His job is to protect these places for future generations.
Release: Labour to make maternity scans free
Labour will add free maternity scans to the Medicard alongside three free doctor’s visits a year, so every pregnant woman gets the care she needs. “Women and their families shouldn't have to worry about money when it comes to making sure they and their babies are okay,” Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. “For many families, pregnancy comes with enough costs and stress already.
Speech: Labour Party Congress 2026 - Barbara Edmonds
Remarkable for what each of you represent. Remarkable for the talent and energy you bring. Remarkable because of what we’re going to do together.
Release: National refuses to own failed Jobseeker target
Louise Upston is refusing to take responsibility for National's collapsing Jobseeker target, despite her own Government's forecasts showing it will miss the mark by more than 60,000 people. “Today National had an opportunity to front up about why the target they've created is falling apart on their watch," Labour social development and employment spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said. “Instead, Louise Upston refused to take responsibility a failure of her own making.
Release: Bishop admits housing system broken, but won’t fix it
National is sticking a bandaid on the housing crisis while failing to address the cause. "Chris Bishop admits the housing system is broken, he knows there aren't enough homes, but he has chosen not to prioritise affordable housing,” Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. "National is about to raise the rent of thousands of social housing tenants, more prisoners are being released straight into rough sleeping, and providers are carrying roughly 900 households beyond capacity that the G
New roadmap for supporting unpaid carers
Our Team Our Team Meet Christopher Groups Values Get in Touch Volunteer Take Action Take Action Donate Stay Informed Become a Member Volunteer National Foundation News News Latest News MP News Public Notices Members DONATE Electorate Finder Our Team Take Action News Members DONATE New roadmap for supporting unpaid carers 02 September 2026 New roadmap for supporting unpaid carers The Government has launched today a new action plan to recognise the thousands of unpaid or informal carers across the
Foundational legislation strengthens support
Our Team Our Team Meet Christopher Groups Values Get in Touch Volunteer Take Action Take Action Donate Stay Informed Become a Member Volunteer National Foundation News News Latest News MP News Public Notices Members DONATE Electorate Finder Our Team Take Action News Members DONATE Foundational legislation strengthens support 01 September 2026 Foundational legislation strengthens support The voice of the disability community is reflected in Disability Support Services legislation which passed its
Flu vaccine funding criteria extended from today
Our Team Our Team Meet Christopher Groups Values Get in Touch Volunteer Take Action Take Action Donate Stay Informed Become a Member Volunteer National Foundation News News Latest News MP News Public Notices Members DONATE Electorate Finder Our Team Take Action News Members DONATE Flu vaccine funding criteria extended from today 01 September 2026 Flu vaccine funding criteria extended from today Associate Health Minister David Seymour and Health Minister Simeon Brown welcome Pharmac’s decision to
Government cancels fuel tax hike
Our Team Our Team Meet Christopher Groups Values Get in Touch Volunteer Take Action Take Action Donate Stay Informed Become a Member Volunteer National Foundation News News Latest News MP News Public Notices Members DONATE Electorate Finder Our Team Take Action News Members DONATE Government cancels fuel tax hike 31 August 2026 Government cancels fuel tax hike The fuel excise hike planned for next year has been cancelled to help Kiwis with the cost of living and deliver lower taxes for New Zeala
Improving how New Zealand plans for climate risks
Our Team Our Team Meet Christopher Groups Values Get in Touch Volunteer Take Action Take Action Donate Stay Informed Become a Member Volunteer National Foundation News News Latest News MP News Public Notices Members DONATE Electorate Finder Our Team Take Action News Members DONATE Improving how New Zealand plans for climate risks 15 July 2026 The Government is making targeted changes to the Climate Change Response Act (CCRA) to ensure it is working efficiently and as intended, Climate Change Min
Ships Ahoy! Cruise season launches
Our Team Our Team Meet Christopher Groups Values Get in Touch Volunteer Take Action Take Action Donate Stay Informed Become a Member Volunteer National Foundation News News Latest News MP News Public Notices Members DONATE Electorate Finder Our Team Take Action News Members DONATE Ships Ahoy! Cruise season launches 29 August 2026 Ships Ahoy! Cruise season launches Close to 200,000 cruise ship passengers are expected to arrive to New Zealand this season, a welcome boost for regional tourism, jobs
Agricultural productivity to soar with drone reform
Our Team Our Team Meet Christopher Groups Values Get in Touch Volunteer Take Action Take Action Donate Stay Informed Become a Member Volunteer National Foundation News News Latest News MP News Public Notices Members DONATE Electorate Finder Our Team Take Action News Members DONATE Agricultural productivity to soar with drone reform 20 August 2026 Agricultural sector productivity is set to soar through common-sense reforms to drone regulations, Regulation Minister David Seymour and Associate Tran
Tiaki Wai spending to be independently scrutinised
Our Team Our Team Meet Christopher Groups Values Get in Touch Volunteer Take Action Take Action Donate Stay Informed Become a Member Volunteer National Foundation News News Latest News MP News Public Notices Members DONATE Electorate Finder Our Team Take Action News Members DONATE Tiaki Wai spending to be independently scrutinised 29 August 2026 Tiaki Wai spending to be independently scrutinised Wellingtonians will get independent scrutiny of how Tiaki Wai spends their money, with the Government
Back Pocket Boost for Graduates in New Zealand
Our Team Our Team Meet Christopher Groups Values Get in Touch Volunteer Take Action Take Action Donate Stay Informed Become a Member Volunteer National Foundation News News Latest News MP News Public Notices Members DONATE Electorate Finder Our Team Take Action News Members DONATE Back Pocket Boost for Graduates in New Zealand 30 August 2026 Back Pocket Boost for Graduates in New Zealand A re-elected National Government will let Kiwis with student loans who stay in New Zealand keep more of what
Te Pāti Māori's Social Welfare Policy
Te Pāti Māori supports a universal basic income of $385 per week, removal of all benefit sanctions, addressing the over-representation of Māori in poverty and welfare dependency, a disability support system based on mana (dignity), and free healthcare and childcare to reduce cost pressures.
NZ First's Social Welfare Policy
NZ First's priority is superannuation — they strongly oppose any increase in the retirement age and have secured commitments to maintain NZ Super at 65 in coalition agreements. They also support war veterans' entitlements, the SuperGold Card, and oppose welfare for non-citizens.
ACT's Social Welfare Policy
ACT supports stronger work obligations, reducing benefit rates over time to incentivise work, time-limiting benefits for able-bodied recipients, community and charity-based welfare over state welfare, and maintaining NZ Superannuation while considering future sustainability.
Green Party's Social Welfare Policy
The Green Party supports a universal basic income as a replacement for the current welfare system, ensuring no one lives in poverty, a disability support system based on human rights, removing sanctions from the welfare system, and significantly increased benefit rates.
Labour's Social Welfare Policy
Labour made the most significant benefit increases in decades, removed the youth payment and young parent payment abatements, abolished the winter energy payment means test, increased the accommodation supplement, and created the Disability Action Plan. They reformed the welfare system to be more supportive.
National's Social Welfare Policy
National has introduced stronger work obligations for beneficiaries, tightened eligibility for Jobseeker support, maintained NZ Superannuation at age 65, and linked benefit increases to inflation rather than wage growth. They focus on reducing welfare dependency and moving people into employment.
Te Pāti Māori's Energy Policy
Te Pāti Māori supports rapid decarbonisation of the energy sector, community and hapū ownership of renewable energy, ensuring Māori share in renewable energy revenues, and addressing energy poverty in Māori communities through subsidised clean energy.
NZ First's Energy Policy
NZ First supports maintaining New Zealand's energy sovereignty, opposes closing down existing gas and coal capacity before alternatives are ready, supports the offshore oil and gas sector, and is cautious about renewable targets that risk energy security or high electricity prices.
ACT's Energy Policy
ACT supports all forms of energy generation including fossil fuels, opposes politically mandated renewable targets, wants to remove regulatory barriers to new energy investment, and supports nuclear energy exploration for New Zealand. They prioritise energy security and low prices.
Green Party's Energy Policy
The Green Party supports 100% renewable energy by 2030, community energy ownership, eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, building new wind, solar and geothermal capacity, and ensuring all homes have access to affordable, clean energy.
Labour's Energy Policy
Labour set a target of 100% renewable electricity by 2030, supported new wind and solar generation, invested in the Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme, banned new coal boilers, and opposed reopening offshore oil and gas. They also funded the just transition away from fossil fuels.
National's Energy Policy
National has lifted the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration, supports fast-tracking new energy generation, opposes early closure of the Huntly coal-fired power station, and is reviewing the renewable energy target. They focus on energy security and affordable prices.
Te Pāti Māori's Foreign Policy
Te Pāti Māori advocates for an indigenous foreign policy framework recognising New Zealand's Pacific identity, solidarity with indigenous peoples globally, opposition to nuclear weapons and military alliances, stronger Pacific climate finance, and a more independent stance from Western military networks.
NZ First's Foreign Policy
NZ First prioritises New Zealand sovereignty in foreign policy, scepticism of multilateral institutions that erode national decision-making, maintaining the nuclear-free policy, controlling foreign investment in NZ assets, and prioritising Pacific relationships while being cautious about China.
ACT's Foreign Policy
ACT supports deeper integration with Five Eyes partners, stronger defence spending to meet NATO-equivalent targets, more assertive support for democratic allies against authoritarian states, and exploring AUKUS participation. They are critical of China's influence in the region.
Green Party's Foreign Policy
The Green Party advocates for a genuinely independent foreign policy, stronger multilateralism through the UN, nuclear disarmament advocacy, opposition to AUKUS involvement, a more critical stance on Israel-Palestine, and increased Pacific aid and climate support.
Labour's Foreign Policy
Labour maintained New Zealand's independent foreign policy tradition, the nuclear-free policy, and strengthened Pacific engagement through Pasifika Futures. They negotiated free trade agreements with the EU and UK, supported CPTPP, and took a human rights-focused approach to international relations.
National's Foreign Policy
National supports strong alliances with traditional partners (US, UK, Australia), the Five Eyes intelligence arrangement, AUKUS observer status consideration, free trade agreements, and maintaining New Zealand's nuclear-free status. They support a strong defence capability and Pacific engagement.
Te Pāti Māori's Māori Affairs Policy
Te Pāti Māori's entire platform is built on tino rangatiratanga — full Māori self-determination. They advocate for Māori co-governance, Treaty-based constitutional change, full implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Māori language revival, and addressing systemic inequities.
NZ First's Māori Affairs Policy
NZ First has historically opposed separatist race-based policy, co-governance, the He Puapua framework, and Māori wards. They support Treaty settlements on a case-by-case basis but oppose ongoing co-governance arrangements and what they see as preferential treatment based on ethnicity.
ACT's Māori Affairs Policy
ACT's Treaty Principles Bill proposes to redefine the Treaty of Waitangi principles to mean equal rights for all citizens regardless of ethnicity. They oppose co-governance, race-based policy, Māori wards, and argue for a single standard of citizenship.
Green Party's Māori Affairs Policy
The Green Party supports tino rangatiratanga (Māori self-determination), full implementation of the Treaty of Waitangi, co-governance of all natural resources, restoring te reo Māori as a thriving language, addressing systemic racism, and Māori-led solutions to Māori issues.
Labour's Māori Affairs Policy
Labour established the Māori Health Authority, implemented co-governance in Three Waters, developed the He Puapua framework for Treaty implementation, increased Māori language funding, and worked to address Māori inequity across health, housing, education, and justice.
National's Māori Affairs Policy
National has taken steps to review co-governance arrangements, repeal the Māori Ward provisions, and conduct a Treaty Principles referendum debate. They support Māori economic development but have been critical of what they term race-based policies in public services.
Te Pāti Māori's Agriculture Policy
Te Pāti Māori supports Māori farming and whenua Māori (Māori land) development, investment in papakainga (Māori community farming), fair water rights for Māori land holders, and transitioning to sustainable Māori-led agricultural practices that align with kaitiakitanga.
NZ First's Agriculture Policy
NZ First is a strong defender of the farming sector, opposing agricultural emissions pricing, protecting farmland from foreign ownership, supporting the primary industries as the backbone of the economy, and opposing what they see as urban-centric environmental regulations.
ACT's Agriculture Policy
ACT strongly opposes agricultural emissions pricing, freshwater regulations it deems excessive, Three Waters reform, and what it describes as anti-farming bureaucracy. They support deregulation, voluntary environmental standards, and protecting farm property rights.
Green Party's Agriculture Policy
The Green Party supports transitioning farming to lower-emission practices, pricing agricultural methane emissions, reducing intensive dairy farming on environmentally sensitive land, supporting organic and regenerative agriculture, and paying farmers for environmental services.
Labour's Agriculture Policy
Labour proposed bringing agriculture into the ETS from 2025, introduced the He Waka Eke Noa levy system alternative, invested in agricultural research, and balanced freshwater standards with farming needs. They support sustainable farming practices and increasing export returns.
National's Agriculture Policy
National has exempted agriculture from the Emissions Trading Scheme, opposed farm-level emissions pricing, reduced freshwater regulation affecting farmers, supported irrigation schemes, and repealed the ban on gene technology to enable precision agriculture in NZ.
Te Pāti Māori's Small Business Policy
Te Pāti Māori supports investment in the Māori economy and Māori-owned small businesses, preferential government procurement from Māori enterprises, access to capital for Māori entrepreneurs, and removing barriers to business on Māori land.
NZ First's Small Business Policy
NZ First supports local businesses over large multinational chains, buy-NZ campaigns, reducing compliance for regional businesses, and maintaining competitive power prices for manufacturing. They also support the Callaghan Innovation fund for business R&D.
ACT's Small Business Policy
ACT's small business policy centres on reducing the regulatory burden, cutting ACC levies, simplifying employment law, reducing minimum wage mandates, and allowing 90-day trials. They argue small businesses are harmed most by overregulation and compliance costs.
Green Party's Small Business Policy
The Green Party supports local and community enterprises, co-operatives, and social enterprises. They propose procurement policies favouring local businesses, support for businesses transitioning to sustainable practices, and using the tax system to level the playing field against large corporations.
Labour's Small Business Policy
Labour established the Small Business Council, introduced digital invoicing, provided COVID-19 wage subsidies to protect small businesses, and created the Regional Business Partner programme. They also introduced the Business Finance Guarantee Scheme during the pandemic.
National's Small Business Policy
National focuses on reducing compliance costs, faster GST and tax refunds, digital government services for businesses, cutting red tape, and maintaining 90-day trial periods. They aim to create a more business-friendly regulatory environment to help SMEs grow.
Te Pāti Māori's Employment Policy
Te Pāti Māori supports a $25 minimum wage, a universal basic income, addressing the higher unemployment rates among Māori, investment in Māori enterprises, strong union rights, and employment programmes targeted at Māori communities and rangatahi (youth).
NZ First's Employment Policy
NZ First supports New Zealand workers having first access to jobs, limiting immigration to protect wages, apprenticeship programmes for young New Zealanders, and maintaining strong workplace safety standards. They have historically supported the minimum wage but oppose excessive regulation.
ACT's Employment Policy
ACT strongly supports flexible labour markets, opposes minimum wage increases above market rates, supports 90-day trials for all employers, opposes Fair Pay Agreements, and advocates for reducing employment relations compliance to make it easier for businesses to hire.
Green Party's Employment Policy
The Green Party supports a $25 minimum wage, a four-day working week, universal basic income, strong union rights, banning zero-hours contracts, 26 weeks paid parental leave, and a just transition for workers in fossil fuel industries.
Labour's Employment Policy
Labour introduced Fair Pay Agreements to set minimum conditions across whole industries, increased the minimum wage to $22.70, strengthened collective bargaining, added five days sick leave, and introduced a public holidays reform. They support union rights and worker protections.
National's Employment Policy
National supports flexible labour markets, opposes the Fair Pay Agreement system introduced by Labour, and has repealed the FPA legislation. They support 90-day trial periods for all employers, reducing compliance costs on businesses, and linking benefits more clearly to work obligations.
Te Pāti Māori's Infrastructure Policy
Te Pāti Māori advocates for investment in infrastructure on Māori land, Three Waters reform that recognises Māori rights to freshwater, broadband access for rural Māori communities, and a Treaty-based approach to all infrastructure decisions affecting Māori interests.
NZ First's Infrastructure Policy
NZ First strongly supports regional infrastructure investment, particularly in Northland, the East Coast, and provincial New Zealand. They have secured significant regional funding commitments through coalition agreements, including the Regional Growth Programme and specific roading projects.
ACT's Infrastructure Policy
ACT supports infrastructure funded by the users who benefit through road user charges, water user charges, and public-private partnerships. They oppose government borrowing for infrastructure and support removing consenting barriers that delay private infrastructure investment.
Green Party's Infrastructure Policy
The Green Party prioritises investment in renewable energy infrastructure, public transport, water infrastructure, and broadband in underserved communities. They support a Green New Deal-style public investment programme funded through borrowing and progressive taxation.
Labour's Infrastructure Policy
Labour invested heavily in infrastructure through the New Zealand Upgrade Programme, the shovel-ready COVID recovery programme, and establishing Crown Infrastructure Partners. They focused on water services infrastructure, transport, and school rebuilds.
National's Infrastructure Policy
National established the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission and passed fast-track consenting legislation to speed up large infrastructure projects. They support public-private partnerships, fiscal responsibility in infrastructure investment, and a national infrastructure pipeline.
Te Pāti Māori's Transport Policy
Te Pāti Māori supports free public transport, investing in active transport in urban Māori communities, ensuring rural Māori communities have adequate transport access, and a Treaty-based approach to roading projects that affect Māori land.
NZ First's Transport Policy
NZ First supports regional roading investment, rail freight (particularly for Northland), maintaining regional airports, and ensuring rural communities have adequate transport links. They oppose cuts to regional transport infrastructure and support the free public transport for SuperGold card holders.
ACT's Transport Policy
ACT strongly supports road investment funded by road user charges, opposes subsidised public transport, supports highway expansions and new motorways, and argues the market should determine transport choices without government favouring one mode over another.
Green Party's Transport Policy
The Green Party supports free public transport, rapid decarbonisation of the vehicle fleet, investing in cycling and walking infrastructure, cancelling new road projects in favour of public transport, and transitioning freight to rail.
Labour's Transport Policy
Labour funded Auckland light rail investigations, invested significantly in public transport including half-price fares, commenced electrification of the Wellington rail network, and introduced the New Zealand Upgrade Programme for roads and rail. They also supported mode shift away from cars.
National's Transport Policy
National has reinstated road building as a government priority, reviving the Roads of National Significance programme. They have reduced public transport subsidies, axed the Auckland light rail project, and increased the fuel excise duty. They support road user charges for electric vehicles.
Te Pāti Māori's Crime & Justice Policy
Te Pāti Māori advocates for addressing Māori over-imprisonment as a Treaty obligation, kaupapa Māori justice models, Rangatahi Courts, repealing three strikes legislation, addressing systemic racism, and investing in communities to prevent crime rather than increasing incarceration.
NZ First's Crime & Justice Policy
NZ First supports tougher sentences for violent offenders, gang suppression, more police in rural areas, prioritising New Zealand citizens for corrections staff, and opposing early parole. They have historically supported three strikes and opposing name suppression for serious offenders.
ACT's Crime & Justice Policy
ACT supports three strikes sentencing, keeping serious criminals in prison longer, opposing early parole, enforcing gang patch bans, increasing the number of police, and focusing criminal justice on punishment and victim rights rather than offender rehabilitation.
Green Party's Crime & Justice Policy
The Green Party supports a restorative justice model, reducing the prison population, ending the remand prison crisis, drug law reform including cannabis decriminalisation, addressing systemic racism in the justice system, and reinvesting in community-based alternatives.
Labour's Crime & Justice Policy
Labour focused on rehabilitation through the Hāpai te Hauora health-based approach, reducing Māori over-representation in prisons, alternatives to imprisonment for non-violent offending, mental health courts, and addressing the root causes of crime through social investment.
National's Crime & Justice Policy
National has introduced tougher sentencing, reinstating the three strikes law, boot camps for young offenders, more police officers, and gang suppression legislation. They focus on consequences for crime and supporting victims.
Te Pāti Māori's Environment Policy
Te Pāti Māori advocates for kaitiakitanga (guardianship) of the environment as a Treaty obligation, legal personhood for rivers and natural features, Māori co-governance of conservation estates, restoring native biodiversity, and phasing out all single-use plastics.
NZ First's Environment Policy
NZ First supports a balanced approach to conservation, protecting New Zealand's clean green brand for tourism and exports, controlled use of natural resources, and opposing extreme conservation measures that harm farming and regional economies.
ACT's Environment Policy
ACT supports property rights-based approaches to environmental management, voluntary conservation, reforming the RMA to reduce compliance costs, and opposing what they call 'extreme' environmental regulations. They want environment rules based on sound science, not precaution.
Green Party's Environment Policy
The Green Party proposes tripling the conservation estate, establishing a Nature Fund for biodiversity, restoring freshwater ecosystems, phasing out single-use plastics, and banning deep sea mining. They support a rights of nature framework and indigenous-led conservation.
Labour's Environment Policy
Labour passed the Natural and Built Environment Act replacing the RMA, introduced the Essential Freshwater package to clean up waterways, increased conservation funding, and declared a biodiversity emergency. They established the Jobs for Nature programme to fund conservation work.
National's Environment Policy
National has repealed parts of the Natural and Built Environment Act and the Spatial Planning Act, replacing them with a revised RMA. They support freshwater reform reviews, oppose certain conservation restrictions on farming, and aim to balance environmental protection with economic activity.
Te Pāti Māori's Immigration Policy
Te Pāti Māori supports strong Pacific connections through immigration, recognises the Treaty relationship with all who come to Aotearoa, supports pathways for undocumented long-term residents, and a more compassionate approach to refugees and asylum seekers.
NZ First's Immigration Policy
NZ First advocates for significantly reduced immigration levels to ease pressure on housing, infrastructure, and wages. They support prioritising New Zealand citizens for jobs, stricter visa enforcement, and a focus on migrants who genuinely contribute to regions outside of Auckland.
ACT's Immigration Policy
ACT supports more open immigration for skilled workers, removing barriers to immigration that the market needs, and a merit-based system focused on economic contribution. They oppose refugee quotas and support faster processing of visas to reduce business uncertainty.
Green Party's Immigration Policy
The Green Party supports a more compassionate immigration system with easier pathways for refugees and asylum seekers, family reunification, removing the character requirement for long-term residents, and ensuring migrant workers have full labour rights.
Labour's Immigration Policy
Labour introduced the 2021 immigration reset to reduce dependence on low-wage migration, created the Green List for critical health and education workers, and introduced the Pacific Access Category reset. They support a more selective, skills-focused immigration system.
National's Immigration Policy
National supports managed immigration to address skill shortages, with an emphasis on attracting high-skilled migrants. They have increased employer-assisted visas, maintained the points-based residence system, and support immigration that fills genuine gaps in the labour market.
Te Pāti Māori's Economic Policy
Te Pāti Māori advocates for a Māori economy framework that recognises the $70 billion Māori asset base, Treaty-based economic partnerships, investment in Māori enterprises, and redistribution through progressive taxation. They support economic decolonisation and Māori control of their resources.
NZ First's Economic Policy
NZ First focuses on economic sovereignty, supporting New Zealand-owned businesses, controlling strategic assets, limiting foreign ownership of land and businesses, and using the New Zealand Superannuation Fund as a sovereign wealth vehicle for local investment.
ACT's Economic Policy
ACT advocates for a smaller state, lower taxes, deregulation, and free markets as the path to economic growth. They propose significant cuts to public spending, privatisation of state-owned enterprises, and removing barriers to business and investment.
Green Party's Economic Policy
The Green Party advocates for a wellbeing economy model, measuring success beyond GDP. Proposals include a universal basic income, public investment in green industries, stronger worker rights, and progressive taxation to reduce inequality and fund public services.
Labour's Economic Policy
Labour's economic approach centres on investment in public services, the Future of Work Commission, the New Zealand Green Investment Finance fund, the Provincial Growth Fund for regional economies, and building a more productive and sustainable economy through skills and innovation.
National's Economic Policy
National focuses on returning the government's books to surplus, attracting foreign investment, reducing business regulations, growing exports, and restarting offshore oil and gas exploration. They support free trade agreements and public-private partnerships for infrastructure.
Te Pāti Māori's Taxation Policy
Te Pāti Māori supports a comprehensive capital gains tax, a wealth tax on high net worth individuals, removing GST from food and basic necessities, and using revenue to fund universal basic income and free public services. They argue the current tax system perpetuates inequality.
NZ First's Taxation Policy
NZ First opposes capital gains and wealth taxes, supports adjusting income tax thresholds to offset inflation, advocates for superannuation to be tax-free, and wants to remove GST from rates and insurance. They also support tax incentives for regional businesses.
ACT's Taxation Policy
ACT proposes significant income tax cuts funded by reducing government spending, a flat tax of 17.5% for income under $70,000, and abolishing inheritance tax. They oppose all new taxes including capital gains and wealth taxes, and want to simplify the tax system.
Green Party's Taxation Policy
The Green Party proposes a Super-Wealth Tax of 2.5% on net assets over $10 million (excluding the family home), a capital gains tax on investment properties, a corporate tax rate increase to 33%, removing GST from fresh food, and using revenue to fund public services and income support.
Labour's Taxation Policy
Labour introduced a 39% top income tax rate for income over $180,000 and maintains progressive income tax. They oppose a broad capital gains tax, having ruled it out during their tenure, but support closing tax loopholes and ensuring multinationals pay their fair share.
National's Taxation Policy
National has introduced income tax threshold adjustments to compensate for bracket creep, increased the Independent Earner Tax Credit, and provided Working for Families top-ups. They oppose a capital gains tax and wealth tax, and aim to return to surplus through spending restraint.
Te Pāti Māori's Education Policy
Te Pāti Māori calls for fully funded kura kaupapa Māori (Māori language immersion schools) and kōhanga reo (Māori language nests), compulsory te reo Māori in all schools, free tertiary education, cancellation of student debt, and a decolonised curriculum.
NZ First's Education Policy
NZ First supports a back-to-basics approach in primary education, trade and vocational education investment, limiting cell phone use in schools, and ensuring schools teach New Zealand history and civics. They also support rural school funding and oppose rapid curriculum changes.
ACT's Education Policy
ACT's flagship education policy is charter schools (now called partnership schools), where private operators can run publicly funded schools with more flexibility. They support school choice, merit pay for teachers, publishing school performance data, and reducing the curriculum to core subjects.
Green Party's Education Policy
The Green Party supports free education from early childhood through tertiary, cancelling student debt, reducing class sizes, better pay and conditions for teachers, and a wellbeing-focused curriculum. They also support fully funded bilingual education and te reo Māori in schools.
Labour's Education Policy
Labour expanded free early childhood education, made fees free for the first year of tertiary study, and developed the Learning Support Action Plan. They reformed Tomorrow's Schools, introduced attendance support programmes, and invested in school lunches and mental health support.
National's Education Policy
National has introduced structured literacy and numeracy programmes in primary schools, with a focus on returning to phonics-based reading instruction. They propose restoring charter schools, setting achievement targets, and reducing compliance burden on teachers to focus on core skills.
Te Pāti Māori's Cost of Living Policy
Te Pāti Māori proposes a universal basic income, removal of GST from food and basic necessities, free healthcare and education, and progressive wealth taxes. They argue Māori are disproportionately affected by cost of living pressures and that structural economic change is needed.
NZ First's Cost of Living Policy
NZ First focuses on reducing fuel taxes, limiting immigration to ease wage competition, supporting NZ-made products, and opposing policies that increase energy costs. They also support superannuation increases tied to wages and oppose any changes to NZ Super eligibility.
ACT's Cost of Living Policy
ACT proposes tax cuts funded by reducing government spending, removing regulations that inflate the cost of goods and services, and allowing more competition in markets like groceries. They support repealing the Grocery Industry (Improving Competition) Act and instead enforcing existing commerce law.
Green Party's Cost of Living Policy
The Green Party proposes a Super-Wealth Tax on individuals with net assets over $10 million (excluding the family home) to fund a guaranteed minimum income, free public transport, free school lunches, and free GP visits. They argue addressing inequality is the key to reducing cost of living pressure.
Labour's Cost of Living Policy
Labour introduced a Cost of Living Payment of $350 for low and middle income earners, extended free and half-price public transport, and maintained the fuel excise duty reduction. They also increased Working for Families and benefit rates and focused on building more affordable housing.
National's Cost of Living Policy
National focuses on reducing inflation through fiscal discipline, cutting wasteful government spending, and reducing regulatory costs passed on to consumers. They removed the fuel excise duty reduction and instead focus on long-term economic management to bring down living costs.
Te Pāti Māori's Climate Policy
Te Pāti Māori frames climate change as an issue of intergenerational and indigenous justice. They call for rapid decarbonisation, protecting Māori lands and coastlines from climate impacts, Treaty-based climate governance, and ensuring Māori communities lead their own climate adaptation.
NZ First's Climate Policy
NZ First supports balanced climate action that does not harm New Zealand's economy, particularly the agricultural sector. They oppose policies they view as ideologically driven, support the ETS in principle but with agricultural exemptions, and emphasise technology-led solutions.
ACT's Climate Policy
ACT accepts that climate change is occurring but argues New Zealand's contribution to global emissions is too small to justify costly domestic action. They propose scaling back climate regulations, exiting the ETS or fundamentally reforming it, and opposing binding international climate commitments.
Green Party's Climate Policy
The Green Party advocates for a faster transition, targeting net-zero by 2035. Policy includes a wealth tax to fund climate action, ending all new fossil fuel exploration, a Just Transition Fund for affected workers, rapid expansion of renewable energy, and free public transport.
Labour's Climate Policy
Labour introduced the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Act, establishing net-zero carbon by 2050 and the independent Climate Change Commission. Policy includes clean car incentives, renewable energy investment, and the ETS with agriculture entering in 2025.
National's Climate Policy
National supports the Emissions Trading Scheme as the primary tool for reducing emissions. They propose to reverse the previous government's ban on offshore oil and gas exploration, emphasise agricultural technology over regulation, and review climate targets to ensure economic impacts are considered.
Te Pāti Māori's Health Policy
Te Pāti Māori advocates for a Māori Health Authority with genuine decision-making power, kaupapa Māori health services, addressing the significant life expectancy gap between Māori and non-Māori, and decolonising health care delivery.
NZ First's Health Policy
NZ First focuses on fixing rural health access, supporting the New Zealand health workforce over overseas recruitment, addressing elder care capacity, and ensuring veterans receive priority health treatment.
ACT's Health Policy
ACT proposes to introduce competition into healthcare through a mixed public-private model, give patients more choice through health vouchers, publish hospital performance data, and reduce health bureaucracy to redirect funding to frontline services.
Green Party's Health Policy
The Green Party supports universal free primary healthcare, significant Pharmac funding increases to match Australia's pharmaceutical spending, mental health investment including free counselling, and tackling health inequities affecting Māori and Pacific peoples.
Labour's Health Policy
Labour created Health New Zealand to unify the health system and reduce inequity. Policy focuses on free GP visits for under-14s, continued Pharmac funding increases, building new hospitals, and addressing health workforce shortages through training and recruitment.
National's Health Policy
National proposes to reform Health New Zealand, improve hospital wait times through performance targets, expand GP access, and use public-private partnerships for elective surgery. They aim to reduce bureaucracy in the health system and restore locally-based decision-making.
Te Pāti Māori's Housing Policy
Te Pāti Māori calls for urgent investment in papakāinga (Māori land) housing, addressing the disproportionate representation of Māori in housing need, Treaty-based housing solutions, and community-led housing on Māori land.
NZ First's Housing Policy
NZ First advocates for prioritising New Zealanders in social housing allocation, reducing immigration to ease housing pressure, supporting regional housing development, and investigating foreign property ownership restrictions.
ACT's Housing Policy
ACT proposes to dramatically liberalise planning rules to allow building anywhere, remove density restrictions, abolish the RMA, and use infrastructure levies to fund growth. ACT also supports removing First Home Grants, arguing they inflate prices.
Green Party's Housing Policy
The Green Party proposes a large-scale public housing build programme, implementing a capital gains tax on investment properties, strengthening rental regulations, and a warrant of fitness for rental homes. They also support community land trusts to create permanently affordable housing.
Labour's Housing Policy
Labour focuses on increasing public and affordable housing through Kāinga Ora, maintaining the first home buyer programmes, and continuing the income-related rent subsidy. Labour also supports maintaining KiwiBuild's affordable home targets and tenant protections.
National's Housing Policy
National proposes to increase housing supply through RMA reform, fast-track consenting, and enabling more medium-density housing in urban areas. The party supports infrastructure bonds to fund development and aims to reduce construction costs through deregulation.