Labour Party
Centre-left party focused on workers' rights, public services, and social equity.
Policy Positions
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.