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.
In simple terms
Require beneficiaries to work or train, reduce welfare dependency over time, let charities and communities provide welfare, and maintain superannuation but plan for future costs.
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.
In simple terms
Give everyone a basic income so no one is left in poverty, remove all punishment from the welfare system, and significantly improve support for disabled people.
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.
In simple terms
Significantly increase benefit rates, make the winter energy payment available to more people, increase housing support for those on low incomes, and better support disabled people.
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.
In simple terms
Require able-bodied beneficiaries to look for work, keep the retirement age at 65, and focus welfare on helping people become self-sufficient.
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.
In simple terms
Protect the retirement age at 65 and defend NZ Superannuation, support veterans properly, and ensure benefits go to citizens who have contributed to New Zealand.
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.
In simple terms
Give everyone $385 a week as a basic income, remove all penalties from the welfare system, fix Māori poverty, support disabled people with dignity, and provide free childcare and healthcare.