National released a fiscal plan promising more funding for health cost pressures than Labour. It forecast a return to surplus in 2028/29, with tax cuts possible after 2029. Finance Minister Nicola Willis said politicians cannot make changes to superannuation without working together. Read more at National, NZ Herald and RNZ.
Labour promised to limit compulsory branded school uniform items and allow cheaper, non-branded alternatives. It also accused National and ACT of planning billions more in cuts, including reductions to public services and disability support. Read more at NZ Herald and Labour.
NZ First launched its ‘Safe Pair of Hands’ campaign video with Winston Peters and candidate Taine Randell. After the party pledged to scrap the Accredited Employer Work Visa, Kiwis on X have been doing their own research and accusing the scheme of rampant abuse. Peters also visited West Auckland businesses while Reuters covered the party’s rise in the polls, quoting a former staffer: “The 2026 campaign is the most explicitly right-wing pitch NZ First has made in its 33-year history”. See Peters, VoteSovereign and nxthan on X, and Reuters.
Opportunity released a disability policy statement focused on choice, independence, accessible services, fair pay and stronger support for disabled people, families and carers. Read more at Opportunity.|
ACT defended its fiscal plan against claims it would cut disability entitlements, saying it targets benefit eligibility, not disability funding. It proposed medical checks for Jobseeker Support recipients on health or disability grounds, aiming to return mental health-related claims to near pre-pandemic levels within four years. Meanwhile, Tamaki candidate James Christmas stood by his post accusing Winston Peters of a “socially conservative rebrand” after Peters’ interview with Bob McCoskrie. On The Platform, Christmas said ACT had cleared the post and insisted multiple times that he is “anti-woke”. Read more at ACT and David Seymour on X, and listen or watch Peter Williams with ACT candidate Paul Henry.
Greens pledged to regulate AI, protect data and require human oversight of decisions affecting people’s lives. The party also wants environmental assessments for large AI data centres. Read more at Greens and RNZ.
Maori Party announced an independent Toi Maori authority and a continuing, two-year rotational income programme for Maori artists contributing to mātauranga Maori. The authority would be independent of Creative New Zealand, resourced at parity with it, and governed by tohunga toi from across Maori art forms and iwi. Co-Leader Rawiri Waititi said, “This is about putting decisions in Maori hands and properly backing the artists who carry our matauranga forward”. Read more at Rawiri Waititi on Facebook.
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