Monday, October 19, 2026

Election Roundup: Parties pitch spending plans and draw coalition boundaries

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ACT put GP access at the centre of its health pitch, promising $400 million over four years to retain doctors, recruit overseas and increase appointments.

Leader David Seymour broke with National over its proposed right-to-silence changes, warning they could undermine prosecutions and fundamental protections. He also left open a coalition including Opportunity. ACT | RNZ.

NZ First promised to reverse the Government’s decision against safeguards on aluminium imports, warning thousands of jobs were at stake. It also pushed to ban private fireworks, putting it at odds with National and Labour but in step with the 58% who support banning public sales, according to a 1News Verian poll. NZF | Winston on X | Equifest | 1News | RNZ.

National proposed that Adults who withhold information about a child’s killing could face up to 10 years in prison. Alongside that law-and-order pledge, the party promised simpler consent rules for routine farming activities and $16 million for pest control. Unlike ACT, National reaffirmed it would not work with Opportunity. Otago Daily Times | Rural News | LiveNews | NZ Herald

Labour focused on children and education, pledging $7 million annually for sport and after-school activities while retaining the school cellphone ban. Chris Hipkins also promised to abolish charter schools and restore school boards’ Treaty obligations. Following the Mongrel Mob hui controversy, Hipkins ruled out giving the Greens or Maori Party the police or corrections portfolios. Stuff | TheZeitgeist on X | NZ Herald

The Greens targeted training costs, promising $380 weekly during compulsory health, education and social-service placements, plus relocation support. For apprentices, they proposed scrapping the training wage and introducing $2000 equipment grants. Beyond this, leader Chloe Swarbrick accused the Government of suppressing voting, while Marama Davidson defended engagement with Mongrel Mob members. NZ Herald | Newstalk ZB | RNZ

Opportunity set its own coalition limits. Leader Qiulae Wong said the party would reject any deal requiring support for NZ First’s proposed legal definitions of women and men or the Treaty Principles Bill, even if that meant staying in opposition. YOUR EX | Te Ao News

The Maori Party pushed back against criticism of the Mongrel Mob hui, calling it “manufactured outrage”. Separately, former party MP Takuta Ferris, now standing independently in Te Tai Tonga, ruled out backing a Luxon-led government. NZ Herald | 1News

Behind the campaigning, the enrolment deadline is approaching: midnight on 25 October. With about 166,000 eligible 18-to-24-year-olds still unenrolled, registration drives are intensifying. Labour and the Greens criticised enrolment changes, while Christopher Luxon defended the publicity campaign and urged people to register. RNZ | 1News

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1 COMMENT

  1. Top is clearly another globalist experiment. The rest are much the same. Why would I want you lot mismanaging my tax dollars. Get lost.

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