NZ First leader Winston Peters has announced a pair of major economic policies, including compulsory KiwiSaver enrolment at birth with a $1000 Crown contribution and a proposal to buy back the Bank of New Zealand from Australian ownership.
Speaking at a campaign event in West Auckland today Peters said every New Zealand citizen would automatically become a KiwiSaver member at birth under what he called the “KiwiSaver Generation” policy.
“This is a once-per-lifetime investment that compounds for decades,” Peters said, arguing the move would ensure every child entered adulthood with savings already growing in their name.
The policy would work alongside New Zealand First’s wider push for compulsory KiwiSaver participation and increased employer and employee contribution rates rising to 10 percent over time.
Peters also revealed plans to buy back the BNZ from National Australia Bank and merge it with Kiwibank to create a fully Crown-owned “National Bank of New Zealand”.
“Four Australian owned banks control around 85 percent of the system,” Peters said, claiming billions of dollars in profits were flowing offshore each year.
He said the new entity would operate commercially while creating stronger competition in the banking sector and supporting infrastructure, agriculture and small businesses. Peters described the proposal as “not nationalisation – this is taking back our country.”
The acquisition would be funded through a mix of sovereign banking bonds, long-term Crown debt, investment fund participation and Kiwibank’s existing capital base, with the plan intended to be self-financing rather than funded from the operating budget.
“New Zealand built BNZ. Labour and National sold it. Now we are going to buy it back,” Peters said.
Another great crowd turnout today at our public meeting in West Auckland.
Very positive feedback and reaction to our policy announcements to make KiwiSaver enrolment compulsory at birth with a $1000 Crown contribution, and to buy back the BNZ bank and merge with Kiwibank to… pic.twitter.com/xTNAThbe7E
— Winston Peters (@winstonpeters) May 17, 2026
