Labour releases 2026 manifesto with focus on cost of living
In this story Christopher Luxon, Labour Party, National Party, Chris Hipkins
The Labour Party has released its 101-page election manifesto, titled What Better Means for New Zealand. The document includes a proposal to index main benefits to either inflation or average wage growth, whichever is higher. This welfare policy is estimated to cost $487 million over four years.
Key facts
6 facts
- Labour's 2026 manifesto is titled 'What Better Means for New Zealand'.
- The manifesto is 101 pages long.
- Labour promises to index benefits to the higher of inflation or average wage growth.
- The benefit indexation policy is estimated to cost $487 million over four years.
- Labour plans to cap public transport fares and provide three free GP visits a year.
- The party intends to review electricity market structural reform within its first 100 days.
The full story
1 min read · 4 outlets
The Labour Party has released its 2026 election manifesto, titled 'What Better Means for New Zealand'. The 101-page document outlines policies intended to address the cost of living, including capping public transport fares, removing upfront solar costs, and providing three free GP visits annually.
A central policy commitment is to index main benefit rates to either inflation or average wage growth, whichever is higher. This move would reverse a 2024 decision by the Social Development and Employment Minister to index benefits solely to the Consumer Price Index. This specific policy is estimated to cost $487 million over four years.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins stated, "Getting the cost of living under control will be my number one priority as your next Prime Minister". He also claimed, "New Zealand can't afford three more years of National".
The manifesto includes various commitments regarding healthcare, housing, and education. These include ending the health hiring freeze, working to eliminate homelessness, and pausing unimplemented curriculum changes to allow for expert assessment.
How it developed
- Thu 29 Oct, 7:30pmThe policy to index benefits to wages or inflation has been funded from a line in the party's fiscal plan for future announcements.
Where reports differ
- Reports vary on the specific cost of the benefit indexation policy, with one source noting it is $487 million over four years, while another refers to it as half a billion dollars.
Compiled from reports by RNZ, The Post, NZ Herald and Otago Daily Times.
How they headlined it
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