---
title: "Labour policies: Election 2026 | NZ Business Alliance"
description: "What Labour has announced for the 2026 New Zealand election, summarised with sources. Informational only and not endorsed by Labour or any party."
source: https://alliance.org.nz/election-2026/parties/labour/
---

[Parties and policies](https://alliance.org.nz/election-2026/parties/)

# Labour: policies for Election 2026

Labour has published a wide list of policies, with a capital gains tax on investment property earmarked to pay for health.

Policies checked 3 November 2026

**Not endorsed by any party.** NZ Business Alliance is not affiliated with, endorsed by or paid by any political party or candidate. This page is purely informational: it summarises what each party has said, it does not recommend how to vote, and the party's own website is always the authority on its policy.

Poll average

28.4%

party vote, last 6 polls. [Poll tracker](https://alliance.org.nz/election-2026/polls/)

Campaigning under “Better starts now” on cost of living, health, jobs and housing.

## Health
- Free doctor’s visits: three a year for everyone through a new Medicard.
- Remove the $5 prescription fee from 1 July 2027 (costed at $74.5 million a year).
- Free maternity scans nationwide from July 2028 and free cervical screening for ages 25 to 69 from 1 October 2027.
- A job guarantee for every eligible New Zealand-trained graduate nurse from 2027.

## Tax and the economy
- A 28% capital gains tax on profit from selling investment property after 1 July 2027, with the revenue ring-fenced for health.
- Return the books to an operating surplus (OBEGAL) by 2028/29 and reduce net debt towards 20% of GDP.
- Raise compulsory employer KiwiSaver contributions to 6% by 2032.
- A New Zealand Future Fund; Labour has said more detail will come after the election.

## Cost of living
- Cap bus and train fares at $20 a week from 1 July 2027 ($10 outside Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch).
- Freeze fuel excise tax for three years.
- Make it illegal for large companies to overcharge for essentials, and open up grocery competition.
- Cut eligible student loan balances by 10% and write off balances of $2,000 or less.

## Housing
- Allow a 5% deposit through an expanded First Home Loan and create a rent-to-buy pathway.
- Ban no-cause evictions and set warmer, safer rental standards.
- A $950 million Crown guarantee for the Community Housing Funding Agency.

## Work and business
- Restore pay equity legislation and bring back Fair Pay Agreements; a $4 an hour pay rise for care and support workers from 1 January 2027.
- Extend apprenticeship support and a Small Business Action Plan costed at $1.56 billion over four years.

## Other
- Ban social media for under-16s and introduce a Digital Duty of Care.
- Recognise the State of Palestine.

## Sources
- [Labour Party: our policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/our-policies/)

Always check the party’s own website for its current, complete policy. Policies checked 3 November 2026.

[← All parties](https://alliance.org.nz/election-2026/parties/) · [Election 2026 overview](https://alliance.org.nz/election-2026/)

**Not endorsed by any party.** NZ Business Alliance is not affiliated with, endorsed by or paid by any political party or candidate. This page is purely informational: it summarises what each party has said, it does not recommend how to vote, and the party's own website is always the authority on its policy.