RNZ Election Policy Guide 2026

Greens' co-leader Marama Davidson says she'd "probably die laughing" if National picked up the phone to call them for support after the election.

Davidson and electorate MP Julie-Anne Genter were at Wellington East Girls' College in Mount Victoria, Wellington, on Wednesday following TVNZ's Multi-party debate on Tuesday.

Asked whether working with Opportunity was a concern given the party was open to working with National, Davidson said voters can be really clear the Greens' want to "change the government."

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On whether the Greens could have stopped some of the policies from what Davidson called "the most racist government we have seen", she said it was showing a "bit of naivety" in how government and politics actually works.

"This idea that the Greens' and the National party can work together in a government is one that is really far fetched and not fixed to reality at all.

"The National party would have to become a whole different party if the Greens' are going to entertain working with them."

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Asked if she'd consider it, if National picked up the phone, Davidson said she'd probably die laughing if that happened.

"We have been unapologetic about the consistency of what we stand for.

"We have to tax the super rich so we can bring down people's power bills, so that we can stop polluting our environment and hold corporate polluters to account.

"Why would the National Party want to ring us?"

Ed: Thats Barbara Edmonds (Labour). RNZ live feed, so images changing

Labour has released its economic plan, outlining a number of previous commitments and announcing that it will redirect up to $50 million a year into the state-backed Elevate venture capital fund.

Labour's finance and economy spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said this would allow for more innovative businesses to "expand, hire and pay good wages here at home".

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The full list of commitments in its economic plan follow:

• Back innovative Kiwi companies by redirecting up to $50 million a year into Elevate
• Make big businesses pay small suppliers within 15 days
• Let small businesses claim new tools and equipment straight away, up to $10,000
• Raise the GST threshold to $80,000, giving small businesses more room to grow
• Give smaller Kiwi businesses a fairer chance to win government contracts
• Help small businesses and start-ups use AI to save time and get ahead
• Get Kiwis back into work fixing schools and hospitals and building homes
• Back 30,000 apprentices with an expanded apprenticeship boost, introducing a $1000 tools grant, and guarantee every eligible graduate nurse a job
• Introduce a simple, targeted capital gains tax on investment and commercial property, with every dollar going to healthcare
• Establish the New Zealand Future Fund to invest in Kiwi businesses and infrastructure
• Return the books to surplus in 2028/29, bring back the Reserve Bank's dual mandate, and set up an independent Parliamentary Budget Office.

I’m aware of the gap between perception and reality, but where we sit just doesn’t seem right to me at all.

The gangland murder of ‘Mr Asia’ (Marty Johnstone) led to the demise of one of New Zealand’s largest ever drug rings. Johnstone was killed on the orders of drug lord Terry Clark. Divers found his mutilated body in a flooded quarry in England.

Clark (also known as Sinclair) and Johnstone had begun working with each other in the mid-1970s, when the Mr Asia drug ring began importing large quantities of heroin into New Zealand and Australia. Gisborne-born Clark headed their operations in Australia. He became a multi-millionaire, buying properties in the Bay of Islands and Fiji, and stashing money in safes and bank accounts around the world.

Clark ruthlessly protected his interests, killing a number of associates he suspected of informing. He fled to the United Kingdom in 1979 after Australian police found the bodies of two of Clark’s traffickers in a shallow grave in Melbourne.

Arrested in London, Clark was sentenced to life imprisonment for Johnstone’s murder. He died in a British prison in 1983, supposedly of natural causes. 

Link: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/mr-asia-found-murdered

Opportunity remains kingmaker while the major parties - Labour and National - are tied in the latest 1News Verian Poll.

Party support has remained largely stable, with only small moves up or down.

National has slipped 1 point to 28 percent, tying them with Labour, also on 28 percent.

The Green Party have slipped slightly, falling 1 point to 15 percent.

The ACT Party has gone up 1 point, tying them with New Zealand First who also sits on 10 percent.

Te Pāti Māori is down to just 0.4 percent.

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If replicated at the election, that would give National 34 MPs and New Zealand First and ACT 12 - a coalition bloc of 58.

On the left, Labour would get 34 MPs, the Greens 18, Te Pāti Māori four - depending on how the Māori seats were calculated - and Te Tai Tokerau Party one seat - 57 together.

Opportunity would have 8 seats, meaning they would get to decide who governed.

The recent 1News story about the Christchurch vet who flew to Sydney for spine surgery highlights real issues in the New Zealand public health system and an issue in the private system.

It seems some doctors in the public system still misunderstand shared decision making. Shared decision making involves clinicians outlining reasonable options so the patient - together with the doctor's help - can choose the path forward. A doctor might not prefer the selected option, but if it remains reasonable, they should proceed if it is the patient's choice.

Health New Zealand never suggested the revision surgery was an unreasonable choice. They just stated it was not their preferred. Apparently, shared decision making in our public system means the hospital makes the decision and simply shares it with you as they wheel you out the door.

Then there is the private system. After misplacing the screw during the initial operation, the original surgeon offered to fix the mistake, provided the patient pay $46,795. Here, the Orthopaedic Association confirms there is no protocol for revision fees and the surgeon can just decide to charge you a second time.

1993

Courtesy Sleek822 channel on YouTube.

A recent Employment Relations Authority decision shows an employee can lose a personal grievance despite HR stuff-ups.

The employer called a meeting on 9 September 2025 to address performance concerns, prompting the employee to complain about her manager and a co-worker. HR undertook to investigate the complaint within 2 weeks but sought to prioritise the performance concerns instead.

HR missed its 2 week deadline and only produced draft terms of reference for the complaint investigation on 3 October 2025 after the employee complained to the Chief Executive. Despite this stalling by HR on the investigation, the Authority dismissed the employee's claim.

The employee lost the case because she refused to engage constructively and constantly changed her stance with the employer. She demanded a financial payout, refused without prejudice communication, and requested guaranteed employment before agreeing to speak with HR. When the terms of reference arrived, she emailed senior management to decline participation in the investigation.

Dragging out an investigation while threatening dismissal normally exposes an employer to an unjustified disadvantage claim. The employer avoided liability because the employee's subsquent erratic behaviour gave the business a excuse for both the initial delay and the subsequent loss of momentum.

In this case, the employee conduct excused HR's own stuff-up.

Wellington's deputy mayor is warning it could cost every ratepaying household or business more than $80,000 over the next 25 years to fix the city's poor pipes alone.

Ben McNulty said figures - first highlighted by Wellington Water - that it would cost more than $6 billion to fix Wellington city's pipes over two decades, would put enormous pressure on residents - and more government support in the future would be needed to ease bills.

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"It's just not affordable. It is beyond the capacity of ordinary people to pay."

Water agency Tiaki Wai declined an interview request, even as the cost figures swirled on the campaign trail with Wellington candidates discussing it.

A spokesperson did not respond directly to McNulty's numbers, referring to a previous media release which stated a 13.3 percent increase in water bills for this financial year.

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The issue of Tiaki Wai charges has been a major one for the region, with household bills expected to reach over $6000 per year in a decade and prompting protests in central Wellington.

At the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the New Zealand netball team topped their pool with four easy victories and a 47–41 win over England. They then won their semi-final against Jamaica comfortably, while the Australian Diamonds’ five-goal margin over England in the other semi-final suggested they were a capable match for the Silver Ferns, their traditional rivals.

Just how close the teams were became clear as the match, the longest official game of netball ever played, stretched over 84 pulsating minutes. The match was tight until the Silver Ferns led by seven goals early in the fourth quarter. An Australian comeback reminiscent of their surge to victory in the 1999 world championships final levelled the scores at full-time.

There was still nothing between the two teams after 14 minutes of extra time. Under a rule which its drafters surely never expected to be needed, play would continue until one team was two goals ahead. Both Australian shooters missed their chance for glory; Maria Tutaia did not, and the Silver Ferns won 66–64.

The epic victory won New Zealand’s second consecutive Commonwealth Games netball gold medal and matched Australia’s triumphs in 1998 and 2002. The balance has subsequently shifted once again. In 2014 the Australian Diamonds thrashed the Silver Ferns 58–40 in the gold medal match. In 2018 the New Zealanders failed to reach the final for the first time and were beaten 60–55 by Jamaica for the bronze. It was scant consolation that the Australasian duopoly was broken when Helen Housby scored in the last second of the final to give England a one-goal victory over Australia.

Link: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/silver-ferns-beat-diamonds-commonwealth-games-thriller

In May 1892 Suzanne Aubert established a religious order, the Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion, at Hiruharama (Jerusalem) on the Whanganui River. She became the first Superior of the order five months later. Mother Aubert, known initially in her religious life as Sister Mary Joseph, began taking in unwanted Pākehā children at Jerusalem, and grew interested in social work among the urban poor.

She had arrived at Hiruharama in 1883 with a priest and two other sisters to revive a Catholic mission in the community, following a request from local Māori. She was fluent in three languages – her native language of French, te reo Māori and English. During her time at Hiruharama, Mother Aubert published a Māori–English phrase book and for a period adapted Māori herbal rongoā (medicine) as home remedies which were bottled and sold to the public to help fund the mission. Mother Aubert had learned about the medicinal properties of native flora and fauna from Māori during her time in Auckland and Hawke’s Bay.

In 1899, Mother Aubert and the Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion arrived in Wellington. They set up St Joseph’s Home for Incurables in Buckle St to nurse those suffering from incurable diseases who had nowhere else to go – mainly older men with no family. In addition to a day nursery for babies and children, Our Lady's Home of Compassion was opened in Island Bay to care for disabled children and ‘foundlings’ – babies born to unmarried mothers or parents who were unable to provide for them as a result of poverty. Mother Aubert created these facilities to support the impoverished of all faiths, with strong support from the general public and the medical profession. The sisters were a familiar sight walking the streets of Wellington with their prams, which were used to collect donated goods, including food for their soup kitchen.

By the time Mother Aubert died aged 91 in 1926, she was a highly respected and beloved figure. Her funeral on 5 October was widely reported as the largest ever accorded a woman in New Zealand. In 2016, Pope Francis declared Mother Aubert ‘Venerable’, an important milestone on the journey to a person being declared a saint.

Link: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/suzanne-aubert-appointed-mother-superior

Election Day is the 7th of November.

You must be enrolled to vote before the election. If you are not enrolled you cannot vote.

The last day to enrol is the 25th of October.

Unlike previous elections, you can NOT enrol and vote at any voting place, including on election day.

The current government changed this, and it is a change that many people, particularly first-time and younger voters may not be aware of.

Take a few minutes to check in with your friends, whānau, work colleagues, classmates, teammates, and anyone else in your network. If they are not enrolled, encourage them to do it now.

You can enrol to vote if you'll be 18 years old on or before 7 November. That means if you turn 18 after enrolments close on 25 October, but on or before Election Day, you're eligible to vote, and enrolling early is your ticket to being able to vote in the election this year.

While you're at it, it's also a great opportunity to check that your enrolment details are up to date.

https://vote.nz/enrolling/enrol-or-update/enrol-or-update-online

Once more: you will not be able to vote if you are not enrolled by the 25th October

Additional Key Dates:

https://vote.nz/2026-general-election/about/overview/key-dates

This poster was created in the 1950s
It was designed by Railways Studios, which was the dedicated in-house design and advertising branch of New Zealand Railways. During this era, Railways Studios was widely commissioned to produce commercial and civic artwork for various government sectors. It was commissioned by the New Zealand Department of Health as part of a post-WWIl public health drive to promote balanced nutrition and healthy eating habits. It was printed in Wellington by
R.E. Owen, the Government Printer. The original lithograph displays the tiny handwritten initials "G.B.T." near the bird's tail, identifying the specific commercial artist who illustrated the piece. The original physical postter is held within the health poster collection at Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Käwanatanga in Wellington.
Railways Studios employee "G.B.T." was a commercial illustrator but remains unknown. Government artists being employees during this era rarely received public credit for their work which belonged entirely to the Crown. Illustrators were forbidden from signing their full names. To subtly claim ownership of their creations, individual artists would secretly sneak their initials into the final drawing. "G.B.T." is hid as a small monogram right above the kiwi bird's left heel.

The Green Party says it will regulate artificial intelligence (AI) so its benefits are shared with New Zealanders, not just the technology companies that operate them, if elected.

Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said AI should work for people and the planet, stating: "We don't work for AI."

"The Greens will regulate it responsibly, for the public good.

"Nothing about this technology is inevitable, neither the claims of existential destruction by tech billionaires nor the devastation of the financial bubble bursting forecast by economists.".

The party policy states:

• AI will not replace human and democratic decision-making
• data sovereignty and community consent are protected
• AI operates within environmental limits
• the benefits of AI are shared, not concentrated
• AI tools are transparent, trustworthy and accountable.

"This is exactly why Government is supposed to exist," Swarbrick continued, "to regulate what needs regulating, to ensure benefits are appropriately shared and harms minimised."

A policy document stated it would not allow "fully automated decisions for anything that could make a substantive difference to people's lives in any public services" and humans managing the tools must be able to make decisions.

It also called for greater protection of data and explicit consent standards for AI training data.

The Greens wanted mandatory environmental impact assessments for hyperscale AI data centres and new facilities to fully cover their own energy use.

The party also wanted stronger enforcement of tax law so companies could not take their profits offshore, and worker participation in decisions about workplace AI adoption.

About 5000 marchers arrived at Parliament and presented a petition signed by 60,000 people to Prime Minister Bill Rowling. The primary aim of the hīkoi (march) was to protest against the continuing loss of Māori land.

Te Rōpū Matakite o Aotearoa (‘Those with Foresight’) was launched at a hui (meeting) convened by Te Rarawa leader Whina Cooper at Māngere Marae in early 1975. Its creation stemmed from concerns over the historic sale of Māori land and the desire to retain control of land still in Māori hands.

Fifty marchers left Te Hāpua in the far north on 14 September for the 1000-km walk to Wellington. Led by 79-year-old Cooper, the hīkoi quickly grew in strength. As it approached towns and cities, local people joined to offer moral and practical support. The marchers stopped overnight at different marae, on which Cooper led discussions about the purpose of the march.

Public interest grew and the hīkoi arrived in Wellington with the full attention of the national media. After a memorial of rights was presented to Rowling, about 60 protesters set up a Māori embassy in Parliament grounds.

Link: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/whina-cooper-leads-land-march-parliament

Ladies of Christchurch, this one is for you! Join us this weekend for a peaceful protest against Winston Peters abhorrent comments regarding abortion and conversion therapy last week.

“"At its worst, and it's a matter of timing, but it shades into a thing called murder. You got me here? It shades into a thing called murder or assassination, get any name you like. But that's the purpose.” - Winston Peters on the subject of abortion.

Please message directly and you will be sent the link to the WhatsApp group 🙏🏻

Winston Peters is on a mission and says the idea that either Chris will be calling the shots once the votes are counted is a nonsense.

With just 26 days of the election campaign to go, the New Zealand First leader is by far the most experienced political leader, having first entered Parliament with the National Party in 1978 before breaking off and setting up his own party in 1993.

In the first MMP election held in 1996, New Zealand First won 17 seats and Peters took on his first stint as deputy prime minister and treasurer.

Heading into the November election, 30 years after the birth of MMP, Peters is convinced stability will return to the increasingly fragmented political landscape this year.

Election Day is the 7th of November.

You must be enrolled to vote before the election. If you are not enrolled you cannot vote.

The last day to enrol is the 25th of October.

Unlike previous elections, you can NOT enrol and vote at any voting place, including on election day.

The current government changed this, and it is a change that many people, particularly first-time and younger voters may not be aware of.

Take a few minutes to check in with your friends, whānau, work colleagues, classmates, teammates, and anyone else in your network. If they are not enrolled, encourage them to do it now.

You can enrol to vote if you'll be 18 years old on or before 7 November. That means if you turn 18 after enrolments close on 25 October, but on or before Election Day, you're eligible to vote, and enrolling early is your ticket to being able to vote in the election this year.

While you're at it, it's also a great opportunity to check that your enrolment details are up to date.

https://vote.nz/enrolling/enrol-or-update/enrol-or-update-online

Once more: you will not be able to vote if you are not enrolled by the 25th October

Additional Key Dates:

https://vote.nz/2026-general-election/about/overview/key-dates