Compare the parties.

Party proposal

Labour proposes a $20 weekly fare cap in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and $10 elsewhere. Once a person reaches the cap, further covered trips that week would be free.

Who it covers

Bus and train users nationwide, plus some ferries in the three main centres. Scenic and interregional trains, commercial interregional transport and other ferries are excluded.

Timing

In place by 1 July 2027.

Cost & funding stated by the party

Labour’s fiscal plan identifies the National Land Transport Fund: it would reprioritise 1% of the fund for the fare cap. The reviewed fare-cap page does not give a total dollar cost.

Party proposal

Labour proposes a 28% tax on gains made after 1 July 2027 when residential investment or commercial property is sold. Its policy exempts the family home, farms, KiwiSaver, shares, business assets, inheritances and personal items.

Who it covers

People selling covered property for a taxable gain. The page also provides an exemption when a small business sells its premises to buy larger premises.

Timing

Only gains accruing after 1 July 2027, with tax payable on sale.

Cost & funding stated by the party

Labour says all revenue would go to health. Its fiscal plan forecasts $2.8 billion of capital-gains-tax revenue across 2027/28–2030/31; this is a party estimate of future receipts, not a guaranteed amount.

The revenue estimate is from the party’s Fiscal Plan 2026 table, reviewed in the fiscal-plans section below. Transaction volumes, realised gains and implementation affect receipts.

Party proposal

Labour proposes a Medicard providing three free doctor or nurse appointments each year at a person’s enrolled general practice. Clinical phone triage would not use up the allowance; unused visits would not carry into the following year.

Who it covers

People eligible for healthcare and enrolled at a practice. Already-free services, after-hours care and ACC visits are outside the three-visit allowance.

Timing

The page describes the full entitlement from July 2028, with programme spending starting in 2027/28.

Cost & funding stated by the party

Labour publishes $393.3 million for 2027/28, $553 million annually in 2028/29 and 2029/30, and $548 million in later years. It proposes funding the plan through its targeted property capital gains tax.

The standalone paper’s free-doctor line is $323m/$490m/$490m/$490m; the fiscal plan’s line is $297.8m/$464.8m/$483.6m/$503.1m. The different scope or assumptions need explanation; this does not establish an error or unfunded programme.

Party proposal

Labour would restart Kāinga Ora construction; its fiscal table identifies 6,000 state houses. Community housing providers would receive more predictable funding and a government borrowing guarantee.

Who it covers

People needing social housing, community housing providers and construction workers. The 6,000-state-house figure comes from the fiscal table, rather than the shorter web announcement.

Timing

Start within a year of taking office; the official fiscal summary spreads Kāinga Ora capital across four years. No exact completion date for all homes is given.

Cost & funding stated by the party

The announcement gives $2.9bn capital and $745m operating support; the fiscal table separately shows $760m IRRS and other housing adjustments. That source difference is not reconciled. These are not annual programme costs.

Party proposal

Labour proposes government-backed solar finance, grants of up to $3,000 for eligible households, rules enabling plug-in solar for renters and a community battery fund. The loans would be repaid over time rather than making the equipment free.

Who it covers

Homeowners, renters and communities. The kickstart grants are for lower- and middle-income households; the page does not give exact income thresholds.

Timing

Advice, subsidies and the two loan schemes operating within 12 months of taking office.

Cost & funding stated by the party

Labour publishes $160 million over four years, repurposed from the Gas Security of Supply fund. This includes $77 million for household subsidies and $30 million for community batteries.

Party proposal

Labour proposes limits on compulsory branded uniform items and cheaper generic alternatives, locally made school lunches funded at $5 per meal ($6.50 for Years 9–13), and restoring cancelled rural school bus routes where possible.

Who it covers

School families, participating school-lunch students and affected rural communities. The page does not promise every rural route can be restored.

Timing

Uniform changes and fresh school lunches from Term 1 2028. No fixed date for rural bus restoration is given.

Cost & funding stated by the party

The fiscal PDF lists $590.8m for school lunches in 2028/29–2030/31. Its first allocation is later than the web page’s Term 1 2028 start; scope and timing need reconciliation. Separate uniform and rural-bus amounts were not identified in that table.

The fare cap is covered separately under Living costs & tax. A timing or source-edition difference does not establish an unfunded programme.

Party proposal

Labour would reduce qualifying graduates’ outstanding student loans by 10%. Existing graduates qualify on 1 April 2027; current and future students qualify after three years based in New Zealand following study. Balances of $2,000 or less would be cleared under that three-year route.

Who it covers

New Zealand-based borrowers who have finished study, meet their loan obligations and did not receive Fees Free. Repayments remain income-based.

Timing

Existing eligible graduates: 1 April 2027. Labour expects the first three-year-route reductions in 2031.

Cost & funding stated by the party

The fiscal plan sets aside $420m capital for the initial write-off and $163.1m operating over 2026/27–2030/31. The policy estimates nearly $40m annually once fully running from 2031; costs use loan fair value rather than the face value owed.

Party proposal

Labour proposes $500 monthly employer payments for two years, a $1,000 starter toolbox grant, five additional training areas and a mentoring pilot. New areas include road construction, water and sanitary engineering, personal services, sales and marketing, and sports and recreation.

Who it covers

Employers and apprentices in accredited programmes, with expanded eligibility. Grants cover starting tools, kit, uniforms and course materials.

Timing

New areas, grant and mentoring pilot: 1 July 2027. Two-year employer payments: 1 July 2028.

Cost & funding stated by the party

The fiscal plan allocates $21m/$64m/$69.5m/$71.5m in 2027/28–2030/31: $226m total, or $56.5m annually on average. It is funded within Labour’s Budget allowances.

Party proposal

Labour would restore pay-equity legislation within its first 100 days and recognise previous claim work. Care and support workers would receive an immediate $4 hourly increase; other settlements would follow negotiation.

Who it covers

An estimated 65,000 care and support workers receive the immediate increase. Other pay-equity claimants would use the restored process rather than an automatic immediate settlement.

Timing

Care/support increase: 1 January 2027. Legislation: first 100 days. Future settlement dates depend on negotiations.

Cost & funding stated by the party

The fiscal table costs the immediate rise at $279m in 2026/27 and $558m each year from 2027/28–2030/31: $2.511bn total. Labour says later negotiated settlements would be funded through future Budgets; those amounts are not quantified here.

Party proposal

Labour proposes a 15-day payment rule for large firms’ small-supplier invoices, a $10,000 immediate asset deduction and an $80,000 GST-registration threshold. Its separate Small Business First plan targets 15% of government contracts for local small firms and start-ups, with smaller tender lots and simpler information requirements.

Who it covers

Small firms: asset deduction for annual revenue below $10m; payment rule for invoices up to $25,000. Large payer tests and voluntary GST registration apply.

Timing

Payment legislation: first 100 days. Asset deduction: 1 July 2027. GST threshold: 1 July 2028. No exact procurement-target start date is stated.

Cost & funding stated by the party

The fiscal table allocates $1.354bn to the asset deduction and $210m to the GST change over 2027/28–2030/31 ($1.564bn combined), funded by refocusing Investment Boost. The policy page rounds the package to $1.56bn and gives $1.355bn for the asset deduction.

The asset write-off is a deduction from taxable income, not a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. The $1m difference between source editions does not establish a material funding shortfall.

Party proposal

Labour proposes a Parliamentary Budget Office to independently examine government finances and cost parties’ election commitments on a consistent basis, giving voters information about fiscal trade-offs.

Who it covers

Voters, Parliament and political parties using or scrutinising independent costings.

Timing

The fiscal plan allocates operating funding from 2028/29. The policy does not specify the exact establishment date or whether every service would start then.

Cost & funding stated by the party

The fiscal table provides $3.5m annually in 2028/29–2030/31: $10.5m total, within Labour’s operating allowances.

Party proposal

Labour proposes a contestable fund for Māori providers, including marae and iwi trusts, to deliver employment-focused training linked to local employers and recognised qualifications. Programmes would combine practical skills with mentoring and support to complete training and remain in work.

Who it covers

Māori of all ages seeking a first job, retraining or more secure work; Māori providers would apply to deliver programmes shaped around local skills needs.

Timing

As soon as possible after Budget 2027; no exact commencement day is given.

Cost & funding stated by the party

The policy specifies $21m annually through reprioritisation and existing baselines in Budget 2027. The fiscal table separately includes $21m in each of 2027/28–2030/31: $84m over four years. This is separate from Apprenticeship Boost.