Party vote
Incomes and employment
The price of everything is rising fast, as inflation reaches its highest levels since the 1990s. The cost of living has become a major election issue with all major parties promising a raft of changes to ease the pressure on households. Some focus on increasing incomes through tax cuts or increases to benefits, some focus on reducing prices, while others maintain that the way forward is to reduce regulation to reduce costs on businesses.
Incomes and employment
The price of everything is rising fast, as inflation reaches its highest levels since the 1990s. The cost of living has become a major election issue with all major parties promising a raft of changes to ease the pressure on households. Some focus on increasing incomes through tax cuts or increases to benefits, some focus on reducing prices, while others maintain that the way forward is to reduce regulation to reduce costs on businesses.
Keep the retirement age at 65
Oppose the use of vaccine mandates
Oppose all new taxes
Abolish the Auckland regional fuel tax
Make the first $20,000 of income tax free
Allow families with children to divide their income between both parents for tax purposes
Replace Working for Families with child tax credits
Adjust income tax brackets for inflation
Pay compensation to people who lost jobs due to Covid-19 vaccination requirements
Reduce taxes over time
Introduce a weekly income guarantee
Make the first $10,000 of income tax free
Reduce tax on income under $120,00
Introduce an income guarantee for families
Introduce an income guarantee for all students
Introduce an income guarantee for the unemployed
Introduce an income guarantee for people unable to work due to health conditions or disabilities
Introduce a wealth tax
Increase taxes on companies
Raise tax on income over $180,000
Continue funding Jobs for Nature
Improve working conditions and staff-to-student ratios
Reform the electricity market to encourage renewable energy
Extend paid parental leave to 15 months
Support pay equity settlements
Double the Best Start payment for families with a newborn
Offer free training and re-entry programmes for parents with school-aged children
Improve working conditions for healthcare workers
Work with unions, employers and Māori to transition to a low emissions economy
Prioritise the Māori economy in developing low-emissions jobs
Transform Rau Paenga into the Ministry of Green Works
Provide training for careers in clean energy
Train more mental health professionals
Reinstate the 10-year residency requirement for superannuation eligibility
Standardise career progression, pay and training across the public sector
Increase superannuation payments
Strengthen competition laws
Increase minimum wage with inflation
Set a minimum entitlement to redundancy compensation
Introduce default union membership
Legalise solidarity and political strikes
Strengthen rights for contract workers
Increase funding for workplace safety authorities
Strengthen laws against bullying and harassment in the workplace
Provide five weeks of annual leave
Implement comprehensive pay gap reporting
Maintain the current retirement age
Implement the recommendations of the Holidays Act Taskforce
Adjust bereavement leave entitlements
Oppose a wealth or capital gains tax
Remove GST from fruit and vegetables
Provide two weeks of paid partner's leave
Increase the in-work tax credit
Increase support and expand eligibility for Working for Families payments
Continue to support Jobs for Nature projects
Remove tax depreciation for commercial buildings
Increase the top trust tax rate
Provide funding for apprenticeships in digital sector
Continue incentive schemes for movie and video game developers
Reform the research, science, and innovation system
Support fair pay agreements for more sectors
Require public reporting on the gender pay gap
Clarify the legal definition of employees and contractors
Continue transformation plan for construction industry
Continue to support regional skills groups
Make apprenticeship support payments for businesses permanent
Train 300 additional Police officers
Provide tax rebates for improving energy efficiency in existing houses
Increase overseas recruitment of senior medical workers
Increase the minimum wage every year in its next term
Extend the living wage to contracted and directly employed workers in the education sector and Te Whatu Ora
Abolish starting out and training wages
Ratify international convention on workplace organising
Continue the free school lunches programme
Increase abatement thresholds in line with the minimum wage
Keep benefits indexed to average wages
Keep the superannuation age at 65 and continue to index Superannuation to wage growth
Review the impact of relationship status on benefit entitlements
Establish a centre to train renewable energy workers
Expand eligibility for the Child Disability Allowance and Disability Allowance and increase rates
Compensate people who lost jobs due to Covid-19 vaccination requirements
Adjust income tax brackets for inflation
Hold a select committee inquiry into removing GST from fresh food
Oppose the use of vaccine mandates
Continue to support Jobs for Nature programme
Freeze MP salaries until frontline public workers receive pay rises
Make the first $14,000 of income tax free
Introduce a two year limit to the Jobseeker Support benefit
Train 500 more Police officers
Review Police pay and conditions
Provide a rates rebate to people over 65
Remove GST from all food
Make the first $30,000 of income tax free
Introduce a wealth tax
Increase taxes on companies
Introduce tax on foreign companies
Tax undeveloped land
Introduce tax on vacant houses
Increase funding for investigation of tax evasion and financial crimes
Raise the minimum wage to $25 per hour
Double baseline benefit levels
Reduce barriers to accessing benefits
Introduce a universal student allowance
Cancel all debt owed to MSD
Increase tax on income over $300,000
Support the creation of Māori supermarket chains
Establish a Māori accident compensation authority
Exempt those on low incomes from receiving attachment orders
Increase financial support for people leaving prison
Abolish the minimum wage exemption
Abolish benefit abatement rates for disabled people and their carers
Make the first $15,000 of income tax free
Provide a universal basic income by 2030
Introduce a tax on urban residential land
Introduce a card and app for citizens and residents up to the age of 30
Introduce and incentivise a national civic service programme
Increase income support for disabled people
Extend the in-work tax credit to all children
Cancel all debt owed to MSD
Remove some benefit sanctions
Provide healthcare workers with liveable wages and safer hours
Increase financial incentives for medical workers who move to hard to staff areas or specialities
Review the Accredited Employer Work Visa
Increase tax on income over $180,000
Reduce tax on income up to $80,000
Remove the requirement for the Reserve Bank to focus on maximising employment
Allow small businesses to accelerate depreciation for tax purposes
Require children to be signed up for Kiwisaver at birth
Review Kiwisaver contributions for self-employed people
Review the effect of Kiwisaver contributions on price stability
Provide cash payments to parents for early childcare and education
Review teachers' pay
Increase funding for teaching assistants and specialist support
Impose spending controls on parents receiving sole parent support
Impose spending controls on recipients of unemployment benefits
Introduce a two-rate income tax system
Introduce tax offset for low and middle income earners
Abolish the bright line test for tax on property sales
Provide tax refund using emissions trading scheme revenue
Speed up the personal grievance process
Impose spending controls on gang members who recieve benefits
Prevent contractors from challenging their employment status in court
Streamline NZ's immigration system
Halt contributions to the NZ Super Fund
Increase the retirement age to 67 and index it to life expectancy
Reduce the number of public servants and limit pay increases
Index benefits to the consumer price index
Index superannuation to the consumer price index rather than average wages
Reduce government Kiwisaver contributions
Restrict access to the winter energy payment
Exempt investors from OECD states from foreign investment rules except for residential land investments
Abolish all tariffs
Abolish fair pay agreements
Remove a public holiday
Extend 90-day trials to businesses with 20 or more staff
Restrict employees' remedies in the personal grievance process
Restrict access to permanent sickness benefits
Bar contractors from challenging their employment status in the Employment Court
Require all Employment Relations Authority determinations to be made within one month
Require annual leave to be calculated on a pro-rata basis
Introduce a childcare tax rebate for families earning less than $180,000 per year
Adjust income tax brackets for inflation
Abolish the Auckland regional fuel tax
Revert the bright-line test for tax on property sales to two years
Allow interest deductibility on loans for rental properties
Use targeted rates to fund infrastructure for when developing on greenfield land
Increase funding for victim support services
Reform cost recovery rules for electricity transmission infrastructure
Abolish fair pay agreements
Remove the requirement for the Reserve Bank to focus on maximising employment
Require teachers to provide evidence of professional development to re-certify
Allow parents to take paid leave at the same time
Fund community providers to support young people who are receiving the Jobseeker Support payment
Increase sanctions on young people on the benefit for more than three months
Incentivise young people to get off and stay off Jobseeker Support
Increase the cap on seasonal workers
Explore increasing the number of countries eligible for the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme
Relax rules for agricultural workers on the Accredited Employer Work Visa
Prioritise funding social services that have the biggest long term impact
Expand eligibility for the independent earner tax credit
Increase support and expand eligibility for Working for Families payments
Maintain the Winter Energy Payment
Increase superannuation payments annually
Ensure that businesses making less than $60,000 are exempt from GST
Fund tax cut using emissions trading scheme revenue
Remove tax depreciation for commercial buildings
Stop funding certain workforce development and regional employment initiatives
End the planned extension of 20 hours free ECE to two-year-olds
Enable members of Kiwisaver to split savings across multiple providers
Repeal the Conduct of Financial Institutions Act
Reverse changes to the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act
Expand the types of building and construction workers who can self-certify
Raise upper age limit for working holiday visas to 35
Allow additional working holiday visas for people in sectors with worker shortages
Abolish median wage requirements for work visas
Require emergency housing grant recipients to spend grants in the area they currently live in
Extend 90-day trials to businesses with 20 or more staff
Relax rules for employers in the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme
Allow migrant workers to pay domestic rates for industry training
Create visa for recent graduates from top universities
Create a visa for workers from major tech companies
Consider changing tax rules for startups
Stop work on an income insurance scheme
Allow international students to work more hours while studying
Increase the length of time international postgrad students can work after finishing study
Enable partners of international students doing degree level qualifications to work in NZ
Ensure courses which allow international students the right to work post-study reflect skills shortages
Provide taxpayers with annual report on government spending
Freeze petrol taxes for three years
Amend tax and foreign investment laws to encourage build-to-rent housing
Increase the retirement age to 67 from 2044
Increase sanctions on beneficiaries who do not comply with job seeker requirements
Suspend benefits to people evading arrest
Require those on the unemployment benefit to re-apply more regularly
Index benefits to the consumer price index rather than to wages
Require beneficiaries to provide more evidence that they are looking for work
Keep the retirement age at 65
Oppose the use of vaccine mandates
Oppose all new taxes
Abolish the Auckland regional fuel tax
Make the first $20,000 of income tax free
Allow families with children to divide their income between both parents for tax purposes
Replace Working for Families with child tax credits
Adjust income tax brackets for inflation
Pay compensation to people who lost jobs due to Covid-19 vaccination requirements
Reduce taxes over time
Introduce a weekly income guarantee
Make the first $10,000 of income tax free
Reduce tax on income under $120,00
Introduce an income guarantee for families
Introduce an income guarantee for all students
Introduce an income guarantee for the unemployed
Introduce an income guarantee for people unable to work due to health conditions or disabilities
Introduce a wealth tax
Increase taxes on companies
Raise tax on income over $180,000
Continue funding Jobs for Nature
Improve working conditions and staff-to-student ratios
Reform the electricity market to encourage renewable energy
Extend paid parental leave to 15 months
Support pay equity settlements
Double the Best Start payment for families with a newborn
Offer free training and re-entry programmes for parents with school-aged children
Improve working conditions for healthcare workers
Work with unions, employers and Māori to transition to a low emissions economy
Prioritise the Māori economy in developing low-emissions jobs
Transform Rau Paenga into the Ministry of Green Works
Provide training for careers in clean energy
Train more mental health professionals
Reinstate the 10-year residency requirement for superannuation eligibility
Standardise career progression, pay and training across the public sector
Increase superannuation payments
Strengthen competition laws
Increase minimum wage with inflation
Set a minimum entitlement to redundancy compensation
Introduce default union membership
Legalise solidarity and political strikes
Strengthen rights for contract workers
Increase funding for workplace safety authorities
Strengthen laws against bullying and harassment in the workplace
Provide five weeks of annual leave
Implement comprehensive pay gap reporting
Maintain the current retirement age
Implement the recommendations of the Holidays Act Taskforce
Adjust bereavement leave entitlements
Oppose a wealth or capital gains tax
Remove GST from fruit and vegetables
Provide two weeks of paid partner's leave
Increase the in-work tax credit
Increase support and expand eligibility for Working for Families payments
Continue to support Jobs for Nature projects
Remove tax depreciation for commercial buildings
Increase the top trust tax rate
Provide funding for apprenticeships in digital sector
Continue incentive schemes for movie and video game developers
Reform the research, science, and innovation system
Support fair pay agreements for more sectors
Require public reporting on the gender pay gap
Clarify the legal definition of employees and contractors
Continue transformation plan for construction industry
Continue to support regional skills groups
Make apprenticeship support payments for businesses permanent
Train 300 additional Police officers
Provide tax rebates for improving energy efficiency in existing houses
Increase overseas recruitment of senior medical workers
Increase the minimum wage every year in its next term
Extend the living wage to contracted and directly employed workers in the education sector and Te Whatu Ora
Abolish starting out and training wages
Ratify international convention on workplace organising
Continue the free school lunches programme
Increase abatement thresholds in line with the minimum wage
Keep benefits indexed to average wages
Keep the superannuation age at 65 and continue to index Superannuation to wage growth
Review the impact of relationship status on benefit entitlements
Establish a centre to train renewable energy workers
Expand eligibility for the Child Disability Allowance and Disability Allowance and increase rates
Compensate people who lost jobs due to Covid-19 vaccination requirements
Adjust income tax brackets for inflation
Hold a select committee inquiry into removing GST from fresh food
Oppose the use of vaccine mandates
Continue to support Jobs for Nature programme
Freeze MP salaries until frontline public workers receive pay rises
Make the first $14,000 of income tax free
Introduce a two year limit to the Jobseeker Support benefit
Train 500 more Police officers
Review Police pay and conditions
Provide a rates rebate to people over 65
Remove GST from all food
Make the first $30,000 of income tax free
Introduce a wealth tax
Increase taxes on companies
Introduce tax on foreign companies
Tax undeveloped land
Introduce tax on vacant houses
Increase funding for investigation of tax evasion and financial crimes
Raise the minimum wage to $25 per hour
Double baseline benefit levels
Reduce barriers to accessing benefits
Introduce a universal student allowance
Cancel all debt owed to MSD
Increase tax on income over $300,000
Support the creation of Māori supermarket chains
Establish a Māori accident compensation authority
Exempt those on low incomes from receiving attachment orders
Increase financial support for people leaving prison
Abolish the minimum wage exemption
Abolish benefit abatement rates for disabled people and their carers
Make the first $15,000 of income tax free
Provide a universal basic income by 2030
Introduce a tax on urban residential land
Introduce a card and app for citizens and residents up to the age of 30
Introduce and incentivise a national civic service programme
Increase income support for disabled people
Extend the in-work tax credit to all children
Cancel all debt owed to MSD
Remove some benefit sanctions
Provide healthcare workers with liveable wages and safer hours
Increase financial incentives for medical workers who move to hard to staff areas or specialities
Review the Accredited Employer Work Visa
Increase tax on income over $180,000
Reduce tax on income up to $80,000
Remove the requirement for the Reserve Bank to focus on maximising employment
Allow small businesses to accelerate depreciation for tax purposes
Require children to be signed up for Kiwisaver at birth
Review Kiwisaver contributions for self-employed people
Review the effect of Kiwisaver contributions on price stability
Provide cash payments to parents for early childcare and education
Review teachers' pay
Increase funding for teaching assistants and specialist support
Impose spending controls on parents receiving sole parent support
Impose spending controls on recipients of unemployment benefits
Introduce a two-rate income tax system
Introduce tax offset for low and middle income earners
Abolish the bright line test for tax on property sales
Provide tax refund using emissions trading scheme revenue
Speed up the personal grievance process
Impose spending controls on gang members who recieve benefits
Prevent contractors from challenging their employment status in court
Streamline NZ's immigration system
Halt contributions to the NZ Super Fund
Increase the retirement age to 67 and index it to life expectancy
Reduce the number of public servants and limit pay increases
Index benefits to the consumer price index
Index superannuation to the consumer price index rather than average wages
Reduce government Kiwisaver contributions
Restrict access to the winter energy payment
Exempt investors from OECD states from foreign investment rules except for residential land investments
Abolish all tariffs
Abolish fair pay agreements
Remove a public holiday
Extend 90-day trials to businesses with 20 or more staff
Restrict employees' remedies in the personal grievance process
Restrict access to permanent sickness benefits
Bar contractors from challenging their employment status in the Employment Court
Require all Employment Relations Authority determinations to be made within one month
Require annual leave to be calculated on a pro-rata basis
Introduce a childcare tax rebate for families earning less than $180,000 per year
Adjust income tax brackets for inflation
Abolish the Auckland regional fuel tax
Revert the bright-line test for tax on property sales to two years
Allow interest deductibility on loans for rental properties
Use targeted rates to fund infrastructure for when developing on greenfield land
Increase funding for victim support services
Reform cost recovery rules for electricity transmission infrastructure
Abolish fair pay agreements
Remove the requirement for the Reserve Bank to focus on maximising employment
Require teachers to provide evidence of professional development to re-certify
Allow parents to take paid leave at the same time
Fund community providers to support young people who are receiving the Jobseeker Support payment
Increase sanctions on young people on the benefit for more than three months
Incentivise young people to get off and stay off Jobseeker Support
Increase the cap on seasonal workers
Explore increasing the number of countries eligible for the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme
Relax rules for agricultural workers on the Accredited Employer Work Visa
Prioritise funding social services that have the biggest long term impact
Expand eligibility for the independent earner tax credit
Increase support and expand eligibility for Working for Families payments
Maintain the Winter Energy Payment
Increase superannuation payments annually
Ensure that businesses making less than $60,000 are exempt from GST
Fund tax cut using emissions trading scheme revenue
Remove tax depreciation for commercial buildings
Stop funding certain workforce development and regional employment initiatives
End the planned extension of 20 hours free ECE to two-year-olds
Enable members of Kiwisaver to split savings across multiple providers
Repeal the Conduct of Financial Institutions Act
Reverse changes to the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act
Expand the types of building and construction workers who can self-certify
Raise upper age limit for working holiday visas to 35
Allow additional working holiday visas for people in sectors with worker shortages
Abolish median wage requirements for work visas
Require emergency housing grant recipients to spend grants in the area they currently live in
Extend 90-day trials to businesses with 20 or more staff
Relax rules for employers in the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme
Allow migrant workers to pay domestic rates for industry training
Create visa for recent graduates from top universities
Create a visa for workers from major tech companies
Consider changing tax rules for startups
Stop work on an income insurance scheme
Allow international students to work more hours while studying
Increase the length of time international postgrad students can work after finishing study
Enable partners of international students doing degree level qualifications to work in NZ
Ensure courses which allow international students the right to work post-study reflect skills shortages
Provide taxpayers with annual report on government spending
Freeze petrol taxes for three years
Amend tax and foreign investment laws to encourage build-to-rent housing
Increase the retirement age to 67 from 2044
Increase sanctions on beneficiaries who do not comply with job seeker requirements
Suspend benefits to people evading arrest
Require those on the unemployment benefit to re-apply more regularly
Index benefits to the consumer price index rather than to wages
Require beneficiaries to provide more evidence that they are looking for work
Policies
Compare the parties’ positions on the key issues this election
Candidates
See the electorate candidates running in your local area
Parties
Learn about each political party, its leaders and candidate list
Compare the candidates running in your local area
Each part of the country is represented in Parliament by an electorate MP. We've asked every candidate about their priorities for your community and why they deserve your vote.
