Chris Hipkins will form a Labour-led Government before Christmas and make the cost of living and fixing healthcare its first priorities.
“People are working hard, but they’re still falling behind. The bills keep coming, the grocery shop costs more every week, and too many people can’t get the healthcare they need,” Labour leader Chris Hipkins said.
“New Zealanders don’t want more political arguments. They want a government that gets things done.
“That’s why I’m committing to forming a Labour-led Government before Christmas and getting straight to work. Kiwis can’t afford to wait any longer for things to get better.
“My first Cabinet meeting will take five immediate actions to ease pressure on households and get essential services working again,” Chris Hipkins said.
The five actions will be:
Get hospitals the staff they need: End the Health New Zealand hiring freeze and start delivering Labour’s guarantee of a job for every eligible New Zealand-trained graduate nurse.
Tackle emergency department delays: Launch Labour’s Emergency Department Recovery Plan, urgently assessing what hospitals need to open more staffed beds and get patients into wards faster.
Make healthcare more affordable: Start work on a new Medicard providing three free GP visits and free prescriptions each year, saving the average person around $180 annually.
Cut transport costs and student debt: Approve a three-year fuel tax freeze, progress public transport fare caps of $20 a week in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and $10 elsewhere, and begin preparations for a 10 percent student loan balance reduction for eligible borrowers from 1 July 2027.
Crack down on rip-offs: Agree to legislation banning price gouging on groceries, power and petrol illegal, ban hidden fees and unfair charges, and meet supermarket leaders to set out plans to separate their wholesale and retail operations.
“Finance Minister Barbara Edmonds will lead a responsible economic plan, with one new tax: a simple, targeted capital gains tax excluding the family home.
“And I will hold every minister accountable for delivering. New Zealanders deserve a government that works as hard as they do, and there will be consequences if ministers fail to meet the standards I set.
“This election is about whether life gets easier or harder for ordinary New Zealanders. Labour will put people first, bring the bills down and give families more breathing room,” Chris Hipkins said.
