New Zealand National Party
Founded in 1936. Leads the government formed in 2023. Led by Christopher Luxon.
Key facts
- Party
- National Party website
- Leader
- Christopher Luxon (Leader)
- Founded
- 1936
- Seats before the 2026 election
- 48
- 2023 election
- 38.06% of the party vote, 48 seats
- Now
- Leads the coalition government with ACT and New Zealand First, formed in November 2023.
Sources: [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]
About the party
National was founded at a conference in Wellington in May 1936 by members of the United–Reform coalition and the National Political Federation. Christopher Luxon is its Leader. It won 48 seats at the 2023 election, 49 after the Port Waikato by-election, and held 48 when Parliament was dissolved on 1 October 2026. It leads the coalition government with ACT and New Zealand First formed in November 2023. It governed from 1949 to 1957, 1960 to 1972, 1975 to 1984 and 1990 to 1999 (with New Zealand First from 1996 to 1998), and from 2008 to 2017 with confidence and supply agreements with the Māori Party, ACT and United Future. Its constitution lists ten values, shown below in the party's own words.
History. The New Zealand National Party was established at a conference in Wellington on 13–14 May 1936 by members of the United–Reform coalition and the National Political Federation, which had run that coalition's 1935 campaign (NZ History). George Forbes continued as party leader until October 1936, when Adam Hamilton succeeded him. The party was registered with the Electoral Commission on 2 December 1994.
In government. Te Ara records National in office from 1949 to 1957, from 1960 to 1972, from 1975 to 1984 and from October 1990 to 1999, after Labour governments in the gaps. In the 1990s it governed in coalition with New Zealand First from 1996 to 1998. From 2008 to 2017, under John Key and then Bill English, it governed under confidence and supply agreements with the Māori Party, ACT and UnitedFuture, renewed after the 2011 and 2014 elections. Since 27 November 2023 it has led a coalition government with ACT and New Zealand First, with Christopher Luxon as Prime Minister.
In Parliament. At the 2023 election National won 38.06% of the party vote and 48 seats (43 electorate and 5 list). The Port Waikato by-election on 25 November 2023, held after the death of a candidate during the general election, was won by Andrew Bayly, who was already a National list MP; Nancy Lu was declared the new National list MP on 14 December 2023, which took National to 49 seats. Judith Collins, MP for Papakura, resigned from Parliament in 2026 to become President of the Law Commission, and the seat was not filled by a by-election. That left it with 48 seats when Parliament was dissolved on 1 October 2026.
Leadership. Christopher Luxon has been Leader since November 2021, when National's caucus elected him to replace Judith Collins. Under the party's constitution, National's MPs (the Parliamentary Section) appoint their Leader after each general election and whenever the position is vacant, and that person becomes Leader of the Party once the Board approves.
What it says it stands for
In the party's own words and order. Where the party gives an item no heading, the heading is a short neutral topic name added by this site. From: Constitution and Rules (30th Edition, 1 August 2025), rule 4(b): Vision and Values.
- Loyalty to our country
- Recognition of the Treaty
- National and personal security
- Equal citizenship and opportunity
- Individual freedom and choice
- Personal responsibility
- Competitive enterprise and rewards
- Limited government
- Strong families, caring communities
- Sustainable development
Loyalty to our country
Loyalty to New Zealand, its democratic principles and the Sovereign as Head of State.
“Loyalty to our country, its democratic principles and our Sovereign as Head of State”
[14]Recognition of the Treaty
Recognition of the Treaty of Waitangi as the founding document of New Zealand.
“Recognition of the Treaty of Waitangi as the founding document of New Zealand”
[14]National and personal security
Lists national and personal security as a value.
“National and personal security”
[14]Equal citizenship and opportunity
Equal citizenship and equal opportunity.
“Equal citizenship and equal opportunity”
[14]Individual freedom and choice
Individual freedom and choice.
“Individual freedom and choice”
[14]Personal responsibility
Personal responsibility.
“Personal responsibility”
[14]Competitive enterprise and rewards
Competitive enterprise, and rewards for achievement.
“Competitive enterprise and rewards for achievement”
[14]Limited government
Limited government.
“Limited government”
[14]Strong families, caring communities
Strong families and caring communities.
“Strong families and caring communities”
[14]Sustainable development
Sustainable development of our environment.
“Sustainable development of our environment”
[14]
Bottom lines for coalition talks
What the party has publicly said it must get, or won't accept, to form or support a government after the 2026 election. Every party's bottom lines
New Zealand stays in the Paris Agreement.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says remaining in the Paris climate agreement is a bottom line in any coalition negotiations after the election.
Its other policies
Policies on its own policy page (read 17 Oct 2026) or in its releases that no issue page compares yet, each on the same short card. Some parties list single policies and others list broad areas, so the number of cards says nothing about how much a party has planned. Every party's policies
Tax and public finances
National would keep three budget rules on surplus, debt and spending
National would follow three budget rules: return to surplus and stay there long enough to bring debt down, keep debt below 40% of GDP over time, and shrink core government spending towards 30% of GDP. It would pay for more frontline spending by cutting or moving lower-priority spending rather than bringing in new taxes. It would keep investing in roads, hospitals, schools and defence.
- Party claimThe party says the budget would return to surplus in 2028/29.
- Party claimThe party says government debt would fall towards 40 per cent of GDP and stay below it over time.
- Party claimThe party says core Crown spending would fall towards 30 per cent of GDP.
National would return to surplus in 2028/29 and lower debt
National's fiscal plan says it would not bring in new taxes and would keep paying for health, schools, law and order, roads, defence and other frontline services. It would move money away from lower-priority spending so that total government spending falls towards 30% of the economy (GDP). It would return the budget to surplus in 2028/29 and keep government debt heading down towards, and then below, 40% of GDP.
- Party claimThe party says the budget would return to surplus in 2028/29 and stay in surplus.
- Party claimThe party says government spending would fall towards 30 per cent of GDP.
- Party claimThe party says government debt would fall towards 40 per cent of GDP and stay below it over time.
National would bring in no new taxes if re-elected
National promises that it would not bring in any new taxes if it is re-elected at the election on 7 November 2026. The page does not list which taxes the promise covers, or say whether existing tax rates would change. National says keeping taxes low lets people keep more of what they earn.
Health
National would add $604 million to Pharmac's medicines budget
National would give Pharmac, the agency that buys medicines, a further $604 million for medicines, paid for by cutting foreign aid outside the Pacific. It would set a national target for clinical trials, help New Zealand make its own CAR-T cell therapy (a cancer treatment), and widen free cancer screening. It would also set up a Healthy Kiwis Programme to double the number of people given prescriptions for physical activity.
- Party claimThe party says it would add a further $604 million to Pharmac's medicines budget.
- Party claimThe party says it would lower the free bowel screening age to 50 and extend free breast screening to age 74, both by 2029.
- Party claimThe party says free cervical screening for all women aged 25 to 69 would start from March 2027.
- Party claimThe party says it would double the number of people receiving active prescriptions by 2030.
Housing
National would keep council rates rises within 2% to 4% a year
National would require councils to keep yearly rates increases within a target range of 2% to 4%, through its Rates Capping Bill, which has passed its first reading in Parliament. An independent regulator would check that councils follow the rules, decide on exemptions and advise on future ranges. Councils could get exemptions in special cases, such as recovering from a natural disaster or showing prudent financial management, and would get help with the change.
- Party claimThe party says rates increases would be kept within a target range of 2 to 4 per cent a year.
- Party claimThe party says the law would be put in place in 2029.
Families, work and welfare
National would add work support and new rules for long-term jobseekers
National would give more intensive help finding work to jobseekers who have been on a benefit for over a year, and more money for programmes that help young people into work. People who have been on Jobseeker for two of the last three years would move to a lower payment rate, with a smaller cut for families with children. National would also start random drug testing of jobseekers, double the stand-down for people who keep leaving jobs without good reason, and require five years' residence before people can get a main benefit.
- Party claimThe party says 30,000 work-ready jobseekers who have been on a benefit for more than a year would get more intensive support.
- Party claimThe party says the lower rate after two years on Jobseeker would start from 1 April 2028; the page does not give the rate.
- Party claimThe party says drug testing would start with 10,000 tests in the first year.
- Party claimThe party says the stand-down for repeatedly leaving work would be 26 weeks, up from 13 weeks.
- Party claimThe party says the residence requirement for main benefits would rise from two years to five years from 1 April 2028.
National would extend paid parental leave from 26 to 30 weeks
National would lengthen paid parental leave from 26 to 30 weeks in three steps between 2027 and 2029, as a first step towards 40 weeks. Parents could take their leave at the same time or in overlapping blocks. Workers on parental leave would keep earning annual leave and be paid it in full, and the government would pay KiwiSaver contributions on their parental leave pay.
- Party claimThe party says paid parental leave would rise to 27 weeks from 1 July 2027, 28 weeks from 1 July 2028 and 30 weeks from 1 July 2029.
- Party claimThe party says its long-term goal is 40 weeks of paid parental leave.
- Party claimThe party says full holiday pay and KiwiSaver contributions for parents on leave would start from 1 July 2027.
Education and skills
National would bring in a School Start Check and replace NCEA
National would check every child before they start school, set clearer milestones in early childhood education and report them to parents, and expand early intervention support. It would ban screens and personal devices in early childhood education, set tight screen limits in Years 1 to 3, and require students to stay at school until they finish Year 11 or turn 16, whichever is later. It would replace NCEA with new qualifications and add learning support coordinators and teacher-aide hours.
- Party claimThe party says NCEA would be replaced with new qualifications from 2028.
- Party claimThe party says all schools with Year 1 to 8 students would have a Learning Support Coordinator from 2028.
- Party claimThe party says teacher-aide support would build to two million extra hours every year from 2028.
National would lower student loan repayments from 12% to 10% of income
National's "Back Pocket Boost for Graduates" would cut the share of income that borrowers living in New Zealand must pay towards their student loan, from 12% to 10%, from 1 April 2027. Borrowers living overseas would pay more interest, and those who leave New Zealand for good would have to clear their loan before taking money out of KiwiSaver. Arrest warrants could be sought for serious, ongoing failure to repay, without having to prove the borrower knowingly refused to pay.
- Party claimThe party says the repayment rate would fall from 12 per cent to 10 per cent from 1 April 2027.
- Party claimThe party says a borrower earning $75,000 a year would keep about $39 more a fortnight, or around $1,000 a year.
- Party claimThe party says a borrower earning $80,000 would keep about $43 more a fortnight (around $1,100 a year), and one earning $100,000 about $58 more (around $1,500 a year).
- Party claimThe party says interest on overseas-based borrowers' balances would rise by 1 percentage point, to 6.6 per cent.
Climate, energy and environment
National would create a new marine reserve near Waiheke Island
National would create a new marine reserve near Waiheke Island, make the Goat Island/Te Hāwere-a-Maki reserve bigger, and ban commercial fishing in the Hauraki Gulf's High Protection Areas. It would rule out a recreational fishing licence, stop the commercial sale of marlin and give recreational fishers a say in reforms. It would also protect more of New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone, keep the ban on taking shellfish from rockpools, and raise penalties for going over catch limits.
- Party claimThe party says it would set up a $20 million Fish Tech Innovation Fund.
- Party claimThe party says protected areas in the Exclusive Economic Zone would rise from 32% to 50% by 2040.
- Party claimThe party says it would increase the number of Honorary Fisheries Officers to 200.
National would recognise valued introduced game animals in law
National would set up a wild animal management framework and recognise in law introduced species with recreational, economic, environmental or cultural value, so they are not treated as pests just because they were introduced. The Game Animal Council would manage valued game animals, Fish & Game would be modernised, and the 1993 Tahr Control Plan would be replaced with one made with tahr hunters. National would also open more suitable Crown land to hunting and fishing, and make it simpler to export hunting trophies.
Law and order
National would require active consent in sexual consent law
National would change the law so that consent to sex must be actively given: a "yes" in words or actions, not just the absence of a "no". Silence would not count as consent, and consent given once would not last forever. Prosecutors would still have to prove beyond reasonable doubt that there was no consent and that the accused did not reasonably believe there was.
National would make Fire and Emergency answer directly to the minister
National would reset Fire and Emergency New Zealand, making it directly accountable to the Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery, cutting bureaucracy and putting a turnaround plan in place. It would require the organisation to insure volunteer firefighters for mental injuries from callouts and for injuries that build up over time. It would deliver the fire engines firefighters need, plan long-term fleet replacement and bring back live fire training, all within existing budgets.
Immigration and population
National would start five policies within 100 days to bring Kiwis home
National's plan to bring New Zealanders home from overseas groups five of its policies: lower student loan repayments for borrowers living here, wider access to 5% first home deposits, longer paid parental leave, KiwiSaver changes including a payment for newborns, and faster work and visitor visas for partners of New Zealand citizens. It says it would pass any laws needed, or give directions, within its first 100 days.
- Party claimThe party says all five commitments would be legislated or directed within the first 100 days.
- Party claimThe party says each is fully funded in its fiscal plan to start by 1 July 2027, some earlier.
- Party claimThe party says the KiwiSaver changes include a $1,500 Baby Boost payment.
- Party claimThe party says paid parental leave would rise from 26 weeks to 30 weeks within three years.
Economy, business and infrastructure
National's Auckland plan: allow parking minimums again and build Mill Road
National's Auckland plan would lift the blanket ban on minimum car parking rules, so councils could require parking in suburbs outside intensification zones. It would fund Mill Road Stage One, progress a new harbour crossing, finish the Eastern Busway to Botany and progress North-West rapid transit. It would also set up a police team for Auckland public transport, progress a South Auckland hospital at Drury, extend free cancer screening, deliver the remaining funded classrooms, and progress Drury Specialist School towards opening.
- Party claimThe party says it would fund $1.75 billion for Mill Road Stage One and $100 million to protect the route for stages two and three.
- Party claimThe party says the Auckland Deal would include a 30-year transport strategy.
- Party claimThe party says it would deliver the remaining 499 funded classrooms: 203 under construction and 296 more to start.
- Party claimThe party says it would progress Drury Specialist School towards opening in Term 1, 2028, for up to 54 students with high and complex needs.
- Party claimThe party says a 30-bed spinal rehabilitation centre at Manukau Health Park is backed by $128.5 million.
National would let engineers sign off some commercial building work
National would make it quicker to get building consents for shops, offices and other commercial buildings. Qualified engineers' sign-offs, called producer statements, would get formal status in the Building Act, so some work would not need a council inspection. One specialist consent authority would handle large commercial buildings across the country, and developers could use it or their local council.
- Party claimThe party says the specialist consent authority would cover large or complex buildings, generally four storeys or more, which can hold more than 500 people.
National would return to surplus, replace the RMA and build infrastructure
National's economic plan has four parts: return to surplus and keep debt below 40% of GDP; cut red tape, including replacing the Resource Management Act (the main planning law); require an hour a day of reading, writing and maths, replace NCEA and expand trades training; and build roads, hospitals, classrooms and energy projects. The party's release on the plan also lists new trade deals, more tourism, delivering Investment Boost, and no new taxes.
- Party claimThe party says it would run a surplus in 2028/29 and keep debt below 40 per cent of GDP over time.
- Party claimThe party says it would free up $50 billion of government procurement to more competition.
National would set 19 national standards for farming activities
National would set 19 national standards so that common farm activities follow the same rules across the country, as part of its plan to double exports by 2034. They cover farm plans, vegetable growing, water storage, gravel extraction, drains, effluent, fertiliser, quarries, wetlands, on-farm solar, micro-hydro, batteries, irrigation, seasonal worker housing, farm tracks, farm aviation, culverts, offal holes and contaminated soil. Some activities, such as vegetable growing and using offal holes, would no longer need certain consents.
- Party claimThe party says it would set 19 national standards for farming.
- Party claimThe party says its goal is to double exports by 2034.
National would fund Mill Road Stage One in South Auckland
National would pay to build the first stage of Mill Road, from Manukau to Alfriston, as a four-lane road with a westbound bus lane, new and upgraded intersections and new bridges. It would protect the route for stages two and three to Drury, so landowners, developers and Auckland Council can plan.
- Party claimThe party says Stage One would cut congestion on the corridor by 30 per cent.
- Party claimThe party's Auckland plan says it would fund $1.75 billion for Mill Road Stage One and $100 million to protect the route for stages two and three.
National would seek new trade deals and more essential-supply agreements
National would put priority on new trade deals with countries in Europe, South America, Africa and Asia, and seek agreements with like-minded countries to keep essential supplies flowing, based on New Zealand's deal with Singapore. It would expand paperless trade and digital customs, build new tools to make exporting easier, and give New Zealand Trade and Enterprise a sharper role. It would lead more trade missions and keep its goal of doubling the value of exports by 2034.
- Party claimThe party says it would start trade negotiations with seven new economies in the next five years.
- Party claimThe party says it would aim to eliminate $1 billion in non-tariff barriers.
- Party claimThe party says it would complete at least 23 trade missions over the next term.
- Party claimThe party says it is committed to doubling the value of exports by 2034.
National would set up a "Tell Government Once" service for businesses
National would create a service so businesses give their details to government only once, using their New Zealand Business Number across agencies such as Inland Revenue, ACC and the Companies Office. It would offer a First Employee Support Package to help owners hire their first worker, fast-track small disputes at the Employment Relations Authority, review the GST registration threshold, and rewrite key health and safety guidance in plain English. It would also give intensive support to high-potential exporters, simplify repeat seasonal hiring, and keep the Investment Boost tax deduction.
- Party claimThe party says it would give intensive support to the next 200 high-potential exporters.
- Party claimThe party says it would keep Investment Boost, which lets businesses immediately deduct 20 per cent of the cost of eligible new assets.
- Party claimThe party says the compulsory GST registration threshold has been $60,000 since 2009 and would be reviewed.
- Party claimThe party says its full plan has 47 points.
National would fund freight, road and hospital projects in the South Island
National's South Island plan would pay for road and rail links to the Rolleston freight hub, let Queenstown gondola projects use public transport funding, and widen a Queenstown road to four lanes. It would replace the Resource Management Act, change the rules for high-country Crown pastoral land, and charge international visitors at Aoraki/Mount Cook and Milford Sound, with the money prioritised for local conservation and tourism infrastructure. It would also finish work at Christchurch Hospital, South Island schools, a new Greymouth police station and Christchurch Men's Prison.
- Party claimThe party says it would invest $50 million in road and rail connections for the Rolleston freight hub.
- Party claimThe party says it would commit $25 million to four-laning the road past Hansen Road to the Five Mile roundabout in Queenstown.
- Party claimThe party says finishing Tower Three at Christchurch Hospital would add 96 beds.
- Party claimThe party says it would deliver nearly 100 more classrooms across the South Island and complete work at 14 schools.
- Party claimThe party says the new Greymouth police station would be delivered through Budget 2026.
- Party claimThe party says Phase 1 of the Christchurch Men's Prison redevelopment would be operational by mid-2030.
National would trial seamless travel between New Zealand and Australia
National would work with Australia to trial easier travel for New Zealand and Australian citizens flying between the two countries. Travellers would send their passport and travel details digitally before they fly, be checked in advance, and use a dedicated trans-Tasman arrival lane at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown airports. All customs and biosecurity checks would stay.
National would share International Visitor Levy money with councils
National would change how money from the International Visitor Levy, a charge paid by overseas visitors, is spent. Set amounts would go to the Department of Conservation and to a new fund for tourism growth, and all the rest would go to councils based on how many nights international visitors stay in their area. Councils could spend it on things like public toilets, freedom-camping enforcement and visitor facilities. National says it would not raise the levy for at least three years or bring in a bed tax.
- Party claimThe party says $100 million a year would go to the Department of Conservation.
- Party claimThe party says $50 million a year would be set aside for a Tourism Priorities Fund.
- Party claimThe party says the levy would not increase for at least the next three years.
National would offer $300 million in loans for water storage projects
National would offer below-market loans to build water storage projects, keep grants for feasibility studies, and draw up a long-term water infrastructure pipeline with farmers, growers, councils and iwi. It would publish a national rural water use strategy with a register of water storage, and set national standards to make on-farm water storage and irrigation easier to consent. To secure fertiliser supplies, it would seek agreements with key supplier countries and set up a fund to co-invest in fertiliser projects.
- Party claimThe party says it would commit $300 million in concessional loans for water storage projects.
- Party claimThe party says the first National Rural and Provincial Water Use Strategy would be published in 2027.
- Party claimThe party says it would set up a $10 million Critical Agri Inputs Fund for fertiliser projects.
National would fund the Belfast to Pegasus motorway and Woodend bypass
National would fully fund building the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass in North Canterbury, so the NZ Transport Agency can start work. It would put the money in the first Budget of a new National government, with construction starting next year.
- Party claimThe party says it would commit $800 million in its first Budget, with construction starting next year.
National pledges Waikato infrastructure, including Cambridge to Piarere road extension
National says it would back the Waikato with the infrastructure it needs for continued growth. It says construction of the State Highway 1 Cambridge to Piarere extension of the Waikato Expressway would start early next year if it is re-elected. The release also lists transport links, support for fast-growing communities, rural and regional services, and visible policing focused on serious, repeat and retail offending. It also points to work already under way, such as the Waikato Medical School and fast-track projects.
- Party claimThe party says construction of the SH1 Cambridge to Piarere extension would start early next year if National is re-elected.
- Party claimThe party says the Cambridge to Piarere extension is expected to cut deaths and serious injuries by about 70%.
- Party claimThe party says the Green Steel fast-track project is expected to process about 200,000 tonnes of recycled steel a year and create about 200 skilled jobs.
- Party claimThe party says the Waihi North project is expected to generate $5.2 billion in additional exports.
- Party claimThe party says the Waikato Medical School is backed by $82.85 million from the Government and over $150 million from the university and philanthropic partners, and from 2028 is expected to take 120 additional graduate-entry medical students a year.
- Party claimThe party says 61 classrooms in Waikato are built, under construction or in planning, and regular school attendance rose from 42.7% in 2023 to 60.3% in 2026.
- Party claimThe party says serious crime fell by 37,000 nationwide and police foot patrols in Waikato are up 141% since 2023.
Switch to Explain to see them by topic.
Its answers on the issues
The same questions every party is asked. Each links to the full comparison with every party.
- How should supermarket competition be fixed?
Break up the existing chainsMake it easier for new supermarkets to open
Split PAK'nSAVE from New World and Four Square if the Commerce Commission agrees.National would amend the Grocery Industry Competition Act within 100 days, then give the Commerce Commission six months to test whether separating PAK'nSAVE from New World and Four Square would leave shoppers better off. If the Commission says yes, National would legislate the split, creating three national chains alongside Woolworths; if not, it would not go ahead. Owner-operators would keep their stores and brands. A cost-benefit analysis for MBIE, which National's page refers to, estimates prices about 3.5% lower in the first year and a $2.9 billion net benefit over 20 years. The government it leads announced a faster consenting route for new supermarkets in 2025. ACT, its current partner, says it would block the split. The biggest tradeoff: the modelled benefit disappears if supply costs rise by more than about 2%.
Full entry, tradeoffs and sources - How should income tax change?
OpposesKeep current rates and thresholds
No income tax cuts planned; would consider relief once the budget is in surplus.National's fiscal plan, released on 12 October 2026, makes no change to income tax rates or thresholds, so income tax would stay on today's table. Willis said in September that National would campaign on adjusting settings for bracket creep; the plan has no such change. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says "now is not the time to cut taxes" and the priority is to "get on top of the debt first". She says the plan shows "a pathway to potential tax relief for working New Zealanders" once the books are back in surplus, forecast for 2028/29. No size or date is set. National also pledges no new taxes. The biggest tradeoff: stable rates and lower debt, but rising wages keep moving more income into higher rates.
Full entry, tradeoffs and sources - Should KiwiSaver be compulsory, and how much should go in?
Make contributions compulsory for workersEnrol children at birth with a starting paymentExtend contributions to parents on leave and workers over 65
Make KiwiSaver compulsory for workers from 2028, 12% combined by 2032, $1,500 at birth.From 1 July 2028 National would make contributions to KiwiSaver, or an equivalent scheme, compulsory for all workers. Default employee and employer rates would rise by 0.5 percentage points a year to 6% each (12% combined) by 1 April 2032; self-employed people would pay 4% of income. From 1 July 2027 every newborn would be enrolled automatically with a $1,500 payment, which National calls the Baby Boost. From the same date parents on paid parental leave would get a government contribution at the default rate, and employers would have to contribute for workers over 65. Contributions could be suspended only under the hardship test. National costs the policy at $110.1 million in 2027/28, rising to $361.6 million in 2030/31, met from future Budget allowances. The biggest tradeoff: workers would build larger retirement savings, but would have less take-home pay now.
Full entry, tradeoffs and sources - Should the NZ Super age rise to 67?
Lift the age to 67 gradually from 2044; seeks cross-party agreement first.National's policy page says it would keep the NZ Super age at 65 until 2044, then lift it gradually to 67, and that the change would not affect anyone born before 1979. Super would stay linked to 66% of average after-tax incomes. National has not published a cost or a year for reaching 67. When it released its fiscal plan in October, Christopher Luxon said National is not running on changes this election and that a change "requires a political consensus, and we don't have that currently". Nicola Willis has agreed with Labour's Barbara Edmonds to cross-party talks on retirement, which she says should start within National's first 100 days. The biggest tradeoff: the long lead time gives people years to plan, but projected Super spending would not be lower than currently forecast until after 2044.
Full entry, tradeoffs and sources - Should GP visits or prescriptions be free?
PartlyKeep charges, free for some groupsFund practices to hold or lower fees
In government it reinstated the $5 charge and agreed a GP fee hold.National has no new election policy on GP or prescription costs; its approach comes from its record in government. In 2024 the National-led government reinstated the $5 prescription charge for people aged 14 and over, keeping prescriptions free for children under 14, people 65 and over and Community Services Card holders, with no charge after 20 items a year. In June 2026 a Health NZ package added $120.6 million in GP funding for 2026/27 and held fees to 1 July 2027, with exceptions; National says 86% of clinics accepted it. Its health election policy is more Pharmac funding, which does not change GP fees or prescription charges. The biggest tradeoff: charges stay targeted, with savings the government says go to frontline services and cancer medicines, but adults 14 to 64 without a card pay for visits and prescriptions, and fee settings after July 2027 are unstated.
Full entry, tradeoffs and sources - What should change in medicines funding, the health workforce and Māori health services?
Give Pharmac more money for medicinesTrain or bring in more health workersKeep one national system
A further $604 million for Pharmac; National says cutting foreign aid would mostly fund it.National would add a further $604 million to Pharmac's medicines budget, and says it would pay for this largely by cutting foreign aid outside the Pacific by 10%, with no new taxes. Its workforce and Māori health answers come from its record in government, not from 2026 policy. National says its ministers added 100 first-year medical school places between 2024 and 2026 and approved a new medical school at Waikato. The National-led government closed Te Aka Whai Ora in 2024, and Health Minister Simeon Brown says it is "focused on having one health system for all New Zealanders". The biggest tradeoff: a set sum would fund more medicines without a new tax, National says, but it depends on an aid cut that NZ First opposes and ACT supports, and the policy does not say over how many years it applies.
Full entry, tradeoffs and sources - How should housing policy change?
Fund community and Māori housing providersMake planning and building rules easierChange how growth infrastructure is required or paid forHelp first-home buyersChange how rents are setKeep current property taxes
Wider 5% deposit loans, no new taxes; from its record, RMA replacement laws passed.National's 2026 housing policy would raise the First Home Loan income cap, which lets buyers borrow with a 5% deposit through Kāinga Ora, to $300,000 for all applicants. It has promised no new taxes. From its record, its ministers passed RMA replacement laws, set council growth targets, allowed consent-free granny flats and plan development levies. Kāinga Ora's building was cut to about 1,500 new homes a year; ministers credit its turnaround plan and cost control with a $9.5 billion cut in forecast peak debt. A contestable fund replaced a ring-fenced Māori fund. Ministers restored landlords' interest deductions and no-cause terminations, and will raise social rents to 30% of income. The biggest tradeoff: more buyers on higher incomes could use 5% deposits, which National puts at $4–6 million and says helps people who can afford a mortgage but not a 20% deposit; critics say it adds demand without adding homes.
Full entry, tradeoffs and sources - How should households get solar?
Government-backed loans repaid over timeAllow plug-in solar and remove rules
10-year government and council loans repaid through rates, and rooftop solar without a consent.National's Home Energy Fund would be a lending platform owned by central government and the councils that choose to join. It would pay an approved installer upfront, and the homeowner would repay the loan over ten years through their rates, or when they sell; a National spokesperson put the rate at about 2% below floating. Loans would cover solar, batteries and other electrification, for ratepayers with at least 20% equity in their home. The Crown would put in $7 million for a 20% share; councils and the Local Government Funding Agency would provide the rest. Its planning reforms would also let owners install rooftop solar without a consent. No start date has been given. The biggest tradeoff: ratepayers with enough equity could spread the cost over ten years, but renters, owners with less equity and those in councils that do not join would miss out.
Full entry, tradeoffs and sources - How should the electricity market change?
Keep generators and retailers togetherBuild an imported gas (LNG) terminalGovernment builds or backs new supplyMake it easier for others to buildChange the regulators or their powersChange wholesale pricing or lines companies
Keep the gentailers, build the LNG terminal, let others build transmission, hold backup power auctions.National's nine-point plan, Electrify NZ 2.0, would let developers and large users build and own transmission lines, let customers choose accredited contractors for connections, and require large generators to take part in regular auctions of a standard backup power contract for dry years. It would review the law that regulates lines charges and make affordability a core objective of the Electricity Authority. Christopher Luxon says splitting the gentailers "would drive a lot of uncertainty". From its record in government, National's ministers started LNG procurement and backed new generation by the Crown-majority power companies. National has not published a cost or dates for these points. The biggest tradeoff: the plan keeps the gentailers whole and adds backup power auctions and private transmission, which National says would increase competition, but it gives no estimate of bill savings, and who pays for the LNG terminal is not settled.
Full entry, tradeoffs and sources - What should New Zealand's climate commitments be?
Stay in the Paris AgreementKeep the current targets and CommissionCut farm emissions without a price
Stay in Paris, keep net zero 2050 and the lower methane target, no farm price.National would keep New Zealand in the Paris Agreement, which Christopher Luxon has made a bottom line in coalition talks. It would keep the 2050 net zero target and the methane target it set in 2025 (a 14 to 24% cut below 2017 levels by 2050, reviewed in 2040). Farm emissions would not be priced; National relies on technology and says over $400 million is being invested with industry. Luxon says the government will "do everything we can" on the 2030 pledge but is not "sending billions of dollars offshore" for credits. National has not said it would change the Climate Change Commission; in 2025 the government said the Commission would no longer have to evaluate emissions reduction plans. The biggest tradeoff: no new cost on farmers and no stated plan to buy overseas credits, but government estimates put the 2030 methane cut at 7.9%, short of the 10% target.
Full entry, tradeoffs and sources - What should change in sentencing, prisons, youth offending, gang laws and policing?
Tougher sentences, new offences or deportationBuild more prison placesKeep or add laws aimed at gangsMore police or patrols
End good character discounts for sex offenders; make silence over a child's killing a crime.National would stop judges treating good character as a reason for a lighter sentence for any sexual offence, and would create a crime, with up to 10 years in prison, for people present when a child aged 12 or under is killed who do not tell police what they know. It would set up a police team on Auckland's public transport (1News reports 50 officers). In government, its ministers capped sentence discounts in 2025, brought in the gang patch ban in 2024 and funded more prison places as the prison population grew; National has not said it would change these. It would also require consent to sex to be actively given, which is not compared here. The biggest tradeoff: National says "The consequences for the victim remain, regardless of the former reputation of the perpetrator", but it gives no cost or start date for its new sentencing proposals.
Full entry, tradeoffs and sources - What should happen to Te Tiriti settings and Māori representation?
Narrow or remove Treaty clauses in laws
Limit Treaty clauses to "take into account" in 10 laws and remove them from seven.National has no Te Tiriti policy on its election policy page. Its ministers agreed in February 2026 to set a standard no higher than "take into account" for Treaty principles in 10 laws and remove Treaty clauses from seven, a review promised to NZ First in their coalition agreement. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says the bill will not pass before the election and the government will continue with it. A government review of the Waitangi Tribunal is unreleased. In government National brought in local polls on Māori wards; Luxon said in October 2025 that local communities should decide, and no 2026 position was found. No National position on the Māori seats was found. No cost is stated. The biggest tradeoff: a single Treaty standard across laws, but weaker Treaty duties in some laws.
Full entry, tradeoffs and sources
Sources for this page
- Official results for the 2023 General Election · Electoral Commission · accessed 17 Oct 2026
- National Party founded · NZ History, Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage · accessed 17 Oct 2026
- National Party · Te Ara, the Encyclopedia of New Zealand (Manatū Taonga) · accessed 17 Oct 2026
- Register of Political Parties and Logos, 19 August 2026 · Electoral Commission · accessed 17 Oct 2026
- Port Waikato by-election 2023: official results · Electoral Commission · accessed 17 Oct 2026
- New list MP for the National Party · Electoral Commission · accessed 17 Oct 2026
- Judith Collins' Valedictory Speech · New Zealand National Party · accessed 17 Oct 2026
- National minister retiring as MP, taking up role at NZ Law Commission · Otago Daily Times (RNZ) · accessed 17 Oct 2026
- 2026 General Election: key dates · Electoral Commission · accessed 17 Oct 2026
- Our Team · New Zealand National Party · accessed 17 Oct 2026
- Meet Christopher · New Zealand National Party · accessed 17 Oct 2026
- Christopher Luxon sworn in as New Zealand's new Prime Minister · 1News · accessed 17 Oct 2026
- 'We are the reset,' Luxon says as new National leader · 1News · accessed 17 Oct 2026 · archived copy (17 Oct 2026)
- Constitution and Rules, New Zealand National Party, 30th Edition, 1 August 2025 · Electoral Commission (document lodged by the New Zealand National Party) · accessed 17 Oct 2026
- Ministerial List · Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet · accessed 16 Oct 2026
Change history
Every recorded change to this page, newest first, including our own corrections after checks.
- 17 Oct 2026 Profile written. [14][1][3]