Labour is promising three free GP visits a year, capped public transport fares and changes to school lunches as part of an election plan aimed at easing household costs.
Leader Chris Hipkins says the party’s Cost of Living Action Plan targets expenses including healthcare, food, petrol and electricity.
“Everywhere I go I hear the same thing: people are working hard, but they’re still finding less left at the end of each week.”
A proposed Medicard would provide every New Zealander with three free GP appointments annually. Labour would also remove the $5 prescription charge.
Public transport fares would be capped at $20 a week in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and $10 elsewhere. The party also promises a three-year fuel tax freeze and low-interest loans to help households install solar panels.
Hipkins says three free doctor visits could save a couple up to $500 annually, while a daily bus commuter could save around $25 weekly. Those are Labour’s estimates; individual savings would depend on existing charges, travel patterns and eligibility for current assistance.
The party would make price gouging on essential goods illegal and require companies to repay overcharges. It also promises action against hidden fees, subscription traps and junk insurance.
For families, Labour proposes bringing back fresh, locally made school lunches and working to restore rural school bus routes it says National cut.
Other commitments include reducing student debt by 10 per cent and supporting 30,000 apprentices into work.
Hipkins says every promise is “fully costed and paid for in our fiscal plan”.