Source: Alliance Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
Wednesday 23 September 2026
The Alliance Party has announced Joshua Moss as its candidate for Palmerston North.
At 21 years old, Mr Moss is one of the younger candidates standing in this election. He is a union and environmental activist, and a student in resource and environmental planning.
“Young people like me face a bleak future. For decades now, free market policies have dismantled or run down our economic and social infrastructure. We have watched houses become financial assets, essential services become commodities, and well-paid, secure jobs disappear. The Alliance Party provides a genuine alternative to the failed neoliberal status quo,” Mr Moss said.
Having grown up in Palmerston North, Mr Moss has a strong connection to the city and the wider Manawatū.
“The Manawatū has enormous potential. We have a university, a growing population, a strong agricultural and industrial base, and a tight-knit community of people who like to get things done.”
As a student of resource and environmental planning, Mr Moss has a strong interest in how we build cities that are affordable, accessible and sustainable. He believes that Palmerston North can and should be a city where working people and young families can afford to live, work and build their futures.
“We need better public transport. We need more affordable housing. We need to revitalise our city centre. We need to make walking and cycling easier and safer. We need to protect the Manawatū River and our surrounding environment.”
As a self-described socialist, Mr Moss believes in public ownership and democratic control over vital institutions and long-term planning to provide for our communities.
“I don’t believe the market should be allowed to determine everything that matters. A house is a home before it is an investment. Healthcare and science are public goods before they are business opportunities. Electricity and transport are core public goods, not assets to be profited off by private shareholders.”
Joshua also intends to make rebuilding New Zealand’s productive capacity a central part of his campaign.
“A stable future for young people requires a productive economic base. The Alliance believes in rebuilding New Zealand’s industrial capacity and holding key infrastructure in public hands. We need to make things in New Zealand again. If we want to rebuild our ailing infrastructure, transition to renewable energy sources, renew our public transport system and create healthy homes, we need quality local workers and materials, well-supported businesses, and strong public institutions.”
Party Leader Victor Billot welcomed the candidacy, saying it was more proof of the dire need for an unapologetic party of the left for working people.
“We’re back in the fight, and it’s been gratifying to find that it’s not just the generation after me that see the need for these politics, but even the generation after that.”
“With dedicated people like Joshua in the mix, this party is here for the long haul to fight for ordinary working people and their families.”
About the Alliance Party
Re-established for the 2026 General Election, the Alliance Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is a democratic socialist political party committed to economic justice, public ownership, free healthcare and education, tax reform, and secure housing for all working people.