Source: EMA
A plan for manufacturing, a clear future for energy, and stable settings for the business community are the post-election policy directions for the EMA as November’s general election approaches.
The EMA’s 2026 Election Policy Directives, released today, focus on further improving the business environment for EMA members and the wider business community across the key areas in which the EMA policy team operates, as well as several broader strategic themes.
The directives centre on five key priorities: stability and certainty, infrastructure and consenting, energy supply, employment legislation, and investment and innovation.
Collectively, they have the common goal of improving business productivity.
“In the past few years, we have seen the rapid progression of de-industrialisation across New Zealand,” says the EMA’s Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald.
“The time is right to make a clear call on retaining the critical businesses that underpin our supply chain resilience, and to ensure the policy settings are in place to support them.
“There are always a number of factors behind the closures of these businesses, but a common factor has been the cost and availability of energy supply. We’ve gone from a country that attracted international business because of our energy supply, to having energy costs and availability routinely cited as a reason for closing domestic businesses.
“We need to accelerate new supply, unlock the regulatory constraints faced by our transmission network, and further encourage electrification.
“However, we also need to ensure we have sufficient firming capacity available to back up the electricity system during dry years. It’s a tough mix to get right, but our market regulators are clearly failing.”
McDonald also highlighted the lack of work readiness among those graduating from educational institutions as a major concern that needed further work.
“The number of NEETs (those not in employment, education, or training) in the 18-24 age bracket continues its concerning rise. There is no doubt one of the drivers behind these numbers is a reluctance by employers to hire those new faces. They are simply not ready for the workforce, lacking many basic skills, and struggling with the simple disciplines of turning up, listening and engaging in the workplace.
“We are finally acknowledging that not all school leavers are going to university and that we need residency pathways for skilled workers, not just university grads, in our immigration system.
“But none of the recent changes, which we see as moving in a positive direction for business, will endure if we face another round of political utu and change for its own sake.
“Reforms in areas such as the problematic RMA, infrastructure planning and implementation, education and immigration, fast-tracking energy generation, employment law and gains in Free Trade Agreements need time to settle and stick.
“That’s regardless of who is in Government.”
McDonald says the past decade of constant change and turmoil, both domestically and internationally, has left businesses hardened but cautious, with managing crises becoming a form of BAU (business as usual).
Businesses are also navigating emerging challenges such as AI – particularly the need for strong governance to capture its benefits while supporting workforce adaptation. The EMA has launched Workforce 2030 to help businesses prepare for this shift.
“Some calm would be a welcome respite. That’s why you see these calls for a grand coalition (not going to happen) and bi-partisanship (not that realistic either) popping up.
“If whoever forms the Government can keep the major settings and guardrails in place, and make some adjustments around the edges, that’s about as close to bi-partisanship as we can expect – and that level of stability would be welcome.”
McDonald says that level of domestic certainty, ideally matched by greater global stability, is needed to unlock the underlying strength in the economy, which remains dampened by ongoing uncertainty.
“And could we throw in a four-year electoral term too please.”
The EMA’s 2026 Election Policy Directives, developed from extensive engagement with EMA members, has been shared with political parties and policymakers ahead of the election. The document is available at: EMA_Policy-Directives_2026_A4_07FA-spreads.pdf (ref; https://ema.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/EMA_Policy-Directives_2026_A4_07FA-spreads.pdf )