AM Edition: Here are the top 10 politics articles on LiveNews.co.nz for October 23, 2026 – Full Text
1. Cabinet agrees to enable nature-based early childhood education
October 22, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
The Government is taking steps to formally recognise and enable nature-based early childhood education in New Zealand, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says.
“I’m pleased to announce that Cabinet has this week agreed to establish a legislative framework for nature-based early childhood education, giving these services a clear pathway to operate and grow in New Zealand,” Mr Seymour says.
“Nature-based early childhood education embodies the Kiwi spirit. It celebrates the outdoors, encourages children to explore the natural world from an early age, and uses our unique environment to deliver the important learning experiences that early childhood education provides.
“New Zealand is blessed with an extraordinary natural environment. It makes sense that our youngest New Zealanders should have the opportunity to learn and develop in it.
“Early childhood education has been taking place in nature for decades, but some services have existed in a regulatory grey area. This has created uncertainty for providers and families, and limited the ability of the sector to grow.
“Internationally, there is a strong body of evidence supporting nature-based early childhood education and the positive outcomes it can deliver for children’s learning and development.
“Rather than forcing every early childhood service into the same mould, the Government wants to enable innovation and give parents greater choice over the kind of education their children receive.
“Nature-based education is an idea that has historically enjoyed strong support from across the political spectrum. I hope that spirit of cooperation will continue as we work to give these services the legal recognition they deserve.
“Cabinet has agreed that legislation will be drafted so that a Bill is ready for introduction early in the next Parliamentary term, following the election”. There will be an opportunity to provide feedback on the Bill during the Select Committee process.
“Bespoke regulations, licensing criteria and funding conditions for nature-based ECE services will be developed as the Bill progresses through Parliament. I expect to undertake public consultation on detailed proposals for the regulations early next year.
“This is about removing unnecessary regulatory barriers, backing innovative educators, and giving more Kiwi kids the opportunity to learn, play and thrive in the great outdoors.”
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/10/22/cabinet-agrees-to-enable-nature-based-early-childhood-education/
Back to index · Read original article
2. The real cost of rates capping: libraries, pools and community facilities will be sold
October 22, 2026
Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi
- New report shows Councils lose up to $5.2 billion in revenue by 2034
The Government’s rates capping proposals will see councils lose up to $5.2 billion in revenue by 2034 according to a new report released in Christchurch today by the union for local Government, the PSA.
As a consequence of this shortfall, local communities around New Zealand can expect to see increasing privatisation of important services like libraries and pools being sold off to the highest bidder.
“The PSA is calling on the Minister for Local Government Simon Watts to guarantee that no libraries, pools or other community facilities will be closed as a result of rates capping. The reality is he can’t given this guarantee because this is exactly what will happen, Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons, said.
“Rates capping is bad policy and creates a false economy that do not meet the needs of local communities and businesses who will be left to bear the very real costs.”
The report – Who Pays for Rates Caps? Shifting costs to communities and future generations uses economic modelling and international evidence on rates caps to demonstrate how they will impact local communities and create huge financial pressure for local government.
Modelling in the report shows the economic impact of rates capping for councils will be a loss of revenue of between $1.8 billion and $5.2 billion over the current Long-Term Plan period (to 2034), depending on how quickly they move to comply with the new rules.
“The international evidence shows that under rates capping, councils take on more debt, introduce and increase service charges and defer essential infrastructure maintenance. Smaller and rural councils are the worst affected.
“Rates caps don’t help with cost of living. Instead, the cuts to council revenue will saddle ratepayers with increased user charges, reduced services, more privatisation, deteriorating infrastructure and massive council borrowing costs,” Fitzsimons said.
“Council workers will pay through lower wages and job insecurity. Future generations will pay through lost libraries and pools, deferred maintenance, reduced resilience to climate change and increased debt.
“Rates caps are also an attack on local democracy. They constrain the choices councils can make for their communities. They also undermine councils’ ability to meet their obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi,
“The next Government needs to cancel plans for rates capping and commit to developing sustainable funding arrangements for local government through establishing a Royal Commission to make recommendations on the role and functions of local government and how they should be funded,” Fitzsimons said.
Read the full report here: https://content.app-us1.com/2g9OXD/2026/10/14/71a3b84e-6786-422f-97de-04d32607b590.pdf
Launch event details
Media are welcome to attend an in-person launch event at 5:00pm on Thursday, 22 October (tonight) at 1st Floor, Iwikau 93 Cambridge Terrace, Christchurch Central.
Launch event speaker: Campbell Barry
The PSA is delighted to welcome Campbell Barry as a speaker at the event.
Campbell has more than 15 years’ experience in local government, including six years as Mayor of Lower Hutt and as Vice President of Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ).
As LGNZ Vice President, Campbell worked with councils throughout New Zealand on the issues shaping the sector, including local government funding, rates pressures, infrastructure investment, reform and the relationship with central government. He brings both a national perspective and firsthand experience of the realities councils face when trying to balance rising costs, ageing infrastructure and community expectations.
Campbell is now Head of Local Government and Partnerships at Agite, where he works with councils and other organisations on governance, strategy, reform and stakeholder engagement.
Notes: How the impact on councils was calculated
Before Parliament rose for the election, the coalition Government introduced a bill to cap rate increases. The Bill passed its first reading with support from the coalition Government, and Labour.
The Government’s Local Government (Rates Capping) Amendment Bill would create a range for annual property rates increases that councils must abide by. The initial range is set at 2%-4%, reviewable every six years. Exemptions are allowed in extreme cases.
Councils are encouraged to meet this target range from 1 July 2027 and, if the legislation passes, will be required to do so from 1 July 2029. Current Long-Term Plans run until 2034.
Modelling approach
Using data from the Long-Term Plans of the 25 largest councils by population with current Long-Term Plans extending to 2034, we calculated the effects of a 4% rates cap on those councils.
These 25 councils represent 80% of New Zealand’s population. We compared projected rates increases and revenue with two alternative scenarios where the councils replace any planned rates increases of greater than 4% with increases of exactly 4%, either from 1 July 2027 or from 1 July 2029.
Most councils’ rates increase projections reduce over time, from an average of over 7% in 2027/28 to 4.0% in 2033/34. This, and compounding effects, means that the year councils begin to comply with the rates cap has a significant impact on how much the cap affects the councils’ revenue.
2027 scenario
Under the 2027 scenario, over the seven years to 2034, the councils would bring in $4.2 billion less rates revenue than currently planned. Extending this to the councils not analysed, we estimate all councils would lose a combined $5.2 billion in revenue over the seven-year period.
2029 scenario
Under the 2029 scenario, over the five years to 2034, the councils would bring in $1.4 billion less rates revenue than currently planned. Extending this to the councils not analysed, we estimate all councils would lose a combined $1.8 billion in revenue over the five-year period.
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
Back to index · Read original article
3. Government delivers more learning support for thousands of children
October 22, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
Thousands more children are getting the help they need at school as the Government’s record investment in learning support delivers real results, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.
“Last year, we invested three-quarters of a billion dollars in learning support, the largest investment in a generation. 2026 is the first year that investment takes effect, and already thousands more children are getting the support they need.
“For too long, parents have struggled to get help for their children, teachers have been stretched, and waitlists have continued to grow.
“We promised to do something about it, we backed that promise with funding, and now we’re delivering.
“The results from our first year of investment speak for themselves:
Over 1,000 more children receiving high-needs support. We uncapped funding for the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS). As a result, in the past 12 months, an additional 1,057 children with the highest learning needs have received support.
Thousands more children receiving early intervention. We extended Early Intervention Services through to the end of Year 1 at school. More than 6,100 Year 1 children have already received support this year, and the total number of children receiving early intervention has grown by almost 25 per cent to more than 12,200.
Early intervention wait times reduced. Children are now waiting an average of 16 fewer days for early intervention support compared with December last year.
Learning Support Coordinators funded for every primary and intermediate school. This year, we’ve brought coordinators to 474 more schools, increasing the percentage of schools receiving support from 41 to 62 per cent. That will rise to 80 per cent next year, with every school covered by 2028.
190 more learning support specialist positions filled. Since December, we’ve filled additional positions, including speech-language therapists, educational psychologists and early intervention teachers.
1,000 private-sector specialist places contracted. We’ve delivered on our promise to bring in private specialists to reduce wait times, contracting up to 1,000 places at any one time for children needing speech-language therapy, educational psychology and occupational therapy.
More teacher aide hours delivered. We’ve funded 896,210 additional hours in 2025/26, building towards more than two million additional teacher aide hours every year from 2028 onwards.
“We’ve also ended the decades-long debate on what inclusion in special education means by backing the choice that parents have been asking for. We have invested more than $317 million in funding for three new special schools – the first in over 50 years – 142 new specialist classrooms across the country, learning support modifications and the full redevelopment of six existing specialist schools.
“We said inclusion means choice, and we’re delivering more options for families and better learning environments for children with the highest needs.
“These aren’t just numbers on a page. They represent thousands of children getting extra help with their learning, families getting support earlier, and teachers getting the resources they have been asking for.
“Labour had six years in Government, but too many of their learning support promises were never delivered.
“They produced a Learning Support Action Plan that was never fully implemented, with key initiatives unfunded. Their High Needs Review went nowhere. They promised Learning Support Coordinators in every school but stopped after the first tranche, leaving most schools without one. And they failed to deliver on their promise to uncap ORS funding.
“Labour didn’t lack promises or strategies. What was missing was the delivery.
“Our Government has backed its commitments with the largest investment in learning support in a generation, and these early results show what that funding is achieving.
“This is only the first year of rolling out our three-quarters-of-a-billion-dollar investment. Our $266 million investment in early intervention alone will fund more than 560 additional specialist roles over five years. Every year, more specialists, more teacher aide hours and more support will reach children and their families.
“We’ve funded the changes, the rollout is underway, and we’re already seeing results.
“Parents and teachers need more than promises. They need real support for their children, and that’s what this Government is delivering.”
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/10/22/government-delivers-more-learning-support-for-thousands-of-children/
Back to index · Read original article
4. Singaporeans Feeling the Pressure: Cost Concerns Rise as Household Optimism and Government Ratings Weaken – Blackbox Research Study
October 22, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Blackbox’s latest SensingSG findings show affordability concerns rising amid global headwinds; workplace sentiment and the Good Governance Meter see notable falls.
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 October 2026 – Cost-of-living concerns have intensified and household optimism has weakened, reversing last quarter’s improvement in economic sentiment, according to Blackbox Research’s latest SensingSG national quarterly data. The Good Governance Meter, which aggregates public ratings of government performance across 26 community issues, fell four points to 69.
Blackbox Research – SensingSG Q32026 Key Findings
The survey of 1,533 Singapore citizens and permanent residents, conducted from 24–30 September, finds that half (50%) place cost of living among their two most important national and community issues, up from 41% in Q2. Confidence in Singapore’s overall direction remains strong at 82%, although down from 87%.
Household Outlook Softens as Costs Bite
The financial outlook has weakened on several measures as questions of affordability once again rise to the surface:
- Family finances ahead: 51% expect to be better off in 12 months, down from 59% in Q2, while 21% expect to be worse off, up from 16%.
- Household progress: 46% feel financially better off than 12 months ago, down from 51% last quarter.
- National economic outlook: 30% expect conditions to worsen over the next 12 months, up from 23% in Q2.
Those aged 40–49 report particularly acute affordability pressure: 64% choose cost of living as a top-two issue, compared with 50% overall. Just 25% rate government performance on it good or excellent, against 42% overall.
The findings come amid higher household costs. August headline inflation was 2.3%, with electricity and gas prices 8.7% higher than a year earlier, reflecting the impact of elevated global energy prices.
“Recent global disruptions across key areas are starting to hit home hard,” said David Black, Founder and CEO of Blackbox Research. “People experience the economy through their bills, their pay and their everyday spending. When everyday costs rise and the outlook at work feels less certain, positive national growth figures only offer so much reassurance.”
Workplace Sentiment Weakens
Jobs and unemployment are a top-two concern for 21% of respondents, up from 18% in Q2.
Among employees, only 51% give a score of at least 8 out of 10 when asked whether they would recommend their organisation as a place to work, down 13 percentage points from 64% in Q2.
Official labour-market data released in September showed slower resident employment growth, rising retrenchments and fewer professional vacancies, while unemployment remained low. Concern about technological change was already evident in Q2, when 52% expressed concern about AI’s impact on their career prospects.
Affordability and Fairness Weigh on Government Ratings
Government performance ratings declined across 20 of the 26 areas measured. Good or excellent ratings fell:
- Cost of living: from 51% to 42%.
- The gap between rich and poor: from 56% to 46%.
- Jobs and unemployment: from 62% to 56%.
Fieldwork followed the return of transboundary haze to Singapore, which was regarded as the biggest news story of the quarter among respondents (80% interest level), while the 8 September announcement on political salaries was the second biggest story (71% interest). Meanwhile, unpublished approval ratings tracked by Blackbox show that approval declined for 17 of the 19 political and institutional leaders tracked. Average approval across the group fell 2.9 percentage points, from 68.5% in Q2 to 65.6% in Q3.
“The Government faces a more demanding public mood,” said Black. “Affordability pressures and uncertainty about future progress are resurfacing despite a solid macroeconomic backdrop. Confidence in Singapore’s direction remains high. The balloon has not burst, but it has deflated.”
https://www.blackbox.com.sg/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackbox-research/
https://substack.com/@blackboxresearch
Hashtag: #BlackboxResearch #SensingSG #publicsentiment #costofliving #Singapore #singaporegovernment
Blackbox Research
SensingSG is Singapore’s only public quarterly survey tracking community sentiment, household finances and assessments of government performance, alongside rotating topical questions. National demographic quotas cover ethnicity, age, gender, housing type and region.
The data dashboard is public, free and can be accessed here.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
Back to index · Read original article
5. Government backs oyster industry resilience
October 22, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
A $2.8 million investment from the Regional Infrastructure Fund will help support the long-term resilience of the Northland oyster sector while backing economic opportunities for local communities, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Under-Secretary for Oceans and Fisheries Jenny Marcroft say.
“Mahurangi oyster farms produce around a quarter of New Zealand’s oysters but recurring closures due to water quality issues have disrupted harvests and put significant costs and stress on growers and the community,” Mr Jones says.
The Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) investment will be used to establish a new 6ha relay site, a 3ha commercial pilot oyster farm, and the supporting oyster farming infrastructure, vessels, moorings and marine assets required to operate the facility in Kaipara.
Mr Jones made the funding announcement at Pahi in Kaipara today.
“Establishing a relay site in Kaipara will allow oysters to be relocated and naturally purified in the harbour there during closures until they can be harvested. It will reduce disruptions, back local livelihoods, and improve the resilience of this nationally significant industry,” Mr Jones says.
The project is being delivered through a partnership involving Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust and the Mahurangi Oyster Farmers Collective, which farms in the Mahurangi Harbour near Warkworth.
“The commercial pilot oyster farm will help build aquaculture skills and capability within local hapū Te Uri o Hau, with experienced Mahurangi oyster farmers mentoring the next generation of oyster growers in Kaipara Harbour,” Ms Marcroft says.
“This is an exciting initiative aimed at safeguarding and growing a nationally significant industry, growing local skills, and contributing to the Government’s goal of growing aquaculture revenue to $3 billion by 2035.”
The RIF funding will be provided as a grant which will become repayable if the project generates sufficient revenue.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/10/22/government-backs-oyster-industry-resilience/
Back to index · Read original article
6. Universities – Five out of six AI chatbots stay in the political middle-ground – CUoT
October 22, 2026
Source: Chalmers University of Technology (CUoT)
In the lead-up to Sweden’s parliamentary elections this autumn, a research team led by Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, investigated how six large language models engage with political issues. A review of nearly 150,000 AI-generated texts showed that the chatbots’ responses did not benefit any single parliamentary party, but usually placed themselves in the middle of Swedish politics. Only one language model stood out significantly: Grok.
The 2026 election was the first parliamentary election in Sweden since AI chatbots became a serious part of everyday life – not least for young people and first-time voters. Today, it is possible to turn to a number of services, such as ChatGPT, to get information about politics, reason about political issues or get help to polish up arguments. Discussions have also arisen in society about whether political values are expressed in AI-generated texts, and if so, which ones.
To investigate this, researchers used six large language models – Claude, DeepSeek, Gemini, Mistral, GPT and Grok – to take on 107 political issues. The models, which power many of the chatbots used in everyday life, were given tasks that are similar to what humans can ask an AI for help with; from writing analyses and producing arguments to formulating opinion pieces and posts for social media. With 77 different writing tasks, there were just over 148,000 texts to analyse, on issues ranging from whether schools should be nationalised to whether taxes should be reduced. In the first stage, the texts were classified as either neutral, positive or negative based on the wording of the issue. In the next step, this was compared with how the parties had taken a position on the same issues in the autumn’s election campaign.
NO CLEAR PARTY-POLITICAL AFFILIATION
The results do not show any clear preference for any individual parliamentary party.
“It is not possible to say that the models support any party. Rather, we see that the models often end up somewhere towards the middle of the Swedish political landscape,” says Bastiaan Bruinsma, senior lecturer at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg.
The researchers could still see some differences between the compared models. GPT, which powers ChatGPT, distinguished itself by mostly delivering neutral and balanced texts, while Grok, which is developed by Elon Musk’s AI company xAI, deviated significantly on issues of migration, crime and gender.
“Most of the companies behind the models seem to strive for fairly neutral and inoffensive texts. Grok is different. Elon Musk has stated that he wants the model to be more in line with his own political views, and we can also see more of those values in texts generated by Grok,” says Moa Johansson, Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg.
The researchers’ new report also shows that the language models’ responses are affected by the instruction they receive. When the models were explicitly tasked with arguing for or against a political proposal, they largely followed that direction.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AI GETS TO KNOW THE USER?
The researchers point out that there is an important difference between the study’s experiments and how ordinary users encounter AI in everyday life. When someone uses a chatbot, there is often an ongoing conversation, where previous questions and answers can become part of the context. This was not included in the study, but is something the researchers plan to explore further.
“We have examined the language models in isolation, but it is different when you regularly use a chatbot. Then your history is also included. A next step is to investigate what happens then, but also to look at how the answers can actually affect how people vote,” says Bruinsma.
In the research group behind the report “Issue Bias in Generative AI Writing Assistance: Political Issues and LLMs in the Swedish 2026 Election” the authors were also political scientist Annika Fredén at Lund University, Paul Röttger, who researches AI security and societal impact at the Hasso Plattner Institute in Germany and Asad Sayeed, who is a Professor at the Department of Linguistics and Theory of Science at the University of Gothenburg.
The research has received funding from Wallenberg AI, the Autonomous Systems and Software Program-Humanities and Society (WASP-HS) and the Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Memorial Fund.
The report was presented at the American Political Science Association Meeting held in Boston, USA, 3-6 September 2026.
The research has not yet been published in any scientific journal, but can be read in its entirety on the preprint platform Arxiv.
Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, conducts research and education in technology and natural sciences at a high international level. The university has 3100 employees and 10,000 students, and offers education in engineering, science, maritime studies and architecture.
With scientific excellence as a basis, Chalmers promotes knowledge and technical solutions for a sustainable world. Through global commitment and entrepreneurship, we foster an innovative spirit, in close collaboration with wider society.
Chalmers was founded in 1829 and has the same motto today as it did then: Avancez – forward.
Back to index · Read original article
7. Papakura courthouse on time, on budget, and focused on victims
October 22, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
Papakura’s new courthouse remains on time and on budget, with construction complete and preparations underway to open a safer, higher-capacity court in January 2027, say Courts Minister Nicole McKee and Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith who are in Papakura today to mark the completion of construction and handover of the building to the Ministry of Justice.
“Taxpayers deserve public infrastructure that is delivered when promised, within budget, and does the job it is needed for. This project is on track to meet those expectations,” says Mrs McKee.
“For victims, coming to court can be daunting. They deserve facilities that help them feel safe and supported while giving evidence, and a justice system that deals with their cases without unnecessary delay.
“The new courthouse will include a dedicated secure suite for vulnerable witnesses, with audiovisual capability to support giving evidence remotely. Three courtrooms and two hearing rooms will help meet demand in growing South Auckland communities.”
“These are practical improvements that will help courts get through their work and victims get on with their lives,” says Mr Goldsmith
“Half the building was constructed off-site and transported to Papakura as prefabricated modules. That approach has saved time and reduced disruption to the surrounding community. The project remains on track to take just 17 months from the start of construction to opening its doors. It shows what can be achieved when we focus on what a courthouse needs to deliver and are prepared to build differently.
“Delivering better facilities for victims and court staff, while respecting the taxpayers paying for them, is exactly what we should expect from investment in our justice system.”
“I also want to thank the court staff who have kept justice services running in difficult conditions at the existing courthouse. I know they’re excited to move into the new building,” says Mrs McKee.
The construction budget is $34 million. Technology installation, courtroom fit-out, testing and operational preparations will be completed ahead of the January opening.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/10/22/papakura-courthouse-on-time-on-budget-and-focused-on-victims/
Back to index · Read original article
8. Charter school roll surpasses 2,100 students
October 22, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
September’s roll return data tells us what we already knew; families want schooling options that reflect the needs of their children, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour.
Data released today shows that as of September 1, 2026, there were 1,965 students enrolled in 19 charter schools, up from 215 students when the first seven schools opened in 2025.
On 12 October 2026 Pakaraka School in Northland with 63 students became the first state school to convert to a charter school. With that conversion, as of yesterday, 2,117 students were enrolled in charter schools.
“These numbers show that diversity and choice in New Zealand’s schooling system is important to parents,” Mr Seymour says.
“On 1 July last year we had just seven schools. Today we’ve more than doubled that to 12 and more than seven times the number of students are enrolled.
“While the largest increase in enrolments occurred at the start of the school year, we’ve continued to see growth throughout the year. Families are changing schools when they find an option that better suits their child’s needs.
“At Christchurch North College, 33 more students have enrolled as of 1 September since March. These are college aged students moving to a new school. Any family who has made that choice for their children will know how hard it is. This is further evidence of how well charter schools are performing.
“Similarly, Te Rito-Te Kura Taiao in Northland has grown by 36 students since March and by more than 100 students since opening in Term 1 last year.
“Charter school students are attending and achieving more. In many cases the move to a charter school has been life changing for students and their families. A Labour led government would send all of these students back into the state system which wasn’t working for them. They should explain to the more than 2,000 students and their families why they know best.
“Charter schools show that education can be different if we let communities bring their ideas to the table.
“These schools have more flexibility in return for strictly measured results.
“The charter school equation is: the same funding as state schools, plus greater flexibility plus stricter accountability for results, equals student success.
“There are more ideas in the communities of New Zealand than there are in the Government. That’s why we open ideas to the wider community and apply strict performance standards to the best ones.
Official charter school rolls are captured on 1 March, 1 June, 1 July and 1 September each year.
The September 1 roll return is available here: https://www.charterschools.govt.nz/home/about-charter-schools/accountability-and-performance/charter-school-rolls/
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/10/22/charter-school-roll-surpasses-2100-students/
Back to index · Read original article
9. Inflation data shows Luxon’s Government has failed on the cost of living NZCTU
October 22, 2026
Source: NZCTU
Consumer prices rose 3.7 percent in the year to the September quarter, according to StatsNZ figures released today. Petrol prices were a major driver, up 19.1 percent. But prices for other household essentials have also continued to skyrocket.
“Household energy costs increased 9.4 percent, council rates and services 6.2 percent, and early childhood education 5.7 percent. These increases are putting massive stress on family budgets”, says Sandra Grey, President, New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi.
Food prices increased 2.1 percent annually, but over last three years they have increased 7.6 percent overall. Since September 2023 bread is up 17.3 percent, milk is up 27.9 percent, and beef and lamb are both up over 30 percent. These are the basic items Kiwi families expect to put on the table each week.
“With food prices rising like this, it’s no wonder that food insecurity is so high. The NZ Food Network reports that 31 percent of households are food insecure this year, including almost half of low-income households. This is unacceptable”, says Grey.
Other essentials have climbed even faster over the last three years: household energy is up 29.2 percent, insurance 19.3 percent, medical services 13.5 percent, and council rates 28.8 percent. Tertiary education is up 34.7 percent.
“Wage growth has fallen well behind these prices, and low-income households are being hit hardest because essentials make up a larger share of their weekly budgets”, says Grey.
To make matters worse, Luxon’s Government has cut the minimum wage in real terms three years running. Full-time minimum wage workers are now more than $2,000 a year worse off than if the minimum wage had been lifted in line with inflation.
“None of Luxon’s choices have helped Kiwis with the cost of living. Public sector layoffs, reduced investment, and cuts to welfare support have only made the cost of living worse. Unemployment has climbed to 5.6 percent and underutilisation to 13.8 percent. People can’t afford the essentials when they can’t get work,” says Grey.
“This quarter’s inflation figures don’t fully capture the recent surge in petrol and diesel prices,” says Grey. “That will push inflation back up in the December quarter and put even more pressure on Kiwi households.” says Grey.
“The Reserve Bank has signalled it will continue increasing interest rates in response to higher inflation – this will further hurt struggling whānau”, says Grey.
“Luxon’s Government promised to get the cost of living under control. It has failed. Don’t risk six years of Luxon,” says Grey.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/10/22/inflation-data-shows-luxons-government-has-failed-on-the-cost-of-living-nzctu/
Back to index · Read original article
10. Election 2026 – ACT plan will cut costs and make farming fun again – Federated Farmers
October 22, 2026
Source: Federated Farmers
Federated Farmers is backing additions to ACT’s plan to ‘Make Farming Fun Again’, with a raft of new policies released today as competition heats up for the rural vote.
“There’s really clear alignment between ACT’s announcement today and our own policy priorities this election,” says Federated Farmers president Colin Hurst.
“It’s great to see such strong support for new permitted activity standards, guaranteeing flexible land use and protecting farmers’ private property rights.
“If New Zealand wants a growing economy, more jobs and higher wages, then this is the recipe for success: cutting red tape and unnecessary costs.”
Hurst says Federated Farmers has a clear vision to double farm productivity, cut costs and improve the environment – and that vision is clearly shared by the ACT Party.
“We’re never going to be able to tax or regulate our way to a higher standard of living as a country, but with the right settings, we might just be able to farm our way there.
“Farming has always been the key to New Zealand’s economic success, and I don’t see that changing any time soon. We produce food and fibre, and we sell it to the world.
“If we want a better standard of living, we need more farming in New Zealand – not less of it. That’s how we pay for things we need like schools, hospitals, police and roads.”
Hurst says many of ACT’s policies will build on the Government’s work reforming the resource management system while addressing farmers’ concerns.
Federated Farmers conservation spokesperson Richard Dawkins is also backing ACT’s policy to eradicate wilding pines and control pests across public and private land.
“We’re particularly pleased to see ACT making a firm commitment for long-term funding to help eradicate wilding pines from our unique natural landscapes,” Dawkins says.
“This has been a strong advocacy focus for Federated Farmers over the last year, with the Government announcing $110 million to help urgently address the issue.
“Unfortunately, that funding was only for a four-year work programme – but wilding pines are a much longer-term challenge that requires certainty of funding.”
Federated Farmers is also welcoming somewhat of a ‘course correction’ in ACT’s pest control policy after firm criticism from farmers in recent months.
“We were highly critical of the ACT Party policy released in July, which would have given too much power to the Game Animal Council.
“We’re pleased to see ACT has now made a commitment that DOC will be directed to coordinate pest control across public and private land, reducing the burden on individual farmers.
“We firmly believe DOC and MPI are best placed to coordinate pest control, and we look forward to continuing to work with them and the new government on pest management in the new year.”
Back to index · Read original article