Labour set to announce first policy in six months, on cost-of-living

Labour is announcing a cost-of-living policy on Wednesday, its first policy announcement in over six months.

Leader Chris Hipkins confirmed the unveiling on Morning Report on Tuesday, after Kingi Kiriona - the party’s new candidate for Hauraki-Waikato - hinted at ‘tax relief’ policies when the party list was revealed on Monday.

Labour policies announced so far include: a narrow capital gains tax to fund three free doctors visits, a ‘future fund’ - the details of which will not be known until after the election - low-interest loans for GPs, free cervical screening for 25 to 69 year olds, and an increase to the video game developer rebate.

All were announced last October and November.

Leader Chris Hipkins had said the party would wait to announce further policies until it saw the state of the government’s finances in this year’s Budget, which was delivered at the end of last month.

On cost of living, he had previously urged the government to make public transport cheaper.

The coalition in April 2024 ended subsidies that made fares free for children aged 5 to 12, and half price for ages 13-24 that Labour brought in after fuel prices spiked following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Subsidies to cover a portion of taxi and public transport fares for those with mobility challenges - older and disabled people - increased under Labour from 50 to 75 percent of the fare were also cut back to 65 percent late last year, with coalition ministers saying the party had not accounted for increased demand.

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