Labour promises free maternity scans for everyone who needs them

Tuesday, 16 June 2026

Labour promises free maternity scans to ease household budgets as new figures show a massive 76.8% yearly spike in diesel costs.

Labour Party promises free maternity scans for all pregnant women.

The party says this policy will cost approximately $29 million each year.

The Labour Party is promising to deliver free maternity scans to everyone who needs them.

The party said that some women were having to pay $90 per scan when they were pregnant. If elected, Labour leader Chris Hipkins said all maternity scans would be free. He expected the cost of the policy to be about $29 million per year.

Labour health spokesperson Dr Ayesha Verrall made the promise on Tuesday, during a campaign event at a Porirua midwifery centre.

“No one should have to skip a scan because they can’t afford it. Scans pick up issues early, help families prepare for birth, and save lives,” she said.

Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall, leader Chris Hipkins and finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds, announce a policy for free maternity scans at a Porirua midwifery.

This latest health policy promise followed on from Labour’s promise to give everyone three free GP visits per year.

Under the policy, those GP visits would be loaded onto a “Medicard” issued to everyone. A health practitioner could then load maternity scans onto the Medicard, the party said.

“The Medicard will give every New Zealander three free doctor's visits a year and free cervical screening. Now we're adding free pregnancy scans,” Verrall said.

To cope with the increased demand for maternity scans, she said the party would also invest in 24 additional paid trainee sonographer positions at Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ).

Hipkins said the policy would be funded through new revenue generated by Labour’s capital gains tax policy.

Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins and finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds, right, meet the midwives at a Porirua midwifery centre on Tuesday, where Labour promised to deliver free maternity scans to everyone who needs them.

Verrall said there may be more health policies announced, ahead of the election, which Labour planned to fund via its capital gains tax.

“Future policy announcements will be made in due course. We still have decisions we might want to make about the Medicard versus other priorities in the health system. The capital gains tax money is all ring-fenced for health funding,” she said.

ACT leader David Seymour criticised the policy.

“Every single one of Labour’s promises of ‘free’ services will end up costing taxpayers,” he said in a statement issued soon after Labour announced this policy.

The Labour party had also previously announced free cervical screening for people aged 25 to 69 using the Medicard. That was expected to cost $22m per year.