--- title: "PF023 · Captured AI answers" publisher: "Onsomble Limited" publication: "NZBrands.ai" edition: 2 collected_on: "2026-10-12" html_url: "https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/questions/463c39bc-c868-4abc-a70c-c32da549b2ca/" --- # PF023 · Captured AI answers Edition 2 · answers collected 12 October 2026. [Read on NZBrands.ai](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/questions/463c39bc-c868-4abc-a70c-c32da549b2ca/) ## Question We own a home with a mortgage, have school-age children and rely on two wages. After mortgage payments, rates, power and groceries, there is little buffer. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What are the parties proposing about household costs, and which proposals would actually apply to a working family like ours? Question ID: 463c39bc-c868-4abc-a70c-c32da549b2ca. Report reference: PF023. Issue: Cost of living. Voter: Working household under mortgage pressure. [Source record (JSON)](https://nzbrands.ai/data/nz-election-2026/editions/2/answers/463c39bc-c868-4abc-a70c-c32da549b2ca.json) ## How to read this evidence The answers below are shown as the assistants gave them, not a verified account or NZBrands.ai voting advice. They may contain errors or outdated claims. A recorded source association is not necessarily a link shown to the reader. Captured 12 October 2026. 4 answers were saved for this question. Missing answers have not been filled in. [Study methodology and limitations](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/method.md) ## ChatGPT · asked nationally Answer ID: a1c6f1d2-8395-4c9e-b56e-3b9bb5dac759. Captured 12 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** For a New Zealand family with a mortgage, school-age children and two incomes, the key question for the 2026 general election is not simply which party promises to lower the cost of living. It is which policies would leave more money in your household budget, when they would take effect, and whether your family would actually qualify. I'd compare the parties across five areas: - Mortgage and housing costs: interest deductibility for landlords, housing supply, homeownership policies and any measures affecting mortgage rates. - Tax and take-home pay: income-tax changes, tax credits and whether benefits depend on your income or number of children. - Children and education: Working for Families, childcare subsidies, school costs and school-related assistance. - Everyday bills: electricity, fuel, groceries, rates and public transport. - Public services and trade-offs: whether proposed savings in taxes or bills come alongside changes to health, education, transport or other services your family uses. One important distinction: a policy can sound generous nationally without putting much money into your particular household. For example, an income-tax cut depends on your taxable incomes; a targeted family payment depends on eligibility rules; and a proposal to increase housing supply may take years to affect prices. ## 1. What the main parties are proposing The comparison below uses policies published for the 2026 election as of 11 October 2026. It separates direct household assistance from longer-term changes that might eventually lower costs. These are party commitments, not guaranteed outcomes; legislation, funding and implementation still matter. ### National National Party National's approach centres on lower taxes, targeted help, competition and keeping government spending under control. Its 2026 policies include more grocery competition, a Home Energy Fund to help households electrify their homes, and a commitment to keep council rates affordable. [2026 Election Policy](https://www.national.org.nz/policies)[Cost of living relief](https://www.national.org.nz/col) - Groceries: National proposes separating New World and PAK'nSAVE so they compete more directly. - Power: its Home Energy Fund is intended to help households reduce energy costs by electrifying their homes. - Rates: it proposes refocusing councils on core services to help contain rates. - Family support: National's existing cost-of-living package includes increases to Working for Families for eligible families, as well as temporary fuel-related assistance. [2026 Election Policy](https://www.national.org.nz/policies)[Cost of living relief](https://www.national.org.nz/col) For your household: grocery competition and lower energy use could help regardless of income. Family tax credits are more directly relevant if your combined income and number of children qualify. The rates commitment is not a guaranteed reduction in your particular council bill. Labour Party Labour is emphasising competition, lower transport and healthcare costs, and stronger consumer protections. [Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)[Labour's Fiscal Plan 2026](https://www.labour.org.nz/election-policy-pages/fiscal-plan/) - Transport: a weekly cap of $20 on bus and train fares, scheduled for 1 July 2027. - Healthcare: three free GP visits a year for everyone under its proposed Medicard, and free prescriptions from 1 July 2027. - Groceries: breaking open supermarket wholesale supply so smaller retailers can compete more effectively. - Everyday charges: a proposed Fair Go Law targeting hidden fees, cancellation traps and junk insurance, plus action against price gouging by large companies. [Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)[Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy) For your household: the transport cap matters most if you use buses or trains. Free prescriptions and GP visits could release money otherwise spent on healthcare. Grocery and consumer reforms could help, but the size of any savings is not guaranteed. These policies do not directly reduce your mortgage repayment. Green Party The Greens propose changing tax settings and increasing public intervention in energy and housing. [Manifesto 2026](https://www.greens.org.nz/manifesto_2026)[Greens commit to tax the super-rich and large corporates fairly, cut income tax for 96%](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_commit_to_tax_the_super_rich_and_large_corporates_fairly_cut_income_tax_for_96)[Power for all of us](https://www.greens.org.nz/power_for_all_of_us) - Income tax: a tax-free threshold on the first $10,000 of income, with a higher tax rate on income above $160,000. - Power: a publicly owned energy company called Kiwipower, zero-interest clean-energy loans covering up to 90% of eligible homeowners' costs, and expanded insulation and energy-efficiency support. - Housing: reversing landlord tax cuts and changing tax settings affecting investment property. - Funding: a proposed 2.5% annual tax on net assets above $10 million, excluding family homes, alongside higher taxes on some large corporations. [Greens commit to tax the super-rich and large corporates fairly, cut income tax for 96%](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_commit_to_tax_the_super_rich_and_large_corporates_fairly_cut_income_tax_for_96)[Power for all of us](https://www.greens.org.nz/power_for_all_of_us) For your household: the income-tax proposal could benefit both wage earners, while energy loans could help if you own your home and want to install eligible improvements. The power company's effect on bills would depend on implementation and market outcomes. The proposed wealth tax specifically exempts family homes, but other tax changes and their effects on the wider economy would need to be considered separately. ACT New Zealand ACT's fiscal plan emphasises reducing government spending, controlling debt and creating scope for lower taxes. Its energy policy proposes opening electricity networks to more competition and requiring lines companies to demonstrate value for costs charged to consumers. [ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/fiscalplan)[ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/news/abundant-electricity-will-ease-cost-of-living) - Taxes: ACT's longer-term objective is lower, flatter taxes, supported by spending reductions. - Power: more competition in electricity networks, and more freedom for households to generate and sell electricity. - Savings: removing tax on qualifying KiwiSaver investment earnings, which is mainly a long-term savings benefit rather than an immediate pay rise. [ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/fiscalplan)[ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/news/abundant-electricity-will-ease-cost-of-living)[ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/news/act-will-remove-tax-on-kiwisaver-earnings) For your household: any tax reduction would depend on the final tax rules and your incomes. Energy-market reforms could benefit consumers over time, but they do not promise an immediate, fixed reduction in your power bill. Spending reductions may also affect public services your family uses. New Zealand First Its published campaign policies include breaking up the supermarket duopoly and electricity generator-retailers, as well as changing the energy sector's structure. [NZ First Campaign Policy Announcement: NZ First Will Break Up the Supermarket Duopoly, Bring Food Prices Down for Kiwis](https://www.nzfirst.nz/nz_first_will_break_up_the_supermarket_duopoly)[Our Policy](https://www.nzfirst.nz/policy) - Groceries: split Foodstuffs into two nationwide cooperatives to increase competition with Woolworths. - Power: separate electricity generation from retail to change how the market operates. - Families: a proposed Kiwi Kids Grant would support eligible New Zealand citizens raising children during their first three years of life. [NZ First Campaign Policy Announcement: NZ First Will Break Up the Supermarket Duopoly, Bring Food Prices Down for Kiwis](https://www.nzfirst.nz/nz_first_will_break_up_the_supermarket_duopoly)[Our Policy](https://www.nzfirst.nz/policy)[NZFirst Announces Policy to Encourage Kiwis To Have More Kids](https://www.nzfirst.nz/nzfirst_announces_policy_to_encourage_kiwis_to_have_more_kids) For your household: the supermarket and electricity proposals are relevant to regular bills, but savings would depend on how the market responds. The Kiwi Kids Grant is designed for families with very young children, so it would not directly assist a family whose children are already school-age. A note on coverage: this is a comparison of the main parties' relevant published proposals, not every party contesting the election. You can check the official election information and party lists through [Elections New Zealand](https://elections.nz/). [Candidate and party lists released](https://elections.nz/media-and-news/2026/candidate-and-party-lists-released) ## 2. Which proposals could actually help your family? For a two-income homeowner with school-age children, the biggest distinction is between help you might qualify for directly and policies that depend on the market changing. | Household expense | What could make a difference | What to check | | --- | --- | --- | | Mortgage | Tax changes that increase take-home pay; broader economic effects on interest rates | No major proposal above guarantees a lower repayment on your existing home loan. | | Rates | National's council-cost proposals | Rates are set by your local council; the policy does not guarantee your bill will fall. | | Power | National's Home Energy Fund; Greens' clean-energy loans and Kiwipower; ACT's competition reforms | Eligibility, upfront costs, loan repayment terms and how quickly savings arise. | | Groceries | National's and Labour's supermarket reforms; NZ First's proposed supermarket split | These are competition measures, not guaranteed discounts at the checkout. | | Children's costs | Working for Families and any eligible family assistance | Your combined income, number of dependent children and their ages. | | Transport | Labour's public-transport fare cap | Whether your family uses eligible bus and train services. | | Healthcare | Labour's proposed free GP visits and prescriptions | Whether you currently pay these costs and when the policy starts. | Sources: party policy pages and Inland Revenue's Working for Families guidance. [2026 Election Policy](https://www.national.org.nz/policies)[Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)[Power for all of us](https://www.greens.org.nz/power_for_all_of_us)[ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/news/abundant-electricity-will-ease-cost-of-living)[NZ First Campaign Policy Announcement: NZ First Will Break Up the Supermarket Duopoly, Bring Food Prices Down for Kiwis](https://www.nzfirst.nz/nz_first_will_break_up_the_supermarket_duopoly)[Working for Families overview](https://www.ird.govt.nz/working-for-families/all-about-working-for-families/overview) ### Check this before assuming you won't qualify for family support Having two wages does not automatically rule your family out of Working for Families. Inland Revenue generally assesses the combined income of you and your partner, along with your family circumstances. The amount can reduce as family income rises. [Working for Families overview](https://www.ird.govt.nz/working-for-families/all-about-working-for-families/overview)[In-work tax credit](https://www.ird.govt.nz/~/~/~/~/link.aspx?_id=4DF56666CC4C4CE1AAC695DC5FA36CD1) You can check your circumstances using the official [Working for Families information and eligibility tools](https://www.ird.govt.nz/working-for-families). Also distinguish existing assistance from new election promises. For example, the in-work tax credit has a temporary fuel-related increase under current rules from 1 April 2026. It is not simply a new benefit that every working household will receive indefinitely: eligibility, the fuel-price condition and the end date matter. [In-work tax credit](https://www.ird.govt.nz/~/~/~/~/link.aspx?_id=4DF56666CC4C4CE1AAC695DC5FA36CD1)[Cost of living relief](https://www.national.org.nz/col) ## 3. What about your mortgage? This deserves separate attention because it is likely to be one of your largest expenses. - Your mortgage interest rate: the Reserve Bank's monetary policy and broader economic conditions affect mortgage rates. A party cannot guarantee that its policies will make your bank reduce your rate. - Tax deductions for landlords: proposals to restore or reverse landlord interest deductibility concern investment properties, not a direct tax deduction for the interest you pay on your own family home. - Building more homes: changes to housing supply may affect affordability over time, but they are not immediate relief for an existing mortgage. - Take-home pay: a tax cut could give either or both wage earners more money to work with, depending on the policy's tax brackets and your incomes. In practical terms, when comparing mortgage-related claims, look for an actual change to your household's disposable income rather than a general promise to make housing more affordable. ## 4. A practical way to compare the election policies Rather than trying to decide from headline promises, calculate the effect under three time horizons: Money available now Existing entitlements, any immediately effective tax changes, and assistance your family qualifies for today. Changes in the first year Proposed changes to fares, healthcare fees, taxes or family payments, accounting for their start dates and eligibility rules. Longer-term savings Potential changes to electricity prices, grocery competition, housing supply and council costs. Treat these as uncertain until the savings are demonstrated. ## 5. If you'd like a more specific comparison I can estimate how the relevant policies might affect your household without assuming which party you support. The two details that would make the biggest difference are your combined income and how many children you have. Optional details — estimates will depend on the final policy rules. You do not need to share exact salaries, your address, or your bank or mortgage details. Approximate figures are enough to make the comparison more useful. **End captured answer** ## Gemini · asked nationally Answer ID: 4e0f1311-eb72-4c3b-a231-e85e05e90319. Captured 12 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** For a dual-income household with a mortgage and school-age children—where margins are tight after fixed costs like housing, power, and groceries—the 2026 general election landscape offers several distinct approaches. Parties have staked out different territories on whether relief should come through tax changes, direct income boosts, or targeted savings on household essentials. The major party proposals addressing household costs, and how they specifically intersect with your situation as a working family, span several key areas: --- ### 1. Income Support and Family Payments * **New Zealand First:** Has proposed a major cost-of-living policy centered on families and wages. They have pledged to increase Working for Families payments by **$120 a week** (by making a temporary $50 in-work tax credit permanent and adding a further $70) and to guarantee annual minimum wage increases tied to inflation. * *Application to your family:* **Directly relevant** if your combined household income falls within the Working for Families abatement thresholds. This policy is explicitly aimed at putting a direct cash buffer back into the weekly budgets of working parents. * **The Green Party & Te Pāti Māori:** Both advocate for structural shifts via tax-free thresholds (e.g., the Greens proposing a $10,000 tax-free personal income threshold and Te Pāti Māori proposing $30,000), alongside wealth or capital taxes. * *Application to your family:* If you earn ordinary wages, a tax-free threshold or lower income tax brackets would lower your PAYE deductions, leaving more take-home pay each payday. However, these are generally balanced against new taxes elsewhere in their packages. ### 2. Healthcare and Everyday Essentials * **The Labour Party:** Has anchored its cost-of-living platform on reducing direct out-of-pocket health and transport costs. Key promises include **free GP visits** and free prescriptions for everyone, alongside a **$20 weekly cap on public transport fares**. They also propose cracking down on supermarket duopoly pricing to lower checkout costs. * *Application to your family:* * **Healthcare:** With school-age children, doctor visits and winter bugs are a regular household expense. Free GP visits would immediately remove a recurring health cost. * **Transport:** If anyone in your household commutes via public transport, a $20 weekly cap provides predictable, capped relief. * **Groceries:** While supermarket policy intent targets food inflation, its direct and immediate impact on your weekly grocery bill depends heavily on how effectively market regulations translate into lower prices at the register. ### 3. Housing and Mortgage Pressures * **National and the Incumbent Settings:** National’s core platform emphasizes a "no new taxes" approach and broader economic management settings designed to curb inflation and stabilize interest rates. * *Application to your family:* Because you carry a mortgage, the single biggest driver of your "buffer" is interest rates. Policies that focus on fiscal restraint to keep inflation (and consequently OCR/mortgage rates) from climbing further—or helping them ease—have a much larger impact on your monthly budget than small localized rebates. * **The Left/Progressive Bloc (Labour, Greens, Te Pāti Māori):** Propose various housing market interventions, such as Labour's proposed capital gains tax on residential investment property (excluding the family home), aimed at shifting demand away from property speculation. * *Application to your family:* As owner-occupiers whose primary home is protected, capital gains taxes on investment properties won't directly tax you, but proponents argue it relieves long-term housing market distortion. Conversely, critics argue such tax changes can influence the rental and broader housing economy. --- ### Summary: What Actually Moves the Needle for You? * **If your combined income qualifies you for Working for Families:** **NZ First's $120 weekly boost** represents the most direct, cash-in-hand income augmentation targeted specifically at working parents. * **If medical and local transit costs squeeze your buffer:** **Labour's free GP visits and transport caps** provide immediate, tangible savings on recurring family overhead. * **If mortgage interest is your dominant financial weight:** Broad economic management policies that influence **interest rate trajectories** will ultimately dictate whether your household breathing room expands or contracts, making macro-economic stability and inflation control from the major parties a critical filter for your vote. Are you looking closer at policies affecting income tax rates, or is mortgage and housing stability your primary focus when weighing up the parties? **End captured answer** ## Google AI Mode · asked nationally Answer ID: f32372da-c3db-4bb8-a6a1-6761662f73bd. Captured 12 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** Balancing a mortgage, raising school-age children, and relying on two wages with a tight buffer is a reality for many working families across New Zealand. With the general election approaching, the major political parties have laid out distinct approaches to addressing household budgets, cost-of-living pressures, and everyday expenses like power, groceries, and transport. An overview of what the parties are proposing regarding household costs, and how those policies intersect with the life of a dual-income working family with a mortgage and kids, highlights key differences: * * * **1\. National Party (Incumbent / Center-Right)** * **The Proposals:** * Focused on continued personal income tax adjustments and family-targeted support, highlighting previous Working for Families boosts and family tax credit increases ($400–$1,050/year for eligible families). * Supermarket and grocery market reforms aimed at increasing competition at the checkout. * KiwiSaver reforms and housing supply measures designed to ease long-term property and construction costs. * Continued funding for school lunch programmes and targeted food/breakfast support in schools. * **How it applies to your family:** * If your household income falls within the threshold, family tax credit adjustments or Working for Families changes provide direct financial relief. * Supermarket reforms aim to lower your weekly grocery bill, though the timing and tangible size of savings at the register remain gradual. * School lunch and education support help trim indirect household costs if your children benefit from school-level initiatives. **2\. Labour Party (Center-Left)** * **The Proposals:** * Cost-of-living and transport relief, including a $20 weekly public transport fare cap (if your family uses public transit for commuting or school travel). * Direct utility and health interventions: free GP visits, free prescriptions, and home solar loan schemes to cut electricity costs. * Grocery market reforms and a ban on price-gouging on essentials. * A proposed 28% capital gains tax on investment properties (excluding the family home), paired with small business and apprenticeship support. * **How it applies to your family:** * Free GP visits and prescriptions would immediately drop your family’s medical out-of-pocket expenses—a notable relief when kids are frequently visiting the doctor. * The home solar loan scheme offers a pathway to lower long-term power bills, assuming you own your home and have the capacity to take on a low-interest/government-backed mechanism for installation. * If you rely on public transport for work commuting, the $20 fare cap applies directly; if you drive, grocery and essential price-gouging bans target your everyday spending. **3\. Green Party (Left)** * **The Proposals:** * Deep reform of power prices through a major push for home solar installations, claiming potential cuts of up to $1,000 a year on power bills. * Free public transport initiatives and policies targeting fossil-fuel-driven inflation. * Funding shifts funded by a wealth tax on high-net-worth individuals while cutting income tax for the vast majority of earners. * Upgrades and market-rent reviews for housing, alongside public-backed energy entities. * **How it applies to your family:** * The residential solar push directly addresses your power cost concerns if your property is suitable for panels. * Free public transport helps if your commute aligns with urban networks. * Because your family relies on two wages rather than mega-wealth, you would broadly sit on the tax-relief side of their income-tax restructuring, though the broader wealth-tax framework targets higher-bracket assets. **4\. New Zealand First (Populist / Nationalist)** * **The Proposals:** * A major cost-of-living package promising a $120-a-week boost for working families by making the temporary $50 in-work tax credit permanent and adding another $70 a week. * Guaranteeing annual minimum wage adjustments that track closely with inflation. * Breaking up supermarket duopolies and utilizing domestic energy/mining royalties to cushion domestic inflation. * **How it applies to your family:** * The proposed $120 weekly Working for Families / in-work tax credit expansion is one of the more direct cash-in-hand proposals explicitly designed for working families with tight buffers, _provided_ your combined household income meets the specific eligibility thresholds for the full credit. [Waatea News] **5\. ACT New Zealand (Libertarian / Right)** * **The Proposals:** * Focused heavily on reducing government debt, cutting back-office public service spending, and stopping or slowing baseline regulatory costs. * Skeptical of broad subsidies or market price controls, favoring tax relief through spending restraint rather than targeted cash handouts. * **How it applies to your family:** * ACT’s policies are less about direct household subsidies or weekly cash boosts for families and more about broader macroeconomic trimming of government expenditure. Direct, immediate relief at your kitchen table or power meter is less prominent compared to the direct tax-credit or utility-cap approaches of Labour, NZ First, or the Greens. [RNZ] * * * **Summary Checklist for Your Household** When stepping into the voting booth, you can weigh which lever matters most for your specific tight budget: * **Immediate Cash Flow:** Look closely at party thresholds for Working for Families adjustments (such as NZ First's proposed $120 boost or National’s family tax credits). * **Bills & Utilities:** Compare Labour and the Greens' focus on cutting power/medical costs (free GP visits/prescriptions or solar incentives) versus market-competition approaches for groceries. * **Transport:** Evaluate whether public transport caps apply to your daily commute or if fuel/road costs are your primary pain point. **End captured answer** ## Google AI Overviews · asked nationally Answer ID: 0208e034-5d31-4b24-98e2-2ec4397be3cf. Captured 12 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** **Major political parties are targeting household budgets** in their campaigns for the **November 7, 2026, New Zealand general election**. As a dual-income, asset-constrained household navigating a mortgage and raising school-age children, your biggest direct financial impact will come from competing changes to **Working for Families tax credits** , **income tax brackets** , and **targeted utility or transport reliefs**. * * * Policy Overview & Family Eligibility Party| Core Strategy for Costs| Key Proposals Applying to Your Family ---|---|--- **National Party**| **"Fixing the basics" via targeted tax credits**| • Retaining the **$50/week In-Work Tax Credit** boost. • Maintaining the **Healthy School Lunches** program through 2027. **Labour Party**| **Subsidizing core services and utility reductions**| • **3 free GP visits** per year and **free prescriptions**. • Lower power bills via the **SolarSaver** household scheme. • Reinstating a larger **School Lunch** model by 2028. **NZ First**| **Direct income injections for working families**| • **$120/week increase** to the Working for Families In-Work Tax Credit. • **Inflation-linked** mandatory minimum wage increases. **Green Party**| **Restructuring tax brackets funded by corporate taxes**| • A **tax-free threshold on the first $10,000** of income. • **Solar panel funding** to cut electricity bills by up to $1,000 a year. **ACT Party**| **Reducing government spending and debt**| • Unveiled a fiscal plan promising **targeted tax relief**. • Focuses on removing price floors on carbon units to lower energy mechanics. * * * How These Proposals Actually Apply to Your Family 1\. Cash In Hand: Working for Families & Income Tax Because you rely on two wages and have children, changes to Working for Families (WFF) are the most immediate mechanism to alter your buffer. * **Under New Zealand First:** You would see the most substantial direct cash increase if you qualify for WFF. They propose making the temporary $50 weekly boost permanent and adding an extra $70, netting eligible families **up to $120 a week** in direct relief. * **Under National:** Your family currently receives the temporary **$50 a week boost** enacted during the fuel crisis, alongside inflation adjustments to standard Family Tax Credits. National's platform relies on maintaining this current baseline while targeting government debt to prevent further inflation. * **Under the Greens:** You would benefit from a restructured income tax scale where the **first $10,000 of income is tax-free**. This would lower the effective tax rate on both of your wages, though higher earners (over $160k) would hit a 45% top bracket. Your family home would be explicitly **exempt from their proposed wealth tax**. 2\. Power and Utility Bills As homeowners paying electricity, party policies on infrastructure will affect your monthly bills. * **Labour’s SolarSaver:** Labour plans to introduce an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) supported loan and subsidy scheme to help homeowners install **solar panels to permanently lower power bills**. * **The Greens' Solar Plan:** Similarly, the Greens propose a home-solar rollout explicitly designed to trim **up to $1,000 a year** off residential electricity bills. 3\. School-Age Children Expenses * **School Lunches:** National has committed to funding the **Healthy School Lunches program through 2027**. Labour proposes a **$5–$6.50 fresh, locally-prepared school lunch model** from 2028 to permanently absorb day-to-day food costs for families. * **Healthcare Costs:** Labour's "Medicard" plan would give your children and yourselves **three free GP visits annually** and protect **free prescriptions** , keeping money in your pocket during flu seasons. 4\. The Mortgage and Fixed Costs Buffer * **ACT** argues that the best way to ease your mortgage strain is to aggressively **cut back-office government spending and debt** to put downward pressure on inflation and interest rates. * **Labour and the Greens** both argue that your buffer is being squeezed by corporate profits. They propose **banning price gouging on essentials** , introducing a **Fair Go Law against hidden fees** , and increasing banking competition to drive down mortgage margins. * * * If you would find it helpful, we can look closer at how your household income aligns with **Working for Families thresholds** under these new proposals, or estimate your potential savings under the different **income tax brackets**. Which of those areas would you like to explore? **End captured answer** ## Publication and corrections Published and funded by Onsomble Limited. NZBrands.ai takes no view on any party or policy. [Independence](https://nzbrands.ai/about/independence/) · [Corrections](https://nzbrands.ai/about/corrections/) · [Contact](https://nzbrands.ai/about/contact/)