# PF018: My partner and I rent, have steady jobs and are trying to save a deposit for our first home. We worry that the target keeps moving. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do the parties' housing plans differ for first-home buyers rather than existing property owners?

Collected 19 October 2026

[NZ Election 2026 · Edition 4 study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4)

## ChatGPT

Answer ID: 9d6ab273-29a3-4f43-9ce2-910c7c75c4cc

# New Zealand's 2026 election: Which housing policies matter most for first-home buyers?

If you and your partner are working steadily, paying rent and trying to save a deposit, the key question isn't simply which party promises more affordable housing. It's **which policies could make it easier for you to buy your first home, rather than primarily benefiting people who already own property.**

There are several ways a government can approach that challenge:
- **Help you buy sooner:** lower deposit requirements, government-backed loans or assistance for first-home buyers.
- **Make homes cheaper:** build more houses, change planning rules or discourage speculative investment that competes with owner-occupiers.
- **Help you save faster:** reduce the pressure of rent and other living costs, leaving more of your income available for a deposit.
- **Protect your financial position:** make renting more secure while you save, so an unexpected rent increase or move doesn't derail your plans.

These approaches aren't interchangeable. A policy that helps you borrow with a smaller deposit may get you into a home sooner, but it doesn't necessarily make the home cheaper. Conversely, policies intended to bring house prices down may improve affordability over time without immediately solving your deposit problem.

For the 2026 New Zealand general election, voting day is **Saturday, 7 November 2026**, with advance voting beginning on 26 October. Parties are still announcing policies, so it's important to distinguish confirmed commitments from proposals that are incomplete or still developing. [Policy.nz's 2026 election guide](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/housing) provides a useful starting point for comparing their housing positions. [policy.nz](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/housing?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

## 1. How the major parties differ

The central distinction is between parties that emphasise **helping buyers get a mortgage and increasing housing supply**, and those that also want to change the tax and rental settings that influence property investment.

Here is how the main parties' published positions relate to your situation as renters saving for a first home.

### National: Make it easier to buy with a smaller deposit

National has announced a specific first-home buyer measure for 2026: expanding access to the Government's First Home Loan scheme.

Under its proposal, the income cap would rise to **$300,000 for all applicants**, replacing the current limits of $95,000 for single buyers without dependants and $150,000 for multiple buyers combined or single buyers with dependants. The scheme allows eligible buyers to purchase with a 5% deposit rather than the standard 20%. [National's first-home buyer policy](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/backing-first-home-buyers)

**What this could mean for you**
- You may qualify for a smaller deposit requirement even if your combined income is relatively high.
- You could potentially buy sooner rather than spend additional years accumulating a 20% deposit.
- You would still need to meet the lender's eligibility and mortgage affordability requirements.

**The trade-off:** A smaller deposit reduces the amount you need upfront, but it doesn't reduce the property's purchase price. A larger mortgage also means more debt and potentially greater interest costs. Expanding access to credit does not, by itself, guarantee that house prices will fall.

National's proposal is therefore primarily about making home ownership more accessible to buyers who can service a mortgage but struggle to save a large deposit.

### Labour: First-home affordability, fairer renting and more public housing

Labour says it wants to make it easier for people to purchase their first home, make renting fairer and more secure, and build the homes communities need. [Labour's stated priorities](https://www.labour.org.nz/priority-pages/our-priorities/)

Its 2026 programme also includes a commitment to restart Kāinga Ora's social housing construction, backed by $2.9 billion in capital funding and additional operating funding. [Labour's housing and construction commitments](https://www.labour.org.nz/election-policy-pages/start-work-now/)

**What this could mean for you**
- More public and community housing could ease pressure on the wider housing market over time.
- Fairer and more secure renting could help you plan your savings without as much uncertainty about your housing costs.
- Labour's stated focus on first-home affordability makes this an important area to examine in its detailed policy announcements.

**The trade-off:** More social housing directly helps people who need affordable public housing; it doesn't automatically make private homes cheaper. The effect on first-home buyers would depend on how much additional housing is built, where it is built, and what other measures Labour adopts.

One important distinction: Labour's general commitment to helping first-home buyers should not be confused with a specific cash grant or deposit subsidy. Check its latest detailed policy for the exact assistance it has committed to deliver.

### Green Party: Change the economics of housing as an investment

The Greens take a broader approach. Their 2026 housing platform combines more housing construction with changes intended to reduce the financial advantages of treating property as an investment.

Their published proposals include:
- Building more affordable housing and public housing.
- Changing planning rules to allow sufficient development to meet demand.
- Reversing National's landlord and property-speculator tax concessions.
- Capping annual rent increases at 2%.
- Restoring stronger renter protections, including reversing no-cause evictions. ([Green Party housing proposals](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_announce_plan_to_end_homelessness_fix_housing_crisis); [2026 housing policy document](https://assets.nationbuilder.com/beachheroes/pages/14563/attachments/original/1780533770/Housing_policy_document_2026_WEB_new.pdf))

**What this could mean for you**
- A rent-increase cap could make your household budget more predictable while you save.
- More affordable housing could increase the range of homes available to people on moderate incomes.
- Changing landlord tax treatment is intended to reduce advantages for property investors relative to other buyers.

**The trade-off:** These policies do not guarantee an immediate fall in house prices. Tax changes can influence investment decisions, rental supply and property values in different ways. Their eventual effect on your ability to buy would depend on how investors, developers and other buyers respond.

Unlike National's proposed deposit assistance, the Greens' approach focuses more on the underlying housing market and the costs and security of renting.

### ACT: Rely on market incentives, building and property rights

ACT's housing argument differs from the Greens' approach to landlord taxation. ACT argues that policies which increase landlords' costs can also increase rents, potentially making it harder for renters to save a deposit.

In a September 2026 statement, ACT defended restoring mortgage interest deductibility for residential landlords, arguing that the previous restrictions had put upward pressure on rents. That is ACT's stated interpretation of the policy's effects, rather than proof that every landlord passes tax costs on to tenants. [ACT's statement on housing taxation](https://www.act.org.nz/news/labour-backdown-a-victory-for-affordability)

For first-home buyers, ACT's general approach emphasises market incentives and property rights rather than reversing landlord tax concessions.

**What this could mean for you**
- ACT argues that keeping the costs of providing rental housing down can help control rents and make saving easier.
- Its broader market-oriented approach puts weight on improving incentives for housing investment and development.

**The trade-off:** Keeping landlord tax advantages does not directly reduce your deposit requirement or guarantee lower purchase prices. The effect on affordability depends on whether the policies lead to more housing, lower rents or other changes that benefit prospective buyers.

For your circumstances, it is worth distinguishing ACT's argument about the rental market from a direct first-home buyer benefit: they are not the same thing.

### New Zealand First: More housing, with infrastructure in place

New Zealand First's October 2026 housing announcement proposes changes to fast-track residential development approvals.

The party says developers should demonstrate that essential infrastructure—including roads, water, wastewater and other services—will be available, funded and deliverable before projects receive fast-track approval. It also proposes expert panels with powers to decline projects that lack adequate infrastructure arrangements. [New Zealand First's October 2026 announcement](https://www.nzfirst.nz/nzfirst_policy_announcement_changes_to_fast_track_residential_approvals)

The party has also previously advocated making more land available for housing, prefabricated construction and government involvement in housing policy. Its current election commitments should be distinguished from its older policy documents.

**What this could mean for you**
- More housing development could eventually give buyers a wider choice of properties.
- Infrastructure requirements could help ensure new developments have the services needed to support residents.

**The trade-off:** Infrastructure checks do not directly help you accumulate a deposit. Depending on how they are implemented, additional requirements could also affect the speed and cost of development.

New Zealand First's current proposal is therefore principally about how housing is developed, rather than a direct subsidy for first-home buyers.

### Te Pāti Māori: Affordable housing and action on speculation

Te Pāti Māori's published housing policy focuses on increasing public and affordable housing, making it easier to build on Māori and ancestral land, and taking action against speculation and land-banking, including vacant properties. [Te Pāti Māori's housing policy](https://www.maoriparty.org.nz/policy)

**What this could mean for you**
- More affordable housing could expand access to homes for households unable to compete at prevailing market prices.
- Action against land-banking is intended to encourage land to be used for housing rather than held for speculative gain.
- Making it easier to build on Māori land could support additional housing developments.

**The trade-off:** These measures do not necessarily provide direct assistance with your own deposit. Their effect on private-market prices would depend on the scale of construction and how the proposed changes affect land use.

Te Pāti Māori's housing platform is more focused on housing provision, affordability and land use than on a general first-home deposit subsidy.

### The Opportunity Party (TOP): Change land taxation to reduce house prices

The Opportunity Party proposes a substantial change to New Zealand's tax system.

Its Tax Reset includes a **1.75% annual land value tax**, calculated on land value rather than the value of the buildings on it. The party argues that this would discourage land-banking and speculative property ownership, and projects that it could reduce property prices by 10–15%. That figure is the party's estimate, not a guaranteed outcome. The proposal also includes a Citizen's Income intended to improve people's financial security. [TOP's Tax Reset](https://www.opportunity.org.nz/tax-reset)

TOP's housing policy also proposes:
- Simplifying planning rules and accelerating approvals for modular and prefabricated homes.
- Giving councils, community housing providers, iwi and other eligible developers access to lower-cost government finance for affordable housing.
- Supporting more housing construction in regions that need it.

[TOP's affordable housing policy](https://www.opportunity.org.nz/affordable_housing)

**What this could mean for you**
- A fall in property prices, if it occurred, could reduce the amount you need to save for a deposit.
- A Citizen's Income could change your household's disposable income and ability to save.
- Additional housing construction could improve the availability of affordable homes.

**The trade-off:** A land value tax would also affect people who already own property. The financial consequences would depend on land values, the tax's implementation and any applicable exemptions or deferrals. The proposed price reduction is a projection, not an established result.

TOP's approach is distinctive because it seeks to change the incentives underpinning property ownership and land use, rather than focusing primarily on helping buyers borrow more.

---

## 2. The most important difference: help with your deposit or bring down the price?

For a couple in your position, this is probably the most useful way to compare the policies.

| Policy approach | Party or parties associated with it | Potential benefit to you | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower the deposit required | National's proposed expansion of First Home Loans | Less time saving before buying | You still need to afford the mortgage and purchase price |
| Build more public housing | Labour, Greens, Te Pāti Māori and TOP | Could ease housing pressure and expand affordable options | Benefits to private-market buyers may take time |
| Change landlord tax settings | Greens favour reversing landlord tax concessions; ACT defends interest deductibility | Could influence competition between investors and owner-occupiers | Effects on prices and rents are uncertain |
| Cap rent increases and strengthen renters' rights | Greens; Labour also promises fairer and more secure renting | Could make your budget and savings plan more predictable | Does not directly reduce the deposit required |
| Tax land to discourage speculation | TOP | Could reduce land values and house prices if the proposal has its intended effect | Creates new costs for landowners and involves substantial tax reform |
| Improve planning and development | National, Labour, New Zealand First and TOP, with different approaches | More housing could improve choice and affordability | Results depend on what gets built, where and how quickly |

Sources: [National](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/backing-first-home-buyers), [Labour](https://www.labour.org.nz/priority-pages/our-priorities/), [Greens](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_announce_plan_to_end_homelessness_fix_housing_crisis), [Te Pāti Māori](https://www.maoriparty.org.nz/policy), [TOP](https://www.opportunity.org.nz/affordable_housing), [New Zealand First](https://www.nzfirst.nz/nzfirst_policy_announcement_changes_to_fast_track_residential_approvals).

One caution: these are different policy mechanisms, not directly comparable promises. A deposit scheme, a tax reform and a construction programme have different costs, timelines and risks.

## 3. What does this mean for a couple renting and saving?

Consider three possible situations.

### If your biggest obstacle is accumulating the deposit

Suppose you can comfortably afford mortgage repayments on a suitable home, but saving the deposit is taking years because rent and everyday expenses consume most of your income.

In that situation, National's proposed expansion of the First Home Loan scheme is particularly relevant to investigate. It directly addresses the upfront deposit hurdle.

You would want to establish whether you qualify, whether participating lenders would approve your mortgage and what your repayments would be at current interest rates.

### If your biggest obstacle is that house prices keep moving away from you

Suppose you're saving consistently, but the properties you want remain unaffordable relative to your household income.

Then policies aimed at housing supply, land use and property investment become more relevant.

The Greens and TOP, for example, propose changing the incentives around property investment, while several parties propose measures to increase construction. The important questions are whether these policies could improve affordability in the areas where you might buy, and how long their effects would take.

A policy that reduces house prices could also reduce the deposit required in dollar terms. But the outcome depends on actual market conditions, not just the announcement of a policy.

### If rent is preventing you from saving consistently

Suppose rent increases, moving costs or uncertainty about your tenancy repeatedly disrupt your savings plan.

Then rental policy matters even though you ultimately want to own a home.

The Greens' proposed 2% annual rent-increase cap is a specific example. Labour also says it wants renting to be fairer and more secure. The key distinction is between limiting rent increases, improving tenancy security and increasing the availability of rental homes.

These measures could affect how predictable your expenses are while you save, although their wider effects on rental supply and prices would also matter.

---

## 4. Questions worth asking before you vote

Rather than relying on broad promises about making housing affordable, consider asking each party the same questions.

**On first-home buyers**
- Is there a direct deposit subsidy, a lower-deposit loan or another specific form of assistance?
- Who qualifies, and what income or property-price limits apply?
- How much would the policy cost, and how would it be funded?

**On house prices**
- Does the policy seek to lower purchase prices, or mainly make it easier to borrow?
- How will it increase the number of homes available where people want to live?
- What evidence supports the expected effect on prices?

**On renters**
- Will the policy limit rent increases or improve tenancy security?
- How will it affect the supply of rental properties?
- Could it help a couple save a deposit over the next three to five years?

**On implementation**
- Is the proposal a firm election commitment, a longer-term aspiration or a policy still being developed?
- How soon would it take effect?
- What would happen if the party needed coalition partners to implement it?

That last question matters in New Zealand's MMP system. A party's published platform is not necessarily what a future government will implement in full.

## 5. Where to compare the policies yourself

For a broader, side-by-side comparison, start with [Policy.nz's 2026 housing policy guide](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/housing). It allows you to explore housing affordability, renting, housing quality and public housing across parties.

You can also read the parties' original proposals:
- [National — first-home buyer deposit assistance](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/backing-first-home-buyers)
- [Labour — priorities and housing commitments](https://www.labour.org.nz/priority-pages/our-priorities/)
- [Greens — housing policy](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_announce_plan_to_end_homelessness_fix_housing_crisis)
- [ACT — position on landlord taxation](https://www.act.org.nz/news/labour-backdown-a-victory-for-affordability)
- [New Zealand First — residential development approvals](https://www.nzfirst.nz/nzfirst_policy_announcement_changes_to_fast_track_residential_approvals)
- [Te Pāti Māori — housing policy](https://www.maoriparty.org.nz/policy)
- [The Opportunity Party — affordable housing](https://www.opportunity.org.nz/affordable_housing)
- [The Opportunity Party — Tax Reset](https://www.opportunity.org.nz/tax-reset)

Because campaign policies can change, check for updates before election day.

## My suggestion for making the comparison useful

For you and your partner, I'd focus on three things rather than trying to find a party with the most housing announcements:

1. **How much sooner could you realistically buy?** Look at deposit assistance, eligibility and mortgage affordability.
2. **Could the home you want become more affordable relative to your income?** Look at housing supply, planning, land taxation and investor incentives.
3. **Could you save more reliably while renting?** Look at rent policy, tenancy security and measures affecting your household's disposable income.

These are separate questions, and different parties offer different answers. You can use them to assess the policies without assuming that any single proposal will solve the housing problem on its own.

**One detail would help me make the comparison more practical:** roughly what is your combined annual income before tax, and what price range of home are you hoping to buy? With those figures, I can explain how the different approaches might affect the deposit you need and the time it could take to save it, without steering you towards a particular party.

## Gemini

Answer ID: 2330ee98-959f-4176-8f12-ad9c8c49ee93

Navigating the rental market while trying to save a deposit for a first home is a frustrating experience, especially when it feels like the target keeps moving. In the lead-up to the **2026 New Zealand general election**, housing has once again become a central debate. 

The political parties approach the housing market with very different philosophies, drawing a distinct line between policies designed to help **first-home buyers (owner-occupiers)** and those affecting **existing property owners and investors**.

---

### 1. National & ACT (Centre-Right / Coalition Focus)
* **For First-Home Buyers:** 
  * **National** has focused its primary first-home buyer policy on expanding the **First Home Loan scheme**. They propose significantly lifting the household income eligibility threshold to **$300,000** (up from previous limits like $150,000 for couples), allowing more working households to purchase a home with a **5% deposit**.
  * Both parties emphasize supply-side reforms—streamlining resource consenting, reducing local council roadblocks, and incentivizing infrastructure to build more houses overall, which they argue will moderate price growth long-term.
* **For Existing Property Owners & Landlords:** 
  * These parties are generally favorable to property investors. National previously restored interest deductibility for landlords and shortened the bright-line test. **ACT** has pushed further landlord-friendly policies, such as proposing to abolish loss ring-fencing so residential rental losses can offset other taxable income. 

### 2. Labour (Centre-Left)
* **For First-Home Buyers:** 
  * Labour’s strategy centers heavily on cooling investor demand to give first-home buyers a fairer playing field. By proposing a **Capital Gains Tax (28%)** on residential investment and commercial properties (exempting the family home) starting mid-2027, they aim to reduce the incentive for speculative investing, which they argue prices out people trying to buy their first home.
  * They also emphasize expanding state and social housing supply.
* **For Existing Property Owners & Landlords:** 
  * Existing property investors would face higher tax burdens under Labour’s capital gains proposals for any properties sold after the implementation date. Labour has also maintained its stance on keeping interest deductibility restrictions for existing properties.

### 3. Green Party & Te Pāti Māori (Left / Progressive)
* **For First-Home Buyers & Renters:** 
  * These parties place heavy emphasis on structural market reform, curbing property speculation, and aggressive public housing builds. 
  * The **Greens** focus heavily on renter protections (such as a 2% cap on annual rent increases and ending no-cause evictions) to make renting more stable while people save, alongside wealth taxes to redistribute economic pressure. 
* **For Existing Property Owners & Landlords:** 
  * These platforms are the most challenging for private property investors, proposing measures like land-banking penalties, empty-home taxes, and comprehensive wealth or capital gains taxes.

### 4. The Opportunity Party (TOP)
* **For First-Home Buyers:** 
  * TOP proposes a structural overhaul centered on a **1.75% annual Land Value Tax** on urban land (paired with a citizen's income). Their economic modeling suggests this would cool land banking and lower general house prices over time by 10% to 15%, theoretically bringing a first home into reach faster for saving buyers.
* **For Existing Property Owners:** 
  * Landlords and landowners with high-value land holdings would face the annual land tax, fundamentally changing the holding costs of property investment compared to standard income or capital gains approaches.

---

### Summary for Your Situation
If you are trying to bridge the deposit gap:
* **Support-focused approaches** (like National’s expanded 5% deposit loan thresholds) aim to help you get into a house *sooner* with a smaller upfront pool of cash, though a larger mortgage remains.
* **Market-cooling approaches** (like Labour’s capital gains tax or TOP's land value tax) aim to shift the market dynamics to slow down or reduce house price growth, meaning the "moving target" of a deposit might stabilize, but could heavily impact the broader property market and rental availability.

As you weigh your vote, are you leaning more toward policies that provide direct financial entry pathways (like low-deposit schemes), or structural market changes aimed at cooling house price inflation?

## Google AI Mode

Answer ID: 43e638bd-4519-493c-8840-3a6c990480f5

Navigating the property market as renters trying to save a deposit can feel like chasing a moving target. In the lead-up to the **_2026 New Zealand general election_** , the political landscape offers distinct philosophies on how to balance the aspirations of first-home buyers against the interests of existing property owners and landlords.

The major parties approach this dynamic through contrasting levers—ranging from direct purchasing assistance and supply deregulation to tax adjustments on investment properties.

* * *

**National (Led Coalition / Government)**

 * * **For First-Home Buyers:**
 * **Expanded First Home Loan Scheme:** Proposes expanding the Kāinga Ora First Home Loan scheme by raising the income threshold to a flat **$300,000** for everyone (whether buying alone or as a couple), making it easier to access a 5% low-deposit mortgage.
 * **Supply & Zoning:** Focuses on sweeping Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms, incentivizing medium-density urban housing, and permitting granny flats without standard resource consents to speed up construction and moderate price growth.

 * **For Existing Property Owners / Landlords:**
 * **Tax Settings:** Has restored full mortgage interest deductibility for residential landlords and maintains status quo property tax settings without introducing new capital gains or land taxes.
 * **Foreign Buyers:** Maintains the foreign buyer ban for most homes under $2 million, but allows a carve-out for ultra-high-net-worth migrants on Active Investor Plus visas purchasing properties worth $5 million or more. [www.mymortgage.co.nz]

 *

**Labour**

 * * **For First-Home Buyers:**
 * **Public & Affordable Supply:** Pledges significant funding injections (such as a $2.9 billion commitment to Kāinga Ora) to build thousands of new public and state housing places, aiming to ease broader market strain over a four-year horizon.
 * **Sustainable Homes:** Promotes initiatives like the SolarSaver scheme to help lower ongoing household energy costs for residential properties.

 * **For Existing Property Owners / Landlords:**
 * **Tax Continuity:** Has ruled out altering the current interest deductibility rules for landlords, aiming for stability rather than dramatic tax shifts on existing portfolios. [Realestate.co.nz]

 *

**The Greens**

 * * **For First-Home Buyers:**
 * **Renters' Rights & Affordability:** Focuses heavily on renter protections (such as limiting annual rent increases and pushing for an independently enforced rental warrant of fitness) to ease the cash-flow pressure of saving while renting.
 * **Progressive Taxation & Market Cooling:** Proposes a comprehensive capital gains tax (excluding the family home) and stamp duty exemptions specifically carved out for first-home buyers buying under $1 million, which proponents argue will cool competition from speculative investors.

 * **For Existing Property Owners / Landlords:**
 * **Tax Reversal:** Would repeal mortgage interest deductibility for residential landlords and restore the 10-year bright-line test, increasing the tax burden on speculative and multi-property investment holdings.

 *

**ACT**

 * * **For First-Home Buyers:**
 * **Regulatory Deregulation:** Aligns with a heavy focus on replacing the RMA and cutting red tape around land use and construction. The core theory is that unleashing private sector development will drastically increase supply and bring down purchase prices over time. [Wolfbrook Residential]

 * **For Existing Property Owners / Landlords:**
 * **Free-Market Approach:** Generally favors property rights and opposes targeted punitive taxes on landlords or housing capital gains, seeing market-led supply as the primary fix.

 *

* * *

To explore individual party breakdowns and compare specific stances side-by-side, you can visit the Policy.nz 2026 Housing Guide.

If you'd like, let me know:

 * Whether your primary frustration is **saving the deposit fast enough** versus **rising purchase prices**
 * How you view the balance between **market-led supply** versus **investor tax changes**

I can help clarify how these specific approaches might impact your timeline.

## AI Overviews

Answer ID: 1eec0de6-b030-4980-ac66-38d1a85ffe08

Ahead of the **2026 New Zealand general election** , the major political parties offer distinctly different paths for housing. Right-leaning parties focus on expanding credit access for first-home buyers and reducing costs for landlords, while left-leaning parties emphasize rental protections, state-led building, and aggressive taxes on property wealth.

The primary policy differences for **first-home buyers** versus **existing property owners and investors** are outlined below.

🏠 Policy Comparison by Party

Political Party| Impact on First-Home Buyers / Renters| Impact on Existing Property Owners / Investors
---|---|---
**National Party**| **Expands low-deposit buying.** Raises the First Home Loan income cap to a flat **$300,000** (up from $95k/$150k), allowing couples to buy with a **5% deposit**.| **Maintains tax relief.** No new property taxes. Has already restored full **mortgage interest deductibility** and cut the bright-line capital gains test to **2 years**.
**Labour Party**| **Increases supply & exempts buyers.** Pledges **$2.9 billion** to build over **6,000 social homes**. Proposes a 5% stamp duty on residential sales but **exempts first-home buyers** on homes under $1 million.| **Introduces new taxes.** Implements a **28% capital gains tax (CGT)** on residential investment properties (excluding the family home) starting July 2027 to replace the bright-line test.
**Green Party**| **Heavy renter protections.** Targets renting costs by **capping annual rent increases at 2%** , ending no-cause evictions, and creating an independent **Rental Warrant of Fitness**.| **Targets property wealth.** Repeals landlord interest deductibility, extends the bright-line test to **10 years** , and introduces a **2.5% wealth tax** on net assets over $10 million.
**ACT Party**| **Focuses on supply deregulation.** Rejects rent caps and rental WOFs, arguing they lower rental supply. Focuses instead on rewriting the RMA to ease building and development restrictions.| **Protects property rights.** Strongly defends the restoration of mortgage interest deductibility and opposes any new capital or wealth taxes.

* * *

🔑 Key Takeaways for Your Situation

 * **If you want immediate deposit relief:** The **National Party’s** policy directly targets your exact roadblock by drastically opening up who qualifies for a **5% deposit loan**.
 * **If you want lower renting costs while saving:** The **Green Party’s** focus on **capping rent hikes at 2%** aims to keep your current living costs stable so the deposit target stops moving.
 * **The investor dynamic:** Left-aligned policies (**Labour** and **Greens**) seek to make housing less attractive as a financial investment through heavier taxes, theoretically cooling competition from multi-property owners. Right-aligned parties (**National** and **ACT**) prioritize keeping landlords in the market to maintain private rental supply.

To help tailor this, would you like to explore **how KiwiSaver withdrawal rules** might change under these parties, or look closer at **regional rental data** to see how much you need to save?