# Question 27: 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. How do parties differ on school funding, learning support and costs that families pay themselves? Collected 26 October 2026 [NZ Election 2026 · Edition 6 study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6) ## ChatGPT Answer ID: d634a3ac-d871-4dd6-bcc6-d2905acce7eb # New Zealand election 2026: schools, learning support and family costs For a household paying a mortgage on two incomes and raising school-age children, education policy affects more than what happens in the classroom. It can determine how much you spend on lunches, uniforms, transport, devices and activities — and whether your child gets timely help if they struggle with learning, communication, behaviour or a disability. The New Zealand general election is scheduled for 7 November 2026. As of 25 October, parties have announced different parts of their platforms, so this comparison distinguishes published commitments from areas where the details remain incomplete. [Which Party Should I Vote For? Your Guide to the 2026 Election](https://www.salient.org.nz/post/which-party-should-i-vote-for-your-guide-to-the-2026-election)[Party policies, simplified: Education](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-education/) There are three main questions worth comparing: - School funding: How will parties fund teaching, classroom resources and school facilities? - Learning support: What help will children who need extra support receive, and how quickly? - Money from your household: Which costs would government cover, reduce or leave to parents? ## 1. How the main parties differ These are the main publicly documented differences, rather than a ranking of parties. The distinction is between adding or changing public services, offering families more choice, and reducing the costs that parents meet directly. ![Will National Party Finish 2nd in New Zealand's 2026 Election?](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/LCDs4P76HEgfCayafHeSga8GCw12Vxs2fPc3toeyLUZ-wmb6UiGRZY6bhdT1xRejtICfUd6GX2BWmI76EkpoWuffTU4g32bP_qUJp29rsfn5_Zvj5THHSYTLHSoo_5_YQyZ3zKE1WIpB4bu7raRltFl5TZFCgCcE0quf_GohkFI?purpose=inline) ## National Achievement standards and expanding learning support National proposes Learning Support Coordinators for every school serving Years 1–8 by 2028, plus additional teacher-aide hours reaching two million extra hours annually. Its programme also includes early intervention and new specialist classrooms and schools. [Teaching the basics brilliantly](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/education-teaching-the-basics-brilliantly)[Government delivers more learning support for thousands of children](https://www.national.org.nz/news/20261022) What families might notice: more support at school if implementation delivers the promised capacity. Its published education commitments are less focused on directly reimbursing parents for ordinary school expenses. ![South Island Election Conference 2026](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/_spFKDBqOMVPoo8r35YLoGFwljs_-WWe4ur9fdZCfekzAxaUPGA75u8rI9uxOUTssI2hUZN1r4Zu1AeDrcNaxz3uHoFIyWjDpanT5s-KJ87QzxSu1uNjNL4MOHSuazRZuTy_TzC6aN4wxHHoyU_DhzMFuMCMjNBTtg2xRxOZL6c?purpose=inline) ## Labour School-related cost relief and additional staff Labour proposes bringing back fresh, locally made school lunches from Term 1 2028, lowering school transport costs and restoring cut rural school bus routes. On 22 October, it also pledged to hire 1,000 additional teacher aides. Its representative has said Labour would progress the findings of the review of support for children with the highest needs. [Labour's Cost of Living Plan](https://www.labour.org.nz/election-policy-pages/2026-election-policy-summary-pages/cost-of-living-plan/)[Party policies, simplified: Education](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-education/) What families might notice: potential savings on packed lunches and transport, plus additional classroom assistance. The lunch commitment is for 2028, not an immediate change. ![Green Party NZ (@NZGreens) on X](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/xwoeA3rTn5Pu0UL1uRc6X_g8ADsfUTe55rxQEjXC_rnFR_6TPTr_9eG0LsowNOdFRtax24qB8h-LRfUtZEf42T0CC5OclOZ5katbFJAYxs0cZRyqDBlGNgF_8AV_5WTCbYonGIqLGuK095lLGrkBVw3L8vdsA06tLHVNuCJquuc?purpose=inline) ## Green Party Inclusive education and universal school lunches The Greens propose restoring and permanently funding the Ka Ora, Ka Ako school lunch programme, extending it to approximately 400 more schools and 150,000 additional children. For learning support, they propose widening eligibility and establishing one agency to coordinate and resource specialist services for children with health and disability support needs. [Green Party announces plan for free and nutritious school lunches](https://www.greens.org.nz/green_party_announces_plan_for_free_and_nutritious_school_lunches)[Party policies, simplified: Education](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-education/) What families might notice: fewer lunch costs for eligible children and a proposed broader route to learning support. The practical impact would depend on the final eligibility rules, staffing and implementation. ![New Zealand Legislative Election Winner 2026 Odds | Polymarket](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/jofoEEdOXv6HOQzupGnQLgXlZKKPYTzvN6g4IUMlN6xdqX4l_qH5-Y0A3to5ytO5w95eGsg-WLInlnku5FmW0VEyKqhTiAqcZSbr_Z1e_uNyqacdq4zniDKhRNRugVUCsz1-CYpZeG4nO7sLuQKEQlQMBgJCAoyH3nC76yYHd6E?purpose=inline) ## ACT School choice and reducing compulsory expenses ACT supports charter schools and more choice in education. Its 2026 education commitments include making compulsory school uniforms more affordable and allowing children to use available seats on school buses not specifically assigned to their school. [ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/policies/education)[ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/policies/education) What families might notice: possible savings on uniforms and easier access to transport, depending on the final arrangements. Its published election commitments provide less new detail on expanding mainstream learning-support services. ![Te Pāti Māori (@Maori_Party) on X](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/C5Ox0A8wvQUsFP-VtrWHKeP6-Ic8fMiqzR6fwTgVCI89BKZ4qO15KWhfgO_hkPhb4uzHIlIf-m8iVIOtE_n3dpm6XeT-XUHl8WsSwbHDpd9cuMseVa0f8XdYoGqbDr3pWVTJaDg048Pdof6_HhRKAR523Vju5XF4tug9-I_6qlg?purpose=inline) ## Te Pāti Māori Māori-led education and culturally grounded support The party proposes Māori-led education authorities and solutions, greater use of mātauranga Māori, and removing barriers to education. It has also proposed a Māori-led taskforce for disabled, neurodivergent and other learners needing support, with resourcing for support teachers and accessible learning environments. [Education & Training](https://www.maoriparty.org.nz/education_training)[Party policies, simplified: Education](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-education/) What families might notice: a proposed shift in how education is governed and how additional support is designed, particularly for Māori learners. The current public summary gives fewer specific figures for direct household savings. ![New Zealand legislative election winner? Predictions & Od... 2026 | Polymarket](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/UmXClDd76aKEk_XyXfEEacFBHXO18HFMG1Im-weRm7tb64uGzBsRK3vWPXuiFN2zaWaNznb7eSDIJucKOhlXtwb6Lq-BYR6oxisKzHsWTxF5AsiLmtcNGDNtwCsXzgIuSp2vW4pa6pAda-tTriG23zKX1ZuknQ81HGh411pqRkM?purpose=inline) ## New Zealand First Less detail on new learning-support commitments In a recent education-policy comparison, NZ First expressed a commitment to inclusive learning but did not supply a specific new learning-support policy in response to the questions asked. [Party policies, simplified: Education](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-education/) What families might notice: the available material does not establish a new, quantified package of school-cost reductions or additional support hours. That is a gap in the published detail, not proof that the party would make no changes. ![](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/KZ1zP60v_ZeHHj3ij4DA2sVh6oX86DHN4x_RGhm63IEKbj8P_3phlgxON0_dzBqruxZt_piBvLSwWYOzxGtRjeiBIDJnBczyBauAihY7VhbFruy9Xq4tPeGbXtvfFHap7T9ZV_eOqtHyttigv_yv7jT6ibug6IoPJMJnJ8SLOeE?purpose=inline) ## The Opportunity Party (TOP) Long-term planning across education and health TOP is advocating a cross-party 10-year plan for health and education. It did not provide direct answers to the recent comparison's specific questions about disabled students. [Party policies, simplified: Education](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-education/) What families might notice: a proposed focus on longer-term policy coordination, but the material reviewed does not specify a new amount of learning-support funding or immediate school-cost relief. ## 2. Which costs could come out of your household budget? A school may not charge tuition, but school-age children can still generate a substantial weekly and annual bill. These are the clearest differences in the published proposals. | Expense | Published party commitments | What to check | | --- | --- | --- | | Lunches | Labour would restore fresh, locally made lunches from Term 1 2028. The Greens would restore, expand and permanently fund the school lunch programme. | Whether your children's school is covered, and when changes would start. [Labour's Cost of Living Plan](https://www.labour.org.nz/election-policy-pages/2026-election-policy-summary-pages/cost-of-living-plan/)[Green Party announces plan for free and nutritious school lunches](https://www.greens.org.nz/green_party_announces_plan_for_free_and_nutritious_school_lunches) | | Uniforms | ACT has a specific commitment to reduce compulsory uniform costs. | Whether savings would apply to your school's uniform supplier and compulsory items. [ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/policies/education) | | School transport | Labour proposes lower public transport fares for children and restoration of cut rural bus routes. ACT proposes allowing children to board suitable school buses with empty seats. | Whether your route is eligible and whether your family uses public transport or a school bus. [Labour's Cost of Living Plan](https://www.labour.org.nz/election-policy-pages/2026-election-policy-summary-pages/cost-of-living-plan/)[ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/policies/education) | | Learning-support costs | National proposes more teacher-aide hours and Learning Support Coordinators; Labour has pledged 1,000 more teacher aides; the Greens propose wider eligibility and coordinated specialist support. | Whether the support is delivered at school or requires your family to arrange or pay for help privately. [Teaching the basics brilliantly](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/education-teaching-the-basics-brilliantly)[Party policies, simplified: Education](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-education/)[Party policies, simplified: Education](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-education/) | | Classroom resources and facilities | National emphasises curriculum, teaching, assessments and school property; other parties have different approaches to funding and governance. | Whether the commitment changes resources at your children's actual school, rather than being a system-wide announcement. [Teaching the basics brilliantly](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/education-teaching-the-basics-brilliantly)[Education & Training](https://www.maoriparty.org.nz/education_training) | ## 3. What about learning support if your child needs extra help? This is an important distinction because a funding announcement does not automatically mean your child will receive a teacher aide, specialist assessment or therapy when they need it. | Party | Specific direction for learning support | | --- | --- | | National | More teacher-aide hours, Learning Support Coordinators across Years 1–8 schools by 2028, early intervention and specialist-school investment. [Teaching the basics brilliantly](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/education-teaching-the-basics-brilliantly)[Government delivers more learning support for thousands of children](https://www.national.org.nz/news/20261022) | | Labour | 1,000 additional teacher aides and a commitment to progress the review of support for children with the highest needs. [Party policies, simplified: Education](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-education/) | | Greens | Broader access to learning support and a single agency coordinating specialist services. [Party policies, simplified: Education](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-education/) | | Te Pāti Māori | A Māori-led taskforce, accessible learning environments, support teachers and culturally grounded professional development. [Party policies, simplified: Education](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-education/)[Education & Training](https://www.maoriparty.org.nz/education_training) | | ACT | More education choice, including charter schools; less detail on additional mainstream learning-support capacity in the material reviewed. [ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/policies/education)[Party policies, simplified: Education](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-education/) | | NZ First | Inclusive learning is acknowledged, but no quantified new support package was provided in the recent comparison. [Party policies, simplified: Education](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-education/) | | TOP | Advocates a 10-year cross-party plan; no specific new learning-support allocation was identified in the comparison. [Party policies, simplified: Education](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-education/) | One further point: National says it has already uncapped the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) and expanded early intervention. Those are claims about the incumbent government's record, rather than simply future promises; the next question is whether the support is reaching the children who need it and whether the waiting times are acceptable. [Government delivers more learning support for thousands of children](https://www.national.org.nz/news/20261022) For your family, useful questions to put to candidates include: - Will the proposed funding cover more teacher-aide hours, or also speech-language therapists, educational psychologists and occupational therapists? - Will support be available earlier, before a child falls significantly behind? - What will happen if a school cannot recruit enough specialist staff? - Will any policy reduce the need for parents to pay privately for assessments or therapy? ## 4. Which school costs are families still expected to meet? Even if the government pays for teaching, some costs remain. The Ministry of Education says state-school education and curriculum delivery are free for domestic students, while families may still face costs for uniforms, stationery, optional activities and some trips. School donations are voluntary; state-integrated schools can also charge compulsory attendance dues. [School costs and donations](https://www.education.govt.nz/node/55)[Fees and charges at school](https://www.education.govt.nz/education-professionals/schools-year-0-13/funding-and-financials/fees-and-charges-school) The current government has also budgeted for the Healthy School Lunches Programme in 2027, covering more than 240,000 students across 1,014 schools and kura. Labour and the Greens are proposing different versions of how that programme should operate in future. [Student support](https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/publications/corporate-documents/budget-2026/student-support)[Labour's Cost of Living Plan](https://www.labour.org.nz/election-policy-pages/2026-election-policy-summary-pages/cost-of-living-plan/)[Green Party announces plan for free and nutritious school lunches](https://www.greens.org.nz/green_party_announces_plan_for_free_and_nutritious_school_lunches) When you compare promises, distinguish between: - A real reduction in your bill: for example, not having to buy lunch every school day or paying less for compulsory uniforms. - A service provided at school: such as a teacher aide or specialist, which may reduce the need to seek help privately. - An improvement to the wider system: such as curriculum changes or school-building investment, which may be valuable but will not necessarily free up money in your weekly budget. ## 5. How to make the comparison relevant to your household With limited room in your budget after the mortgage and essentials, you could use this short checklist when reviewing party manifestos and questioning local candidates. ### Your election comparison checklist 0 of 5 Does the policy reduce costs we actually pay?Lunches, uniforms, stationery, transport, camps and activities. Does it fund support that is available when needed?Teacher aides, assessments, specialist services and waiting times. When does the benefit start?Separate savings available in 2027 from commitments starting in 2028 or later. Is the commitment funded and measurable?Look for dollar amounts, eligibility, staffing targets and published delivery dates. How would the overall plan affect our finances?Consider taxes, take-home pay and other household costs as well as school policy. For further independent comparison, [Policy.nz's 2026 education policy guide](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/education?utm_source=chatgpt.com) allows you to explore school policy by topic. You can also compare the parties' own published commitments through their linked education-policy pages above. The central distinction to keep in mind: school funding, learning support and direct family cost relief are related, but they are not interchangeable. A party may promise more resources for schools without reducing your out-of-pocket costs, or reduce a specific household expense without substantially changing learning support. Looking at all three separately will give you a clearer basis for deciding how much each party's proposals matter to your family. ## Gemini Answer ID: e7c9dffe-4485-4630-b10b-f7a6f1261dd4 For middle- and lower-income households managing a mortgage and two wages with little financial buffer, the cost of living and everyday school-associated expenses are critical ballot-box issues. New Zealand’s political parties offer distinct approaches to funding public education, delivering learning support, and managing household outlays. --- ### 1. School Funding and Operational Models Parties differ fundamentally on whether to concentrate state resources strictly within the public system or to expand alternative funding pathways: * **National and ACT (Coalition/Right-Leaning):** * National’s broader approach leans toward structured curriculum changes, performance metrics, and choice (such as backing the re-establishment and expansion of charter/partnership schools). * ACT goes further, championing models like **Student Education Accounts**, which would direct public funding portions toward choices like independent or charter alternatives. Critics from a public-school advocacy standpoint argue this risks fragmenting the funding pool, while proponents argue it gives parents educational autonomy. * **Labour, the Greens, and Te Pāti Māori (Centre-Left/Left):** * These parties strongly emphasize direct investment into the mainstream public schooling system. They generally oppose charter schools, arguing that public funds should be tightly protected and prioritized to lift baseline resourcing for all state and state-integrated schools. They push for increased operational funding grants to keep pace with inflation so schools rely less on community fundraising. ### 2. Learning Support (Special Needs, Neurodiversity, and Behavioral Resources) Learning support is an area where under-resourcing places significant pressure on families—often forcing parents to pay privately for educational psychologists, speech therapists, or specialist tutoring when public waitlists are months or years long. * **National-Led Government:** Current funding settings (such as Budget frameworks) have faced heavy criticism from education sector groups (like the New Zealand Principals' Federation) for lacking broad, systemic injections into learning support that shift everyday practice. While funding is allocated incrementally, critics argue it fails to match the surging demand for Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) staff, teacher aides, and specialist intervention. * **Labour and the Greens:** The left bloc historically positions learning support as an equity crisis. They advocate for significantly scaling up the number of-in-school specialists (educational psychologists, speech-language therapists, and needs coordinators) directly embedded within clusters or individual schools, aiming to reduce the private financial burden shouldered by parents trying to access diagnosis and therapy. ### 3. Costs Families Pay Themselves (Donations, Uniforms, and Activities) Even though primary and secondary education in New Zealand state schools is officially "free" under the Education and Training Act, parents face substantial "hidden" costs: school donations (where schools do not opt into the government scheme), BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) digital requirements, sports fees, activity fees, and expensive compulsory uniforms. * **The School Donations Scheme:** The current policy allows eligible decile/equity-indexed schools to opt into a government scheme where they receive a set per-student grant from the Crown in exchange for agreeing **not** to ask parents for general donations. Parties across the spectrum generally keep this mechanism, but left-leaning parties favor expanding and indexing it higher to cover rising costs, reducing pressure on squeezed communities to run fundraisers. * **Household Cost-of-Living Relief:** * **National** emphasizes broader economic management—such as personal income tax relief and family-focused policies (though early childhood policies like FamilyBoost target younger children rather than school-age kids)—arguing that letting families keep more of their wages is the best way to help with household buffers. * **Labour and the Greens** focus more on targeted cost-of-living interventions, such as expanding free or low-cost school lunch programmes (Ka Ora, Ka Ako) and free school-based health services, which directly alleviate the grocery and out-of-pocket strain on household budgets. --- ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: 46493f5e-7d6c-4e18-a137-6bbb1622a30b For a household running on two wages with school-age children and a tight budget, the financial and systemic pressure points—after-school costs, learning support availability, and direct out-of-pocket school expenses—are central to the 2026 general election. The major parties approach these pressures with distinct philosophies on state resourcing versus school-level independence and targeted family cost-of-living relief. * * * 1\. School Funding & Teacher Aides / Learning Support * **National:** Emphasises recent baseline investments (pointing to past injections into the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme, expanded early intervention services, and rolling out more Learning Support Coordinators and specialist roles). Their focus leans toward structured basics (such as expanded math acceleration programmes and curriculum focus/phone restrictions) rather than sweeping overhauls of the funding mechanics, arguing that current scaled-up delivery models and private-sector contracting are already cutting wait times. * **Labour:** Proposes an $80 million, four-year package focused on funding an extra 1,000 teacher aides. Their framing is designed to relieve pressure on teachers and reduce reliance on schools having to fundraise locally (via bake sales or sausage sizzles) for core learning support. They propose shifting teacher aide resourcing toward a more predictable, centrally-funded needs-based model akin to teacher staffing. * **Greens & Te Pāti Māori:** Generally advocate for significantly larger public injections into public schooling infrastructure, treating learning support as core public health/education services rather than supplementary, and removing financial barriers or commercial/for-profit elements from state-integrated schooling spaces. * * * 2\. Direct Costs Paid by Families (Uniforms, Lunches, Donations) * **Labour:** Has campaigned on lowering direct "back-to-school" costs for families. This includes proposing statutory limits on the number of branded, exclusive items schools can mandate for uniforms (making uniforms cheaper and more generic) and adjusting the funding for the Healthy School Lunches program to increase per-meal allocations ($5.00 for primary/intermediate and up to $6.50 for older students) to protect households from food inflation pressures. * **National & ACT:** Tend to favour individual choice, school-level operational autonomy, and targeted assistance rather than broad-brush mandates on uniform suppliers or uniform price caps. National’s cost-of-living and family focus in education centers more on foundational academic monitoring (e.g., School Start Checks and structured literacy/math tracking) and keeping general inflationary pressure down through broader economic management rather than micro-managing school uniform policies. [The Office of ECE] * **Other Parties (e.g., NZ First):** Have floated alternative family-centred cost-of-living mechanisms like direct tax-free grants for children (e.g., proposals for targeted family/child tax credits or grants) rather than altering school-level administrative rules. [The Office of ECE] * * * Summary for a Tight Budget Household * If your primary concern is **immediate reduction of out-of-pocket school costs** (like uniforms and school meal burdens), **Labour’s** specific market/mandate interventions and lunch funding increases directly target those line items. [NZ Herald] * If your primary concern is **reliable learning support and classroom resourcing** without relying on school-level fundraising, **Labour** highlights direct teacher-aide expansion, whereas **National** points to ongoing delivery metrics, specialist ramp-ups, and core academic catch-up programmes. You can review comprehensive, unedited policy breakdowns across all parties on platforms like Policy.nz or track specific announcements via RNZ's Education Policy Guide. Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026 ## AI Overviews Answer ID: 77494595-34c3-41a0-8a8e-7cd97c28cf28 As a double-income household with a mortgage and limited financial buffer, out-of-pocket costs and classroom support are critical variables. For the **2026 New Zealand general election** , the major political parties present starkly different pathways for school funding, learning support (like teacher aides), and the direct costs families must absorb. A direct comparison of their primary policies highlights how each party aims to address these pressures. Quick Comparison: Key Education Policies for Families Party| Out-of-Pocket School Costs| Learning Support Strategy| Broader School Funding & Model ---|---|---|--- **National**| Kept the **Healthy School Lunches** scheme (Budget 2026); focus on lowering graduate student loan repayment rates.| Defends current **$750M learning support package** (delivering more teacher aide hours and ORS funding).| Focusing funding on core curriculum delivery (maths, reading, writing updates) and **charter schools**. **Labour**| Promises a **uniform price cap law** , expanding **school lunches** , a public transport **fare cap for students** , and a fuel tax freeze.| Pledges to fund **1,000 additional teacher aides** ($80M over four years) via a stable, needs-based model.| Focuses heavily on reducing structural back-to-school costs and shifting away from school fundraising reliance. **ACT**| Promises a **uniform price cap law** (limiting schools to three branded items).| Focuses on classroom environment, giving teachers the legal power to **remove disruptive students**.| Advocates for **Student Education Accounts** (~$12,000/yr per child) allowing parents to opt for any school. **Greens**| Advocates for **fees-free tertiary education** and a **$2,000 equipment grant** for trades/tools/uniforms.| Focuses on broad system equity, inclusion, and reducing corporate/for-profit models.| Seeks to heavily tax the wealthiest to universally expand public education access and eliminate hidden costs. * * * 1\. Costs Families Pay Themselves (Uniforms, Lunches, and Transport) For a family watching every dollar, immediate out-of-pocket costs have taken center stage this election cycle. * **Labour:** Has made "Cutting Back-to-School Costs" a pillar of its campaign. They promise a law change by Term 1 2028 restricting how many branded uniform items a school can require, forcing schools to allow cheaper generic alternatives from retailers like Kmart or The Warehouse. They also promise to expand the **Healthy School Lunches** program with freshly prepared school meals, cap student public transport fares (to a max of $10/week outside main centers, $20/week in major cities), and freeze fuel excise taxes for three years to assist driving parents. * **ACT:** Aligns with Labour on uniform affordability. ACT has proposed its own uniform policy statement limiting state schools to a maximum of three compulsory branded items to bring down "absolutely ridiculous" school uniform costs. * **National:** In government, National sustained funding for the **Healthy School Lunches** program through 2027. Their focus for family financial relief centers on macroeconomic adjustments, capping income taxes, and offering targeted future relief such as reducing student loan repayment rates from 12% to 10% to help young graduates leave home with less debt. * **Green Party:** Focuses on eliminating cost barriers through structural changes, including a **$2,000 equipment grant** to cover course materials, tools, and uniforms for youth transitioning into training, alongside pushing for a total return to fees-free tertiary study. 2\. Learning Support (Teacher Aides & High-Needs Care) If your children or their classmates require learning support, the availability of funding dictates how much attention a classroom teacher can give to each student. * **Labour:** Has explicitly targeted the teacher aide shortage by promising to fund **1,000 additional teacher aides** over four years ($80M investment). Crucially, Labour plans to change the funding model so that teacher aides are funded similarly to permanent teachers. This aims to stop schools from relying on "sausage sizzles" or local fundraising to pay for essential learning support. * **National:** Points to its record **$750 million investment in learning support** that rolled out this year, which expanded early intervention spaces, increased Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) places, and delivered nearly 900,000 extra teacher aide hours. National’s stance is that their current record funding injection is actively clearing waitlists and scaling up support efficiently. * **ACT:** Focuses on structural classroom behavior rather than adding personnel, pledging to give teachers clear legal authority to remove "seriously or persistently disruptive" students so that classrooms remain focused environments. 3\. Core School Funding and Choice How the parties intend to fund the actual schools influences everything from class sizes to building maintenance. * **National & ACT:** Support public funding going toward alternative structures if parents choose them. National has re-introduced **charter schools** , while ACT champions **Student Education Accounts**. Under ACT’s model, approximately $12,000 of public funding per year would follow the student directly, allowing parents to choose a state, integrated, or private school. * **Labour & Greens:** Firmly oppose funding models that divert resources from the standard state school network. They prefer directing core government increases straight into public operational grants to reduce the pressure on schools to ask families for "voluntary" donations. To help narrow down how these platforms map to your family's situation, what are the **current school years** of your children, and are there any **specific learning supports** your family relies on?