# Question 39: I've recently been made redundant after years in the same industry. I have rent to pay, and I'm unsure whether to retrain or keep looking for similar work. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What are parties offering people who lose their job: employment support, retraining, or measures to create new jobs? Collected 31 October 2026 [NZ Election 2026 · Edition 7 study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/7) ## ChatGPT Answer ID: 07005954-e227-4faf-8601-e7332db788a2 I'm sorry you're facing redundancy, particularly after spending years building experience in one industry. Having rent to pay makes this more than a question about career direction: the timing and reliability of income support matter just as much as longer-term retraining opportunities. For the 2026 New Zealand general election, I'd suggest comparing parties across three practical questions: 1. Immediate security: What happens to your income after losing your job? 2. Getting back into work: Will the government help you find another job, retrain or change industries? 3. Future employment: What will parties do to encourage employers to create jobs, particularly in industries that are growing? One important distinction: redundancy does not automatically mean you qualify for a special redundancy payment from the government. Income support generally depends on eligibility for Jobseeker Support and other assistance. ## 1. What the main parties are offering The following comparison covers the seven parties included in the 2026 election policy analysis: National, Labour, Green, ACT, New Zealand First, The Opportunities Party and Te Pāti Māori. These are campaign commitments, not guaranteed benefits. Some proposals are much more developed than others. The information reflects policies available by 30 October 2026. [Election 2026: Political Parties Policy Analysis](https://www.ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz/news/policy-analysis-2026)[Election policy tracker: what the parties are promising](https://stories.theconversation.com/nz-policy-tracker-2026/) ### Employment support, retraining and income security | Party | What it is proposing | | --- | --- | | National | More intensive, work-focused support for over 30,000 jobseekers who have been receiving benefits for more than a year. More funding for programmes helping young people into work. | | Labour | Expanded apprenticeship support, Māori-led vocational training, and a job offer for eligible New Zealand-trained graduate nurses. | | Green Party | A guaranteed pathway into education, training or a job for 16–24-year-olds unemployed for six months. Higher main benefit levels and a guaranteed minimum income. | | ACT | Emphasis on employment expectations, work readiness and reducing barriers and costs for employers. | | NZ First | Emphasis on increasing wages, restricting work visas to genuine labour shortages and supporting domestic employment. | | The Opportunities Party (TOP) | A proposed Citizen's Income of up to $370 per week for almost all adults, replacing most existing benefits, including Jobseeker Support. | | Te Pāti Māori | Proposes doubling baseline benefit levels, removing work-test obligations and sanctions, and creating Māori-led employment and training programmes. | [Election 2026: Political Parties Policy Analysis](https://www.ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz/news/policy-analysis-2026)[Election policy tracker: what the parties are promising](https://stories.theconversation.com/nz-policy-tracker-2026/)[Election 2026: Political Parties Policy Analysis](https://www.ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz/news/policy-analysis-2026) ### 2. Which parties have specific retraining or job-creation proposals? This is particularly relevant if your previous industry is contracting and you are considering a career change. ![Our Training Schemes | LT McGuinness](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/yJ7ocl8O2tpQ0xtVWUpENtBwb1nTF1LzWiNR9gIBrXkwSKCc3TjnJsQt20r0gq9-UXC3H8VWz6J-ig8rLyXUUZFwzUw-l_DG4lheVDx2KoFoxMrx8jgSKi3Q_PVqVGQ3PNX_xbvTJK3Sgl8p8Dd-tI3hzap_79sb-1yRVof5YYw?purpose=inline) Labour – apprenticeships and vocational training - Extend Apprenticeship Boost employer payments from 12 to 24 months, at $500 per month. - Offer new apprentices a $1,000 toolbox grant. - Invest $21 million annually in Māori-led vocational training. - Establish a Future Fund for infrastructure and innovation investment, intended to generate employment. Some measures begin in 2027 or 2028. ![Meridian and Nova Secure $176 Million for Te Rahui Solar Farm in New Zealand](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/Hwni6Y1vreBEUWnOoL9eXneChcbyaAXA1hqyitMho7pA-_3-GFXDYPvOTIW5QaqnmeHjth0Aycj5WgwG74bHcKJ6HBOB9yMiV-E3RpXsHqwwp2POSNI6A2Zsqcy7tkzkOhIBl2wazNY3-MXeet2pp9UF53LqCrKt6DumagwjhmE?purpose=inline) Green Party – new industries and employment guarantees - A proposed 284,000 jobs over four years through its economic development plan. - Investment in sustainable, low-carbon employment. - Training and workforce development in community and essential services. - A pathway into work or education for unemployed young people. The 284,000 figure is a party target, not a guaranteed number of jobs. ![New training to increase fruit production skills and opportunities across the country | Primary ITO](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/RPwqjMF_H4-Fhn3k0Y-o7TyPo0cXeVNi6Omk79E9kiLDPzNdTe62XrqJr1EL2DONXWJnEhiZ2Y_z_Vqt7UHICpbkRy3Yury-vb1SxocdD1NVqhvQu3IEpuHLS0GgRj0L7c4NxC-CheSrsH_r0DhWuoRtTo8-uQuUlbGzmNSWwHc?purpose=inline) ACT – business growth and skilled industries - Reduce employment costs and regulatory barriers for employers. - Create a Rural Workforce Visa. - Work with the minerals industry and training providers to develop skilled careers in the resources sector. - Introduce a voluntary employment termination agreement framework called Golden Handshake. ![News | Manawatū Tararua Highway opens in New Zealand](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/l3cJ7kjb05STvxbxGABGQFvgevauW23JiTTPqKVZKCWapO8kTuKhkNlSQTu_qwEcA5FbtEQjE_N4ETpPQRWYGZs8UI6UXrKp1VTVPX-oosGQ4Zo-AVybxt92PdApBFD8leEn_7dlXu9jSm2WXusjBQg9eee5VFEqnzsGV46WeZQ?purpose=inline) National – economic growth and work readiness - Prioritise economic growth as the mechanism for creating more jobs. - Expand intensive employment services for long-term jobseekers. - Provide more support for young people entering employment. - Make seasonal employment arrangements easier for employers. ![Biosecurity services](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/uc4JU91aoH55TP-QZlXFGIEG8olHXDsiIwUKpfq9o7PEgy-ftLmxqae-8ZVkrAAlEwD3CfnaomysLbd7CEJJKISQUqXoOUsrAOmCyyZSpnDQWtP71lolJdw0YZE-WcqqlJmn8cLtSPhcZEKDmrHedLMWnPsLm2qV3yDW3qwEfsM?purpose=inline) Te Pāti Māori – community employment - Māori-led job training programmes. - Job guarantee programmes focused on environmental restoration and ecosystem regeneration. - Allocate 25% of government procurement to Māori organisations and businesses. ![Accountancy Edge — Chartered accountants for Kiwi SMEs](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/8LzutydxpNXRRvB7oLjvH107y1C7jDYCy9MVipyKWbGBwHrOx_ErT9XkODq0TPS_wxbAUa_pT1_jpy7hOUCbgRhNBiaFy1GfzzLFQ8pVfWHSFLVSDlZLHtrq9r4kN90qzR9vmHcuOMoEU5lwebnSjuNivDMVgrMMruXOA4Ujr80?purpose=inline) TOP – income security during economic change - Introduce a Citizen's Income of up to $370 weekly for almost all adults. - Double government funding for start-ups and the Young Enterprise Programme. - Its income policy is intended to support people through technological and employment transitions. [Election 2026: Political Parties Policy Analysis](https://www.ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz/news/policy-analysis-2026)[Election policy tracker: what the parties are promising](https://stories.theconversation.com/nz-policy-tracker-2026/)[October AMM Comms: Election 2026 – What the Parties Are Proposing for Employers and Small Businesses](https://www.ammlaw.co.nz/october-amm-comms-election-2026-what-the-parties-are-proposing-for-employers-and-small-businesses) ### 3. What about paying rent while you look for work? This deserves separate attention because retraining can take months, and you may not be able to afford a long period without earnings. There are significant differences in the parties' approaches to income support. - National: Retains an employment-focused benefit system, with stronger expectations and sanctions. Its proposed additional benefit reductions for some long-term recipients would begin in April 2028. - Labour: Its employment proposals focus more on apprenticeships, training and job opportunities. It has not proposed a universal redundancy payment. - Greens: Propose lifting main benefit levels to a liveable income and establishing a legal right to a minimum income. - ACT: Supports stricter benefit management, including proposed electronic money management for some longer-term Jobseeker Support recipients. - NZ First: Emphasises wage increases and Working for Families support, rather than a new general redundancy payment. - TOP: Its proposed Citizen's Income would provide up to $370 weekly, replacing most existing benefits. This is a substantial change to the income-support model. - Te Pāti Māori: Proposes doubling baseline benefit levels and removing financial sanctions and work-test obligations. [Election 2026: Political Parties Policy Analysis](https://www.ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz/news/policy-analysis-2026)[David Seymour wants tougher welfare rule as Labour targets hidden costs in 2026 election](https://pmn.co.nz/read/election/david-seymour-wants-tougher-welfare-rule-as-labour-targets-hidden-costs-in-2026-election)[National commits to drug testing beneficiaries](https://www.times.co.nz/homepage-top-section/national-commits-to-drug-testing-beneficiaries/) A useful distinction: these policies don't all provide the same protection. A weekly income payment, a training subsidy paid to an employer, and a government-funded job are three different things. ## 4. What could actually help you right now? There is already government assistance available, regardless of which party wins the election. Work and Income has a specific Redundancy Support service. It is worth contacting them rather than waiting until your savings run low. It can provide: - A dedicated person to help you find another job. - Help with CVs, interviews and connecting with employers. - Information about suitable training opportunities. - Help accessing financial assistance while between jobs. - A Transition to Work Grant for eligible costs such as clothing, travel and expenses before your first pay. - Assessment for Jobseeker Support, Accommodation Supplement and Temporary Additional Support. You can contact the redundancy support team at: RedeploymentSupport@msd.govt.nz You can also read the official [Work and Income redundancy support information](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/eligibility/lost-job/made-redundant.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com). [Redundancy support](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/eligibility/lost-job/made-redundant.html)[Jobseeker Support](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/products/a-z-benefits/jobseeker-support)[Get a benefit or other support](https://www.govt.nz/browse/benefits-pensions-and-financial-support/benefits-and-allowances/get-a-benefit-or-other-support/) One detail worth knowing: if you receive a redundancy payment, it can affect the initial stand-down period for Jobseeker Support. Work and Income says this is generally one or two weeks, depending on your circumstances. [Stand-down periods](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/online-services/apply/what-is-a-stand-down)[Redundancy payments](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/income-support/core-policy/income/types-of-income/redundancy-01.html) ## 5. How to compare the parties against your own circumstances Given that you've spent years in one industry, I'd pay particular attention to these five questions when reading party policies: | Question to ask | Why it matters | | --- | --- | | Can I receive income support while retraining? | Prevents a training decision from creating financial hardship. | | Will training be free or subsidised? | Avoids taking on substantial student debt. | | Will employers receive incentives to hire experienced workers? | Helps people with established careers move into new industries. | | Are there actual job-creation programmes? | Training is less useful if there are no vacancies afterwards. | | Will housing assistance be sufficient? | Helps protect your rental situation during unemployment. | I'd also distinguish between parties promising economic growth and parties promising specific employment programmes. They are different approaches, with different implications for someone currently out of work. ## 6. My suggestion: don't rush into retraining You don't necessarily need to abandon your existing career. Before committing to a new qualification, consider three possibilities: - Stay in your industry: Your experience may still be valuable to competitors, suppliers, contractors or organisations in related sectors. - Move sideways: Your existing skills might transfer into another industry without requiring a completely new qualification. - Retrain selectively: If your industry is genuinely shrinking, look for qualifications linked to actual vacancies and employer demand. The important thing is to avoid spending money on a qualification without evidence that it improves your employment prospects. ## A question that would help me make this comparison more useful What industry have you been working in? For example, manufacturing, construction, engineering, administration, retail, transport, IT, finance, education or something else. If you tell me your industry, I can investigate which sectors in New Zealand are creating employment opportunities in 2026, what retraining pathways might make sense, and how the parties' policies relate to someone with your experience. That way, you can compare election promises against realistic opportunities to get your income and career back on track, rather than having to make your voting decision based on slogans alone. ## Gemini Answer ID: 9ebc98c1-35f5-4f7f-a6ce-f0178bf66ea3 Navigating a redundancy after years in the same industry is a stressful experience, especially with rent and household bills to consider. Ahead of the 2026 New Zealand general election, political parties have put forward distinct philosophies and policy packages addressing job loss, income support, retraining, and economic stimulation. The major parties approach the issue through different lenses—balancing welfare obligations, targeted training incentives, and broader macroeconomic job creation. --- ### 1. Income Support and Welfare Expectations When you lose your job, your immediate safety net is typically the Jobseeker Support benefit through Work and Income (MSD), alongside any redundancy payout you may have received. Parties differ sharply on how they view and manage this support: * **National:** Emphasizes a "ready to work" approach with tighter expectations for those on benefits. Their policies include ramping up intensive, work-focused support for long-term jobseekers, alongside stricter welfare measures—such as doubling the stand-down period for people who leave jobs repeatedly without sufficient reason, introducing random drug-testing frameworks, and implementing electronic money management or benefit reductions for those remaining on Jobseeker Support long-term. * **Labour & The Green Party:** Focus instead on strengthening baseline financial security and welfare adequacy. The Green Party advocates for increasing main benefits to a liveable income, while Labour focuses heavily on cost-of-living relief (such as free GP visits and prescription changes) and restoring robust employment standards to protect workers. ### 2. Retraining and Upskilling Support If you are weighing whether to pivot industries or upgrade your skills, parties have targeted specific pathways, heavily favoring trades, health, and structured apprenticeships: * **Labour:** Features major skills and training components, including extending **Apprenticeship Boost** employer payments (providing $500 a month for two years alongside tool grants) and targeted training initiatives tailored to regional skill shortages. They have also targeted specific sectors like health workforces and graduate nursing. * **The Green Party:** Proposes a broad economic development plan centered around sustainable jobs, offering targeted training and workforce development strategies (including funding for digital/ICT tech firms and green energy transitions). They also push to abolish training wage gaps. * **National & ACT:** Focus more heavily on reducing the cost and risk of employing people to spur private-sector hiring, while utilizing targeted employment programs to move job-ready individuals back into the workforce quickly rather than expanding state-led training programs broadly. ### 3. Measures to Create New Jobs To determine whether you should wait for a similar role or retrain, it helps to look at where parties are attempting to stimulate job growth: * **Infrastructure and Public Works (Labour / Greens):** Labour’s economic package ("Start Work Now") focuses on immediate job creation by funding school and hospital repairs, restarting state house construction, and backing tens of thousands of apprentices. Similarly, the Green Party has proposed large-scale job creation targets focused on green infrastructure, public services, and low-carbon tech sectors. * **Small Business and Private Sector Stimulus (National / ACT / NZ First):** These parties focus on making it easier and less costly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to hire. Proposals include lowering company tax rates for SMEs (such as New Zealand First's 20% proposal), streamlining compliance, and adjusting employment regulations to encourage business confidence and private-sector-led job creation. --- ### Summary Checklist for Your Decision * **If you prefer direct job-search and fast re-entry into traditional sectors:** Centre-right policies emphasize streamlining business costs to spark private hiring, coupled with mutual-obligation welfare frameworks to push jobseekers back into work. * **If you are looking toward retraining, education, or public-led infrastructure projects:** Centre-left and Green policies lean into state-backed apprenticeship extensions, regional skill training packages, and public works programs designed to generate specific employment pathways. Are you leaning toward retraining in a completely new industry, or are you hoping to find a similar role in your current field? ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: 58c5622e-27d1-48f4-a148-c747b40b8973 Navigating redundancy and worrying about rent is a stressful position to be in, and the broader economic climate—with unemployment hitting higher levels—is a key point of discussion across the political spectrum. Different political parties approach job losses, income support, retraining, and job creation through contrasting economic philosophies. You can explore a detailed, side-by-side comparison of specific candidate and party stances on the Policy.nz Incomes and Employment Guide. General Approaches by Political Blocs * **National and Center-Right Parties (e.g., ACT):** * **Job Creation & Economy:** Focus heavily on macro-economic growth, cutting red tape (such as resource management reform), lowering business costs, and incentivizing private sector investment to organically generate jobs. * **Employment & Welfare Support:** Tend to favor active work-search requirements, tightening or monitoring benefit compliance for jobseekers, and reducing government borrowing rather than large-scale direct state-led job creation schemes. * **Labour and Center-Left Parties (e.g., Greens, Te Pāti Māori):** * **Retraining & Targeted Support:** Emphasize strengthening the public safety net, boosting industry training schemes, and providing targeted transition support or workforce planning for shifting industries (including green energy or AI transitions). * **Job Creation:** Often propose government-backed infrastructure projects, regional development, or public sector investment to stimulate employment directly during economic downturns, alongside policies aimed at strengthening worker rights and fair wages. Immediate Practical Steps (While You Navigate the Election) While evaluating political policies for your vote, immediate practical safety nets are available right now to help cover rent and living costs: * **Work and Income (MSD):** If you have been made redundant, you may be eligible for a Jobseeker Support benefit or other assistance (like temporary additional support for accommodation costs). You can check your eligibility and apply via [Work and Income NZ](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz). * **Skills Training & Upskilling:** If you are leaning toward retraining, explore short courses, industry training organizations (ITOs), or polytechnic options that may offer subsidized fees or targeted training support. Check options through [Careers New Zealand](https://www.careers.govt.nz). If you'd like, let me know: * What **industry or field** you were in * Whether you are leaning toward **retraining in a specific new sector** or **finding immediate work** I can help point you toward relevant **industry training pathways** or **current job-search resources**. ## AI Overviews Answer ID: 192a146a-02f0-4ed1-be61-be16ca92bfca Losing a job after years in a single industry is a highly stressful disruption, especially with the immediate pressure of paying rent. Determining whether to pivot into retraining or double down on your current field is a difficult decision to make under financial strain. For the **2026 New Zealand general election** , the major political parties offer distinct ideological pathways for redundancy, welfare expectations, employment support, and job creation. * * * National Party The re-election platform focuses on **macroeconomic job creation and stricter welfare accountability**. * **Job Creation:** National aims to generate 220,000 new jobs over the next four years by boosting exports, supporting manufacturing, and reducing regulatory red tape for business investment. Their _Investment Boost_ scheme allows businesses to write off 20% of new equipment upfront to incentivize business expansion. * **Employment Support Restrictions:** National's policies introduce tougher requirements for receiving Jobseeker support. This includes random drug testing, doubling the standdown period to 26 weeks for people who repeatedly leave work without a valid reason, and shifting long-term beneficiaries (on the benefit for two out of the last three years) to a lower payment rate. * **Targeted Training:** Their specific employment support initiatives target youth, including increasing the school leaving age to Year 11 to enforce early skill acquisition. Labour Party Labour’s campaign focuses on **enhanced worker protections and state-backed employment pipelines**. labour.org.nz * **Employment Support & Redundancy:** Labour has pledged to review the Employment Relations Act specifically to introduce minimum compensation redundancy provisions, aiming to give workers a stronger financial safety net when losing a job. They also propose to reorient the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) away from compliance and toward individualized, tailored case management. labour.org.nz * **Retraining & Skills:** Labour promises to target regional training directly to areas facing economic transitions and high skill shortages. They are offering 30,000 apprenticeships to let workers learn on the job while gaining a formal qualification. labour.org.nz * **Job Creation:** They propose direct state investment to fix infrastructure—building homes, upgrading schools, and repairing hospitals—to intentionally create pipelines for local trades and businesses. labour.org.nz Green Party The Greens focus heavily on **income security to prevent poverty during unemployment and direct green job guarantees**. greens.org.nzIncome support for unemployed must be urgently increased * **Welfare & Income Support:** The Green Party advocates for an _Income Guarantee_ alongside significantly increasing baseline unemployment support so that people facing redundancy can cover immediate essentials like rent and food without falling into poverty. * **Retraining & Employment Support:** They heavily oppose the current government's sanctions and tougher eligibility rules for Jobseeker support. They champion a Māori-led job training program and fund to expand equitable access to new skills. greens.org.nz * **Job Creation:** Their flagship employment policy is a $4.9 billion _Youth Jobs Guarantee_ pilot program for 16-to-24-year-olds out of work for six months, funding local council, iwi, and non-profit roles centered on infrastructure and environmental maintenance. rnz.co.nz ACT New Zealand ACT favors **labor market deregulation and reducing business compliance costs to stimulate hiring**. * **Job Termination & Flexibility:** ACT supports the 2026 workplace changes, such as the independent contractor gateway test and the expansion of 90-day trial periods, which they argue give businesses the confidence to hire new staff. They also propose a "golden handshake" rule to simplify how employers can terminate employment relationships. * **Economic Strategy:** ACT focuses on lowering the cost of doing business by freezing the adult minimum wage for three years, cutting $22 billion in government spending, and providing technology tax credits to drive innovation. stories.theconversation.com * * * If you are trying to map out your next steps regarding work or intermediate financial relief, please let me know: * What **industry or sector** you were previously working in? * Whether you qualify for any **immediate redundancy payout** from your employment contract? * How long your **current savings** can reliably cover your rent? Knowing these details can help me provide tailored guidance on navigating your immediate financial options or exploring retraining pathways.