New Zealand's 2026 election: foreign policy, defence and regional security

For a New Zealander living overseas and considering a return, international policy is worth examining alongside employment and housing. It can affect New Zealand's economic prospects, trade access, immigration settings, relationships with Australia and the Pacific, and the country's security environment.

The central political debate is about how New Zealand should balance its traditional independent foreign policy, its close Western security partnerships, and its economic relationships with China and the wider Indo-Pacific.

There are three interconnected questions to consider:

1. International relationships: How closely should New Zealand align with Australia, the United States and other Western partners, while maintaining relationships with China?
2. Defence: How much should New Zealand spend on military capability, and what role should it play in collective security?
3. Regional security: How should New Zealand respond to strategic competition in the Pacific, particularly China's growing influence and the security needs of Pacific Island countries?

1. How the main parties differ

The following comparison uses published 2026 election material and public party positions available as at 30 October 2026. An important distinction is that a party's stated foreign-policy principles are not necessarily a fully costed defence programme.

Party	General international outlook
National	International engagement, export growth and established security partnerships
Labour	Multilateral diplomacy, international law and broader diplomatic and trade relationships
Green Party	Independent, peace-oriented foreign policy, human rights and climate diplomacy
ACT	Strong Western security partnerships, defence capability and strategic cooperation
NZ First	National sovereignty, independent decision-making and protection of New Zealand interests
Te Pāti Māori	Māori self-determination, Pacific relationships and an emphasis on sovereignty and international justice

These are broad distinctions, rather than claims that every party has a comprehensive published policy on every security issue.

National

CENTRE-RIGHT · GOVERNMENT

National's international approach emphasises economic opportunity, established relationships and New Zealand's ability to sell goods and services internationally.

Its 2026 campaign includes:

• Doubling the value of exports by 2034.
• Strengthening economic connections with international markets.
• Closer practical cooperation with Australia, including a proposed trial of seamless trans-Tasman travel.
• Maintaining New Zealand's international economic engagement.

For someone considering returning, the export emphasis is relevant because New Zealand's employment opportunities are closely connected to international trade, particularly in agriculture, services, tourism and technology.

Question to examine: How does National intend to balance economic relations with China against its security relationships with Western partners?

Sources: 2026 Election PolicyPartyMap: New Zealand election guide 2026

Labour

CENTRE-LEFT · OPPOSITION

Labour's published 2026 foreign-affairs commitments emphasise:

• Recognising the State of Palestine.
• Supporting multilateral institutions and international law.
• Deepening relationships with the European Union and Canada.
• Strengthening connections with ASEAN and Pacific countries.
• Expanding visa-waiver opportunities for Pacific families.

This represents an approach that places considerable emphasis on diplomacy, international institutions and broadening New Zealand's international relationships.

Labour's approach is relevant if you place importance on New Zealand maintaining an independent diplomatic voice while remaining engaged with traditional partners.

Question to examine: What would Labour retain or change in New Zealand's existing defence and intelligence arrangements?

Source: Labour's 2026 Election Policies

Green Party

GREEN · OPPOSITION

The Greens place particular emphasis on an independent foreign policy, peace, international law, human rights and climate cooperation.

Their 2026 manifesto's Global Affairs and Trade section identifies:

• Peace and international justice.
• Democracy and self-determination.
• Collective action on climate change.
• Stronger relationships with Pacific nations, based on respect and reciprocity.
• A more independent voice in international affairs.

The Greens also explicitly identify New Zealand's history of opposition to nuclear weapons and American militarism as important to their foreign-policy outlook.

Their Pacific policy is particularly significant: it emphasises partnership and shared prosperity rather than treating the region primarily as a strategic competition between major powers.

Question to examine: How would the Greens translate their peace-oriented principles into practical defence capability, intelligence cooperation and responses to regional conflict?

Source: Manifesto 2026Foreign affairs and sovereignty: party comparison 2026

ACT

CLASSICAL LIBERAL · GOVERNMENT

ACT generally advocates a more explicitly security-focused approach to international relationships.

Its political outlook is associated with:

• Close relationships with Australia and other Western democracies.
• Stronger defence and security cooperation.
• Greater attention to strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific.
• Protecting New Zealand's national security and sovereignty.
• An emphasis on military readiness and practical defence capability.

ACT's approach is worth examining alongside National's because the parties can share a government while having different emphases on security, sovereignty and the extent of international commitments.

I would distinguish these broad political positions from a specific, independently verified 2026 defence spending commitment.

Question to examine: What additional military capability does ACT consider necessary, and how would it be funded?

NZ First

NATIONALIST · GOVERNMENT

NZ First puts considerable emphasis on national sovereignty and New Zealand retaining control over its own decisions.

Its broader political approach includes:

• Protecting national independence and decision-making.
• Prioritising New Zealand's economic and strategic interests.
• Maintaining the ability to engage with different international partners.
• Greater attention to domestic ownership and economic sovereignty.

This can create an interesting distinction from ACT's more explicitly Western security-oriented outlook.

Question to examine: Where does NZ First draw the line between independent foreign policy and collective defence arrangements with international partners?

Te Pāti Māori

MĀORI SELF-DETERMINATION · OPPOSITION

Te Pāti Māori's political outlook places particular importance on:

• Tino rangatiratanga and Māori self-determination.
• Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
• Indigenous rights and international justice.
• Relationships with Pacific peoples and nations.
• The ability of Māori communities to shape decisions affecting their futures.

These priorities provide a different perspective on international relationships: one that places Indigenous sovereignty, historical relationships and Pacific connections at the centre.

For detailed comparisons of its military alliances and defence spending positions, it is important not to assume that broader sovereignty principles amount to a complete defence policy.

2. The biggest dividing line: military alliances versus neutrality

This is arguably the most consequential difference between the parties.

Closer military integration

National Government's existing direction

• Strengthening the Australia–New Zealand defence relationship.
• Building more interoperable military capabilities.
• Increasing defence spending and readiness.
• Maintaining cooperation with established international security partners.

Independent or neutral foreign policy

Te Pāti Māori's explicit policy

• Declaring New Zealand militarily neutral.
• Reviewing and withdrawing from military alignments considered inconsistent with sovereignty.
• Refocusing the Defence Force on territorial protection, disaster response and Pacific support.
• Avoiding foreign wars unless New Zealand is directly threatened.

There are important distinctions within these broad approaches.

The existing defence framework

The Government's 2025 Defence Capability Plan proposes lifting defence expenditure above 2% of GDP within eight years. It includes $12 billion of funding over four years, including $9 billion in new spending, and seeks a more integrated defence relationship with Australia. Defence Capability Plan releasedDefence Capability Plan

The Australia–New Zealand relationship is particularly important because Australia is New Zealand's only formal defence ally. The two countries also cooperate through Five Eyes intelligence sharing. Australia | New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and TradeNew Zealand country brief | Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

The March 2026 Anzac 2035 agreement takes this relationship further, including cooperation on Pacific security, maritime operations and disaster response. Operationalising the Australia-New Zealand Alliance: Anzac 2035 - Closer Defence Relations Statement

The neutrality alternative

Te Pāti Māori has a specific published military-neutrality policy, rather than simply expressing a preference for independent diplomacy. It proposes reviewing existing military alignments and changing the role of the Defence Force.

That would represent a significant change to New Zealand's current security arrangements.

It is also worth distinguishing neutrality from isolationism: a neutral country can still participate in diplomacy, international institutions, humanitarian assistance and regional cooperation.

3. China, the Pacific and regional security

For New Zealand, the Pacific is not a distant geopolitical concern. It is part of the country's immediate strategic and economic environment.

Three issues matter particularly:

• China's regional influence: New Zealand has important economic relationships with China, while also having security interests that may not always align with Chinese strategic objectives.
• Pacific sovereignty: Pacific countries want to determine their own political and security arrangements rather than become objects of competition between larger powers.
• Maritime and disaster security: Fisheries protection, illegal fishing, natural disasters, climate resilience and maritime surveillance are practical regional security concerns.

The parties' approaches can be understood through their different priorities:

Party	Principal emphasis
National	Security partnerships, economic relationships and regional stability
Labour	Diplomacy, international law, Pacific partnerships and multilateral engagement
Greens	Pacific-led cooperation, peace, climate security and self-determination
ACT	Defence readiness, strategic partnerships and security cooperation
NZ First	Sovereignty, national interests and independent decision-making
Te Pāti Māori	Pacific and Indigenous relationships, neutrality and self-determination

A particularly important point is that Pacific security is not exclusively a military issue. Climate change, infrastructure, economic development, migration and disaster resilience are all part of the regional security picture.

The Greens explicitly prioritise climate cooperation and reciprocal Pacific partnerships. Labour has committed to expanding Pacific relationships and increasing development assistance towards 0.7% of gross national income as fiscal conditions allow. ACT, by contrast, announced a policy to reduce foreign aid to 2017 levels, while excluding support for Ukraine. Manifesto 2026Labour's 2026 Election PoliciesKnow Your Vote

Te Pāti Māori's neutrality policy would also change the way New Zealand approaches regional military cooperation, although it proposes maintaining a strong role in Pacific protection and disaster assistance. Military neutrality

4. Defence policy: what would actually change?

Beyond foreign-policy philosophy, there are practical differences in how parties approach the armed forces.

Issue	Main policy distinction
Defence spending	National's existing plan targets more than 2% of GDP
Military readiness	National and NZ First emphasise rebuilding defence capability
Timetable	NZ First proposes rebuilding a combat-ready, deterrence-capable force within six years
International military cooperation	National's approach emphasises Australia and established partners
Military neutrality	Te Pāti Māori proposes a formal change to neutrality
Peace and disarmament	Greens emphasise peace, international law and independent diplomacy
Overseas aid	Labour supports progressively increasing aid; ACT proposes substantial reductions

NZ First's six-year defence rebuilding proposal is worth noting because it is a more specific timetable than a general commitment to increase military capability. Know Your Vote

The Green and Te Pāti Māori positions also shouldn't be treated as identical. Both emphasise independent foreign policy, but Te Pāti Māori has made a formal declaration of military neutrality an explicit policy commitment.

5. What does this mean for someone considering returning to New Zealand?

International policy can have consequences for the practical questions you're weighing.

Employment and economic opportunities

Trade relationships influence agriculture, logistics, manufacturing, technology, education and professional services. China's market, Australia's economy and European trade relationships are all relevant.

Government spending and public services

Higher defence expenditure has opportunity costs. It competes with other potential spending on infrastructure, health, education and housing, although defence procurement can also create domestic employment and industrial opportunities.

New Zealand's place in the world

The country's relationships with Australia, Pacific nations, the United States, China and Europe affect its diplomatic influence, trade resilience and international reputation.

Long-term security

Defence investment, intelligence cooperation, cyber security and regional stability can affect the country's resilience and its ability to respond to international crises.

6. Where to investigate the policies further

These sources are particularly useful because they distinguish party promises from actual government policy.

• Policy.nz – 2026 defence and foreign affairs comparison: A cross-party policy comparison.
• National – 2026 election policies.
• Labour – 2026 election policies.
• Green Party – 2026 manifesto.
• Te Pāti Māori – military neutrality policy.
• Ministry of Defence – 2025 Defence Capability Plan.
• Know Your Vote – 2026 party policy explanations.

7. Questions worth considering before casting your vote

Rather than looking only at which party sounds most appealing on foreign affairs, I would examine these questions:

1. Should New Zealand strengthen its military and intelligence integration with Australia and Western partners, or maintain greater distance from military alliances?
2. How important is maintaining strong economic relations with China compared with reducing strategic dependence on major powers?
3. Should defence spending increase even if it means less fiscal room for housing, infrastructure and public services?
4. Should New Zealand prioritise military security, or give equal or greater weight to climate resilience, Pacific development and diplomacy?
5. What kind of international reputation and independent diplomatic voice should New Zealand have over the next decade?

My overall observation: The most substantial divide is not simply left versus right. It is about the nature of New Zealand's international identity: a closely integrated Western security partner, an independent diplomatic actor, or a militarily neutral Pacific nation.

Those choices could have long-term consequences for the country you might return to, particularly its economic resilience, international relationships and government spending priorities.

I can also put together a side-by-side comparison of all six parties across foreign policy, employment, housing affordability and economic management, so you can assess the broader implications of returning to New Zealand before the 2026 election.

Compare all six parties across jobs, housing and foreign policy Examine New Zealand's relationship with China and Australia

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