# Question 91: I work in a small town rather than farming. My family drives long distances for services, and local jobs and healthcare are limited. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What would parties do to create or retain jobs in small towns beyond farming? Collected 2 November 2026 [NZ Election 2026 · Edition 8 study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8) ## ChatGPT Answer ID: fb06e064-2305-4cb5-956b-0fc50364de14 For someone living and working in a small New Zealand town, I think an important question for the 2026 election is: Which parties have a realistic plan to make small towns places where people can earn a living, access healthcare, raise families and build a future without having to move to a major city? Your concerns go beyond farming. They involve the survival of local businesses, employment diversity, healthcare access, transport and the ability of small communities to attract and retain skilled workers. There are meaningful differences between the parties' approaches. Below is a comparison of their 2026 election proposals, focusing on jobs outside traditional farming. # 1. What the main parties are proposing These are policies announced for the 2026 election, rather than promises that are guaranteed to be implemented. ## National Party Business investment and regional growth National's approach focuses on making it easier for businesses to invest, expand and employ people. Its regional proposals include: - Retaining Investment Boost, which provides tax incentives for businesses purchasing new productive assets. - Making commercial building consents easier, potentially helping local businesses establish or expand premises. - Doubling New Zealand's exports by 2034, creating opportunities for regional manufacturing, processing, logistics and tourism businesses. - Directing more International Visitor Levy funding towards councils in tourism destinations. - Continuing regional infrastructure investment and transport resilience projects. What this could mean for your town: More opportunities for tourism businesses, construction, manufacturing, transport and other businesses that supply regional industries. Potential weakness: Investment incentives don't guarantee that businesses will choose smaller towns. The benefits depend on whether investment actually reaches your community. [Election 2026: What's on Offer for Regional New Zealand?](https://www.businesscentral.org.nz/post/election-2026-what-is-on-offer-for-regional-new-zealand)[Election policy tracker: what the parties are promising](https://stories.theconversation.com/nz-policy-tracker-2026/) ## Labour Party Small businesses, skills and local jobs Labour has several proposals that could directly benefit people working outside agriculture. Its policies include: - A Small Business Action Plan to improve cash flow and reduce paperwork. - A proposed $10,000 tax write-off for new business equipment. - A target for 15% of government contracts to go to New Zealand small businesses and start-ups. - Extended Apprenticeship Boost payments and a $1,000 toolbox grant. - Its Start Work Now programme, involving construction, school improvements and hospital repairs, alongside support for nearly 30,000 apprentices. - A New Zealand Future Fund to support infrastructure and innovation. - A Family Doctor Loan Scheme to help doctors buy into local medical practices. What this could mean for your town: Opportunities for tradespeople, builders, mechanics, small retailers, local contractors, healthcare workers and people wanting to start businesses. The government-contract target is particularly interesting: smaller businesses could have more opportunities to win work rather than having contracts concentrated among large companies. Potential weakness: Many of these measures support small businesses generally. They don't necessarily guarantee that jobs will be created in towns that are already struggling economically. [Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)[Election 2026: What's on Offer for Regional New Zealand?](https://www.businesscentral.org.nz/post/election-2026-what-is-on-offer-for-regional-new-zealand) Policy details: [Labour's 2026 election policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy?utm_source=chatgpt.com). ## ACT New Zealand Lower business costs and regulation ACT's approach is based on reducing regulatory barriers and making it easier for businesses to employ people. Its proposals include: - Simplifying employment rules and reducing the cost and risk of hiring. - Modernising tax rules to encourage small-business investment. - A Rural Workforce Visa to improve access to workers. - Changes to planning and resource-consenting rules. - Reducing regulatory requirements affecting rural businesses. What this could mean for your town: Small construction companies, tourism operators, workshops, trades businesses and other employers could benefit from lower compliance costs and easier access to workers. Potential weakness: Reducing business costs doesn't necessarily create new industries or bring investment into towns where there is little existing economic activity. [Election 2026: What's on Offer for Regional New Zealand?](https://www.businesscentral.org.nz/post/election-2026-what-is-on-offer-for-regional-new-zealand)[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) ## Green Party Community-led development and new industries The Greens put considerable emphasis on keeping services and economic opportunities within communities. Their regional policies include: - Community-led regional economic development. - Support for local markets and locally owned businesses. - Investment in renewable energy and community energy projects. - Jobs associated with a lower-carbon economy. - Better access to healthcare, education, disability, financial and other essential services. - Mobile services and community hubs for communities that cannot sustain conventional facilities. - Investment in public transport and regional connections. What this could mean for your town: Employment opportunities in renewable energy, building and retrofitting, community services, healthcare, public transport, environmental restoration and locally owned enterprises. The community-hub approach is particularly relevant when people currently have to travel long distances for basic services. Potential weakness: New industries and community projects require funding, skilled workers and long-term demand. There is a question of how quickly these proposals would translate into permanent jobs. [Election 2026: What's on Offer for Regional New Zealand?](https://www.businesscentral.org.nz/post/election-2026-what-is-on-offer-for-regional-new-zealand)[Election policy tracker: what the parties are promising](https://stories.theconversation.com/nz-policy-tracker-2026/) ## New Zealand First Regional investment and natural resources NZ First puts regional investment and economic development near the centre of its approach. Its proposals include: - Returning 50% of mining royalties to the regions where they are generated. - A national survey of underground resources, including geothermal energy and carbon storage opportunities. - A proposed infrastructure fund of up to $100 billion over multiple decades. - Reducing the company tax rate for small and medium-sized businesses to 20%. What this could mean for your town: Potential opportunities in mining, geothermal energy, engineering, construction, transport, supporting services and small businesses. The royalty proposal is worth examining if your region has mineral or energy resources. Potential weakness: Mining and resource development are geographically dependent. Towns without suitable resources may see fewer benefits. Resource projects can also be capital-intensive and may not create as many permanent local jobs as expected. [Election 2026: What's on Offer for Regional New Zealand?](https://www.businesscentral.org.nz/post/election-2026-what-is-on-offer-for-regional-new-zealand)[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)[Election policy tracker: what the parties are promising](https://stories.theconversation.com/nz-policy-tracker-2026/) ## Te Pāti Māori Māori ownership and local economic development Te Pāti Māori emphasises local ownership, Māori economic development and investment in communities. Its proposals include: - A $1 billion Energy Sovereignty Fund. - Developing a Māori energy workforce and energy industry. - Greater investment in Māori-owned businesses. - Supporting community food systems and local food sellers. - Māori-led healthcare and education services. - Expanding papakāinga housing and local development opportunities. What this could mean for your town: Jobs in renewable energy, construction, healthcare, education, food distribution, local retail and Māori-owned enterprises. These policies could be particularly relevant to towns where iwi and Māori organisations have land, assets and opportunities to develop local enterprises. Potential weakness: The extent of the benefit will depend on local investment, access to capital and the ability to establish commercially sustainable enterprises. [Election 2026: What's on Offer for Regional New Zealand?](https://www.businesscentral.org.nz/post/election-2026-what-is-on-offer-for-regional-new-zealand)[Election policy tracker: what the parties are promising](https://stories.theconversation.com/nz-policy-tracker-2026/) ## The Opportunity Party (TOP) Innovation and economic diversification TOP has an interesting approach for communities that want to move beyond traditional industries. Its proposals include: - Growing high-skill industries such as research, software and high-tech manufacturing. - Expanding renewable energy. - Supporting factories to move away from fossil fuels. - Putting a 30-year infrastructure plan into law. - Directing 60% of infrastructure spending towards maintenance. - Establishing more durable climate-adaptation arrangements. What this could mean for your town: Opportunities in manufacturing, technology, engineering, renewable energy and infrastructure maintenance. The emphasis on high-value industries is important because smaller towns need employment options that provide skilled, reasonably paid, year-round work. Potential weakness: High-tech industries often need reliable broadband, skilled workers, capital and access to larger markets. TOP's proposals would need to overcome these barriers to benefit smaller communities. [Election 2026: What's on Offer for Regional New Zealand?](https://www.businesscentral.org.nz/post/election-2026-what-is-on-offer-for-regional-new-zealand)[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) # 2. Comparing the parties against the problems you described Here is how I would assess their proposals against the practical needs of a small town. | Issue | Parties with particularly relevant proposals | | --- | --- | | Helping existing small businesses survive | Labour, National, ACT, NZ First | | Creating jobs outside farming | Labour, Greens, TOP, National | | Manufacturing and processing | National, TOP, Labour | | Renewable energy employment | Greens, Te Pāti Māori, TOP, NZ First | | Tourism and hospitality jobs | National, Greens, Labour | | Construction and trades | Labour, National, ACT | | Local healthcare employment | Labour, Greens, Te Pāti Māori | | Community-owned development | Greens, Te Pāti Māori | | Regional infrastructure | National, Labour, NZ First, TOP | | Lowering business compliance costs | ACT, National, Labour | This is a comparison of policy relevance, not a ranking of which party would deliver the most jobs. # 3. Healthcare is also an employment issue I would pay particular attention to this issue because you mentioned that your family has to travel long distances to access services. A town without adequate healthcare doesn't just inconvenience residents. It can also struggle to attract and retain: - Teachers and their families. - Skilled tradespeople. - Nurses and other healthcare professionals. - Business owners and employees. - Young families. - Older residents who need ongoing support. Some relevant proposals include: - Labour: A Family Doctor Loan Scheme to help doctors buy into community practices, and a Graduate Nurse Job Guarantee. - Greens: Better access to rural healthcare and community-based services. - Te Pāti Māori: Investment in Māori-led health services. - ACT: More funding to attract and retain GPs. - National: Additional medicines funding and healthcare improvements. - Opportunity: Greater emphasis on primary, community and preventative healthcare. - NZ First: Greater emphasis on illness prevention. An important distinction is whether parties will simply improve access to services or actually establish more permanent jobs and healthcare facilities in smaller communities. The rural health organisation Hauora Taiwhenua has also published a 2026 election manifesto identifying rural health workforce shortages, training, accessible services and technology as priorities. [Election 2026](https://htrhn.org.nz/election-2026/)[Election policy tracker: what the parties are promising](https://stories.theconversation.com/nz-policy-tracker-2026/) # 4. What I would look for before deciding how to vote I wouldn't judge the parties simply by how many jobs they promise nationally. I would look for answers to six specific questions: 1. Where will the jobs be? Are there actual commitments to provincial and small-town communities, rather than just national employment targets? 2. What industries will employ people? Are there plans for manufacturing, tourism, renewable energy, construction, healthcare, technology and local services? 3. Will the jobs be permanent? Or will they be temporary construction projects that disappear once the work is completed? 4. How will local businesses survive? Will they have access to finance, contracts, training, reliable infrastructure and affordable premises? 5. Can families access healthcare locally? Are there commitments to retain doctors, nurses and other health professionals in smaller towns? 6. Will young people have a future there? Can they obtain apprenticeships, training and skilled employment without having to leave their communities? # 5. My overall assessment Based on the policies announced for this election, I see several different approaches: - Labour has a relatively direct combination of small-business support, apprenticeships, construction employment and healthcare workforce initiatives. - National emphasises business investment, exports, infrastructure and tourism. - ACT focuses on making it easier and less expensive for businesses to operate and employ people. - The Greens place greater emphasis on community-led development, local services and emerging low-carbon industries. - NZ First focuses on regional investment, infrastructure and resource-based economic opportunities. - Te Pāti Māori emphasises Māori ownership, energy development and community-led enterprises. - TOP emphasises economic diversification through innovation, manufacturing, technology and long-term infrastructure. I wouldn't say any one of these approaches automatically solves the problems facing small towns. The critical difference is whether the policies result in actual investment, permanent employment and accessible services in communities outside the main centres. ## One final thought I think there is a particularly important question you could put to every local candidate before voting: What specific policies will your party implement to ensure people living in small New Zealand towns can find meaningful, well-paid employment outside farming, access healthcare without travelling long distances, and raise their families without having to relocate to a major city? Ask them to identify the funding, the industries, the expected jobs and the timeframe. That will tell you considerably more than general promises about growing the economy. Useful election resources: - [The Conversation – 2026 election policy tracker](https://stories.theconversation.com/nz-policy-tracker-2026/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [Business Central – What's on offer for regional New Zealand?](https://www.businesscentral.org.nz/post/election-2026-what-is-on-offer-for-regional-new-zealand?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [Hauora Taiwhenua – 2026 rural health election priorities](https://htrhn.org.nz/election-2026/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) These are especially useful for checking the detail behind the parties' announcements. ## Gemini Answer ID: bc7f3f0a-5708-44fc-9c59-1a5e61d816d4 For people living in small provincial towns where local employment options are limited, commuting or driving long distances for services is a daily reality. Different political parties approach the challenge of creating and retaining jobs beyond farming—focusing instead on manufacturing, tourism, small business incentives, infrastructure, and regional diversification. The major political parties offer distinct policy directions to support non-farming jobs and economic resilience in provincial New Zealand: --- ### **National and Centre-Right Perspectives (e.g., National, ACT)** * **Infrastructure and Regional Funding:** These parties generally lean on targeted infrastructure funds (such as regional infrastructure investments) and capital projects to stimulate construction, logistics, and regional assets. The emphasis is on building transport links and network reliability to make it easier for provincial businesses to move goods and connect to wider supply chains. * **Regulatory Reduction and Compliance Costs:** A core focus—particularly from parties like ACT—is lowering compliance costs, resource management barriers, and red tape for small businesses, rural contractors, and local enterprises. The argument is that reducing regulatory burdens makes it cheaper to operate and hire outside the main cities. * **Workforce Access:** Policies often focus on ensuring local businesses can access necessary skills and temporary or specialized workers to fill gaps where local labor pools are thin. ### **Labour and Centre-Left Perspectives (e.g., Labour, Green Party)** * **Small Business and Local Procurement Support:** Labour has highlighted targeted support for small businesses, such as tax write-offs for equipment investment, prompt-payment rules to ensure small firms are paid quickly by larger entities, and procurement targets aimed at directing a percentage of government contracts to small and regional start-ups. * **Trades, Manufacturing, and Apprenticeships:** Policies frequently feature a strong emphasis on trades training, expanded apprenticeship support (such as grants for tools and equipment), and backing "Made in New Zealand" manufacturing and clean-energy industries (like local solar installation initiatives). * **Public Services and Local Delivery:** Because healthcare and education are major employers in small towns, policies that secure local health access, fund community-led health/education services, or guarantee jobs for graduate nurses help retain professional workers who might otherwise migrate to major urban centers. ### **New Zealand First** * **Resource and Regional Return:** New Zealand First emphasizes ensuring that regional New Zealand sees a more direct economic return from the resources and primary wealth generated in the provinces, channeling those gains back into local economic development and infrastructure security. * **Workforce and Immigration Settings:** They advocate for tighter controls on general work visas to ensure domestic training pipelines are prioritized, alongside localized workforce planning. --- ### **Key Questions to Consider for Your Town** When evaluating how these policies affect your day-to-day life and work prospects in a small town, it can help to look at: 1. **Diversification vs. Primary Support:** Do a party’s policies purely support land-based industries, or do they actively encourage advanced manufacturing, digital/remote work infrastructure, tourism, and local trade? 2. **Service Retention:** Can the town retain working-age families if local healthcare, education, and transport links require long-distance travel? Look at how parties propose funding local service delivery. 3. **Small Business Viability:** If you work for or run a small local business, which party offers more practical relief regarding compliance, cash flow, and access to capital or government contracts? Are you more interested in how these parties plan to handle local infrastructure and transport, or are you looking specifically at small business and employment incentives? ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: 1d3ace18-b2ca-4021-a0d9-0dfc2b5a1aac When considering your vote in the context of a small town where local employment, healthcare, and services feel constrained, New Zealand political parties approach regional economic development and non-farming job growth through distinct philosophical lenses. Different parties offer contrasting strategies to foster local economies, support non-agricultural small businesses, and address the infrastructure and service gaps facing rural and provincial New Zealand. 1\. National and ACT (Centre-Right / Right) * **Focus on Small Business & Compliance Reduction:** These parties emphasize cutting red tape, easing compliance costs for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), and reforming the Resource Management Act (RMA) to make it easier for local businesses to build, expand, and invest. * **Infrastructure & Connectivity:** Policies lean toward investing in core physical infrastructure (roads, transport links, and digital/broadband connectivity) rather than direct government job creation. The rationale is that better transport and digital corridors reduce the isolation of small towns, making it easier for remote or manufacturing/service businesses to operate and trade externally. * **Local Enterprise Incentives:** They generally favor tax relief, pro-business economic settings, and private-sector-led growth to naturally stimulate local commercial activity and service jobs. 2\. Labour and the Green Party (Centre-Left / Left) * **Direct Regional & Industry Investment:** These parties emphasize targeted government investment in regional infrastructure, clean energy transitions, and local industry innovation. For example, the Green Party's economic development framework focuses on scaling up research, development, and clean-tech or green-job creation to diversify provincial economies. * **Public Services and Workforce Support:** Labour traditionally focuses on strengthening regional public services (such as localized health and education workforces), which act as major non-farming employers in small towns. They also tend to support industry training schemes and regional development funds aimed at building resilient local workforces. * **Cost-of-Living and Market Competition:** Their economic packages often include direct interventions in domestic markets (such as tightening rules on the supermarket duopoly or power companies) to lower overhead costs for struggling provincial households and local independent businesses. 3\. New Zealand First and Te Pāti Māori (Nationalist / Regionalist & Indigenous Perspectives) * **NZ First (Regional Resilience & Manufacturing):** NZ First strongly emphasizes provincial and regional development, advocating for domestic manufacturing, value-add processing, and protecting local infrastructure (such as keeping regional rail, banking services, and fuel security alive). They view government intervention as essential to stopping the hollowing-out of provincial towns. * **Te Pāti Māori (Indigenous & Community-Led Enterprise):** Their regional approach focuses heavily on whānau/hapū-led enterprise, Māori-led job training programs and funds, and resourcing localized economic self-determination rather than relying purely on centralized corporate or municipal models. * * * Key Questions to Ask the Parties in Your Area: When evaluating candidate and party policies on Policy.nz or at local town-hall meetings, consider looking for specific commitments on: * **Digital Infrastructure:** How do their broadband and telecommunications policies support remote workers or digital service businesses based in your town? * **Local Service Retention:** Are they proposing direct funding to keep healthcare and government services local, preventing residents from having to drive long distances? * **Business Red Tape vs. Direct Grants:** Do you prefer the National/ACT approach of lowering business costs and regulations, or the Labour/Green approach of targeted industry and green-transition investment? ## AI Overviews Answer ID: b56f2560-98e1-45ea-a3d7-57ac7be47ef9 For voters in rural and regional New Zealand who work outside of farming, the **2026 general election** presents distinct choices on how political parties intend to stimulate local economies, fund non-agricultural jobs, and improve regional services. The main political parties approach regional economic development and job creation through contrasting economic philosophies: 🇳🇿 National Party: Infrastructure and Deregulation The National Party focuses on broad economic management, cutting red tape, and improving infrastructure to make it easier for local companies to expand and hire. * **Regulatory and Consent Reform:** Plans to reduce resource consenting requirements under the Resource Management Act (RMA) by up to 50%. This is aimed at lowering the cost and speeding up the delivery of construction, quarrying, and local development projects. * **Investment Boost Tax Policy:** Proposes a 20% tax deduction for firms that invest in new technology, machinery, and capital expansion, which is intended to help small-town manufacturing, logistics, and retail businesses grow. * **No New Taxes:** Commits to a stable tax environment with zero new taxes, allowing regional businesses to keep and reinvest more of their profits. * **Infrastructure Spending:** Prioritizes building new roads, schools, and energy infrastructure to create localized construction and contracting work. 🔴 Labour Party: Public Building Projects and Small Business Support The Labour Party centers its regional strategy on government-led investments, local workforce training, and protecting small business cash flow. * **Grassroots Economic Stimulus:** Pledges to use direct government investment to build public housing, repair schools, and fix provincial hospitals, explicitly intending to funnel this work to local tradespeople and regional suppliers. * **Small Business Action Plan:** Focuses on helping small-town retail and services by enforcing faster payment times, freezing the fuel tax for three years to lower transit costs, and making it easier for independent mechanics and retailers to compete. * **Skills and Apprenticeships:** Plans to expand the Apprenticeship Boost program to back 30,000 apprentices and introduce a $1,000 tools grant to encourage regional youth into trades. * **Healthcare Job Guarantees:** Guarantees jobs for all graduate nurses. This forms part of their broader health package (including free GP visits and prescriptions) designed to stabilize and retain critical workforce personnel in provincial clinics. 🏛️ Act New Zealand: Cutting Red Tape and Devolution The ACT Party argues that the best way to help small towns is to shrink central government and lift regulations that suppress regional innovation. * **Red Tape Reduction:** Aims to drastically speed up overseas investment consents and local planning approvals so that provincial commercial ventures can kickstart without heavy bureaucratic delays. * **Low Flatter Taxes:** Advocates for flattening and lowering personal and corporate tax rates to encourage private sector investment in non-urban centers. 🟢 Green Party: Public Services and Community Wealth The Green Party prioritizes community ownership, environmental restoration, and robust local public services. * **Youth Jobs Guarantee:** Proposes a "Jobs for Young People" pilot program (modeled after the previous Jobs for Nature initiative) that funds local councils, iwi, and non-profits to create green, sustainable jobs in regional communities. * **Public Service Infrastructure:** Advocates for heavy investment in localized public healthcare, education, and community energy schemes to sustain long-term employment in the public and social sectors. 🚜 New Zealand First: Resource Wealth Retention NZ First relies heavily on direct provincial funding and ensuring that regions benefit financially from their local resources. * **Mining and Resource Royalties:** Proposes keeping 50% of all mining and resource royalties in the specific region where the extraction takes place, creating a direct stream of revenue for local councils to spend on town infrastructure and employment. * **Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF):** Focuses on funding specialized provincial connectivity projects—such as supporting local rail networks to boost regional tourism, transport, and employment hubs. * * * To help narrow down which party platform aligns best with your needs, feel free to share: * What specific **industry** or type of work you or your family are in (e.g., retail, trade, tourism, community services)? * Which issue is causing your family the most pressure: **travel distances** , the lack of **local job options** , or accessing **healthcare**?