$370-a-week Citizen's Income
What it actually does
Nearly all adult residents would receive $370 a week ($19,400 a year), replacing much of the existing benefit system, with top-ups for superannuitants and parents. Income tax would move to three brackets of 28%, 34% and 39%.
Source: Waatea News · 2026-05
The Trump take
“Free money for everybody, every week, whether they work or not? Even my apprentices had to work. Then I fired them. On television.”parody
Why it scored this way
Welfare
A universal payment with no work requirement
-2
Hates it
On the same topics
Tax-free KiwiSaver earnings, no government contributions
Announced at ACT's 4 October campaign launch, the policy would remove tax on KiwiSaver investment earnings, currently taxed at up to 28%, and end government contributions to KiwiSaver accounts. ACT claims the change could roughly double savings for some workers by retirement.
Six-point immigration plan
ACT proposes deporting resident visa holders convicted of offences carrying 10-year-plus sentences regardless of time in New Zealand, a $6 daily charge on temporary work visa holders, a five-year stand-down from welfare for new residents, and a dedicated Immigration NZ unit targeting an estimated 20,000 overstayers. It also proposes higher English requirements for some visas and an annual review of the skilled jobs list.
NZ Super for citizens only from 2029
NZ First would make New Zealand citizenship a condition of receiving NZ Superannuation from 2029, after a three-year transition. Permanent residents and residence-class visa holders can currently qualify, and Peters has signalled some benefits such as Jobseeker could also require citizenship.