Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is sharpening her attack on Budget 2026, saying the Government has failed to deliver meaningful relief for whānau already under pressure from the cost-of-living crisis.
Davidson says the Budget continues a pattern of austerity, with the Greens arguing students, renters, social housing tenants, low-income whānau and stretched families are being left to carry the burden of Government cuts.
The criticism follows Green Party concerns over reduced support for essential services, including food banks, with funding set to fall from $15 million a year to $8 million a year from 2027.
Davidson says the Government’s priorities show a lack of vision at a time when many communities need stronger support, not less. The Greens are positioning themselves as a political alternative focused on housing, income support, climate action and public services.
The party has also pointed to its housing campaign, A Home for Everybody, as part of a broader push to end homelessness, strengthen renters’ rights and invest in public housing.
With the election approaching, the Greens are under pressure to turn protest politics into a credible governing programme. Davidson’s challenge now is to move beyond reacting to the Coalition Government and present a clear economic vision built around whānau wellbeing, Te Tiriti, climate justice and a fairer distribution of wealth.
The party says its message is simple: Aotearoa has enough resources for people and the environment to thrive, but the choices being made in Budget 2026 are pushing struggling communities further behind.
