Labour leader Chris Hipkins has outlined a series of election commitments spanning electoral law, environmental reform and political standards, positioning Labour as an alternative to what he describes as a government driven by short-term ideology rather than long-term stability.
Speaking on a range of issues this week, Hipkins pledged to reverse recent changes to New Zealand’s electoral laws, ruled out repeating the cycle of repealing and replacing resource management legislation, and criticised comments made by NZ First minister Shane Jones, saying they fell well below the standard expected of elected representatives.
Labour to Reverse Voter Enrolment Changes
Hipkins says a Labour government would reinstate election-day enrolment, arguing recent changes introduced by the coalition government risk excluding thousands of New Zealanders from participating in democracy.
The Electoral Amendment Act now requires voters to enrol before advance voting begins, ending the long-standing ability to enrol and cast a special vote during the advance voting period or on election day. The Government says the changes will allow the Electoral Commission to finalise results more quickly and improve the administration of elections.
Hipkins described the changes as an “indictment” on the coalition, arguing they disproportionately affect younger voters, Māori, renters and people who move frequently—groups that are statistically more likely to enrol closer to election day. He said Labour would repeal the changes if elected.
The issue has become a significant election battleground, with opposition parties warning the reforms could reduce voter participation, while the Government argues they strengthen electoral integrity and improve confidence in the voting process.
Promising Stability on Resource Management
Hipkins has also sought to draw a line under years of uncertainty surrounding New Zealand’s planning laws.
If Labour returns to government, he says it will not simply repeal the coalition’s replacement Resource Management Act legislation and begin another wholesale rewrite of the planning system.
Instead, Labour would seek to amend the new framework where necessary while maintaining greater certainty for councils, businesses, developers and communities.
The commitment represents an acknowledgement that decades of continual legislative change have created uncertainty across the infrastructure, housing and environmental sectors.
Hipkins said New Zealand needs stable planning laws that can endure beyond changes of government, rather than repeated cycles of repeal and replacement that delay investment and major projects.
The comments come as debate intensifies over the coalition’s Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill, which will replace the Resource Management Act 1991.
Criticism of Shane Jones’ Comments
Hipkins also weighed into controversy surrounding comments made by Regional Development Minister Shane Jones.
Responding to Jones’ remarks referring to “kneepads” in relation to the Prime Minister’s trade visit to India, Hipkins said such language was inappropriate and stated that, had Jones been a Labour MP, he would have been dismissed from the caucus.
Hipkins said ministers should uphold higher standards of behaviour and public discourse, particularly when representing New Zealand internationally.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has previously distanced himself from the comments while confirming Jones remains a minister. The remarks have generated widespread political debate during the opening stages of the election campaign.
Setting the Election Agenda
The three policy positions reflect Labour’s early election strategy of focusing on democratic participation, long-term policy certainty and ministerial accountability.
With the 2026 General Election campaign intensifying, issues surrounding electoral participation, environmental reform and political conduct are expected to remain prominent alongside the economy, health, housing and the cost of living.
For Māori voters, the debate over enrolment changes and the future of the resource management system is likely to be particularly significant, given Māori have historically recorded higher rates of late enrolment and have been central participants in discussions over environmental governance and Treaty-based decision-making.
As the campaign continues, Labour and the coalition are presenting increasingly different visions for how New Zealand should be governed, with Hipkins seeking to portray Labour as offering stability while reversing what it sees as the coalition’s most controversial reforms.
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