Labour leader Chris Hipkins said on 28 June 2026 that if the party wins the next election, the government would bring back a scheme that pays employers money for hiring apprentices, according to RNZ and 1News.

The scheme pays employers $500 every month when they take on an apprentice. The previous Labour government started it in 2020. Labour's new plan would bring it back from 2028 and let more people and employers use it, The Post reports.

Hipkins made the announcement at Labour's party conference in Wellington. This was not a random moment—Labour is in the middle of planning its election campaign and typically talks to its members about policies before going public with them. This policy matters to trade unions, training organisations, and people in construction and the trades.

When the scheme first started in 2020, it was meant to help during the COVID-19 crisis. Businesses were under pressure, and the $500-a-month payment encouraged them to keep training apprentices instead of laying them off. Hipkins was Education Minister at the time. Now he is using the announcement as part of Labour's election pitch.

Two things stand out about this plan. First, it would run for two years instead of a shorter period, which gives apprentices and employers time to plan properly. Second, Labour says it will let more people and businesses use it, but exactly who qualifies has not yet been spelled out. When Labour releases the full details, this will matter to the businesses and training groups that might use it.

Labour is saying the scheme would start in 2028, which is in a second term of government if they win. Parties often do this: promising something that costs money but saying it will happen later on takes pressure off the budget in the short term while still giving them something to campaign on now.

Right now, the big question is cost. The Press Gallery will want to know exactly how much this will actually cost and whether Labour has budgeted for it once the full policy details come out.