Labour's Fair Go Law Explained: Hidden Fees and Subscriptions

Labour says it would bring in a "fair go law" if elected, starting with hidden fees and subscription traps.

The pledge was released as an Election 2026 policy. The law would ban hidden fees, so the price shoppers see is the price they pay, according to 1News.

Labour says the law would cover surprise fees, "worthless" insurance and subscriptions that are hard to cancel. It names cars, electronics, phones, subscriptions, ticket sales and gyms, according to RNZ.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said these practices put real pressure on families facing high living costs, and Labour would end them.

The pitch here is cost-of-living help through consumer rules, rather than extra government spending.

The detail was fronted by Arena Williams, who holds the commerce and consumer affairs portfolio, the role covering shoppers and business rules. Her summary was: "Don't make money by tricking hardworking people."

Labour also says it would make it easier to cancel subscriptions. Those two changes are the first consumer parts Labour has named.

Williams has also sponsored a Member's Bill, a law put up by an individual MP rather than the Government, to make international money transfer fees clearer. It passed its first reading, the first vote in Parliament, according to Labour.

The Fair Go plan also includes small business policy. Labour would make big businesses pay small suppliers within 15 days for invoices of $25,000 or less. It says it would give small firms a fair shot at government contracts, according to Labour.

The broader context here is Labour is putting household protections and small business payments and contracts under one Fair Go brand. For people who follow Parliament, that lets one spokesperson tell both the household-costs story and the business-cashflow story.

Looking at what this means for the campaign, the test is how the law would be written. Labour has set out the aim and the sectors, but not a draft Bill. That is normal at this point in the election cycle, but questions stay open about how tricking would be defined, what conduct would be covered, and how fee and cancellation rules would be enforced.