Greens promise universal payment for trainee teachers, nurses

The Green Party has promised a universal payment for students while they train as teachers, nurses, midwives, vets, dentists and other essential health and social support workers.

The party describes the commitment as paid placements. It says the payment would go to all students in those training pathways for the time they spend on placement. The payment would continue through the placement period.

The party has costed the policy at around $311 million over four years, RNZ reported. That amount is the party's estimate for the cost of the payments across the full four-year period.

The policy would also support students who need to relocate, or move, for their placement. The party said students who have to move for a placement would receive help with that move under the policy.

That final category of essential health and social support workers covers students beyond the named teachers, nurses, midwives, vets and dentists. The party uses the term universal to indicate the payment would cover students across all of those groups.

Co-leader Marama Davidson said students should not have to "go broke" while training for jobs New Zealand needs. Davidson shares the party's leadership with fellow co-leader Swarbrick.

Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said people training as nurses, teachers and social workers are currently forced to do hundreds or thousands of hours of unpaid work to enter their professions. Swarbrick holds the party's other co-leader role.

The party puts the proposal forward as a promise. It is not presented as a change already in effect.