Hipkins says only Labour has a plan on cost of living

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has said only Labour has a plan to tackle the cost of living, and that National still does not. He made the claim in a Facebook post on 26 October 2026, with the election set for 7 November.

Hipkins has said that if Labour wins, bringing down the cost of living and fixing healthcare would be its priorities. He set out those priorities in a recent RNZ report.

On 27 October, Hipkins spoke to media in Auckland. He was also asked about the cost of living, and he returned to the issue during the exchange.

Erica Stanford, a senior National MP, backed Christopher Luxon's decision to rule out the Opportunity party. In remarks reported by RNZ, she described Opportunity as a "bunch of flakes" and questioned what the party stands for.

Earlier in the campaign, Hipkins urged voters to enrol so they could take part in the election, according to Stuff's live coverage.