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The Labour Party believes it will make it cheaper for Aucklanders to catch public transport if elected to government in November’s general election.
It has announced today, June 10, that it will cap weekly bus and train fares at just $20 in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and $10 a week everywhere else in New Zealand.
“Our fare cap is a major cost-of-living commitment designed to put money back into the pockets of commuters, students and families,” says Labour leader Chris Hipkins.
“New Zealanders will be able to use public transport as much as they want all week for only $20 in our major cities and just $10 everywhere else, keeping more money in their back pockets.
“From July 1, 2027, under a Labour government, once a commuter has reached their fare cap, every additional trip that week is free.
“Cheaper fares mean more freedom, freedom to get to work, freedom to study, freedom to attend appointments and freedom to spend time with family and friends without worrying about the cost.
“This is real cost-of-living relief. It means cheaper commutes, more money left at the end of the week, and a public transport system that works for everyone,” Hipkins says.
Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere says: “Public transport should help people get ahead, not become a luxury people get priced out of.
“Families deserve certainty. Under Labour’s weekly fare cap, people will know exactly what the maximum cost of getting around will be each week.
“We want people catching buses, trains and ferries more often because that means lower household transport costs, less congestion on our roads and stronger public transport networks.”
However, the National Party campaign chair, Simeon Brown, says Labour’s first election year policy shows “they’re straight back to their old ways of throwing money around rather than solving underlying problems”.
“Labour is once again trying to bribe New Zealanders with their own money. This is yet another spending promise from the Labour Party with no plan for how they’ll pay for it.
“The National Land Transport Fund is already oversubscribed. The idea of siphoning $250 million from the NLTF to pay for this is fanciful,” Brown says.
“Ultimately this policy will require higher taxes or more borrowing.
“This comes on top of billions of dollars in other spending promises they have made with no way to pay for it – such as restoring pay equity, unwinding public sector savings, and how they will pay for their Future Fund.”
