Labour unveiled its 2026 election slogan Better Starts Now
in Christchurch, positioning itself as the alternative to what leader Chris Hipkins called three more years of cuts, more division, more pain and higher costs,
while National’s Simeon Brown dismissed the slogan as a last-minute admission of weakness.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins launched the party’s 2026 election campaign with the slogan Better Starts Now,
framing the upcoming vote as a choice between his party’s vision and what he called three more years of cuts, more division, more pain and higher costs.
The announcement, made at a suburban home in Christchurch, emphasized Labour’s focus on jobs, healthcare, housing, and the cost of living, while directly attacking National’s “no new taxes” pledge. New Zealanders want to see a government that’s focused on the things that matter most to them,
Hipkins said, adding that Labour’s policies would “start now” to address the cost-of-living crisis.
National’s Sharp Counterattack
National campaign chairperson Simeon Brown wasted no time responding to Labour’s slogan, calling it the closest thing to a confession we will ever get from Chris Hipkins, because with 10 weeks until the election, he had better start now.
In a statement released shortly after Labour’s announcement, Brown accused Labour of hypocrisy, noting that New Zealanders do not need to imagine Labour’s version of better, because they have already lived it.
Six years, $120 billion more debt, new taxes, a cost-of-living crisis, and mortgage rates through the roof.
Brown highlighted Labour’s alleged plan for nine new taxes,
which Hipkins denied, stating that the only new tax they would campaign on was a targeted capital gains tax. We’ve ruled out all of the other taxes that the National Party are putting in all of their advertising materials,
Hipkins said, accusing National of being into a “post-truth era where they just make things up”. The exchange underscored the stark contrast between the parties’ fiscal approaches, with Labour emphasizing long-term investment and National vowing to avoid new levies.
Financial Context and Debt Concerns
The debate over Labour’s fiscal strategy centered on National’s claims of six years and $120 billion more debt. Hipkins defended the party’s fiscal strategy by pointing to Labour’s setting out of its fiscal strategy on Sunday, promising a surplus in 2029/30 under the OBEGAL measure—a framework used by Bill English, Stephen Joyce, Grant Robertson, and Michael Cullen. We’re going back to that,
he said, noting that Nicola Willis couldn’t achieve a surplus using that measure, so made-up her own. However, the latest poll showed Labour down 1.8 points to its lowest result since the election, with Hipkins’ preferred prime minister ratings also falling 2.6 points to 21.3, while Christopher Luxon fell just 0.1 points to 19.9 percent.
The financial debate also touched on regional agreements, with National ruling out any new taxes as part of its election campaign, which disappointed mayors and councils in Auckland and Queenstown Lakes, both of whom had signed regional deals with the government that included a commitment to investigate a bed tax – also called a bed-night levy or accommodation levy. Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown called the move “meaningless,” while Destination Queenstown chief executive Mat Woods described calling it a “massive blow” as an understatement. These tensions highlighted the broader conflict between national policy and local priorities, with Labour’s fiscal approach facing scrutiny from both opponents and allies.
Slogan Legacy and Campaign Strategy
Labour’s Better Starts Now
slogan followed Labour’s 2023 tagline In It For You, Let’s Keep Moving in 2020, and Let’s Do This in 2017. National, meanwhile, has been campaigning on Fix The Basics, Build The Future, after running on Get New Zealand Back On Track at the 2023 election, a message bolstered by Christopher Luxon’s time spent for months on the Building the Future Tour, listening to thousands of New Zealanders at public meetings in halls and community centres from one end of the country to the other.
The slogan’s timing coincided with Labour’s push to reinvigorate its campaign, with Hipkins stating that Labour’s campaign obviously kicks up a gear today and promising we’ll have signs going up all over the country over the next two weeks and we’ve got more policy announcements to come.
The immediate next step for both parties is to capitalize on their messaging as the election campaign intensifies. Labour will likely double down on its focus on cost-of-living issues, while National aims to solidify its “no new taxes” pledge as a key differentiator. The coming weeks will test whether Better Starts Now
resonates with voters or if National’s emphasis on fiscal restraint proves more compelling. With just 10 weeks until the election, the battle for voter minds will hinge on which party can better articulate its vision for New Zealand’s future.
