But women are not a single voting group. Our circumstances differ by age, income, family responsibilities, ethnicity, disability, employment, location and many other factors.
This article looks at some of the key issues to watch as the 2026 election campaign develops such as What is being proposed? Who would benefit? What would it cost? When would it take effect? And what difference could it make in practice?
1. Gender pay gap
Pay remains one of the most important economic issues for women. The gender pay gap is a statistical measure of the difference between women’s and men’s earnings. New Zealand’s national gender pay gap was 5.3% in June 2026, broadly unchanged from the record low 5.2% recorded in 2025. The latest Government figures also show that pay gaps remain wider for some groups, including Māori and Pasifika women.
At the same time, New Zealand’s pay-equity framework was substantially changed in 2025. Under the amended framework, existing unsettled or undetermined claims as at 14 May 2025 were discontinued, although new claims can still be raised if they meet the amended requirements.
That change has become an important point of difference between the major parties and is likely to remain part of the election debate.
Another issue is transparency. New Zealand does not currently have a general legal requirement for private-sector employers to publish their gender pay gaps. However, voluntary measurement and reporting is already taking place.
The Ministry for Women has developed a Gender Pay Gap Toolkit to help organisations calculate their gender, gender-ethnicity and gender-disability pay gaps, understand the factors contributing to them, and develop action plans. Businesses are already taking action voluntarily, and the Ministry highlights organisations that are measuring and working to address their gender pay gaps.
This demonstrates that employers can take meaningful action without waiting for legislation to require them to do so. It also provides important context for the election debate: the question is not simply whether the gender pay gap exists, but what role government, employers and transparency should play in closing it.
Labour has proposed introducing a Pay Transparency Bill that would require employers with more than 150 employees to report pay differences. Its proposal would also require pay ranges to be included in job advertisements. Mandatory gender pay-gap reporting is currently a Labour proposal, not a general legal requirement in New Zealand.
2. Parental leave
Unpaid caring responsibilities can affect women's lifetime earnings and retirement savings. For many women, the ability to have children while maintaining a career is closely connected to parental leave, childcare and workplace flexibility. National has proposed changing paid parental leave rules so parents can divide their entitlement in more flexible ways, including taking leave at the same time, consecutively or in overlapping periods. National says the proposal would not involve additional taxpayer cost.
National has proposed making KiwiSaver compulsory for all workers from 1 July 2028, while progressively increasing default employer and employee contributions to 6% each by 2032, for a combined 12%. It has also proposed a $1,500 Baby Boost into KiwiSaver for babies born in New Zealand from 1 July 2027.
FSC has now also put forward its own retirement and financial services proposals ahead of the election. In 2026 Election Manifesto, The Prosperity Agenda: Securing New Zealand’s Wellbeing and Economic Future, contains 21 recommendations across three broad areas: strengthening the financial system, building prosperity and protecting prosperity. Several recommendations are relevant when considering women's financial security, including proposals concerning:
FSC also proposes a national ambition of $1 trillion in retirement savings by 2040.
Labour's current 2026 election programme includes a Medicard, with three free GP visits each year, free prescriptions from 1 July 2027, free cervical screening for women aged 25–69 from 1 October 2027, and free maternity scans from 1 July 2028. Labour says its proposed maternity scan policy would cover every referred maternity scan for eligible women receiving publicly funded healthcare, regardless of location. It has also proposed 24 paid trainee sonographer positions to help build the workforce required. These are specific commitments, with stated implementation dates and funding information, rather than general statements of support.
Women's safety is another major area for scrutiny. Family and sexual violence can have consequences well beyond immediate physical safety, affecting housing, employment, finances, health and children's wellbeing. The Green Party's 2026 manifesto has a dedicated Gender Equity section and separate policy commitments concerning violence prevention, justice, housing, income and health. The party says it wants to address gender inequality and gender-based violence as part of a broader policy framework.
Ultimately, this information is here to help make the issues easier to understand and provide a clearer picture, we are not supporting or recommending any political party. Things can change between now and election day, including policies, costs and campaign promises, so it’s a good idea to check the latest information from the parties and official government sources before making your own decision about how to vote.
Authored by Janet Britz, Member of the FSC Empower Women Working Group