The Green Party of New Zealand has unveiled a bold economic plan, promising to create 284,000 jobs over the next four years through a nearly $6 billion investment strategy. This target surpasses Treasury’s current forecast by 64,000 jobs. Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick emphasized that the plan focuses on transport, clean energy, and long-term infrastructure, aligning with the party’s vision of "genuinely fixing the basics and building the future."
Key elements of the plan include reshaping the Government’s Investment Boost scheme to prioritize productive investments in decarbonization and decent work principles. The party also proposes creating fellowships for early- and mid-career researchers, restoring core science funding, and boosting public purchasing power to support locally made products. Additionally, the plan aims to increase research and development spending to 3% of GDP, up from the current 1.5%.
Co-leader Marama Davidson highlighted New Zealand’s abundance of talent and creativity but stressed the need for a coordinated strategy to turn these assets into well-paying jobs and a fairer economy. The plan also includes measures to support businesses in moving from research to commercialization and scaling, as well as restoring funding for tertiary research initiatives.