New Zealand Tops GDP Growth across Western Democracies

Comparing GDP Growth in last 12 months to 30th June 2026

New Zealand grew more strongly than Western Economies (up 2.6%) over the 12-months to 30^th June 2026. This has been a great result for all New Zealanders, in an extremely “trying” period of global unrest – including Trump’s tariff wars..

Expenditure GDP up 0.4%

The expenditure measure of GDP rose 0.4% in the June 2026 quarter, following a 1.1% increase in the March 2026 quarter.

The largest downward contributors to GDP in Q-Jun-26 were transport, postal, and warehousing (down 1.7%), and retail trade and accommodation (down 1.0%).

GDP per capita rose 0.1% during Q-Jun-26, 1.5% per year (only outperformed slightly by the US).

The comparison is rather more favourable to New Zealand than it has been for several years. After a prolonged period in which rapid population growth masked weakness in output per person, real GDP per capita is now growing again.

Australia provides the clearest contrast. Its headline GDP increased 2.1%, but GDP per person increased only 0.7%, because population growth absorbed roughly two-thirds of the aggregate economic expansion. 

Taxpayers'Union Debate - livestreamed by NZ Herald

The Taxpayers’ Union announced:

Taxpayers’ Union announces election debate series to be live-streamed by the NZ Herald 

The Taxpayers’ Union will host seven pre-election electorate debates across the country, live-streamed by the New Zealand Herald and hosted by former Labour MP Anna Lorck and commentator Damien Grant.

Each debate will feature a new electorate poll, giving voters a snapshot of how the race stands before candidates take the stage.

The national Taxpayers’ Union–Curia poll will also be released live at the conclusion of the Mt Albert debate on 8 October and the Tāmaki debate on 3 November.

Debate schedule: All at 7.30pm

Wellington Bays: Tuesday 15 September

West Coast-Tasman: Tuesday 22 September

Waitaki: Tuesday27 September

Mt Albert: Thursday 8 October*

Tukituki: Wednesday 21 October

Auckland Central: Tuesday 27 October

Tāmaki: Tuesday 3 November

**Includes release of Taxpayers’ Union–Curia national poll

DPF: All really interesting seats. Two seats where Greens hold, and Labour wants to win off them (and National too).

Two seats held by National with strong NZ First candidates. The iconic West Coast-Tasman seat which is an open contest.

One seat held by ACT that National is trying to win back

and the four way battle in Mt Albert between Labour, National, Greens and Opportunity.

Green madness - KiwiMart is a NONSENSE

The Green Party has unveiled one of the most interventionist economic policies seen in New Zealand for decades—spending $2.8 billion to establish a government-owned supermarket chain called KiwiMart.

The Greens would force Woolworths and Foodstuffs owners to sell 120 supermarkets and two distribution centres to the Crown for an estimated $1.3 billion, before injecting another $1.5 billion of taxpayers' money into the new business.

There is no question New Zealand needs greater grocery competition. But nationalising supermarkets is a remarkably expensive way of trying to achieve it.

If KiwiMart can compete commercially with Woolworths and Foodstuffs, why does the taxpayer need to own it? If it cannot, taxpayers will ultimately subsidise its losses.

Government would also become supermarket owner, regulator and competition-policy maker simultaneously—creating an obvious potential conflict.

And KiwiMart is only part of the Greens' announcement. Their wider food package carries a gross four-year cost of around $6.2 billion, including $2.25 billion for expanding and changing the school lunch programme.

New Zealand doesn't need politicians running the supermarkets. This is plain socialist (communist) nonsense.