General Election 2026.

TEU's General Election policy priorities

At its meeting on 24 June, TEU Council committed to three policy areas that we will campaign on ahead of this year’s General Election. All of our election campaign work falls within our broader union campaign for Mahi Tika | Good Work. These priorities provide a clear focus for our election engagement and a benchmark against which to assess political parties' commitments.  

The TEU's policy priority areas are: 

Funding

An immediate increase in public investment in tertiary education is essential. In the short term, this means significantly increasing tuition subsidies (EFTS funding rates) to address years of underfunding and support the sustainability of the sector.

In the longer term, TEU is seeking a commitment to fundamental reform of the tertiary funding system, moving towards a model that prioritises free quality education, equitable outcomes, and the long-term health of our public tertiary institutions. 

Pay equity 

TEU is calling on political parties to commit to restoring pay equity legislation within their first 100 days in government. This must be accompanied by the restoration of funding needed to ensure pay equity claims can be properly progressed and settled. 

Pay equity is essential to addressing the historic and ongoing undervaluation of work performed predominantly by women and is fundamental to creating fairer workplaces across Aotearoa. 

Better rights at work 

TEU members deserve stronger workplace rights and protections, as do all working people in Aotearoa. 

As an immediate priority, TEU is seeking a commitment to restore the rights and protections removed from the Employment Relations Act by the current Government within the first 100 days of a new administration. 

Longer term, TEU is working alongside the wider union movement to achieve comprehensive reform of employment law, with the goal of creating a modern, fit-for-purpose Workers Rights Act that better reflects the realities of work in Aotearoa today. 

We recognise that members have a broad range of concerns and aspirations. These are issues that sit at the heart of what TEU members tell us and are where our advocacy can have the greatest impact for members, learners, and the future of tertiary education in Aotearoa. 

Are you and your whānau enrolled? 

One thing you can do right now is ask the people around you if they are enrolled.  

If you're giving presentations to students, you could cut and paste this QR code or paste this Electoral Commission link into your presentation which will allow them to quickly check their details. Everyone must be enrolled by midnight on 25 October this year or they cannot vote.