The Salvation Army is calling on election candidates to
focus on practical solutions to the ‘Pressing Issues’
facing communities during the 2026 general election
campaign.
Food security, housing, cost-of-living,
poverty, welfare & tax, justice reintegration and
addiction are the key challenges affecting the communities
that the Army serves. The charity is urging political
parties to address these issues through the lens of
poipoia te kākano – (nurture the seed), a Māori
wellbeing framework that emphasises the foundations people
need to thrive: a place to stand, mana and dignity, pathways
to opportunity, prevention and support.
Director of
The Salvation Army’s Social Policy & Parliamentary Unit
Dr Bonnie Robinson says the election campaign is an
important opportunity for parties to explain how their
policies will improve wellbeing for people facing
hardship.
“Food insecurity and the cost of living
continue to place significant pressure on individuals and
families across New Zealand.
“Our country has plenty
of food and food insecurity is a completely solvable
problem. We are calling for politicians to work together
with communities to end food insecurity,” she
says.
“For many people, incomes remain too low to
meet daily living costs. Even modest increases in essential
expenses can create significant hardship for households
already struggling to make ends meet.
“We need a
welfare and tax system that supports people on lower incomes
while generating the revenue needed to invest in housing,
healthcare, education, infrastructure and climate
resilience.”
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Bonnie says housing remains a pressing
issue for most communities. “Homelessness has been
steadily rising, and we are asking political parties to
explain how they will end homelessness, provide immediate
access to housing for people with inadequate shelter
availability in many towns, and support people into stable,
longer-term housing.
“On top of this, we need to
improve the way we help people leaving prison reintegrate
into society and respond better to the rising levels of
addiction in our communities.”
Bonnie urges people
to make sure they are enrolled to vote by 25 October and to
cast their votes on 7 November.
“Our system of
government may not be perfect, but we are privileged to have
an open democracy where every person gets to vote freely for
a candidate and party of their choice,” she
says.
You can find more information about the issues
and ways to solve them at salvationarmy.org.nz/sppu/2026-general-election.
