Government Election 2026

With the 2026 election fast approaching, this page highlights how Engineering New Zealand is advocating for the engineering profession. It breaks down the political priorities that affect you – including political manifestos and key announcements.  We’ll keep it updated with key announcements and what they mean for the engineering profession.

Election 2026: New Zealand’s big infrastructure debate

Save the date! Election 2026: New Zealand’s big infrastructure debate.

Engineering New Zealand is bringing together the country’s political movers and shakers to debate one of the key issues for this year’s general election – infrastructure.

Join us on Thursday 6 August 2026 to hear directly from all the major political parties about their plans for engineering and solutions to New Zealand’s infrastructure crunch.

The discussion will also dig into how policy translates into concrete outcomes, from planning and funding, to delivering the infrastructure communities need for the future.

This event will offer both in‑person and online attendance, ensuring engineers across the country can hear from and engage directly with the politicians looking to form the next Government.

Our priorities for the election

We have developed key messages to help start our conversations with political parties. These messages are the same across each of the documents, but the topics are tailored to reflect each party’s priorities. You can read the letters here: