With the 2026 General Election approaching, we brought together political representatives for Hauora Taiwhenua’s second Rural Health Political Panel. The panel puts the parties in front of our members and supporters of rural from across Aotearoa New Zealand. We asked party representatives to share with us how they will approach and be accountable for the issue that affects every rural community in Aotearoa: access to quality healthcare, close to home.
I want to thank Michael Morrah for facilitating the discussion, and Matt Doocey (National Party), Daniel Eb (Opportunity), Ingrid Leary (Labour Party), Jenny Marcroft (New Zealand First), Ricardo Menéndez March (Green Party) and Todd Stephenson (ACT), for taking part and engaging with the issues facing rural health.
Discussion centred around growing and retaining our rural health workforce, supporting rural training hubs, improving access to services closer to home, and making better use of technology and data. These are important conversations, but we must look beyond acknowledgement of the challenges. Rural communities need clear commitments, appropriate resourcing, and action that deliver lasting improvements. Distance, workforce shortages, the cost of delivering services and the challenges of maintaining access in smaller communities cannot be addressed by applying urban models to rural settings – rural health professionals and communities must be involved in shaping the systems they work within
Local knowledge and experience are essential, whether decisions concern everyday service delivery, workforce planning, or emergency preparedness. Rural communities are resourceful and innovative, but that should never be an excuse to expect them to keep making do without the support they need. Our rural communities deserve a health system that works for them, wherever they live. That must remain a priority beyond the election.
At Hauora Taiwhenua, our role is to ensure rural voices are heard, and rural health remains firmly on the political agenda. Our Election Manifesto sets out priorities for a stronger, fairer rural health system. The panel provided an opportunity to put those priorities directly to political representatives and hear how they would respond.
I encourage you to watch the recording and consider what was said, what remains unresolved, and what commitments we need to keep asking our political leaders to deliver.
Hauora Taiwhenua brought political parties together for our Rural Health Pre-Election Political Panel on Monday 12 October, providing an opportunity to discuss the issues and priorities shaping the future of rural health in Aotearoa.
Moderated by journalist Michael Morrah, the online panel featured representatives from National, Labour, New Zealand First, the Green Party, ACT and Opportunity. The discussion explored rural health priorities ahead of the General Election on 7 November.
As the election approaches, Hauora Taiwhenua will continue advocating for policies that recognise the needs of rural communities and support equitable access to healthcare, wherever people live.
Watch the Recording Here
Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network is the collective voice of rural health in Aotearoa spanning general practice, rural hospitals, nursing, midwifery, allied health, research, students, communities and Whānau Whānui.
As New Zealand approaches the 2026 General Election, we call on all political parties to commit to the six priorities outlined in this manifesto. These commitments are drawn from the Aotearoa New Zealand Declaration on Rural Health 2026, which was developed through national and international collaboration at the 21st WONCA World Rural Health Conference. They represent a direction that has been endorsed by Government and now require action, investment, and accountability to deliver better health outcomes for rural communities.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi underpins all six commitments. Rural Māori experience some of the poorest health outcomes in Aotearoa, and each commitment set out below must be delivered through genuine partnership with rural Māori communities, providers and iwi in a way that upholds Te Tiriti and advances equity.
Act Party: ACT’s Health Policies
Greens: Health Policy
Labour Party: Labour’s 2026 Election Policies
National Party: Faster, Better Healthcare for All New Zealanders
New Zealand First: Make NZ Healthy
Opportunity: Healthy People
Te Pāti Māori: Health Policy
View the manifesto here
View the Declaration here
View the Snapshot here
Join us for a conversation with health representatives from political parties contesting the 2026 General Election, as they share their priorities for rural health and respond to the issues that matter most to rural communities.
Each representative will have the opportunity to outline their party’s vision for rural health, followed by a moderated discussion and questions from the audience.
Register to join the conversation: www.mhgo.nz/election
Six commitments every Political Party can make to rural New Zealand
Today, rural leaders, clinicians, policymakers, community organisations, and advocates came together at Parliament to share ideas, challenge thinking, and keep rural health firmly on the national agenda. From workforce and access challenges through to innovation, equity, and community-led solutions, the conversations throughout the day reflected both the realities facing rural communities and the determination to create positive change.
A huge thank you to everyone who attended, contributed, supported, and helped make the day such a success. Together, we continue advocating for healthy and thriving rural communities across Aotearoa.
The Aotearoa New Zealand Declaration 2026 is grounded in the presentations of the 21st Rural WONCA Conference at Tākina, Wellington. It joins the lineage of international Rural WONCA declarations that come before, all committed to advancing equitable health care for rural communities worldwide.
This Declaration speaks directly to the lived realities of rural Aotearoa New Zealand. Rural communities, and rural Māori most significantly, experience compounding inequities shaped by rurality, deprivation, and the enduring impact of colonisation. These inequities have been reinforced by decades of health policy and funding decisions made without meaningful rural engagement. Collectively, these factors have created a persistent gap between policy intent and the realities of rural life. The result is health inequity that is serious, measurable, and preventable.
Read the Full Document here: https://htrhn.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Aotearoa-NZ-Declaration-on-Rural-Health-2026.pdf
How will future governments turn commitment into action for rural communities?
At Rural WONCA 2026, this cross-party political panel brings together leaders from across Aotearoa’s political spectrum to discuss how the Rural Health Strategy can be implemented to reduce inequities and improve outcomes for rural populations. This timely discussion will explore practical actions to strengthen rural health systems, support the workforce, and ensure equitable access to care — with a focus on accountability, collaboration, and long-term impact.
The Rural Health Roadshow Insights Report presents findings from visits to 13 rural locations across New Zealand in 2025. These events provided an opportunity to engage with rural communities, check what is working well and identify areas for improvement.
The report is structured into several sections: Introduction and context - describes the challenges rural communities are facing. How we are using the insights - describes how feedback informs planning, funding, and service improvements. Key themes - summarises issues raised by rural communities. What is working well - highlights positive examples of local healthcare. Work under way - lists initiatives addressing roadshow themes. Broader work - outlines national programmes that benefit rural communities. Appendix - provides a case study on cancer care improvements and use of rural health data. This report offers a comprehensive overview of rural health priorities and current initiatives. Insights from this report will be used to guide future health policy and delivery, ensuring that rural voices continue to shape health priorities in New Zealand.
Downloads https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/2025-12/rural-health-roadshow-insights-report.pdf https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/2025-12/rural-health-roadshow-insights-report.docx
