Raise the NZ Super age to 67 by 2035
Pitched as making NZ Super more sustainable as people live longer, easing what ACT calls a growing burden on working taxpayers.
π ACT: ACT's Fiscal Plan, October 2026 β
What it does
- Lifts the age of eligibility for NZ Superannuation by three months each year, reaching 67 in 2035.
- Offers compassionate early access to people who have spent a substantial part of their careers in physically demanding jobs.
- ACT's fiscal plan, released on 11 October 2026, books savings that rise from $458 million in 2027/28 to $1.89 billion in 2030/31, less an allowance for early access and benefit entitlements that grows to $270 million a year.
- Keeps contributions to the NZ Super Fund suspended.
- Sits inside a plan ACT says balances the books with no new taxes and leaves debt $12.4 billion lower by 2031 than current forecasts.
The debate
ACT leader David Seymour said the country needed leadership to balance the books "rather than sending the bill to future taxpayers too young to vote in this election". Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said Labour would not lift the age from 65. NZ First leader Winston Peters said it was a lie that superannuation was unaffordable, and Greens co-leader ChlΓΆe Swarbrick said New Zealand could afford to make sure everybody retires with dignity. National has not set a date to raise the age, promising cross-party talks on the retirement system within 100 days of a new government; Christopher Luxon said change "requires a political consensus, and we don't have that currently".
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Key milestones
ACT releases its fiscal plan
ACT released what it called a fully costed fiscal plan, saying it would balance the books with no new taxes and stop putting off hard issues such as superannuation.
Super age to rise three months a year
RNZ reported the plan would raise the superannuation age by three months every year, put NZ Super Fund contributions on hold and include compassionate access for people who spent much of their careers in physically demanding jobs.
Other parties keep 65 or wait for an accord
Labour said it would keep the age at 65, NZ First's Winston Peters said super was affordable and the Greens agreed, while National set no date and proposed cross-party talks within 100 days of a new government.
Sources
- ACT's Fiscal Plan (ACT policy page) β
- ACT's fiscal plan cuts the waste to grow the country (ACT, 11 Oct 2026) β
- ACT Fiscal Plan 2026, full document with costings table (PDF hosted by interest.co.nz, Oct 2026) β
- ACT sets out plan to raise retirement age, cut debt, spending and disability benefits (RNZ, 11 Oct 2026) β
- National adamant its superannuation stance has not changed (RNZ, 13 Oct 2026) β