If you want to develop your listening skills, try these tasks as you listen to the text. The answers are at the bottom of this page. Thanks to Natasha Groves for preparing the tasks.
If you want to listen and read, just scroll down to the News story.
Use the vocabulary list to check the meanings of some words before you listen.
Vocabulary
announce – to officially tell people something, especially a plan or decision
policy – a plan of action agreed or chosen by a political party
compulsory – if something is compulsory, you must do it because of a law or rule
enrol – to officially arrange to join a school, university – or here, to join KiwiSaver
inheritance – the money or property that you receive from someone who has died
asset – a thing of value, e.g. property, that a person or company owns
turnover – in this context, the total amount of goods or services sold by a company during a particular period of time
apprentice – someone who works for an employer for a fixed period of time, in order to learn the skills for a job
deputy – someone who is below a leader or manager in an organisation and who is officially in charge when the leader or manager is away
pledge – to make a formal promise, usually in public
Try these activities while listening
1. Listening for main ideas
First, just listen to the text, taking notes if you wish. What information can you catch during this first listening?
2. Now listen again and answer the following questions:
- When will the next election take place?
- What was held in the weekend of 20-21 June?
- If National is re-elected, they will make the following four changes to Kiwisaver. Fill in the gaps:
- KiwiSaver would be _____ for every New Zealand worker from ______ ______.
- Every child born from _____ ______ would be automatically _____ in KiwiSaver and receive a payment of $_____.
- Parents on paid _____ leave would also receive a government _____.
- _____ contributions would be compulsory for people over _____ who are still _____.
- What would the Greens introduce taxes on?
- Note some details about the Greens’ proposed new taxes.
- What changes would the Greens make to income tax?
- What change would Labour make to the Apprenticeship Boost scheme?
- What did Labour leader Chris Hipkins say the scheme would help?
- How does the scheme work?
- What is Nicole McKee’s new role?
- What did the ACT Party leader, David Seymour, pledge to reduce?
News story
New Zealand holds a general election every three years. The next election will take place on Saturday 7 November this year. The political parties are now preparing for it by holding meetings and announcing policies.
The National Party held its annual conference in Lower Hutt in the weekend of 20-21 June. At the conference, its leader, Christopher Luxon, announced that if National is re-elected, they would make KiwiSaver compulsory for every New Zealand worker from July 2028. In addition, every child born from July 2027 would be automatically enrolled in KiwiSaver and receive a payment of $1500. Parents on paid parental leave would also receive a government contribution. The proposal would also make employer contributions compulsory for people over 65 who are still working. Currently, employers do not have to make contributions for these people.
The Green Party hasn’t had their annual meeting yet, but the co-leaders, Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick, announced their party’s tax policy on Sunday 21 June. They would introduce taxes on wealth, inheritance, and corporations, and reduce income tax. The wealth tax would be 2.5 percent annually on net assets over $10 million, but this would not include the family home. The inheritance tax would be 33 percent on assets or gifts over $1 million. The corporate tax would increase from 28 percent to 33 percent for companies with an annual turnover of more than $30 million. The revenue from these new taxes would mean that there would be no tax on income below $10,000. Tax on other income would be lower than it is currently, apart from that on income of $160,000 and over, which would be taxed at 45 percent.
The Labour Party held its annual meeting in Wellington in the weekend of 27-28 June. Labour leader Chris Hipkins announced that if elected, they would extend the Apprenticeship Boost scheme to two years from 2028. He said that this policy would help to get more people into work and keep them in New Zealand, rather than moving overseas. Labour introduced the scheme in 2020 when in government. Then it was for two years, but in 2025 the current Government reduced it to one year. The scheme pays employers $500 a month to take on apprentices.
The ACT Party held its annual meeting in Auckland on Sunday, 28 June. It was announced that Nicole McKee is their new deputy leader. She is replacing Brooke van Velden who is retiring from politics at the election. Nicole McKee is currently Minister for Courts and Associate Minister of Justice. The ACT Party leader, David Seymour, announced proposals to tighten requirements for health-related and Jobseeker benefits. He also pledged to push for a reduction in the number of government departments, from 43 to 19.
New Zealand First will hold its 2026 convention on 18-19 July.
Answers – you don’t have to write a complete sentence as long as you have the key idea in your answer.
a. When will the next election take place?
Saturday 7 November this year
b. What was held in the weekend of 20-21 June?
The National Party’s annual conference
c. If National is re-elected, they will make the following four changes to Kiwisaver. Fill in the gaps:
- KiwiSaver would be compulsory for every New Zealand worker from July 2028.
- Every child born from July 2027 would be automatically enrolled in KiwiSaver and receive a payment of $1500.
- Parents on paid parental leave would also receive a government contribution.
- Employer contributions would be compulsory for people over 65 who are still working.
d. What would the Greens introduce tax on?
Wealth, inheritance, and corporations
e. Note some details about the Greens’ proposed new taxes.
The wealth tax would be 2.5 percent annually on net assets over $10 million, but this would not include the family home. The inheritance tax would be 33 percent on assets or gifts over $1 million. The corporate tax would increase from 28 percent to 33 percent for companies with an annual turnover of more than $30 million.
f. What changes would the Greens make to income tax?
There would be no tax on income below $10,000. Tax on other income would be lower than it is currently, apart from that on income of $160,000 and over, which would be taxed at 45 percent.
g. What change would Labour make to the Apprenticeship Boost scheme?
They would extend the scheme to two years from 2028
h. What did Labour leader Chris Hipkins say the scheme would help?
It would help to get more people into work and keep them in New Zealand
i. How does the scheme work?
It pays employers $500 a month to take on apprentices
j. What is Nicole McKee’s new role?
The new deputy leader of the ACT Party
k. What did the ACT Party leader, David Seymour, pledge to reduce?
The number of government departments, from 43 to 19.