Free Public Transport Must Be in Budget 2026
Free Fares NZ calls on the Government to invest in public transport in Budget 2026. Backed by a coalition of over one hundred organisations including Local Government, unions, students associations, welfare and climate advocacy organisations, the campaign advocates for permanent free public transport for four target groups. They also call for free fares for all for the duration of the fuel crisis.
Free Fares NZ spokesperson Christopher Hawkins says “The ongoing fuel crisis highlights New Zealand’s dependence on fossil fuels in our transport sector. Combined with high cost of living, kiwis are hit hard by rising fuel prices. Making public transport free, especially to those who are most affected by rising transport costs, is a quick and cost-effective way to provide relief to kiwis doing it tough. Evidence shows cheaper fares get more people using public transport, which leads to less congestion and allows fuel to be prioritised for those who really need it: people in regions with no public transport, or industries who rely on fuel.”
Another Free Fares NZ spokesperson, Frances Mountier, says, “Free public transport supports people with cost of living, decreases emissions, and improves public health and economic productivity. If the Government is looking for economic efficiency in this Budget, improving access to public transport is one of its best options in terms of per-dollar investment. The Free Fares campaign also calls on the Government to scrap their proposed cuts to Total Mobility Card reimbursement levels. TMC holders already pay some of the highest transport costs in the country. Now is the moment to make fares free, not to increase them.”
Free public transport is cost-of-living relief
A range of Free Fares coalition members also provided comment.
Nick Ruane, Chair, Save Total Mobility campaign, says, “The Total Mobility Scheme is an essential component of NewZealand’s accessible transport system, providing subsidised travel for people with disabilities who cannot use public transport independently and safely. However, funding has not kept pace with rising costs, population growth, and increasing demand. This government is looking to trade off protecting the scheme’s long-term viability by denying access to thousands of people aged over 65, when it should just commit to funding the scheme for population growth.”
Andrew Wilks, Manutaki—Director, Sustainability at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, says, “Making public transport free for students is an investment in our future. We need our students to be able to focus on learning to prepare them for their careers ahead, rather than worrying about whether they can afford to get to campus. Given the cost-of-living challenges presented by rising fuel costs, the end of the Fees Free tertiary scheme, competition for part-time paid work, and a climate crisis, offering free public transport to students is simply a smart and future-focused choice.”
Raewyn Hailes from CCS Disability Action says, “At CCS Disability Action we are very aware that rising fuel costs are impacting our kaimahi. Travel is a core part of how we do our mahi. It’s how we stay connected, build relationships, and support people in ways that matter. When the cost of that travel increases, it has a real impact – on disabled people and whānau, and on our teams. Reduced cost or free bus fares offer a solution that upholds the mana of the most vulnerable people in our communities. “
Lincoln University Students Association says, “Tertiary students are facing an increased financial crisis every year, being forced to balance heavy study loads, employment, and soaring cost-of-living pressures & sustainability constraints, all while a significant portion of the national student body lives below the poverty line. In this climate, public transport is a fundamental lifeline to students. Mobility should not be made inaccessible as it dictates our access to education, employment, and basic wellbeing. The heightened fares and compromised subsidies directly threaten students mobility, forcing them into impossible trade-offs between attending classes, buying groceries, or paying rent.”
Dr Steve Grimson, OraTaiao Transport Lead and GP in Tāmaki, says, “Helping more of us to take public transport consistently should be a priority for any politician who is serious about our communities’ health and well-being. It’s good for our health, good for our climate and can help reduce our need for fossil fuels as their supply becomes less reliable and more expensive. Getting people out of cars will reduce air pollution (which leads to thousands of premature deaths in New Zealand every year), reduce congestion on our roads, reduce deaths and injuries from traffic accidents, and make our economy less dependent on volatile fossil fuels.”
Total Mobility users should not be paying more
Last week, the campaign presented against private share hikes to the Transport and Infrastructure Committee. They used the opportunity to urge the Committee to support free fares.
Sad the 2026 budget has not addressed public transport. Surely it’s a priority for our children to be able to get to school and those, lucky to still have a job, to work! Why did the gormless Luxon put all his eggs into the Landlord basket, while continuing to heap the worst costs onto the poorest, underpaid workers? His major mistake and will be the demise of him; bring it on. Both these ‘charletans’ aren’t fit to be in the positions they are in. It’s not only unconscionable, it’s criminal! Do read Newsroom re the LNG trade deal fraud, Santana gold mine bids, and the article by Marc Daalder entitled “Something is rotten in the House of Representatives”. And who gives a damn if Queenstown is reaching breaking point – such a shallow, fake place.