Brooke van Velden
Economist, former ACT deputy leader and minister responsible for workplace relations and internal affairs.
Stated priorities: Will continue serving Tāmaki and in ministerial roles until the election, then move to the private sector.
Latest party-vote polling
Polls measure nationwide support for ACT, not this candidate or this electorate — no electorate-level figures are published in these releases.
ACT manifesto promises
61 policy commitments on file for the party this candidate stands for.
- • Oppose capital-gains, wealth and inheritance taxes and favour lower spending and existing tax bases rather than new taxes on assets or investmentact.org.nz
- • Fund council tourism infrastructure through the Local Tourism Dividend rather than introducing a bed taxact.org.nz
- • Apply a 12-month bright-line exemption so qualifying personal digital-asset gains are tax-free after one year, and exempt low-value crypto purchases from tax complianceact.org.nz
- • [RNZ news source] Support delaying fuel-tax increases while topping up the National Land Transport Fund from other taxes so road maintenance continuesrnz.co.nz
- • Ring-fence National Land Transport Fund maintenance and renewal funding and make non-functional art, monuments and decorative amenities ineligible for road-user fundingact.org.nz
- • Limit state schools to three compulsory branded uniform items and require generic alternatives for common itemsact.org.nz
- • Let children use available seats on existing rural school-bus routes, reducing family fuel and travel costsact.org.nz
- • Strengthen property rights and require clearer limits on government interference with property and investmentact.org.nz
- • Add a $6-a-day infrastructure surcharge to temporary work visas, expected to raise about $80 million annuallyact.org.nz
- • Return $1 to councils for every commercial guest night through a Local Tourism Dividend funded from existing tourism revenue, without a new bed taxact.org.nz
- • Reduce compulsory school-uniform costs through generic alternatives and a three-item cap on branded itemsact.org.nz
- • Reduce compulsory school-uniform costs through generic alternatives and a three-item cap on branded itemsact.org.nz
- • Allow children to use spare seats on rural school buses even when attending a school other than their nearest schoolact.org.nz
- • Cap compulsory branded school-uniform items at three and require generic alternatives for common clothingact.org.nz
- • Introduce an Open Seat Rule for rural school buses and fund additional capacity from within the existing education budgetact.org.nz
- • [RNZ news source] Disestablish the Climate Change Commission and transfer its monitoring and reporting functions to existing bodiesrnz.co.nz
- • [RNZ news source] Treat the “climate emergency” as over and favour practical protections such as coastal defences, raised roads and homes, stormwater upgrades and stopbanks over restrictive planning based on extreme scenariosrnz.co.nz
- • Abolish the Climate Change Commission and transfer emissions monitoring and reporting to the responsible ministryact.org.nz
- • Rebuild fish stocks through nationwide shellfish limits, higher penalties, fisheries-management changes and ending scallop dredging in closed fisheriesstuff.co.nz
- • Repeal the Zero Carbon Act, scrap the current Net Zero target and benchmark New Zealand’s emissions cap against major trading partnersact.org.nz
- • Require MSD-approved independent doctors to certify health and disability benefits, with phased reassessment of existing recipientsact.org.nz
- • Put Jobseeker Support Work Ready payments onto an essentials-only electronic card after four months, with safety and necessity carve-outsact.org.nz
- • Prevent professional regulators disciplining members for lawful private expression and require regulators to remain politically neutralact.org.nz
- • Support the revised pay-equity law, arguing it returns the system to a workable, affordable model focused on genuine sex-based discriminationrnz.co.nz
- • Require health-related benefits to be assessed by MSD-approved designated doctors and use an essentials-only payment card for Jobseeker Work Ready recipients remaining on benefit longer than four months, with safety and access exemptionsact.org.nz
- • Close the medicines-access gap with Australia by increasing access to modern medicinesact.org.nz
- • Let accredited pharmacies treat more everyday conditions, monitor stable chronic conditions, order tests and pilot skin-lesion checksact.org.nz
- • Build a National Cancer Centre with campuses in Auckland and Christchurch, combining treatment, research, clinical trials and specialist expertiseact.org.nz
- • Increase Pharmac’s share of the health budget by one percentage point annually, aiming to close the medicines gap with Australia by 2033act.org.nz
- • [Stuff news source] End Māori and Pacific medical-school admissions pathways, arguing the review did not justify race-based selection; universities say all students meet the same graduation standardsstuff.co.nz
Speeches and coverage
Stories and statements that name Brooke van Velden, updated automatically as they are published.
- 1 Apr 2026The SpinoffMP interviewOne MP, One Pint: Brooke van Velden
Van Velden discussed leaving politics, cabinet life, her Tāmaki work, employment law and what comes next.
- 24 Mar 2026RNZLeadership changeBrooke van Velden to retire at the 2026 election
ACT deputy leader and Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden announced she would leave politics at the November election; the party said it would choose a new deputy in June.
- 23 Sept 2025RNZWorkplace policyGovernment proposes replacing the Holidays Act
Brooke van Velden proposed an hour-based system for annual and sick leave; employers backed simplification while unions warned part-time workers could lose entitlements.
- 16 Jul 2025RNZEmployment legislationParliament considers ACT-led employment-law changes
Legislation led by Brooke van Velden proposed a contractor gateway test, tighter personal-grievance remedies, a $180,000 dismissal threshold and removal of the 30-day collective-agreement rule.
- 16 Sept 2024RNZEmployment policyGovernment proposes contractor-status gateway test
Brooke van Velden outlined a four-part test intended to give businesses and contractors certainty over employment status; unions warned it could remove worker protections.
- 6 Jun 2024RNZWorkplace policyPart-time workers could get less sick leave under law change
Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden signalled pro-rating the 10-day sick-leave entitlement by hours worked as part of a planned Holidays Act overhaul.
Recent ACT speeches and statements
- 4 Sept 2026Official party sitePolicy releaseKeep New Zealand Moving
Six reforms to improve transport value: publish lowest-cost safe options, plan capacity for growth, protect maintenance funding, require equal treatment in procurement, exclude non-functional art from road funding, and avoid vehicle rules that raise family costs.
- 2 Sept 2026Official party siteParty releaseLabour promises to protect the bureaucracy, whatever the cost
ACT argued Labour’s public-service position amounted to a blank cheque for bureaucracy, contrasting it with ACT’s proposal for 18 ministers and 19 departments and warning Labour’s spending plans would require taxes, debt or later cuts.
- 1 Sept 2026Official party sitePolicy releasePut reside back in resident
Physical-presence requirements proposed for resident visa travel rights.
- 27 Aug 2026Official party sitePolicy releaseScrap the Climate Change Commission
ACT proposal to abolish the commission and move functions to a ministry.
- 22 Aug 2026Official party sitePolicy releaseA Starship for Cancer
ACT's national cancer-centre proposal.
- 3 Aug 2026Official party sitePolicy releaseDisrupt the Class, Leave the Class
ACT classroom discipline and teacher-authority proposal.
- 9 Jul 2026Official party sitePolicy releaseThree strikes for repeat burglars
ACT proposal for a minimum sentence after three burglary convictions.
- 28 Jun 2026RNZCampaign conferenceACT launches welfare and smaller-government policies
At its 2026 conference ACT proposed designated doctors for health-related benefits, payment cards for some long-term Jobseekers, 19 government departments and 18 ministers.