# 2026 Cabinet Committee Profile — Cabinet Economic Policy Committee

| Field              | Detail                                 |
| ------------------ | -------------------------------------- |
| **Type**           | Cabinet Committee Profile              |
| **Status**         | Final                                  |
| **Date**           | June 2026                              |
| **Classification** | Neutral business/campaign intelligence |

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## Committee Details

| Attribute     | Detail                                             |
| ------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| **Full Name** | Cabinet Economic Policy Committee (ECO)            |
| **Chair**     | Hon Nicola Willis (National) — Minister of Finance |
| **Status**    | Standing Cabinet Committee                         |
| **Source**    | DPMC — cabinet committees page                     |

## Purpose and Terms of Reference

The Cabinet Economic Policy Committee considers policy and budget proposals relating to:

- Economic and fiscal policy
- Taxation and revenue policy
- Business and industry development
- Trade and international economic relations
- Employment and labour market policy
- Infrastructure investment
- Financial markets and regulation
- Competition policy
- Innovation and technology
- Energy policy
- Primary sector and agriculture
- Tourism

## Members (Where Known)

| Member                    | Role                                      | Party    | Portfolio Relevance to Seniors      |
| ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | -------- | ----------------------------------- |
| Hon Nicola Willis (Chair) | Minister of Finance                       | National | Budget, tax policy, fiscal strategy |
| Hon David Seymour         | Deputy PM, Minister for Regulation        | ACT      | Deregulation, regulatory efficiency |
| Hon Chris Bishop          | Leader of the House, Minister of Housing  | National | Housing economics, RMA reform       |
| Hon Simon Watts           | Minister of Revenue                       | National | Tax treatment of seniors, KiwiSaver |
| Hon Todd Stephenson       | Minister of Building and Construction     | ACT      | Building code, construction costs   |
| Hon Cameron Brewer        | Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs | National | Retirement villages regulation      |
| Hon Shane Jones           | Associate Minister of Finance             | NZ First | NZ First economic priorities        |
| Hon Andrew Bayly          | Minister of ACC                           | National | ACC levies, scheme settings         |

_(Note: Full membership may vary. Other ministers attend when their portfolios are discussed.)_

## Why This Committee Matters to Seniors

Although focused on economic policy, this committee makes decisions that significantly affect seniors' financial wellbeing:

| Policy Area                         | Senior Impact                                              | Frequency              |
| ----------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------- |
| **Tax policy**                      | Tax thresholds, investment income tax, KiwiSaver           | Annual Budget + policy |
| **Budget settings**                 | Overall fiscal envelope affecting all seniors spending     | Annual                 |
| **Retirement village regulation**   | Economic regulation of RV sector                           | Policy development     |
| **NZ Super Fund settings**          | Contribution rates, investment strategy                    | Periodic               |
| **KiwiSaver settings**              | Default funds, contribution rates, withdrawal rules        | Periodic review        |
| **Building and construction costs** | Affects retirement village development, accessible housing | Ongoing                |
| **Financial markets regulation**    | Affects retirement savings, financial advice for seniors   | As needed              |
| **Energy pricing**                  | Affects seniors' heating and power costs                   | Ongoing                |
| **Employment policy**               | Older workers' participation, age discrimination           | As needed              |

## Decisions It Shapes

| Decision Type                   | Description                                             | Example                                   |
| ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| **Tax threshold adjustments**   | Personal income tax rates affecting superannuitants     | 2024/25 threshold changes                 |
| **Budget bid prioritisation**   | Which social spending bids proceed vs deferred          | Trade-offs between health, housing, Super |
| **KiwiSaver settings**          | Default contribution rates, provider settings           | KiwiSaver review recommendations          |
| **NZ Super Fund contributions** | Whether and how much government contributes to the Fund | Budget decisions                          |
| **Commerce regulation**         | Consumer protection, retirement village rules           | RV Act reform                             |
| **Building code**               | Accessibility standards, universal design               | Building Code updates                     |
| **Fuel/excise tax**             | Transport costs for seniors                             | Annual adjustment                         |

## Documents to Monitor

| Document                                    | Source          | Frequency           |
| ------------------------------------------- | --------------- | ------------------- |
| Budget Policy Statement                     | Treasury        | Annual (pre-Budget) |
| Economic and Fiscal Updates (HYEFU, Budget) | Treasury        | Twice yearly        |
| Cabinet Economic Policy Committee papers    | DPMC / agencies | As released         |
| Tax policy changes                          | Inland Revenue  | As announced        |
| Regulatory Impact Statements                | Treasury        | With new regulation |
| KiwiSaver review documents                  | MBIE / IRD      | Periodic            |
| NZ Super Fund annual report                 | NZ Super Fund   | Annual              |

## Business Implications

| Factor                        | Implication                                                       |
| ----------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Tax policy settings           | Affects seniors' disposable income; demand for financial products |
| Budget allocations            | Determines health, housing, social spending levels                |
| KiwiSaver settings            | Affects retirement savings sector, fund managers                  |
| Retirement village regulation | Operating costs and business models for providers                 |
| Building code changes         | Development costs for age-friendly housing                        |
| Financial regulation          | Affects financial advisers serving seniors                        |
| NZ Super Fund strategy        | Affects NZ capital markets, investment flows                      |

## Search Terms for Monitoring

```
"ECO" site:dpmc.govt.nz
"Economic Policy Committee" site:beehive.govt.nz
"Willis" "Economic" site:beehive.govt.nz
"Cabinet paper" tax site:ird.govt.nz
"Budget" "seniors" site:beehive.govt.nz
"KiwiSaver" "Cabinet" site:beehive.govt.nz
```

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_Part of the NZ Seniors Knowledge Base — Political & Campaign Intelligence layer_
_Last updated: June 2026_