ACT New Zealand – Party Overview

ACT New Zealand (commonly called ACT Party) is a right-wing, classical liberal and libertarian political party in Aotearoa New Zealand. It advocates for free-market policies, individual freedom, and reduced government intervention in economic life. ACT traces its roots back to the early 1990s Association of Consumers and Taxpayers and has held representation in Parliament since 1996.

Under current leader David Seymour, the party is part of the National-led coalition government, with a focus on deregulation, personal responsibility, and economic liberalisation.

ACT’s policy platform covers a wide range of areas including economic growth, law and order, health, education, and infrastructure. Transport is integrated into its infrastructure and regional development priorities, emphasising efficiency, accountability, user-pays principles, and reducing bureaucratic barriers.

Leadership & Key People

Party Leadership

  • David Seymour – Party Leader & MP for Epsom
    Deputy Prime Minister and Associate Minister across multiple portfolios.

  • Brooke van Velden – Deputy Leader & MP for Tāmaki
    Holds ministerial responsibilities and is a senior leadership figure in the party.

Transport & Infrastructure Leadership

Although transport sits across several portfolios and infrastructure areas, the current transport spokesperson and relevant ACT MP for transport, infrastructure, and related policy matters is:

  • Simon Court – ACT List MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Infrastructure & RMA Reform)
    Court also serves as spokesperson for Energy & Resources, Infrastructure and Climate, and his background in civil engineering and experience delivering infrastructure projects aligns with ACT’s transport and delivery priorities.

  • Cameron Luxton – ACT List MP and Spokesperson for Transport & Infrastructure (among others)
    Elected in 2023, Luxton has been appointed the party’s transport and infrastructure spokesperson and serves on the relevant parliamentary committees.

Transport Policy (To Date)

ACT has positioned its transport policy around funding reform, infrastructure capacity, and user-pays principles. Key elements include:

Funding Reform & Tolling

ACT has been critical of New Zealand’s traditional reliance on fuel excise and general taxation to fund roads, arguing this system does not align users with the costs of the infrastructure they use. The party proposes shifting toward user-pays models such as tolling and more direct pricing mechanisms, including reforming road user charges (RUC) systems.

Long-Term Infrastructure Planning

ACT advocates for creating 30-year regional infrastructure plans jointly developed between central and local government. This aims to depoliticise infrastructure decisions, improve long-term certainty, and attract private investment.

Public-Private Partnerships

The party supports engaging the private sector in infrastructure delivery, including roads, through models where private expertise and capital help deliver and maintain projects, with revenues (such as tolls) returned to investors and then assets handed back to the Crown. This approach seeks to speed up delivery and broaden delivery options beyond traditional government funding.

Accountability & Local Decision-Making

ACT has also emphasised the importance of accountability in transport decision-making, particularly in local contexts. For example, the party welcomed moves to give local boards more say over transport decisions in Auckland, highlighting concerns over decisions such as speed calminq and cycling infrastructure being imposed without sufficient local input.

Critiques of Other Parties’ Transport Policies

ACT has publicly critiqued the transport policies of other parties, for example opposing certain rail proposals and warning against what it sees as unrealistic or overly costly plans. It framed these critiques around fairness, effectiveness, and ensuring transport policy delivers real outcomes rather than symbolic projects.

Transport Spokesperson: Current & Historical

  • Simon Court
    Currently serves as the party’s key infrastructure and related policy spokesman. His background as an engineer and Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Infrastructure & RMA Reform) positions him as a key voice on infrastructure delivery and planning.

  • Cameron Luxton
    As of the 2023 Parliament, Luxton holds the transport/infrastructure portfolio for ACT and is active in parliamentary committees relevant to transport.

(If relevant in future, add previous transport spokespeople or policy leads as they change.)

Frequently Asked Questions – ACT Transport Policy

What is ACT’s position on road funding?
ACT supports a stronger user-pays model, moving away from fuel excise and toward road user charges and tolling for infrastructure.

Does ACT support congestion charging?
Yes, ACT supports congestion charging if revenue is reinvested into congestion-reducing infrastructure rather than general revenue.

What is ACT’s view on public-private partnerships?
ACT supports PPP models to improve infrastructure delivery efficiency and attract private capital.

Who is ACT’s transport spokesperson?
Cameron Luxton currently holds transport/infrastructure responsibilities within ACT’s parliamentary caucus.

What is ACT’s view on bus and coach sector consolidation?
ACT maintains that competition concerns fall under the Commerce Commission and supports reducing barriers to entry for new operators.

What Has Been Announced for the Current Cycle

ACT’s transport policy announcements to date include:

  • Poll critiques & transport funding reform — Public commentary and policy releases emphasising the need to “take politics out of transport” and implement funding reforms aimed at fairer user-pays systems.

  • Private partnership emphasis — Proposals to use PPPs and tolling to accelerate road infrastructure delivery and reduce cost pressures on taxpayers.

  • Local accountability in transport-decision making — Supports giving councils/local boards increased decision rights over speed limits and transport infrastructure priorities.

As the election campaign continues and ACT releases more detailed transport policies, this page can be expanded with new announcements, quotes, costed policy documents, and commentary from party spokespeople as part of the Transport 2026 project.