# Election 2026 Campaign Diary: Seymour plays to strength and Hipkins doesn't disagree

> Act leader David Seymour focuses on medicines policy while Labour's Chris Hipkins acknowledges his role in Pharmac.
- Title: Election 2026 Campaign Diary: Seymour plays to strength and…
- Summary: Act leader David Seymour focuses on medicines policy while Labour's Chris Hipkins acknowledges his role in Pharmac. David Seymour's Act Party pledges 1% of…
- Keywords: act, david seymour, chris hipkins, pharmac, medicines policy, election 2026, new zealand, politics, news, Election, 2026, Campaign
- Source: NZ Herald — https://nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2026-campaign-diary-seymour-plays-to-strength-and-hipkins-doesnt-disagree/premium/XCHJ3UXTOFENNLAASQG72SJDPU
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: act, david seymour, chris hipkins, pharmac, medicines policy, election 2026, new zealand, politics, news
## Seymour's medicines policy focus
Act leader David Seymour is campaigning on a positive policy area where his party has performed strongly: medicines and Pharmac.

> We haven’t been the newest, we’re not the biggest, we’re not the loudest but, gee, we’ve certainly had our head down and our bum up.
## 1% health spending pledge
Seymour has released a new policy to dedicate 1% of new health spending each year to medicines, aiming for parity with Australia by 2033.
## Health spending comparison
New Zealand spends 4.9% of its health budget annually on medicines while Australia spends 12.2%.
## Hipkins' acknowledgment
Labour leader Chris Hipkins has given Seymour veiled credit in his role as the minister in charge of Pharmac.

> By and large, I think medicines policy just needs more money but the overall approach to managing medicines I am not going to argue with.
## Seymour's 2023 campaign
Seymour's campaign was more fraught in 2023, particularly his push for the Treaty Principles Bill despite the turmoil it created.
## Engineered overhang game
Te Pāti Māori is engineering an overhang to advantage the centre left by encouraging supporters to vote for Labour or the Greens.
## Labour's stance
Labour has consistently opposed the engineered overhang strategy and is running a two-tick campaign in every seat.
## Shane Jones' fishing plan
New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones plans to reward party volunteers with fishing trips before election results.
## Seymour's party assessment
Seymour described his Act Party's record as 'not the newest, not the biggest, not the loudest but we’ve certainly had our head down and our bum up.'

> We haven’t been the newest, we’re not the biggest, we’re not the loudest but, gee, we’ve certainly had our head down and our bum up.
## Te Pāti Māori's strategy
Te Pāti Māori needs Labour and the Greens' permission to engineer an overhang, but Labour has not granted it.
## Seymour's 2026 campaign
Seymour is campaigning on a positive policy area where Act has performed strongly: medicines and Pharmac.
## Seymour's policy timeline
Seymour has released a new policy for a second term to dedicate 1% of new health spending each year to medicines.
## Health spending gap
New Zealand spends 4.9% of its health budget annually on medicines while Australia spends 12.2%.
## Hipkins' policy stance
Hipkins stated that medicines policy just needs more money but he will not argue with the overall approach to managing medicines.

> By and large, I think medicines policy just needs more money but the overall approach to managing medicines I am not going to argue with.
## Seymour's 2023 challenges
Seymour faced challenges in 2023, particularly his push for the Treaty Principles Bill despite the turmoil it created.
## Seymour's campaign strategy
Seymour is reinforcing his 1% health spending pledge for medicines to match Australia by 2033.
## Key takeaway

David Seymour's Act Party pledges 1% of new health spending annually for medicines to match Australia by 2033, with Labour's Chris Hipkins conceding no disagreement on the approach.