The policy is almost identical to a policy Act announced in June, which also seeks to cap compulsory branded items and allow more generic options be worn.
Unveiled today by Hipkins and education spokeswoman Ginny Andersen in Palmerston North, Labour’s policy aims to lower the cost of purchasing school uniforms, which the party says can reach as high as $1000 for secondary school students.
Labour would limit the number of branded uniform items parents must buy, though there would be no fixed limit as sometimes schools might be able to get a good bulk-buying deal on branded items.
The policy would allow “affordable, non-branded” alternatives that meet school standards to be accepted and to “take affordability into account when setting uniform policies”.
There also wouldn’t be a fixed limit on how much compulsory school items should cost, though Hipkins said uniforms shouldn’t cost more than $200 in total.
The Ministry of Education would be mandated to assess whether a school was being fair in terms of what it was requiring for its students’ uniforms, Hipkins said.
Labour would also “track and publish uniform costs” with an eye on measures that could make uniforms cheaper, which schools should be able to that within existing baselines, Hipkins said.
The policy would come into force from term 1 in 2028 if Labour is elected.
“Families shouldn’t need to turn to hardship support just to get their kids ready for school. We can take practical steps to bring those costs down,” Hipkins said.
“Schools can maintain their identity without forcing parents to pay a premium for a logo,” Andersen said.
“If a plain navy polo does the job, parents shouldn’t have to pay more for the branded version.”
The party linked the policy with already announced policies focused on the costs associated with education, including its free school lunches policy and restoring some rural school bus routes.
In June, Act education spokeswoman Laura McClure announced her party would introduce a cap of three compulsory branded items for state schools.
It would also allow “more generic alternatives” of shorts, pants, skirts, skorts and socks purchased from retailers such as The Warehouse or Kmart.
Hipkins said Labour wasn’t copying Act, but had been looking at this policy for a long time.
“Every now and then, other parties will also have a good idea that supports something we want to do.”
Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.