National Party of Australia policies and positions in 2026

The short answer

National Party of Australia policies and positions in 2026

The National Party of Australia states its positions through Coalition announcements including the Australian Values Migration Plan (April 2026), fuel security policy (April 2026), and the dated 2025 election document 'Our Plan for Regional Australia' (May 2025). All claims are attributed to National Party and Coalition sources and have not been independently verified.

This guide uses public electoral and parliamentary records. A party or candidate statement establishes what that actor says; it does not independently establish that the statement is true.

The useful question is not only “what is the rule?” but also “who administers it, which document controls it, and when might it change?” That distinction prevents an accurate general explanation from becoming wrong advice in a particular election, chamber or policy setting.

Evidence review

Housing

The National Party's 'Our Plan for Regional Australia', dated 2 May 2025 and described by the party as election material, states that 'families across regional Australia are grappling with a cost-of-living crisis, soaring rents and mortgages, and a growing shortage of affordable housing.' This is a 2025 election document and does not represent a 2026 policy update. The party states that Labor has 'cut or delayed billions in funding for vital regional road, transport, and water infrastructure,' which the party says affects housing development in regional areas.

The National Party does not publish a separate housing policy page among its 2026 source material. The party's 14 April 2026 migration announcement and 28 April 2026 fuel security plan do not address housing supply, affordability or rental policy. The party does not specify a regional housing target, a position on the Housing Australia Future Fund, or a position on rent assistance on the reviewed source pages.

The party's 2025 election document states that 'all Australians deserve access to affordable housing' and frames the shortage as a consequence of Labor government decisions. The party does not specify in this dated election document whether it supports shared equity schemes, negative gearing reform, or specific construction incentives for regional areas. The National Party does not provide independently verified data on regional housing completions or rental vacancy rates in the reviewed pages.

Evidence review

Tax and cost of living

The National Party's 'Our Plan for Regional Australia', a 2025 election document, states that regional Australians are facing a cost-of-living crisis and that Labor has cut infrastructure funding. The party says that 'funding for community facilities has been slashed' and that 'access to subsidised mental health services has been reduced.' These claims are attributable to the party's 2025 election material and have not been independently verified.

The National Party does not publish tax policy separately from the Coalition's broad tax positions in its reviewed source pages. The party's 2026 announcements — the migration plan (14 April 2026) and fuel security plan (28 April 2026) — do not address personal income tax, corporate tax, GST or other taxation measures. The party does not specify its position on Labor's stage three tax cuts, the tax reform bill passed in June 2026, or any specific tax relief for regional Australians.

On cost of living, the party states in its 2025 election document that regional families face higher costs for transport, goods and services. The party does not propose region-specific cost-of-living measures or quantify the cost of any proposed relief in the reviewed source pages. The National Party does not specify whether it would retain, modify or replace the energy bill relief payments or other Commonwealth cost-of-living measures.

Evidence review

Climate and energy

The National Party's fuel security plan, published on 28 April 2026, states that 'the Coalition will more than double Australia's minimum fuel reserves to 60 days and deliver at least 1 billion litres of new storage through an $800 million Australian Fuel Security Facility.' The party says this is a practical plan that the government can adopt now, calling on the government to lift baseline stockholding levels from 1 January 2027. This is a current 2026 Coalition announcement attributed to the National Party.

The fuel security plan states the Coalition wants to 'protect Australians' way of life and restore their standard of living' and 'keep the economy moving' when global shocks hit. This plan addresses fuel storage, not renewable energy generation or emissions reduction. The National Party does not state a position on renewable energy targets, the Safeguard Mechanism, or the Climate Change Act 2022 in its reviewed source pages.

The party's 2025 election document, 'Our Plan for Regional Australia', does not contain a dedicated climate or energy section. The National Party does not specify its position on the 43 per cent emissions reduction target, net zero by 2050, or the role of coal and gas in the energy mix beyond the fuel security context, in the pages available for review.

Evidence review

Healthcare

The National Party's 2025 election document states that under Labor 'it has become harder than ever to see a country GP or secure local childcare.' The party says 'access to subsidised mental health services has been reduced' and that a 'critical shortage of GPs, specialists and health professionals' affects regional communities. These are attributions from the party's 2025 election material, which is not a 2026 policy document.

The party's 2026 announcements do not include a standalone healthcare policy. The 14 April 2026 migration plan and the 28 April 2026 fuel security plan are silent on Medicare, bulk billing, hospital funding, aged care, and mental health policy. The National Party does not specify whether it supports the $9 billion Medicare commitment announced by the Liberal Party in February 2025, or any specific regional health workforce initiative in its current 2026 source material.

The party does not specify a position on the 60-day prescription changes, Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, or dental care access in the reviewed pages. The National Party states in its 2025 election document that regional health access has declined, but the party does not quantify the decline or propose specific remedies with costings in the pages available for review.

Evidence review

Migration

The National Party's Australian Values Migration Plan, published on 14 April 2026, is the party's most current and detailed policy statement. The party states that 'a Coalition Government will restore integrity, fairness and public confidence in Australia's migration system' through a 'comprehensive Australian Values Migration Plan.' The party says the plan will 'lift the standards and reduce the numbers of Labor's out of control migration by putting Australian values at the heart of immigration policy.'

The party states that the policies announced will 'strengthen Australian values, shut the door to people who abuse our immigration system and show a red light to radicals.' Opposition Leader Angus Taylor is cited as saying the Coalition will 'protect Australians' way of life and restore Australians' living standards.' The National Party does not specify a numerical target for reduced migration intake, the mechanism for determining who abuses the immigration system, or the legal basis for the 'Australian values' test in the reviewed source page.

The party does not specify in this announcement how the values-based approach interacts with existing skilled migration programs, humanitarian intake, family reunion streams, or international student policy. The party does not address temporary migration or provide costings for the implementation of the values test. The 2025 election document is silent on migration, making the April 2026 Values Migration Plan the party's primary current policy statement on the issue.

Common questions

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