NZ First leader Winston Peters has launched a stinging attack on Labour’s public transport policy, mocking it as Oprah Winfrey-style “free stuff” and arguing that taxpayers would ultimately foot the bill.

Commuters in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch would pay no more than $20 a week for public transport under a $65 million-a-year Labour election promise. In other regions, the weekly cap would be set at $10, according to Labour.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said “Our fare cap is a major cost-of-living commitment designed to put money back into the pockets of commuters, students and families.”

“New Zealanders will be able to use public transport as much as they want all week for only $20 in our major cities and just $10 everywhere else,” he said.

“From 1 July 2027 under a Labour Government, once a commuter has reached their fare cap, every additional trip that week is free.”

Hipkins said the policy would give people more freedom to get to work, study, attend appointments and see family and friends without worrying about the cost.

“This is real cost-of-living relief. It means cheaper commutes, more money left at the end of the week, and a public transport system that works for everyone,” Hipkins said.

In a Facebook post, Peters said Labour had spent more than two years in opposition only to produce a plan to cap public transport costs, which he claimed would apply selectively.

“It took two and a half years, a bonfire of useless old policy, a lame excuse to wait for the budget, and all Labour could come up with was ‘capping public transport costs’…but just for some people…just in some areas…just for some things,” he said.

Peters said Labour was promising that public transport would cost up to $20 a week, after which there would be no charge.

“Newsflash: nothing is ever ‘free’,” he said.

He argued the cost would simply fall on taxpayers, including the people using the services, saying “money doesn’t grow on trees”.

“People who are riding on public transport are the taxpayers who are going to pay for it,” he said.

Peters said Labour planned to move $65 million from the National Land Transport Fund to cover the policy, which he claimed would leave other commitments unfunded or force the party to borrow or raise taxes.

He said the move would mean “something else that money was already allocated to will now not be paid for”.

Peters also pointed to Labour’s proposal for three free doctor’s visits.

“It’s starting to sound like an Oprah Winfrey episode where everyone gets free stuff handed out. You get one, you get one, everyone gets one!” he said.

He contrasted Labour’s approach with NZ First’s recent announcements, listing policies on breaking up the power companies, splitting the supermarket duopoly, establishing a competitive state owned bank, returning royalties to the regions, creating a KiwiSaver generation for newborns with increased contributions, and setting up a New Zealand Future Fund.

“Those are what you call real policies that tackle the cost of living issues for kiwis and start to build a country we are all proud of,” he said.

“Labour just wants to hand out ‘free stuff’ like Oprah.”