(serious breaches of the law will see residency approvals cancelled and deportation ordered).
• ensure, where appropriate, health screening of overseas visitors to stop the current abuse of our public health system and to protect our citizens.
• ensure that failure to disclose all relevant information in applications for residency results in deportation.
• offer approved immigrants citizenship (with full rights) or permanent residence (and be subject to foreign ownership restrictions).
Those who attain the status of citizenship will obtain the same rights as if born here.
• give greater priority to immigrants who have the skills and qualifications necessary to further regional economic and social goals.
• require registration of immigration consultants.
• ensure the appropriate induction of immigrants into New Zealand society with due weight given to an understanding of New Zealand customs and an acceptance of New Zealand culture and values.
• require professional bodies to accept overseas qualifications that have been recognised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.
• accept refugees on a case by case basis in liaison with local government and in accordance with the current U.N.
quota (750 pa), and only once high quality settlement programmes have been implemented.
• ensure that asylum seekers will not gain priority entry to New Zealand.
and, • develop a population policy that integrates immigration policy and economic policy.
Taxation
To protect our nation’s tax base New Zealand First will reform the taxation system by: simplifying tax processes.
clarifying tax legislation.
ensuring that the taxation laws of New Zealand are upheld.
and that all, large or small, pay their taxes.
Our long term objective is New Zealanders paying less tax.
New Zealand First will:
• introduce an accelerated depreciation regime for specified industries and selected approved investments so as to assist business development.
• provide tax incentives for research and development.
• develop, in partnership with strategic cluster groups, a range of tax incentives for business activities which add value, create employment, provide export growth and/or new technology development.
Such measures will include tax abatement on value added and ‘start up’ tax concessions.
• investigate a range of incentives to facilitate the growth of domestic savings.
• remain opposed to any increase in general taxation.
• upon achieving short term growth goals aim to reduce corporate taxation.
• following the achievement of intermediate growth goals and focused social expenditure aim to reduce personal income tax levels.
• re-introduce the New Zealand First programme of applying an increasing proportion of petrol taxation to the development of New Zealand’s transport infrastructure.
• ensure that the IRD’s application of the compliance and penalties regimes is fair and equitable.
• reduce tax compliance costs by monitoring, evaluating (and amending as necessary) the measures introduced during our time in Government.
Priorities remain: streamlining of taxation analysis and preparation of returns processes.
and making the tax system as neutral and equitable as possible.
• require that disclosure of tax schemes that affect the instance of tax payable by more than $50,000, be mandatory.
• ensure that any failure to disclose (or the falsification of material facts) by a person experienced in taxation matters is treated as a serious criminal offence.
If a sum of greater than $5m revenue is involved, it will carry a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.
• establish a tax ombudsman to investigate tax payer complaints.
and, • amend requirements and implement practices to enable the IRD to more appropriately remit tax liabilities or enter into arrangements for deferred payments.
Energy
New Zealand First will take steps to ensure that electricity is delivered to all New Zealanders at the lowest reasonable price that is consistent with the maintenance of a viable industry.
We will:
• seek to minimise the environmental costs of generating electricity
whilst facilitating continuity of supply.
There will be no privatisation of Meridian, Genesis, and Mighty River Power, or Transpower.
• regulate electricity lines companies to ensure they cannot exploit a monopolistic position.
• disband the ‘industry governance board’ and replace it with a more representative body.
• ensure that barriers to competition are identified and removed within both the electricity retail and wholesale sectors.
• consider a range of incentives for reducing demand in times of restricted low supply.
• develop a fixed line charging regime that ensures smaller domestic consumers are not disadvantaged.
and, • ensure that Energy Efficiency measures are encompassed by the wider energy policies of Government.
Savings and Investment
New Zealand has gross savings of 15.6% of GDP.
This compares unfavourably with Ireland (24.1%), Finland(27.6%) and Singapore (56 2%).
It is up to us as a nation to see that we fund enough of our own development to ensure that we do not lose control of our resources.
There can be no substitute for a national savings strategy if we are to be in charge of our future.
I: Foreign Investment
New Zealand First’s foreign investment strategy is based upon the premise that such investment must be in the interests of New Zealand.
New Zealand First will:
• promote the creation of an internal investment/savings base to provide a clear alternative to foreign credit for the development of New Zealand infrastructure and businesses.
• ensure that priorities for foreign investment in New Zealand will depend on whether this brings new technology and employment and export growth.
• build on the 1997 New Zealand First initiative to drastically reduce the sales of land to foreigners each year.
• make the Overseas Investment Commission fully independent of the Reserve Bank.
A new organisation, the Investment Commission, will take over the functions of the OIC and some of the tasks of the current Commerce Commission.
• stop state asset sales.
If considered appropriate, and only where necessary, public assets currently in the hands of the Government will be commercially managed in the public interest and ownership.
• limit foreign investment in strategic assets to 24.9%.
and, • strike a balance between preserving the nation’s infrastructure in New Zealand hands and ensuring that New Zealand enterprises can enter partnerships with international agencies for their mutual benefit.
II: Superannuation
New Zealand First will:
• ensure the needs of retired New Zealanders are met through a sustainable superannuation scheme.
In giving people certainty (and thus security)
such a scheme also gives New Zealand an expanded savings base.
• incrementally raise the base minimum level of New Zealand superannuation to 72. 5% of the net average wage (calculated on married couples with a similar adjustment of rates for singles persons).
This plan will be pursued in the interests of the dignity and security of our retired citizens and all New Zealanders who expect to retire with dignity in the future.
• cement in place the age of entitlement, commencing at 65 years.
• ensure that purchasing power remains constant.
• facilitate the transition from the pay-as-we-go scheme through the cost smoothing mechanisms of the newly established fund to a new save-as-we-go scheme.
• amend the legislation relating to the Superannuation Fund to tag individual entitlements, guaranteed by the state, and to make them untouchable by future generations of politicians.
• require the fund managers to invest in New Zealand infrastructure and growth industries
including making funds available at competitive interest rates to Transfund/Transit,
the proposed rail track enterprise,
and local government for capital projects.
• provide that (on a pro rata basis) receipts of superannuation at death will form part of the deceased estate - there will be no requirement to make repayments.
• add to the dedicated fund through tax-incentivised personal savings in the name of the saver and thus ensure that the national interest for enhanced domestic savings is maximised.
• require that the contributory scheme must contain portability provisions over time and between jobs,
and that it must be able to be drawn upon if the recipient is outside of New Zealand.
• pass legislation which ensures that any modifications to the scheme can only be made with a 75% majority in the House of Representatives.
• ensure that any new scheme would not affect any person who at the time of introduction was aged 55 years or older and thus maintain certainty for that group currently closest to retirement.
• encourage the development of good savings habits for our children.
and, • introduce a “Home Equity” scheme, run by the Government, that allows retirees to finance additional expenditure by utilising their home as a secured asset.
Rural and Provincial New Zealand
New Zealand First recognises the need for greater governmental rigour in ensuring that provincial and rural New Zealanders are not handicapped by their location and that they are given every opportunity to continue to create wealth for New Zealand through their initiative, hard work and enterprise.
A fiscally responsible approach that balances the competing demands of economic development, social advancement, and debt repayment
needs to be combined with a flexible monetary policy that enables export and employment growth.
New Zealand First will:
• legislate for a more flexible monetary policy (see above).
• ensure social equity for rural New Zealand (social impact analysis to accompany cost/benefit analysis in government decision making processes).
• introduce a range of export-promoting policies (see Trade, above).
• re-establish a Rural Affairs Unit.
establish working relationships with rural advocacy groups to ensure that rural and provincial views and issues are heard.
• promote policies that recognise that because of varying international commodity prices, it is essential that the domestic environment does not unduly add to production costs or impede efficiency of our primary producers,
e.g. New Zealand First supports the Resource Management Act review process and will support amendments which reduce compliance costs, and which facilitate the application of the Act.
New Zealand First advocated and supported the removal of stamp duties related to the conveyancing and lease of farmland as they were an impediment to the rural sector organising and structuring itself in the most cost-effective and productive manner.
• introduce a Mortgage Guarantee Scheme - to encourage younger, more energetic people to attain farm ownership.
• work with farming groups to find an improved means of meeting livestock valuation requirements.
• improve industry training (see Employment above)
and expand the farm cadet scheme.
• provide incentives for Regional Development programmes.
• implement the co-ordinated study of the effects of climate change,
and the setting up of a climate change/land use advisory unit.
and
• support the development of water harvesting (irrigation) schemes that satisfy feasibility, viability, and environmental requirements.
EDUCATION
INTRODUCTION
“The quality of the future we leave to our children is determined by the quality of the children we leave for our future”.
New Zealand First believes that education is a critical social and economic investment.
We will continue to deliver policies that develop an education system fit for the 21st century
and that enables each and every New Zealander to achieve his or her greatest potential.
The foundation of education lies in the family.
New Zealand First will focus programmes that assist families to provide the best environment of care and educational development.
The framework for early childhood education established under the “Before Five” policy will be maintained and early childhood education will be advanced within this framework.
Within the compulsory sector, New Zealand First believes that structural refinements are necessary if the policy of local self-management is to be fully functional.
At the tertiary level, New Zealand First believes that there is a degree of private good which should be funded by students.
However, the existing regime is too harsh,
particularly on middle income families.
Priorities for New Zealand First will be to:
• implement policies which will increase participation rates and quality provision of early childhood education.
• develop a comprehensive package of parent support and guidance programmes.
• increase the amount of discretionary funding available to decile 3-10 schools by flattening the distribution curve.
• attend to workload issues of teachers,
and universalise sabbatical provisions.
• strengthen and improve education provisions in all sectors for rural areas.
• implement a human resource planning component to policy development.
• develop a new, non-adversarial system for establishing pay and conditions of teachers.
• introduce a universal student allowance.
• reinstate the Emergency Unemployment Benefit for students.
and
• increase the proportion of the tertiary tuition subsidy to at least that of the 1998 budget.
Early Childhood Education
The importance of the early years of development is recognised by New Zealand First.
In particular, New Zealand First affirms the importance of the family for the optimum development of children
and will develop and fund programmes which will provide all families with support and guidance in this role.
Moreover, for formal early childhood education, New Zealand First will continue to pursue the joint goals of increased participation rates and enhanced quality provision,
in particular for those groups which have least access to high quality programmes.
PLANS
A New Zealand First led Government will:
• initiate Family Start Programmes across the country aimed at those children at greatest risk of less than optimal development.
• make available Home Instructional Programme for Pre-schoolers and Youngsters (HIPPY) programmes to all families with low levels of educational capital.
• develop Parents as First Teacher (PAFT) programmes across the country.
• extend the 0800 advice line services.
• combine all parent-caregiver support programmes under the umbrella of a singular agency.
• increase the discretionary grants available to communities for building or upgrading early childhood facilities in order to increase participation rates.
• increase early childhood grants to enable salaries of early childhood teachers to be equivalent to those with comparable qualifications and workloads in the compulsory sector.
• make top funding rate available to all early childhood centres providing certain quality indicators are achieved.
• explore the possibilities of enabling early childhood centres to be funded more than six hours per day and for weekend sessions.
• develop and resource programmes which will increase participation of Maori and Pacific Island pre-schoolers.
and, • assist the development of a range of Maori and Pacific Island language immersion programmes.
Compulsory Schooling
New Zealand First remains committed to the concept of “Tomorrow’s Schools” and will pursue policies and programmes to enable it to fully function, so that all children will leave school with the skills to undertake higher education and/or vocational training.
New Zealand First recognises the importance of Boards of Trustees, principals, teachers, and other staff members, parents and community members in the schooling process and will continue to provide policy which will support them in their endeavours.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
• reformulate the decile funding component to lift the amounts available to those in decile 3-10 schools.
• instigate a new system for the establishment of teacher’s pay and conditions which will ensure New Zealand maintains the best quality teaching force in the world and children do not lose educational time through teacher strikes.
• increase the pool of funds available for Targeted Rural Funding to reflect additional costs facing all rural schools.
• not pursue a system of bulk-funding of teacher salaries unless there is an acceptance by the teaching force of its merits.
• create a co-ordinated system of school support building on the Learning Support Centres.
• universalise sabbatical provisions for teachers.
• not tolerate failing schools
and introduce a Ministry school provision in those cases where the Tomorrow’s Schools model is not working.
• develop a nation-wide anti-bullying campaign.
• establish a taskforce to identify the particular factors relating to the underachievement of boys and make recommendations to the government.
• reduce class sizes for lower decile schools in the first three years of schooling.
• prioritise staffing improvements at the secondary level to facilitate the implementation of NCEA.
• develop para-professional workers within the school system.
• develop a languages policy so that all children develop full competence in English plus one other language.
• refocus attention within our educational institutions on the multi-cultural dimension of our nation.
and, • deliberately foster a sense of national pride and unity through our educational institutions.
TERTIARY EDUCATION
The key to our nation’s economic and social future lies in education.
While tertiary education cannot be allowed to be solely focused on skills for employment, such focus must be a significant element of any system.
The tertiary system must be designed to maximise both economic and social objectives, enhancing needed vocational skills and academic acumen.
New Zealand First supports the general principles of the tertiary reforms.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
• in its first year introduce the first step towards a universal student allowance and proceed over three years to full implementation by progressively increasing the family income levels at which the abatement commences and when allowances disappear.
• increase the proportion of the tertiary tuition subsidy to at least that of the 1998 budget.
• increase the proportion of tertiary tuition subsidies for specific courses to increase the number of appropriately qualified graduates (eg. science and technology).
• introduce further scholarships (especially at post graduate level) to ensure that we keep our best students
and provide for research and development expertise.
• introduce a system that encourages graduates to provide a professional service for areas of New Zealand that suffer from a shortage of such services by way of fees abatement.
• set interest rates on student loans at CPI plus 2%.
• charge interest (whilst the student is engaged in study) at a rate equal to the consumer price index.
• reinstate access to the Emergency Unemployment Benefit for students not receiving allowances.
• require all tertiary institutions to provide pre-enrolment information on potential local and national vocational opportunities as an outcome of any course, or qualification.
• clearly define the status of wananga along iwitanga lines
and provide with initial capital funding.
• establish a system of triennial funding.
and, unpackage the research component of EFTS and refocus it on scholarships.
EMPLOYMENT
INTRODUCTION
The employment of New Zealanders is our first planning priority.
Unemployment is a huge cost to the nation.
It is a direct cost to taxation, it contributes to the level of crime, and makes demands on our health system.
Essentially employment creation is dependent upon wealth creation
and a system which efficiently distributes that wealth.
Businesses, particularly small businesses, are the major employers and job and wealth creation is dependent upon such enterprises thriving.
New Zealand has a small domestic market.
As a result business development and wealth creation must be export led.
Maximising the value-added content of our exports is a priority.
It is also to the nation’s advantage to encourage commercially driven initiatives and regional development.
New Zealand First is firmly committed to policies which will achieve these objectives.
Export and employment objectives will be added to Reserve Bank targets.
The industrial relations environment that facilitates economic and employment growth must be based on fairness, flexibility, and neutrality.
It is also important that people obtain and retain a sense of worth, and self esteem through making a contribution to their society.
New Zealand First is committed to the concept of a community wage,
and to ensuring that people move from dependence on the state, to a state of independence.
Our vision is of a nation made up of well educated, determined, healthy, and innovative people,
and an expanding business programme geared around exports, regional development, job growth, and harnessing the natural attributes of the country.
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
INTRODUCTION
For business to succeed there needs to be a workable industrial environment.
Employers need skilled, dedicated, and flexible staff, whilst employees require stability in employment and appropriate conditions and remuneration.
An ideal industrial relations environment is one based on fairness, flexibility, and neutrality between the parties.
New Zealand First policies are supportive of such an environment and recognise that this is essential to achieving high sustainable economic growth.
PLANS
Employment of New Zealanders wishing to work is our first priority.
New Zealand First will:
• establish an Industrial Relations Advisory Group.
• amend industrial laws to ensure that casualisation employment practices are fair and just to all parties.
• review the practice of short term employment contracts.
• conduct an inquiry into waterfront employment structures and operational practices.
• allocate sufficient resources to enable the Labour Department to give greater emphasis to education (small employers/new entrants to workforce) and OSH inspections.
• review the Holidays Act to ensure fairness and flexibility.
and, • introduce a new system for establishing the pay and conditions of teachers.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
INTRODUCTION
Enhanced prosperity is dependent upon high sustainable economic growth.
New Zealand First is firmly committed to the pro-active support of business.
Successful business means increased employment.
To achieve and maintain this there needs to be innovation
and co-operation.
research and development.
appropriate incentives.
good management and sound practices.
minimum compliance costs.
and, a highly skilled labour force.
New Zealand First believes that total taxation should be used to help New Zealanders, and so should the tax structures.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
• progressively reduce business compliance costs.
• ensure accident compensation is made fairer,
more efficient,
and more cost effective.
• place greater emphasis on developing partnerships between the private sector and central and local government.
This includes encouraging regional development,
and Research and Development.
• apply incentives to business activities which add value, create employment, provide export growth (or import substitution), and/or contribute to regional development.
• reduce tax compliance costs by monitoring, evaluating, and amending measures introduced during our time in government.
Priorities remain: streamlining taxation analysis and the preparation of returns.
and making the tax system as neutral and equitable as possible.
• remain opposed to any increase in general taxation.
• in the medium term provide for the goal of increased competiveness via reduced corporate taxation.
• introduce an accelerated depreciation regime for specified industries and selected approved investments
so as to assist business development.
• support Skill NZ in enhancing the relationship between employers and ITOs in the  development of programmes which up-skill labour to meet employer’s needs.
• improve transportation.
• further develop export guarantees
to encourage export growth.
• facilitate technology transfer to ensure that developments can be readily transferred between sectors.
• expand venture capital funding to encourage innovation
and export and/or employment growth.
and, • ensure Trade New Zealand focuses increasingly on the development of emerging markets.
COMMUNITY WAGE
INTRODUCTION
New Zealand First is firmly committed to the concept of mutual obligations.
Where a person is unable to obtain paid employment the state will pay that person on the understanding that that person makes a contribution back to the community.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
• determine a range of activities deemed to be community work.
• empower Regional Commissioners to train and utilise community wage workers for the construction of homes for low income people on multiple owned land.
• further empower Regional Commissioners to make individual decisions tailored for the needs of their region.
• encourage local government use of the community wage scheme for conservation and weed control activities.
• reinstate access to the Emergency Unemployment Benefit (community wage) for students not receiving allowances.
and, • introduce national military or community service for young people out of work who will be paid the community wage during their training, aimed at fostering discipline and self esteem.
INDUSTRIAL TRAINING
INTRODUCTION
New Zealand First remains committed to industry training
managed by industry itself.
During the New Zealand First-National Coalition the number of industry training places increased from 18,000 in 1996 to 45,000 by 1998.
The structure set in place by that Government has enabled the numbers to grow to 70,000.
New Zealand First supports the Modern Apprenticeship scheme as a part of a total industry training package.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
• continue to refine and develop industrial training.
• maintain the modern apprenticeship programme.
• ensure that farmers and other rural workers are able to access industry training funds.
• develop a “community wage” scheme to allow businesses to offer apprenticeships and other training schemes through a ‘topped up weekly wage’ system.
• extend the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme to older trainees.
and, • recognise the particular difficulties of displaced workers in the 50 plus age bracket and develop programmes to meet their particular needs.
FAMILY AND SOCIAL POLICY
The Welfare State
The Welfare State must be an umbrella to meet genuine and deserving need.
Government has a duty to properly determine those needs and respond to them.
That said, social welfare must no longer neglect assisting recipients to become independent of the State.
A huge social price has been paid for the economic policy of successive Labour and National governments.
70% of New Zealanders receive less than the ‘average wage’.
We have seen a government focus more on racial difference than on need.
We have seen unplanned immigration change the structure of our population.
We are faced with an ageing population.
We have some groups in our society who are facing third generation unemployment by lifestyle choice.
New Zealand First is firmly committed to the concept of mutual obligations.
Where a person is unable to obtain paid employment the state will pay that person on the understanding that that person makes a contribution back to the community.
New Zealand First will resurrect the community wage policy.
The social fabric of our society has been seriously eroded by the promotion of so-called liberal policies without so much as a by-your-leave.
It is time to arrest these trends and to be clear about what we stand for.
1.1m New Zealanders have a Community Services Card.
500,000 New Zealanders receive some form of retirement income.
Over 404,000 receive income support.
143,000 of our young and most talented are operating on student loans (but only 56,000 can access student allowances,
and many of them are students from overseas with ‘hidden’ incomes).
The importance of the early years of development is recognised by New Zealand First.
In particular, New Zealand First affirms the importance of the family for the optimum development of children
and will develop and fund programmes that provide families with support and guidance to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our children.
New Zealand First will:
• focus on the pursuit of policies that promote social cohesion.
We will put an end to the Treaty of Waitangi grievance industry
and cease platitudinous statements about the Treaty being inserted in our legislation.
• direct resources to where they are of the greatest benefit (according to need, not to race).
Education is the key to upward mobility.
Without it our citizens are condemned to a narrow range of options and certain failure to reach their potential.
• resurrect the policy of a community wage, paid to those who are unable to reasonably find paid employment
but who will be expected to make a contribution back to the community which is paying them.
• put an end to the aimless restructuring of government services,
remove all unnecessary rules and regulations based on misguided political correctness,
and require a return to a public service ethic within the bureaucracy.
• continue to fight to protect our social fabric and traditional family values by opposing liberalisation of such laws as those currently under amendment by this government relating to such issues as prostitution, cannabis use, and property rights for same sex couples.
• mount a war on youth and recidivist offending,
and aggressively targeting ‘entry level’ crime by those seeking to enter the crime industry.
• ensure that the employment of New Zealanders remains our first planning priority.
Unemployment is a human and economic waste ands a blight on our country’s productivity.
• encourage greater independence and facilitate the transition to work for beneficiaries by raising abatement of benefit levels.
• cease to use immigration as an excuse for our failure to train, skill, and employ our own people or to put New Zealand families first.
• implement policies which will increase participation rates and quality provision of early childhood education.
• develop a comprehensive package of parent support and guidance programmes.
• initiate Family Start Programmes across the country aimed at those children at greatest risk of less than optimal development.
• make available Home Instructional Programme for Pre-schoolers and Youngsters (HIPPY) programmes to all families with low levels of educational capital.
• develop Parents as First Teacher (PAFT) programmes across the country.
• introduce policies that are fair and supportive of grand parents raising their grand-children.
• extend the 0800 advice line services.
• combine all parent-caregiver support programmes under the umbrella of a singular agency.
• not tolerate failing schools
and introduce a Ministry school provision in those cases where the Tomorrow’s Schools model is not working.
• develop a nation-wide anti-bullying campaign.
• establish a taskforce to identify the particular factors relating to the underachievement of boys and make recommendations to the government.
• introduce a universal student allowance.
• reinstate the Emergency Unemployment Benefit for students.
• continue to focus upon family health, and particularly early intervention, by expanding such programmes as “Family Start” and home based support.
• restore emphasis on preventative measures and health education.
• introduce nationwide health screening for all children under one year.
• provide nationwide screening for Hepatitis B (completing the 1997 New Zealand First initiative),
asthma
and diabetes,
ensure access to existing screening programmes (eg, breast cancer and cervical screening services)
and resource the development of suitable screening and/or education programmes for prostate cancer.
• support the introduction of a nationally co-ordinated immunisation register as part of a strategy to stamp out third world illnesses
and advance vaccination programmes for the New Zealand strain of meningococcal disease.
• extend New Zealand First’s initiative (of 1997) of free doctors visits and prescriptions to include primary school aged children.
• ensure that all New Zealand pre-school and school children receive adequate dental care.
• ensure health screening of overseas visitors
and review issues relating to the treatment of overseas patients within our public health system.
• provide additional resourcing for child and youth mental health services.
• redress the inadequate treatment and professional support provided to mentally ill patients and their families.
The lack of discharge planning coupled with refusal of medical responsibility for crisis intervention in some areas remains a great concern.
• introduce national military or community service for young people out of work who will be paid the community wage during their training, aimed at fostering discipline and self esteem.
• lower the age of criminal responsibility and accountability to 14 years of age.
Young offenders 14 years of age and over will be dealt with by the District and High Courts as opposed to Youth Courts.
• retain Family Group Conferences for those who choose to offend under the age of 14 years
but even then, any offender under the age of 14 years will be entitled to be dealt with under this provision only three times and should they choose to offend again, will be dealt with by the adult criminal courts.
• provide the Youth Court with guidelines as to when anonymity of proceedings should be removed to reinforce the offender’s accountability to the community.
• raise the drinking age.
• review the criteria, eligibility and benefits of community cards to ensure access to adequate health care and necessary social services.
• encourage Local Government to retain existing housing stocks for pensioners.
• ensure the needs of retired New Zealanders are met through a sustainable superannuation scheme.
In giving people certainty (and thus security) such a scheme also gives New Zealand an expanded savings base.
and, • ensure that fairness, justice, timeliness and consistency are universal principles of state welfare payments.
FISHERIES
INTRODUCTION
New Zealand fisheries are one of our most valuable natural resources.
Seafood is 4th biggest exporter (after dairy, meat, and timber) with earnings approaching $1.5b.
With the equivalent of 26,000 full time employees the industry is a very significant employer.
Annual sales growth of 8% is indicative of new Zealand’s economic potential.
This is an excellent example of an industry ‘adding value’.
Sustainability is key issue: just as we can’t continue to deplete our farm land neither can we plunder our fisheries.
International concerns, fishing patrols, and (ideally) voluntary conformity with an agreed quota management regime need to be dealt with.
More than a million New Zealanders fish for fun and food every year - a right that needs to be clearly established for all New Zealanders, and responsibilities that need to be similarly clear.
Before any government involving New Zealand First can enter into any shared management arrangements with recreational, customary or commercial fishers, the Minister of Fisheries will have to be satisfied that: a ‘sustainable level of fish stocks’ is clearly defined through appropriate research.
fish stocks will be maintained at or above the sustainable level.
the negative effects of fishing on the aquatic environment will be avoided.
and proposed management plans will not hinder other fishers.
New Zealand First needs to be convinced that the practices and processes of the Ministry are robust and transparent.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
• work towards the New Zealandisation of our fishing industry and resources.
• develop a national policy statement on integrated marine fisheries management.
• foster shared management arrangements with recreational, customary, and commercial fishers
whilst maintaining government control of management research and enforcement.
• rebuild Valued Recreational and Maori Customary Fish species to Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) and above.
• review current fisheries consultation processes to ensure that public consultation on fisheries issues is meaningful and encourages effective communication and collaborative problem solving.
• implement clear accountability systems and auditing programmes of fisheries management performance by public and private management.
• support the introduction of fourth schedule species now, under the same system that applies to others including Crown compensation as agreed to in 1994.
• introduce permit fishery species into the quota management system
and the consequential discharge by the Crown of its statutory obligations to Maori.
• overhaul the cost recovery regime to ensure the rules are simple and fair to all.
• oppose the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No. 2) and the ratification of the Fish Stocks Agreement.
• support the prompt allocation of fisheries assets currently held by Te Ohu Kaimoana (Fisheries Commission) to iwi.
• support the downsizing of the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission once the current litigation has ended.
• support active participation of Maori in the seafood industry.
• ensure that recreational and customary fishing rights are protected and enhanced.
Funding for research and development will be supported to ensure that these practices are understood from a scientific, social equity, and cultural basis and subsequently appreciated and preserved.
• amend fisheries legislation to enable public participation when setting catch limits, environmental controls, and management strategies.
• ensure the representation of recreational fishers on the National Fisheries Advisory Committee.
• focus research on recreational, customary, and commercial fisheries to ensure sustainability.
• consider allocating a quota species (for example of Orange Roughy) which could be leased to finance the administration of the recreational fishing resource (this quota would never be sold).
• oppose licensing of salt water fishers.
• support New Zealand fishing crews and seafood processors.
industry training initiatives.
and the regulation of foreign crews and vessels operating in New Zealand waters.
• facilitate the development, administration and enforcement of food gathering regulations that devolve customary management responsibility to iwi and hapu where practicable.
• encourage recreational fishers to join in partnership with the Crown to administer and regulate recreational fishing in the interests of sustainability.
All recreational fishers should help police the system to ensure that there is no room for poachers and quasi ‘recreational’ fishers who sell or raffle their catches.
This system should be managed regionally, under a national umbrella organisation, such as the Recreational Fishing Council.
• significantly reduce fishing industry compliance costs.
• maintain the current ‘special management’ status of the Chatham Islands by ensuring existing and new stocks remain exclusive to the Chatham Islands.
and • ensure that the aquaculture industry’s legislative needs are met by the fisheries and resource management legislation.
This growth industry (worth over $100m per year) will be reviewed with particular emphasis on the potential for developing marine farms.
Also the review will, as a priority, define the nature and extent of aquacultural rights relative to the Quota Management System, the Sealord settlement,
and clearly define recreational rights.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
INTRODUCTION
New Zealand First was founded on the principle that the interests of New Zealand and New Zealanders are paramount.
New Zealand First’s approach to international relations is tough minded,
independent,
and integrated.
It affirms and enhances our country’s traditional relationships
while recognising the emergence of a global economy,
and the realities of regional politics.
It is recognised that a strong and independent stance must be accompanied by an inner strength.
The emphasis must be on putting our own house in order first.
Our economic policy advocates a closely co-ordinated export-oriented strategy that delivers on our vision of an evolutionary, technologically competitive, and balanced agricultural and industrial future.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
• continue to be a strong supporter of the United Nations.
We will work within the organisation to make it more democratic, accountable, and effective.
• ensure that no political appointments will be made to overseas governmental positions.
• maintain Defence Force roles in international affairs especially in regional peace keeping.
• remain strongly committed to New Zealand’s anti-nuclear policy.
• advocate disarmament
and oppose the possession and use of anti-personnel mines,
chemical and biological weapons,
and other weapons of mass destruction.
• enhance the special New Zealand association and interest in the South Pacific region.
As a good neighbour, New Zealand will make the Pacific its major focus of attention.
• review the level of Overseas Development Assistance, and its global allocation and ensure that it is focused on facilitating priority projects, particularly in the south pacific region.
• maintain Radio New Zealand’s international services.
• focus on facilitating New Zealand’s trading performance: seeking improved trade access,
developing emerging markets,
and promoting industries where there is a clear competitive advantage.
• give primary importance to the needs of New Zealand industries and communities.
Tariffs will be adjusted at no greater pace than that of our trading partners.
• continue to advocate against the exploitation of Antarctica,
for the cessation of all whaling,
and for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
• accept refugees on a case by case basis in liaison with local Government in accordance with the current quota (750 pa) and only once high quality settlement programmes have been implemented.
• ensure that immigration is in New Zealand’s interests.
and • ensure that intelligence gathering is subject to greater and more transparent  Parliamentary control.
FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND STATE ASSETS
INTRODUCTION
New Zealand continues to become ever more dependent upon foreign capital and foreign credit.
New Zealand’s net foreign debt of over 59% of GDP is higher than that of our trading partners despite asset sales and takeovers.
39 state assets were sold under the pretext of reducing this debt - for a total of $19b.
Now we are involved in the process of buying some of them back.
The vast majority of the profits of foreign companies are paid out to their overseas owners.
Our land continues to be sold.
Seventy percent of our forestry is in foreign ownership.
New Zealand First is not opposed to foreign investment but the line has been clearly drawn; such investment must stand the test of being to New Zealand’s advantage.
New Zealand First has also stood firm against state asset sales to majority Foreign Ownership to protect the national interest.
The cost to our party was considerable, but our principles are not for sale.
PLANS
New Zealand First’s foreign investment strategy:
• is based upon the premise that such investment must be in the interests of New Zealand.
The private interest of foreign shareholders is not our concern, the public interest of New Zealanders is.
• establishes priorities for foreign investment in New Zealand that requires that such investment brings new technology and leads to employment and export growth.
• promotes the creation of an internal investment/savings base to provide a clear alternative to foreign credit for the development of New Zealand infrastructure and business
and sees the development of the superannuation fund as one means of achieving this.
• builds on the 1997 New Zealand First initiative to limit the sale of land to foreigners.
• involves making the Overseas Investment Commission (OIC) fully independent of the Reserve Bank.
A new organisation, the Investment Commission, will take over the functions of the OIC and some of the tasks of the current Commerce Commission.
The focus will be on providing a stiffer test of what is in New Zealand’s best interests.
• stops state asset sales
ie. public assets currently in the hands of the Government will be commercially managed in the public interest.
• limits foreign investment in strategic assets to 24.9%.
New Zealand First does not support any shareholding in Air New Zealand being in the hands of Qantas.
and • strikes a balance between preserving the nation’s infrastructure in New Zealand hands and ensuring that New Zealand enterprises can enter partnerships with international agencies for their mutual benefit.
HEALTH
INTRODUCTION
Health is a critical investment in New Zealand’s human resource - not a balance sheet item.
New Zealand First undertook to remove the profit focus from the health system.
We promised to introduce new initiatives in the area of child health, and to reduce hospital waiting lists.
We delivered on these promises.
Major challenges remain.
New Zealand now ranks amongst the lower 24 OECD countries in the key indicators of life expectancy and infant mortality.
We were once in the first five.
New Zealand First wants a properly funded and resourced public health service.
Getting the greatest amount of health and disability support from our health spending is critical.
Not all problems can be solved by increased spending but it is certainly true that New Zealand’s public health service was allowed to be run down as a result of a mean-minded approach and a penchant for structural change.
We must move towards matching France’s expenditure of 10% of GDP on the health of its citizens.
This is achievable if we also have an economic plan to improve our national income.
Providing people with certainty about their healthcare and ensuring timely access to quality services is essential.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
• incrementally raise spending on health as a proportion of GDP.
• continue to focus upon family health, and particularly early intervention, by expanding such programmes as “Family Start” and home based support.
• restore emphasis on preventative measures and health education.
• introduce nationwide health screening for all children under one year.
• provide nationwide screening for Hepatitis B (completing the 1997 New Zealand First initiative), asthma and diabetes,
ensure access to existing screening programmes (eg, breast cancer and cervical screening services)
and resource the development of suitable screening and/or education programmes for prostate cancer.
• expand the services and family support of the 0800 advice line.
• support the introduction of a nationally co-ordinated immunisation register as part of a strategy to stamp out third world illnesses
and advance vaccination programmes for the New Zealand strain of meningococcal disease.
• extend New Zealand First’s initiative (of 1997) of free doctors visits and prescriptions to include primary school aged children.
• ensure that all New Zealand pre-school and school children receive adequate dental care.
In particular, a national strategy that includes a shake up of the state funding of teenagers dental treatment is necessary to avoid a future toothless society.
• fund additional mobile dental care services and the upgrading of dental clinics and services.
• provide additional resourcing for child and youth mental health services.
• provide the necessary resources and funding to address the continuing appalling state of mental health services by completing the full implementation of the recommendations of the Mason report.
• redress the inadequate treatment and professional support provided to mentally ill patients and their families.
The lack of discharge planning coupled with refusal of medical responsibility for crisis intervention in some areas remains a great concern.
• give the Mental Health Commission greater independence to provide national leadership in the mental health sector.
• increase the number of acute and non-acute beds and accommodation units.
• consider process of judicial review of decisions to release mentally ill patients into the community.
• improve residential services for people who have severe illnesses or disabilities and/or substance abuse problems.
• facilitate the improved co-ordination and integration of community health, dental health, disability support, family health, Maori health, maternity, mental health, and public health services.
• maintain rural health services
and ensure good access to basic healthcare equitably throughout the country.
• immediately develop a “rural and provincial” health services plan with a view to early injections of health funding to ensure the continuity of essential services.
• acknowledge that the rural sector is an essential part of the economic and social fabric of New Zealand
and enter a partnership with the community to increasingly use technology to reduce isolation (eg, mobile services, helplines, telemedicine, teleradiology)
and consider the expansion of the health centre model.
• use a range of measures to ensure the adequate recruitment and retention of health professionals in rural areas, including consideration of student loans abatements,
amending the definition of “rural” in relation to the rural GP premiums
and lifting the levels of primary healthcare premiums,
the development of a robust peer support programme for rural practitioners,
an ‘alternative route’ registration for family doctors,
the supply of locums to enable ongoing training,
support and a sustainable quality lifestyle,
and resources for visiting specialists.
• ensure a high quality ‘rural service’ specialisation is available in our medical schools.
• seek national consistency in the provision of ambulance services.
• further develop a strategy for meeting the health needs of an ageing population.
• assure equity of access to health and disability services across generations by removing income and asset testing for older people needing long stay geriatric hospital care services and asset testing for long stay geriatric private hospital care.
• implement national standards for geriatric home care that are enforced, and require a more than cursory inspection of Rest Homes to ensure standards are met.
• review the criteria, eligibility, and benefits of community cards to ensure access to adequate health care especially for our senior citizens.
• ensure that mechanisms exist for community involvement in the decisions relating to health services for their locality.
• simplify the health bureaucracy.
• ensure that safety considerations are paramount in funding decisions relating to such services as maternity care and pharmaceutical purchases.
• conduct a review of the efficiency and efficacy of Pharmac’s operations.
• require improved provision of ante-natal classes,
maternity services for rural, Maori and Pacific Island women,
and improved monitoring of maternity services.
• investigate the real levels of hospital debt and alternative means of accounting for and/or servicing it.
• guarantee the maintenance of core hospital services
and timely access to acute emergency services.
• adequately resource elective surgery
and increase waiting times funding so as to firmly establish guaranteed maximum waiting times for a range of surgical and specialist treatment.
Very few services are meeting the stated objective of seeing 90% of new referrals within two months.
• protect the funding for activities such as health research and training that have a long term benefit.
• ensure that major effort is put into child mortality, Alzheimer’s, substance abuse, and food and nutrition research.
• legislate for clear labelling of all genetically modified food (GMF) products
and ban all imports that do not meet these requirements.
• operate a nationally consistent pharmaceutical schedule.
• investigate the monopoly powers of the Medical Council.
• ensure that the application of the Privacy Act does not impinge upon public health and safety.
• ensure health screening of overseas visitors
and review issues relating to the treatment of overseas patients within our public health system.
and • review specific ‘disability’ provisions and rest-home care.
HOUSING
INTRODUCTION
A PROPERTY OWNING DEMOCRACY.
New Zealand First believes that all New Zealanders should have quality, affordable, accommodation.
The home, the basis of family life, is fundamental to New Zealand.
Private ownership provides an underlying social stability
- a “Property Owning Democracy”.
Existing policy provides housing for landlord’s needs and is failing: driving rental prices for low income earners up to crippling levels, and not providing adequate, healthy accommodation in areas of low housing supply.
New Zealand First’s policy package recognises that different policy mixes are needed for regions with different problems.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
• build or buy sufficient low income houses to address New Zealand’s current housing crisis.
• provide a better match between the size and locality of houses and the requirements of tenants.
• encourage New Zealanders to save for their future long-term accommodation needs,
to strengthen the family, and provide a sense of security for all families.
• establish policy variations (through purchase agreements) that reflect the nature of housing needs within each housing region.
• maintain areas as Zones of High Housing Need (eg, Northland, East Coast, Eastern Bay of Plenty).
Such zones will have low deposit and low interest provisions made available to them.
• develop convertible rent-to-own schemes to encourage private ownership.
• provide finance facilities for self-build organisations to use as a revolving fund to assist low income earners into affordable homes.
• encourage saving by excluding balances in dedicated home savings accounts from asset calculations when considering emergency benefit grants.
• empower Regional Employment Commissioners to train and utilise community wage workers for construction of homes for low income people on multiple owned land.
• include Government housing assistance schemes in Treaty of Waitangi settlements.
• review the Residential Tenancy Act and to ensure that it is equitable to both the landlord and the tenant.
• provide incentives for state housing tenants to maintain their residences to an agreed standard.
• introduce peppercorn rentals for Community Housing through contractual agreements between the Ministry and approved community organisations.
• develop policies to improve energy efficiencies in all new dwellings, and as refurbishment is required, in the existing housing stock.
• review the sale of state rental properties to private developers
and re-develop existing rental sites where commercially appropriate.
and • encourage Local Government to retain existing housing stocks for pensioners.
IMMIGRATION
INTRODUCTION
“Whilst this country, with such a small population, will continue to require an infusion of overseas skills and expertise, immigration will cease to be used as an excuse for our failure to train, skill, and employ our own people” (New Zealand First founding principle).
The number of our bright young people overseas continues to be a drain on our society, and a dampener on our future hopes and aspirations.
New Zealand First makes no apology for wanting our people back, or for placing strict limits on immigration into New Zealand.
Clear obligations and responsibilities will be placed upon new migrants before they are able to gain New Zealand citizenship.
New Zealand First intends to concentrate upon uplifting the living standards of those New Zealanders here now... rather than adding new pressures through unrestricted immigration.
According to the Census there were more than 600,000 overseas-born people living in New Zealand.
Changes in immigration policy have meant that almost two thirds of the overall growth in the “new immigrant” population since 1986 has come from Asia.
There are now more people of Asian ethnicity than Pacific Islands peoples.
The age structure of new immigrants is younger than that of other New Zealand residents.
More than half of all new immigrants were living in the Auckland area where one in three residents was born overseas.
PLANS
New Zealand First’s immigration policy has one clear aim: to ensure that immigration is in New Zealand’s interests.
To that end, New Zealand First will:
• drastically reduce the inflow of migrants.
• review ‘family reunification’ policies which have rapidly become an open door for large numbers of unqualified migrants.
• introduce a probationary period for new immigrants.
All new immigrants will need to keep an unblemished record for three years before becoming eligible for citizenship (serious breaches of the law will see residency approvals cancelled and deportation ordered).
• ensure, where appropriate, health screening of overseas visitors to stop the current abuse of our public health system and to protect our citizens.
• ensure that failure to disclose all relevant information in applications for residency results in deportation.
• offer approved immigrants citizenship (with full rights) or permanent residence (and be subject to foreign ownership restrictions).
Those who attain the status of citizenship will obtain the same rights as if born here.
• give greater priority to immigrants who have the skills and qualifications necessary to further regional economic and social goals.
• require registration of immigration consultants, such registration to ensure consultants are people of repute who operate to a defined standard.
• ensure the appropriate induction of immigrants into New Zealand society with due weight given to an understanding of New Zealand customs and an acceptance of New Zealand culture and values.
• require professional bodies to accept overseas qualifications that have been recognised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.
• accept refugees on a case by case basis in liaison with local government and in accordance with the current U.N. quota (750 pa),
and only once high quality settlement programmes have been implemented.
• ensure that asylum seekers will not gain priority entry to New Zealand.
and, • develop a population policy that integrates immigration policy and economic policy.
LAW AND ORDER
INTRODUCTION
It is a basic right of all New Zealanders to live in a safe society.
New Zealand has changed from being safe to a crime-ridden, ill-disciplined and violent society.
An immediate campaign against lawlessness is needed now,
while longer-term strategies are required to deal with the root causes of crime.
New Zealand First recognises that the rights of the victims are paramount,
and that the offender’s rights are subject to the rights of both the victim and the State.
New Zealand First acknowledges that unemployment, poor parenting, inappropriate peer group pressure, and other socio-economic factors contribute markedly to our crime rate.
We advocate a balanced policy prescription containing the elements of prevention, apprehension, punishment, and rehabilitation.
Frequently prison inmates come out worse than when they went in.
This is not acceptable.
New Zealand First will introduce a category of outcome sentences which put the onus on the criminal to show that he or she is ready for release.
New Zealand First’s policies are tough,
but fair and non-restrictive for law-abiding citizens.
We will integrate emergency services into a single Ministry of Emergency Services.
Police - Fire - Ambulance will share facilities, stations - radio communication facilities, vehicles and civilian support staff.
Information will be shared amongst these services to better co-ordinate services
and to ensure police are better advised of trouble spots and areas of potential difficulty and conflict.
New Zealand First will also:
• ensure that our police force will have the frontline police numbers, powers, and resources to create safer communities.
• give local police and community groups greater power and ability to deal with local problems.
• introduce new measures designed to prevent crime “at the source”
and will aim to eliminate the reasons young people enter into a life of crime.
• introduce a new sentencing regime which will give the public protection from serious, violent offenders: if there is not genuine rehabilitation the offender will serve the full sentence.
• make offenders more directly accountable to their victims and communities.
and, • introduce national military or community service training for young unemployed people to foster discipline and self esteem and bring order into their lives.
PLANS
Resourcing of Police
New Zealand First will:
• arrest the current exodus from our police force and immediately provide additional frontline police following a detailed analysis of police to population ratios to ensure appropriate policing levels
(and ensure that this additional staffing is not lost into support roles but forms the nucleus of foot patrols so as to regain the lost conduit of valuable information about offenders and offending from citizens and business people.
• ensure that necessary police numbers are engaged in frontline duties by providing the requisite level of administrative support.
• require the deployment of more of the experienced sworn police officers out of the Office of the Commissioner of Police (Police National Headquarters as it is otherwise known) and place them back out into operational areas for which they have been extensively and expensively trained.
This will result in better supervision of younger constables and improved oversight of cases involving serious crimes.
• instigate a zero tolerance regime of abuse and crimes against police officers in the discharge of their duties.
• provide police with new powers to conduct random searches in designated public areas at designated times if there is a reasonable belief that individuals could be carrying dangerous weapons.
• legislate to have all criminals DNA tested and the records stored.
The requirement for every person arrested (irrespective of the seriousness or nature of the crime) to contribute a sample to the DNA bank will be introduced.
This will occur at the same time and in the same manner as applies at present for finger printing of all those arrested and will simply form an electronic record of detainees as opposed to a database of prints.
Mouth swabs will generally be used as opposed to blood samples.
• legislate to allow minors’ fingerprints to be taken to help police fight the increase in property crimes committed by youths.
• increase the number of trained police dogs and dog handlers.
• establish a compulsory register for all convicted paedophiles, with a legal requirement that they notify police of any change in address.
Police will have the power to warn schools and community groups about the presence of convicted child sex offenders.
• expand dedicated squads for community policing, serious crime/fraud, burglary, drugs, gang liaison, organised crime and other major crime fighting initiatives.
and, • in particular, declare war on gangs to make it impossible for them to operate illegally.
Sentencing
New Zealand First will complete a comprehensive review of the current sentencing regime
and give the public more say in sentencing policy.
Key initiatives in new legislation will be:
• where there is clear evidence that an acquittal has resulted from intimidation of a victim, witness, and/or juror, the accused can be re-tried for the original crime.
This offence will be elevated to the status of a most serious crime and will carry an automatic sentencing upon conviction, of a minimum 10-year sentence without any form of remission.
• whilst allowing some judicial discretion, provide greater statutory guidance to the judiciary on what sentences offenders should receive for various crimes.
• clearer guidance on whether cumulative or concurrent sentences should be imposed in particular cases, with an emphasis on greater use of the cumulative or ‘total’ sentencing options.
• greater sentencing options to stress the use of non-custodial sanctions for non-violent offenders.
Prison should only be for those who are a physical danger to society - the rest should be working under penal supervision developing a work ethic and a sense of personal reparation to the community.
• deter recidivist offending by introducing the principle of “Three Strikes and you’re out”.
This will mean that an offender convicted for 3 crimes for which they have been sentenced to any period of community service or incarceration in a prison or correction centre will be required to serve a minimum period in prison of ten years, irrespective of the nature of their crime.
• increased use of mandatory minimum sentences for violent offenders with no automatic rights to sentence reduction.
• replacement of the Parole Board by a Rehabilitation Board with a primary objective of minimising recidivism.
The Board will be required to consider the actual duration of imprisonment and to ensure a serious violent offender has demonstrated remorse and a positive attitude to rehabilitation, before considering any parole.
Bail Laws
New Zealand First believes that the granting of bail must be fair and embrace both the needs of the victims of crime and the concerns of the community.
We will:
• amend bail laws to ensure public safety is given priority.
• amend the law so that suspects or offenders may have the right to remain silent OR the right to apply for bail, BUT NOT BOTH.
• ensure police have the time and resources to put all relevant information before the court.
• give the judiciary clear guidance on how those with previous convictions should be dealt with on bail applications.
and • amend bail laws so that in a prima facie case, warranting trial for serious violent offences, bail will not be granted.
Victims’ Rights and Restorative Justice
Victims of crime must not become the forgotten people in our criminal justice system.
At present there is a lack of coherent and organised delivery of victim support services in the overall government response to crime.
To that end, New Zealand First will:
• establish a group within the Ministry of Justice to oversee the effective co-ordination, funding and delivery of victim support services by various agencies through every phase of the criminal justice system.
• give the new unit responsibility for raising public awareness of the availability of victim support services.
and • ensure that Victim Support Groups receive adequate funding which reflects both the demand for and quality of the services they provide.
The rights of victims do not end once sentence has been passed.
Accordingly:
• victims of crime will be given a permanent representative on the Rehabilitation Board.
• families of victims will have mandatory rights to full information on rehabilitation hearings, to appear in person, to have an advocate, or to make written submissions.
and • we will support amendments to the law so that victims of offenders sentenced to psychiatric hospitals will be told when the offender is discharged from hospital,
and introduce the legal test of ‘guilty but insane’.
New Zealand First will also ensure that offenders are made accountable for their actions to the victims of their crimes, and that they are made to pay for the emotional and physical damage they cause.
Steps will be taken to:
• enhance the use of reparation orders by requiring courts to give them preference over fines.
• help ensure victims receive court ordered reparations (deductions from income or benefits may be ordered as appropriate).
• expand the use of reparation orders beyond the current focus on property crimes.
• introduce a regime of fixed term sentencing for specified crimes where the degree of involvement or other claimed contributory factors will be given no regard.
and, • pilot a system whereby those convicted of serious crimes will be offered remission in exchange for completing their time to be served under a regime of hard labour.
Youth Justice
Young people (and their parents) will be made more accountable to the community for their crimes.
New Zealand First will focus on entry level crime to put a stop to young people entering a life of crime.
We will:
• lower the age of criminal responsibility and accountability to 14 years of age.
Young offenders 14 years of age and over will be dealt with by the District and High Courts as opposed to Youth Courts.
• Family Group Conferences will remain available for those who choose to offend under the age of 14 years
but even then, any offender under the age of 14 years will be entitled to be dealt with under this provision only three times and should they choose to offend again, will be dealt with by the adult criminal courts.
• provide the Youth Court with guidelines as to when anonymity of proceedings should be removed to reinforce the offender’s accountability to the community.
• raise the drinking age.
• make it clear that violent young offenders should indeed be treated differently from non-violent offenders through:
o special ‘secure training order’ sentences involving supervised control and intensive rehabilitation.
o other secure and military training options.
and o widening the range of offences for which youths are automatically subject to adult processes, eg, attempted murder, aggravated sexual assault, serious repeat offending.
Firearms
New Zealand First’s firearms policy is based on the belief that the public have a right to be protected from those with potential to misuse firearms.
New Zealand First will:
• provide Police with the necessary power to scrutinise, and vet the suitability of individuals to own firearms (including the right to access medical records).
• review the results of Firearms Law Reforms implemented in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
• increase penalties for firearm offences including improper possession and improper storage.
and, • resource increased random inspections of licensees’ premises to check the security of firearms.
Traffic Safety
In addition to progressing the tough new laws regarding drink and driving offences introduced as part of the Land Transport Bill, New Zealand First will pursue the following measures to improve road safety:
• establish a Road Safety Review Committee to specially receive and respond to submissions on road transport problems.
• ensure that revenue obtained through speed cameras is used to design better driver education programmes and promote safer driving practices.
• introduce and trial roadside drug testing using technology currently available overseas.
• legislate so that it is an offence to carry an open container of liquor in the seating compartment of a vehicle.
• legislate that any person convicted of highway assault (road rage) will automatically lose their driver’s licence.
• legislate that any person using a motor vehicle in committing serious crimes will automatically suffer loss of licence and, in some circumstances, their vehicle.
• legislate that “two strikes” (repeat offences within ten years) “and you are out” will apply to drunk drivers.
Those convicted of drink driving offences more than twice in a ten year period will face an automatic period of imprisonment of 6 months and loss of their driving licence for a minimum of 12 months.
Whilst imprisoned they will be required to take part in a determined course of education to ensure they fully understand the effects on the community and their victims of drink driving.
and • automatic confiscation of their vehicle will become the penalty for a third such offence
and any further conviction for a drink driving offence will lead to a prohibition from owning or driving a vehicle for ten years.
Justice and Law Reform
The cornerstone of New Zealand First’s justice and law reform policy is to enhance the public confidence in the judicial system, and to ensure that the system reflects principles of openness, accountability, independence, and integrity.
New Zealand First will:
• continue to promote an independent judicial commission to recommend the appointment of judges, oversee the administration of the courts, provide training for judges, and process and report on complaints.
and • retain the right to appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council until such time as public opinion requires reconsideration of this matter
when a referendum will follow a two year information campaign.
RACE RELATIONS
“What on earth is this country doing, with hundreds of quasi-governmental groups making all sorts of interpretations, which the Minister, the Prime Minister and the Government are not prepared to own up to, and how are ordinary New Zealanders to understand where they fit into this long term policy making, when the Government has no idea what the principles are?” Winston Peters.
Race relations - if mishandled -has the potential to destroy this country.
Without a united society all our hopes, aspirations and dreams as a nation will count for nothing - because we will no longer be a nation.
New Zealand’s approach to race relations must not rely on wishful thinking, make-believe or denial.
We must start by acknowledging the facts which are that Maori are over represented in the statistics of social failure:
• Maori health status is considerably lower than that of non-Maori across a range of health indicators including life expectancy.
• Maori are concentrated in lower paid occupations.
• The country is currently enjoying a lower rate of unemployment of 5. 3% but Maori unemployment is around thrice that.
and, • Maori are disproportionately involved in the criminal justice system.
These are conditions that demand action.
They must be faced up to and tackled.
We cannot accept that any group of New Zealanders should face the prospect of enduring disadvantage -
and let’s not forget that one in seven New Zealanders is a Maori.
But the current approach - far from improving the position of Maori and the state of race relations is having the opposite effect.
Over the past 15 years, a huge amount of this country’s resources in the form of money, time, and intellect has apparently been devoted to overcoming Maori disadvantage but that Maori disadvantage persists.
The main cause and culprit for the abysmal failure of the present approach to race relations is the thinking, the culture and the fraternity that has grown up around the Treaty of Waitangi.
Currently over 30 pieces of major legislation refer to the Treaty or its principles.
In 2001 Mathew Palmer, Dean of Law at Victoria University, pointed to the dangers of infecting legislation with vague and generic reference to the Treaty of Waitangi.
The incorporation of these vague and generic references to Treaty principles is eating away and undermining the legal and constitutional basis of our country.
We have seen Treaty clauses included in international trade agreements!
A Treaty that should be a symbol of what unites and binds us as nation has become perverted into a source of division, rancour and resentment.
A Treaty that should be a source of national pride, has instead turned into a source of enrichment for a select few claiming to serve the interests of Maori.
What is required is a new approach, an approach that does not imply suppressing differences or requiring any New Zealander to deny their heritage or origins or imposing some sort of common culture but one which involves having a solid foundation and a shared understanding of what it means to be a New Zealander first.
Without that secure foundation, our differences, and they are many in our multicultural society, will divide and separate us, rather than enrich us as New Zealanders.
For well over 130 years we have had two electoral sytems in New Zealand.
The Maori Representation Act of 1867 provided a practical solution to voting entitlements which were then based on land ownership.
That is no longer the case and there is little evidence that their has been any real advantage to Maori in this separate political representation.
While we do not favour a separate electoral franchise such constitutional change should be the result of a decision by the people, not by a group of politicians.
This policy acknowledges the origins within “Ka Awatea” that the people must be able to fully participate in the future development of our country.
Education is the key to upward mobility.
Good health, sound housing and adequate employment opportunities are not colour barred.
New Zealand First will:
• put an end to the grievance industry which hinders the efforts of Maori to overcome disadvantage.
• end the political correctness that is one of the greatest impediments to Maori development in the twenty-first century.
• oppose in Parliament at every opportunity the insidious infestation of our legal and governmental system with ill-considered references to undefinable Treaty principles which lead to the diversion of resources, energy, and attention from real to contrived issues.
• provide the necessary resources for our Court system to expeditiously resolve outstanding grievances.
• oppose legislation which provides for separate Maori wards in local government.
• direct resources to where they are of the greatest benefit.
Education is the key to upward mobility.
Without it our citizens are condemned to a narrow range of options and certain failure to reach their potential.
Rather than pour resources into separate development we should focus on providing high quality education for all our youth on the basis of need.
and, • ensure that policy-making is based on need and not on race, creed or colour.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
INTRODUCTION
Currently New Zealand taxpayer and producer levies provide around $600 million annually for public science research.
83% of New Zealand government research funding goes to CRIs.
However we are unsure how much benefit is derived from this investment.
“At the moment New Zealand is actually world best on a per capita basis at producing scientific papers.
But we’re low on the scale of creating saleable intellectual property and/or products and services from our R & D” [Peter Kerr, New Zealand Sheep Research Foundation].
The key to a successful research and development policy is the maintenance of balance between genuine blue sky research and research activity which will directly lead to economic advancement.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
• Provide tax incentives for businesses to engage in research and development
leading to export and employment growth.
• Focus Public Good Research funding more tightly on job growth and increased export earnings.
• Increase the proportion of tertiary tuition subsidies for specific courses to increase the number of appropriately qualified graduates (eg science and technology).
• introduce further scholarships (especially at post-graduate level) to ensure that we keep our best students and provide for research and development expertise.
• separate out the research component from EFTS funding
and require institutions to report on the use of research funding.
• expand publicly-funded topo-culture research through rural New Zealand.
• assist New Zealand companies in developing new technology and facilitate technology transfer.
• provide improved lower cost intellectual property protection for innovators in New Zealand.
• provide and encourage venture capital sources for New Zealand innovations.
and, • provide assistance in the marketing of new or innovative products.
RURAL
INTRODUCTION
New Zealand First has, from its inception, had a commitment to provincial New Zealand.
The party continues to promote policies that value our rural communities to restore confidence and vigour to the farming and land-based sectors.
While much may be made of the knowledge economy our country cannot raise its living standards without rapidly growing exports.
The rural heartland remains vitally important.
Land-based industries are still the backbone of our economy.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
• continue to promote a balanced and flexible monetary policy of low inflation, interest, and exchange rates that are conducive to real export and employment growth.
The policy target agreement between the new Government and the Reserve Bank will include export and employment growth objectives.
• introduce other export-friendly economic policies including:
o the establishment of a development banking utility to provide venture capital and export guarantees.
o active negotiation of improved trade access.
o ensuring that New Zealand’s Trade Board (TRADENZ) focuses increasingly on the development of emerging markets, and on the promotion of industries where we have a clear competitive advantage.
• re-establish a Rural Affairs Unit.
This Unit will act as a central information-gathering office and help co-ordinate and integrate the information available to Government on all issues affecting rural communities.
The Unit will also be responsible for advising Government on how proposed economic and social policies will affect the rural community.
• establish working relationships with rural advocacy groups to ensure that rural and provincial views and issues are heard.
• promote policies that recognise that because of varying international commodity prices, it is essential that the domestic environment does not unduly add to production costs or impede efficiency of our primary producers,
eg, New Zealand First supports the Resource Management Act review process and will support amendments which reduce compliance costs, and which facilitate the application of the Act.
New Zealand First advocated and supported the removal of stamp duties related to the conveyancing and lease of farmland as they were an impediment to the rural sector organising and structuring itself in the most costeffective and productive manner.
• introduce a Mortgage Guarantee Scheme - to encourage younger farmers to attain farm ownership.
• work with farming groups to find an improved means of meeting livestock valuation requirements.
• apply incentives to business activities that add value, create employment, provide export growth (or import substitution) and/or contribute to regional development.
• give priority to the needs of New Zealand industries and communities in setting any programme on tariffs.
Future tariff removal will be consistent with the policies and progress of our trading partners.
We aim to win the export and employment stakes,
not some artificial tariff removal race.
• amend insolvency law to provide solutions for situations such as those where farmers who supply stock or produce for processing are treated as unsecured creditors if the processor goes into receivership prior to paying the farmer.
• reintroduce our Farm Debt Mediation Bill which establishes a clear and defined mediation process, which must be followed before a bank can take possession of property to satisfy ‘’farm debts’’.
It will not rescue deficient farmers from insolvency, but will ensure that all options are fully considered in front of an independent and skilled mediator.
• build on the 1997 New Zealand First initiative to reduce the sale of land to overseas interests.
New Zealand cannot maintain our land as a heritage for future generations if foreign ownership continues to occur.
Landcorp land should not be sold to overseas owners, but be used to settle young New Zealand farmers.
• focus taxation policies incentives for key developmental initiatives leading to rapid export growth with a 20% tax rate on ‘new export’ net income.
• acknowledge that investment in scientific research is crucial if the New Zealand primary and export sectors are to maintain their international competitiveness into the future.
Accordingly New Zealand First will ensure that agriculture and horticulture receive the emphasis and priority in science funding and strategy that they deserve.
• increase funding for technology transfer.
• ensure that the resources, funding, and technology are available to combat any biological threats to our primary industries.
and where possible to meet these threats at, or outside, our borders.
• commit additional research funding for opossum and other pest eradication programmes.
• develop a Community Wage scheme so that participants may be employed to clear unwanted vegetation, gorse, broom, and blackberry etc, from farms which are struggling to clear these weeds.
Workers will also be used for tree planting where appropriate, and will assist pest control teams.
• provide base funding to develop and promote organic farming options.
While New Zealand First recognises international concerns regarding pesticides and artificial fertilizers and that the natural advantage of New Zealand’s environment developments must be supported by research and by marketing.
• ensure that appropriate topoculture programmes are supported to provide a database and advisory service on alternative land use proposals and diversification.
• extend the farm cadet scheme.
• financially support the development of water harvesting (irrigation) schemes that have met feasibility, viability, and environmental requirements.
(Water supplied by these schemes would be sold on a commercial basis to farmers for irrigation and livestock.
Electricity generation would add commercial viability).
• ensure that “Heartland” New Zealanders are not unnecessarily handicapped by their location; that reductions in access to, and the quality of health services, schooling, and transport are arrested and reversed.
• ensure social equity for rural New Zealand (social impact analysis to accompany cost/benefit analysis in government decision making processes).
• improve access to quality early childhood education.
extend parent support programmes and the 0800 advice line.
redefine “rural” schools to secure staffing and funding.
and continue to modernise “distance education” provision.
• increase use of technology to improve rural access to health services
and introduce a range of innovative measures (such as student debt write-offs) to ensure the adequate recruitment and retention of health professions in rural areas.
• give planning priority to the provision of enhanced social and infrastructural services,
e.g.New Zealand First does not support the privatisation of roads,
and will regulate as necessary to ensure cheaper and competitive power, and telecommunications prices.
and • ensure the implementation of policies that incrementally and progressively bring transparency to road transport taxation and duties so that in the long-term taxes and duties collected for road construction, maintenance, and road safety are expended for those purposes.
SENIOR CITIZENS
INTRODUCTION
New Zealand First is committed to empowering senior citizens to enable them to remain independent for as long as they wish within their communities.
New Zealand First believes senior citizens are the foundation on which our communities are built.
Policy designed to impoverish our senior population is destructive and short-sighted.
Their ability to contribute to those communities and the families that they are made up of is dependent on government policy recognising that value and supporting it.
New Zealand First recognises the value that senior citizens bring to their families and communities and undertakes to support that value in all policy that impacts on senior citizens.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
• ensure the needs of retired New Zealanders are met through a sustainable superannuation scheme.
In giving people certainty (and thus security) such a scheme also gives New Zealand an expanded savings base.
• incrementally raise the base minimum level of New Zealand superannuation to 72.5% of the net average wage (calculated on married couples with a similar adjustment of rates for singles persons).
This plan will be pursued in the interests of the dignity and security of our retired citizens and all New Zealanders who expect to retire with dignity in the future.
• cement in place the age of entitlement, commencing at 65 years.
• ensure that purchasing power remains constant.
• facilitate the transition from the pay-as-we-go scheme through the cost smoothing mechanisms of the newly established fund to a new save-as-we-go scheme.
• amend the legislation relating to the Superannuation Fund to tag individual entitlements, guaranteed by the state, and to make them untouchable by future generations of politicians.
• require the fund managers to invest in New Zealand infrastructure and growth industries
including making funds available at competitive interest rates to Transfund/Transit,
the proposed rail track enterprise,
and local government for capital projects.
• provide that (on a pro rata basis) receipts of superannuation at death will form part of the deceased estate with no requirement for repayment.
• add to the dedicated fund through tax-incentivised personal savings in the name of the saver and thus ensure that the national interest for enhanced domestic savings is maximised.
• require that the contributory scheme must contain portability provisions over time and between jobs,
and that it must be able to be drawn upon if the recipient is outside of New Zealand.
• pass legislation which ensures that any modifications to the scheme can only be made with a 75% majority in the House of Representatives.
• ensure that any new scheme would not affect any person who at the time of introduction was aged 55 years or older and thus maintain certainty for that group currently closest to retirement.
• introduce a “Home Equity” scheme, run by the Government, that allows retirees to finance additional expenditure by utilising their home as a secured asset.
• assure equity of access to health and disability services across generations by removing income and asset testing for older people needing long stay geriatric hospital care services and asset testing for long stay geriatric private hospital care.
• ensure that major effort is put into Alzheimer’s research.
• review the criteria, eligibility and benefits of community cards to ensure access to adequate health care
especially for our senior citizens.
• ensure that a pilot study is undertaken to provide a formula for the timely provision of operations for cataracts and hip replacements.
• guarantee the maintenance of core hospital services and timely access to acute emergency services.
• adequately resource elective surgery and increase waiting times funding so as to firmly establish guaranteed maximum waiting times for a range of surgical and specialist treatment.
• support the development of accommodation initiatives for pensioners.
• provide a range of measures in support of the safety and security of all New Zealanders by properly resourcing the police,
providing stiffer sentencing,
and greater community involvement.
• undertake to investigate the anomalies surrounding the 55 plus benefit to devise fairer conditions for its payment.
• scope the free provision of hearing aids and spectacles to qualifying citizens.
• complete the nationwide network of Elder Abuse and Neglect Co-ordination Services.
• further develop a strategy for meeting the health needs of an ageing population.
• assure equity of access to health and disability services across generations by removing income and asset testing for older people needing long stay geriatric hospital care services and asset testing for long stay geriatric private hospital care.
• implement national standards for geriatric home care that are enforced,
and require a more than cursory inspection of Rest Homes to ensure standards are met.
• review the criteria, eligibility, and benefits of community cards to ensure access to adequate health care
especially for our senior citizens.
• review specific ‘disability’ provisions and rest-home care.
• review lottery funding criteria for community transport for seniors groups.
and, • develop close working relations with seniors’ advocacy groups.
SUPERANNUATION POLICY
INTRODUCTION
New Zealand First is determined to deliver a long-term, sustainable superannuation scheme, secure from political tampering.
The principles upon which such a scheme will be devised will be fairness,
sustainability,
that it delivers a secure and dignified living standard
and that it is within the national interest.
The abolition of the surtax was always one of New Zealand First’s core policies.
We delivered on our promise.
We budgeted for and prepared legislation to remove income and asset testing for long-stay geriatric hospital care from 1 October 1998.
We supported the present administration in setting up the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, not because it provides the ultimate solution, but because it is a step in the right direction.
50 years ago 9% of New Zealand’s population was ‘elderly’.
In 50 years time 26% of the population will be over 65.
Half a million New Zealanders currently receive some form of retirement income, in thirty years time that number will have more than doubled.
The challenge now is to maintain immediate certainty whilst planning for longer term security.
An additional contributory scheme in individual accounts is part of this strategy.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
• ensure the needs of retired New Zealanders are met through a sustainable superannuation scheme.
In giving people certainty (and thus security) such a scheme also gives New Zealand an expanded savings base.
• incrementally raise the base minimum level of New Zealand superannuation to 72.5% of the net average wage (calculated on married couples with a similar adjustment of rates for singles persons).
This plan will be pursued in the interests of the dignity and security of our retired citizens and all New Zealanders who expect to retire with dignity in the future.
• cement in place the age of entitlement, commencing at 65 years.
• ensure that purchasing power remains constant.
• facilitate the transition from the pay-as-we-go scheme through the cost smoothing mechanisms of the newly established fund to a new save-as-we-go scheme.
• amend the legislation relating to the Superannuation Fund to tag individual entitlements, guaranteed by the state,
and to make them untouchable by future generations of politicians.
• require the fund managers to invest in New Zealand infrastructure and growth industries
including making funds available at competitive interest rates to Transfund/Transit,
the proposed rail track enterprise,
and local government for capital projects.
• provide that (on a pro rata basis) receipts of superannuation at death will form part of the deceased estate - there will be no requirement to make repayments.
• add to the dedicated fund through tax-incentivised personal savings in the name of the saver
and thus ensure that the national interest for enhanced domestic savings is maximised.
• require that the contributory scheme must contain portability provisions over time and between jobs, and that it must be able to be drawn upon if the recipient is outside of New Zealand.
• pass legislation which ensures that any modifications to the scheme can only be made with a 75% majority in the House of Representatives.
• ensure that any new scheme would not affect any person who at the time of introduction was aged 55 years or older and thus maintain certainty for that group currently closest to retirement.
• encourage the development of good savings habits for our children.
and, • introduce a “Home Equity” scheme, run by the Government, that allows retirees to finance additional expenditure by utilising their home as a secured asset.
TAXATION POLICY
INTRODUCTION
The Government collects almost $40 billion in taxes.
Creativity in tax matters has centred on avoidance rather than the provision of incentives for export and economic growth or for increasing domestic savings.
While New Zealand First maintains its interest in protecting our nation’s tax base we will apply taxation abatements, concessions and other incentives to activities that contribute to increasing the rate of economic growth.
For too long New Zealanders have accepted figures such as the projected 3% growth rate as being adequate while most of our trading partners continue to outstrip us.
New Zealand First will also continue to reform the taxation systems by: simplifying processes.
clarifying legislation.
ensuring that the taxation laws of New Zealand are upheld.
and that all - large corporate or private individual - pay their taxes.
New Zealanders deserve a good tax system.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
• introduce an accelerated depreciation regime for specified industries and selected approved investments
so as to assist business development.
• provide tax incentives for research and development.
• develop, in partnership with strategic cluster groups, a range of tax incentives for business activities which add value, create employment, provide export growth and/or new technology development.
Such measures will include tax abatement on value added and ‘start up’ tax concessions.
• introduce a 20% tax rate for ‘new exports’ net income.
• investigate a range of incentives to facilitate the growth of domestic savings.
• remain opposed to any increase in general taxation.
• upon achieving short term growth goals aim to reduce corporate taxation.
• following the achievement of intermediate growth goals and focused social expenditure aim to reduce personal income tax levels.
• re-introduce the New Zealand First programme of applying an increasing proportion of petrol taxation to the development of New Zealand’s transport infrastructure.
• ensure that the IRD’s application of the compliance and penalties regimes is fair and equitable.
• reduce tax compliance costs by monitoring, evaluating (and amending as necessary) the measures introduced during our time in Government.
Priorities remain: streamlining of taxation analysis and preparation of returns processes.
and making the tax system as neutral and equitable as possible.
• require that disclosure of tax schemes that affect the instance of tax payable by more than $50,000, be mandatory.
• ensure that any failure to disclose (or the falsification of material facts) by a person experienced in taxation matters is treated as a serious criminal offence.
If a sum of greater than $5m revenue is involved, it will carry a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.
• establish a tax ombudsman to investigate tax payer complaints.
and, • amend requirements and implement practices to enable the IRD to more appropriately remit tax liabilities or enter into arrangements for deferred payments.
TOURISM
INTRODUCTION
Tourism is a key earner of foreign exchange.
Many New Zealanders are employed in tourist related activities.
New Zealand First recognises the opportunities for economic growth and employment through tourism ventures
and will continue to reduce barriers to growth
and actively promote New Zealand as a tourist destination.
In order to improve our Current Account, we must maximise our tourism opportunities as well as improve our export performance.
PLANS
A New Zealand First led Government will:
• treat our tourism industry as an export industry specifically for the application of venture capital funding, research and development incentives, and technology transfer.
• review research and statistical requirements, in consultation with major industry players.
• promote Trans-Tasman tourism with emphasis on major Australasian events; and international tourism by securing major international events.
• continue funding for New Zealand Tourism Board’s destination marketing strategies, focusing in particular on adventure tourism, eco tourism and cultural tourism.
• continue joint venture tourism marketing projects with stricter guidelines and accountabilities.
• encourage internal tourism for its job creation by ‘see New Zealand first’ campaign.
• encourage regional tourism developments and macro-region initiatives to stimulate economic growth in the provinces.
and, • promote the development of aviation links with focus on increasing access to New Zealand from Asian and emerging markets.
TRADE
INTRODUCTION
Trade is New Zealand’s life-blood.
New Zealand First’s economic policy prescription is based on a partnership with the people in promoting sustainable export led economic growth that will lead to job creation and enable the savings that will facilitate our social progress.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
• aim to treble exports, in real terms, by 2020
and will set goals to reach that target, commencing with a Campaign for Exports in 2003.
• promote a balanced and flexible monetary policy of low exchange and interest rates that are conducive to real export growth (export and employment objectives will be made part of the policy targets agreement between the new government and the Governor of Reserve Bank).
• focus on New Zealand’s trading performance.
• expand development banking and venture capital opportunities.
• develop, in conjunction with the export sector, an export credit guarantee scheme
that works.
• implement a tax abatement scheme that will reduce the tax rate on new export net profit to 20% to ensure that exporting opportunities and innovation are not lost.
• ensure that New Zealand’s Trade Development Board maintains and expands our present markets whilst developing emerging markets,
and on the promotion of industries where we have a clear comparative advantage.
• further promote innovation by tax incentivised research and development comparative to other first world nations,
and in ensuring that technology transfer occurs within both the public and the private sectors.
• increase the international competitiveness of New Zealand business by reducing red-tape and compliance costs
and working towards lower corporate taxation.
and, • conduct a full scale independent inquiry into all Government red tape and compliance costs requiring that their existence be justified,
and further requiring that the Committee of Inquiry report to the Government within one year of the next election.
• actively seek improved trade access.
• encourage business to engage in import substitution.
• place a “buy New Zealand first” requirement on taxpayer and ratepayer owned businesses and state owned enterprises.
• review the effects of international trade agreements and ensure that they do not disadvantage New Zealand enterprise.
• give priority to the needs of New Zealand industries and communities in setting any programme on tariffs.
Future tariff removal will be consistent with the policies and progress of our trading partners.
We aim to win the export and employment stakes,
not some artificial tariff removal race.
and, • in association with the ‘partnership’ strategies listed above, it is recognised that a sound basis for such economic activity should be provided by:
o reducing the social and economic costs of unemployment through job creation in a growing economy.
o ensuring that immigration is planned in accordance with our country’s needs.
and o improving participation in a high performance education system.
TRANSPORT
INTRODUCTION
Transport is fundamental to exporting, commercial, social, and political activities.
It is the key to rural lifestyles, and to our place in the world.
As an industry Transport is the largest employer in the country.
It is an ‘industry’ which is essential to us all.
Without the ability to freight goods and transport passengers this country would come to a stand-still.
Yet it is an industry which has been largely overlooked by recent governments.
There are problems both with our roads and on our roads.
There are problems with drivers and vehicles.
Our overseas shipping industry has disappeared, our railway is fading and we have many areas where public transport is far from satisfactory.
New Zealand First is committed to a comprehensive workable transport policy that promotes cost effectiveness, efficiency, and safer transport systems.
ROAD TRANSPORT
New Zealand First will put a strong emphasis on driver competence.
It will become more a privilege to drive on our roads as against an automatic right.
New Zealand First will:
• establish a Road Safety Review committee to specifically receive and respond to submissions on road, and road transport problems.
• ensure that revenue obtained through speed cameras (about $40 million per year) is used to design better driver education programmes and promote safer driving practices.
• trial roadside drug testing using technology currently available overseas.
• legislate so that it is an offence to carry an open container of liquor in the seating compartment of a vehicle.
• ensure there is automatic loss of Driver’s Licence for any person convicted of highway assault (road rage).
• ensure that any person using a motor vehicle in committing a serious crime will automatically suffer loss of licences and in some circumstances their vehicle.
• ensure that driving qualifications reflect (by way of continuous measured competence) ability in the areas of the driver’s knowledge, skill, experience, fitness and attitude.
To achieve this simulator training will be investigated and where practical instigated.
ROADING
New Zealand First will not allow our roads to be privatised.
However, we recognise that our roads have not kept pace with traffic numbers and vehicle types and that there is a need to address many roading issues.
We will:
• upgrade highways, particularly those serving ports, to accommodate trucking (widening/ strengthening).
• implement programmes which progressively enhance our roading infrastructure.
• phase down (and out) the excise tax which goes into the consolidated account and thus provide for more financial resources for roading and other transport areas.
• specify a programme to improve rural roading.
and,
• implement a roading administration structure (Transfund/Transit) which is flexible,
caters for the input and concerns of local government,
and has the ability to borrow against roading income.
RAIL
We will purchase back the Rail track from Tranzrail by:
• forming a rail track company.
• negotiating a reasonable price.
• providing Tranzrail with a shrinking proportion of the track company.
and, • implementing a rail track user charge regime.
We will also:
• provide incentives for cargo movers to direct more of their freight to rail or coastal shipping by introducing a Rail Freight Grant scheme that will allow expansion of the network.
and, • assist potential rail operators to obtain suitable locomotives and rolling stock.
SHIPPING
New Zealand is an island nation which is largely dependent upon exports to expand our economy.
There is a need for our trade to be served by efficient shipping services.
Currently we have a coastal fleet which is struggling to survive.
All other shipping servicing our exports and imports is foreign owned.
New Zealand First is committed to the expansion of our Merchant Fleet.
We will provide a favourable fiscal regime for coastal shipping
provided the companies are New Zealand resident,
register their vessels here,
employ New Zealanders,
and commit to officer training.
An equally favourable fiscal regimes will be provided as appropriate for Australasian/Pacific shipping
provided that the company is resident in New Zealand,
and that they similarly register their vessels here,
employ New Zealanders,
and commit to officer training.
For those operating on other international routes a favourable fiscal regime will be provided
where the company is resident in New Zealand,
its vessels are also registered in New Zealand,
if a stipulated minimum number of New Zealand crew is employed,
and where there is a commitment to officer training.
RECREATIONAL BOATING
The New Zealand Coastguard provides an essential service but is dramatically underfunded, relying heavily on donations and voluntarily raised income.
As New Zealanders increasingly participate in this leisure activity, we need to widely consult on issues such as:
• the registration of leisure craft.
and, • the certification of operators.
Fees from these will be allocated to the funding of the New Zealand coastguard and other water safety organisations.
AVIATION
New Zealand First will protect our investment in Air New Zealand by ensuring its long-term viability by such measures as an accelerated depreciation regime on aircraft and tax incentives similar to those made available to Singapore Airlines by its Government.
We are opposed to Qantas having an ownership interest in our airline.
FUNDING AND DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSPORT SYSTEMS
New Zealand First believes:
• Transit/Transfund should be structured on a commercial basis.
• The proposed Rail track Company should also be structured on a commercial basis.
• Both entities would be independently administered, would charge user charges, and would be able to borrow against future income from the Superannuation Fund.
The 18.7c per litre of petrol excise tax which currently goes into the Consolidated Fund should, on a gradual basis, be fully applied to the development of transport infrastructure and services via Transit/Transfund and the Rail Track company.
This would be achieved by defining the proportion which goes to these organisations for roading development, public transport, enhanced safety programmes, development of rail services, and debt repayment.
Make a difference that will last for generations
Green Party MPs, Green Party
19th August 2005
What is progress?
For the Green Party, progress is about much more than just making money.
It’s about quality of life.
It’s about cleaning up dirty rivers, polluted air and the environment.
Progress is about making sure everyone is doing better, not just the people at the top.
And it’s about using resources wisely, so we don’t trash the planet before our children inherit it.
Real progress means being really innovative.
Take tax.
We’ll shift taxes off the things we want more of, like work
and enterprise,
and onto the things we want less of, like waste and pollution.
Then we could afford to make the first $5,000 of income tax-free for everyone
without cutting public services.
If you want to make a real difference, if you want your party vote to work for every generation, then party vote Green.
Clean safe water. Or too polluted to swim in?
The Green Party would act to keep sewage, farm run-off and urban storm-water out of our rivers and lakes.
New Zealand prides itself on being clean and green, but 95% of our lowland rivers are too polluted to swim in.
A new riverbank-planting fund for farmers would stop dairy herds polluting streams and rivers.
We’d also require resource consents for new dairy farms on sensitive land.
Our brightest graduates working here. Or there?
More than any other party, the Greens are committed to breaking the cycle of debt
and developing a vital, innovative economy.
For existing student loans, the Greens will wipe a year’s worth of debt for each year a graduate works in New Zealand.
One for one – simple and fair!
The Green Party supports paying a student allowance, equal to the unemployment benefit, to all students.
Combine that with capped fees, reducing towards zero fees, and students can afford to study.
Better public transport. Or more traffic and more pollution?
By working with Labour, the Green Party has helped improve public transport and rescued rail.
We’ll invest a further $300 million per year to help give people the choice of leaving the car at home.
We’ll massively improve public transport,
including upgraded rail in Auckland,
with rapid access to the airport.
We’ll make it safer for everyone, especially children, to walk and cycle.
And to help clean our air, we’ll introduce emissions standards for all vehicles by mid-2006.
Ma kakariki, ma pango, ka oti ai te mahi!
The Green Party voted against the Foreshore and Seabed Bill, because it is a confiscation of rights
and a breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi
We will continue to support mana whenua in the exercise of their kaitiakitanga and rangatiratanga.
We will enable Te Reo and tikanga Maori to be taught in all schools.
Maori voters can have the best of both worlds by giving their Maori electorate vote to their favoured local candidate, and their party vote to the Greens.
Wawahia to poti.
Energy for the future. Or more hot air?
Let’s use the sun to save the earth.
Using government buying power, we could bring down the cost of solar panels and get half a million on homes in the next five years.
Let’s face up to climate change and the end of cheap oil by investing in rail,
public transport
and renewable energy sources.
Let’s use energy wisely.
Energy efficient government cars and buildings should lead the way.
Upgrading building standards and helping house-owners to insulate older houses will make homes warmer and healthier.
Otherwise we’re facing transport you can barely afford, massive transmission pylons throughout the country and ever rising power bills.
The challenge is to use fresh thinking to deliver energy for the future, not ideas from the past.
That’s what the Greens bring to Parliament.
Ata whakamahia te hiko.
A fair go for all. Or some left behind?
The Green Party is committed to a society in which everyone has the chance of a decent job,
an income that is enough to live on,
and healthy, affordable housing.
Labour relied on the Greens to bring in the Employment Relations Act
and keep ACC in public hands.
After the election, we want to work again with a Labour-led Government to ensure everyone gets a fair go.
We want to raise the minimum wage to $12 per hour,
give parents the right to negotiate more family-friendly working conditions,
and reform the welfare system so it is simpler and fairer.
Every child deserves the best start in life, including a home free from poverty and violence.
We want to introduce a Universal Child Benefit
and ensure beating kids is illegal by repealing Section 59 of the Crimes Act.
He tika ra kia whai whare ngawari tatou katoa.
Free in the wild. Or dead in the water?
Thousands of seals, Hooker’s sea lions and dolphins die tangled in fishing nets each year.
Up to 10,000 albatrosses are drowned on longline hooks each year.
We’ll reform New Zealand’s fishing industry to stop the slaughter.
And on the high seas, we support a moratorium on destructive bottom trawling
and a ban on whaling.
On land, more funding for ground-based control of possums, stoats and rats.
Fresh healthy food in schools. Or 20 teaspoons of sugar for lunch?
Plus ten teaspoons of fat.
That’s what’s in a pie, chips, fizzy drink and giant cookie, the kind of food most schools sell our kids for lunch.
The Green Party would ensure schools only sell healthy food and drink.
For example, no more soft-drink vending machines in schools.
We propose giving free fruit to primary children,
and teaching them to grow and cook food.
And to take the pressure off parents, we’d keep junk food ads off children’s TV.
A Green-Labour Government with heart, soul and vision
A party vote for the Greens is a vote for a stable Labour-led Government, but a Labour-led Government with heart, soul and vision.
As a partner in government, the Greens will be a strong voice for sustainability
and social justice.
We’ll speak up for the environment
and our children,
promote renewable energy
and safe food,
and safeguard human rights and
a GE-Free New Zealand.
We’ve shown we can work constructively with Labour while sticking to our principles.
We’ve made it clear we’ll only support a Labour-led Government.
And if you look at Labour’s potential partners, the Greens offer the best option for a Labour-led Government free from the politics of intolerance and division.
The Greens are the only political party looking beyond the next term of government.
What we do now shapes what our world will be like in 20, 50 or 100 years.
This election, make a real difference. Kei a koe te mana.
More policy details
Phone: 04 470 6700 Email: green.party@parliament.govt.nz
Freepost: Greens, Parliament, Wellington
Working together,
sharing a vision.
LABOUR’S POLICIES FOR THE FUTURE
Labour. Forward. Together.
Our commitments
1. No interest on student loans for New Zealand based graduates
2. 7,500 extra cataract operations
and 10,000 extra major joint operations in the next term
3. Final date for lodging historical Treaty claims by 1 September 2008,
and commit to finish all settlements by 2020
4. Increase maximum rates rebate to $500
and increase income eligibility thresholds
5. $1,000 kick start for everyone joining KiwiSaver
and up to $10,000 as a grant for couples ($5,000 for single people) saving to buy their first home
6. 5,000 extra Modern Apprentices
7. 250 extra community police on the streets
Supporting business and economic growth
New Zealand’s economic growth has been among the highest in the Western world over the last five years, averaging 3.8 per cent.
That’s higher than the growth of our three top trading partners – Australia, the United States, and Japan.
Labour has taken a partnership approach with both business and the community to help lift productivity, exports, and employment across the economy.
All our regions have shown strong gains.
Labour will maintain a prudent and credible fiscal stance by running surpluses, on average, over the course of the business cycle that enable us to keep debt at low levels.
To support business growth, Labour will:
• Provide a quarter of a billion dollars in business tax breaks in this financial year.
New asset depreciation rates and changes to the treatment of research and development expenditure will encourage investment and innovation.
Fringe benefit tax changes and other tax simplification measures will particularly assist smaller enterprises to succeed and grow.
• Increase investment in skills development and industry training.
• Boost public spending on research and development.
• Reduce compliance costs.
For example, Labour will subsidise the cost of payroll administration for small firms,
align GST and provisional tax payment dates,
and base provisional tax calculations on GST returns.
• Invest in transport infrastructure.
We inherited a huge transport infrastructure deficit.
Under Labour investment on transport is now annually 80 per cent higher than it was in 1999,
and huge progress is being made on many projects, which were put off by previous governments.
When we came to office the value of big projects in Auckland that were underway or recently completed totalled $130 million.
Today, using exactly the same criterion, the big projects underway or recently completed total $1300 million.
A tenfold increase.
Labour has also delivered regional packages to address specific infrastructure deficits for the Greater Wellington and Bay of Plenty areas,
and is committed to implementing a package for the Waikato.
We believe every child deserves the best
That’s why children and family are at the centre of many of our policies
and why we will always make investing in families the priority for government spending.
We have already significantly reduced child poverty
and our Working for Families package will lead to a further 30 per cent reduction in child poverty by 2007.
Targeted tax relief through our Working for Families package is a much more cost effective way of ensuring all children get a good start than blanket tax cuts.
Our package has already raised Family Support rates by an extra $25 every week for the first child
and $15 every week for each additional child
and increased Accommodation Supplement rates to help with accommodation costs.
Boost to Family Support
During the next term Labour’s Working for Families package will be boosted to provide even more help for families raising children.
From 1 April 2006 Labour will:
• Increase the threshold before Family Support begins to abate to $35,000.
• Reduce the abatement rate for Family Support from 30 per cent to 20 per cent so that more families qualify for the tax relief.
• Provide a new “In Work” payment of up to $60 a week for families with up to three children
to ensure families where a parent is in paid work are always better off than those who are dependent on a benefit.
And from 1 April 2007 we will increase Family Support rates by an extra $10 per week, per child.
Under Labour’s policy around 75 per cent of families will be receiving assistance from 1 April 2007.
Here’s a couple of examples to show just how better off families will be:
Investing in New Zealand
Some people talked about a budget surplus as if there was a pile of money building up in the government’s bank accounts.
In fact, all the money was invested for current and future New Zealanders.
Protecting our unique lifestyle and environment
New Zealanders are proud of our clean, green image and our unique lifestyle.
Labour has invested heavily in extending the conservation areas so all current and future generations can enjoy them.
We have also improved huts and tracks throughout New Zealand
and made the biggest investment in biosecurity and biodiversity ever.
Progress has been made through the Clean Water Accord towards restoring the water quality of our lakes and rivers,
and in waste management.
New Zealanders also take pride in the success of our creative industries.
We are becoming world leaders in arts, film, fashion, and music.
We will continue to foster and enhance this spirit with policies which support artists
and creative businesses
and encourage creativity and design to become an integral part of all New Zealand made products.
Continuing our proud tradition of delivering for working people
Since Labour came into office unemployment has fallen to amongst the lowest in the Western world
and jobs have grown by more than a quarter of a million.
More jobs,
better pay and conditions,
and improved work-life balance are our ongoing priorities.
We will keep:
• Raising the minimum wage each year.
• Paid parental leave,
and later this year extend it to 14 weeks
and to self employed people.
• Time and a half, and a day off in lieu for those who work on public holidays.
• The more balanced Employment Relations Act
and improve protection for independent contractors.
• A fully public ACC
and strong Health and Safety laws.
To help achieve better work-life balance we will:
• Ensure four weeks minimum annual leave from 2007.
• Provide more help with before and after school care.
• Provide access to 20 hours free early childhood education for three and four year olds from July 2007.
Labour believes our social security system should provide support for those who need it
and lead to work opportunities for those who can take them.
Our new benefit structure for working age New Zealanders will reduce the time spent on administration
and allow case managers to focus more on moving people into work.
1 EDUCATION
No interest on student loans for New Zealand based graduates
We are committed to making sure that every New Zealander, no matter who they are or where they live, has access to the educational opportunities they need to succeed.
Labour shares the dream families have for their children to fulfill their potential through education.
To achieve that dream we have to reduce barriers to access
and strive for excellence.
To keep bringing the costs of tertiary education down – and to help encourage graduates to stay and work here – we will:
• Scrap all future interest charges on student loans for students and New Zealand-based graduates from 1 April 2006.
• Provide an amnesty period in 2006 where those who return from overseas or enter into a repayment arrangement will not be charged the penalty interest for any overdue payments.
• Keep tertiary fees capped.
• Increase student allowances.
Parental income thresholds will be regularly increased to ensure at least half of all fulltime students qualify for a student allowance.
Parental income thresholds will then continue to increase each year by the rate of inflation.
• Increase the personal income abatement threshold for student allowances each year by the rate of inflation.
• Double the number of bonded scholarships from 500 to 1,000 by the end of 2006.
More teachers and more school funding
“All new entrants will benefit from our commitment to reduce class sizes for Year One classes to one teacher for every 15 pupils.” Trevor Mallard
New Zealand boasts one of the best school systems in the world.
Our country ranks third in the OECD in terms of the proportion of GDP spent on state schools.
Our 15 year old students are ranked highly compared to other OECD countries across a range of areas, including maths, reading, science, and problem solving.
For excellence to flourish we need outstanding teachers, schools with leadership and resources, and families who are engaged with their children’s education.
We have: • Funded 3,040 teachers more than needed to just keep pace with the increase in student numbers.
• Increased funding per school pupil by more than 30 per cent since 1999.
• Increased teacher salary funding by 25 per cent since 1999.
• Ensured every school has access to high speed internet
and provided over 25,500 laptops to teachers and principals.
• Invested more than $700 million in school property funding.
Our focus on reading, writing, and maths will continue.
We will continue to support teachers and students to strive for excellence in the classroom
and we will ensure parents, teachers, and pupils all have access to information about achievement.
Our Education Information Programme for Families and Communities will help increase parents involvement in and support for their children’s learning.
We will reduce class sizes for new entrants.
The teacher/pupil ratios in Year 1 classes will be reduced to 1:15.
Access to quality early childhood education will be available to all children,
regardless of their parent’s income or where they live by:
• Funding 20 hours free early childhood education per week for three and four year olds from 2007.
This is an important step towards giving children a great start.
Under Labour’s policy all children are eligible – not just those whose parents are both in paid work.
• Extending the childcare subsidy to more families.
2 HEALTH
7,500 extra cataract operations and 10,000 extra major joint operations in the next term
“All New Zealanders will continue to have access to a quality public health service, based on need, not ability to pay.” Annette King
Much has been done to reduce waiting times for surgery.
But we can and will do better.
To improve the quality of life of older people we will fund an extra 7,500 cataract operations, and an extra 10,000 major joint operations in the next term.
We are also increasing funding to home-based support services and home care for older New Zealanders as more and more people choose to remain in their own homes rather than enter rest home care.
We will continue our commitment to phase out asset testing of older people in care.
We will not privatise our public health system
or allow queue jumping based on income.
Labour guarantees to continue to increase health funding every year.
Labour will also:• Provide access to cheaper primary health care and prescriptions for all New Zealanders.
Labour will extend to everyone access to cheaper doctor visits
and maximum $3 prescription fee on standard items.
• Provide all new borns with a free hearing test,
increase support for Plunket,
and increase the number of free WellChild checks for pre-school children.
• Fund a new free “School Ready” check up for all children before they start school – including access to immunisations, hearing, and vision checks.
• Rebuild the School Dental Service so that all under 18 year olds are guaranteed access to free, quality dental care.
• Continue to upgrade hospitals.
Labour has funded the most public hospital upgrades ever in New Zealand.
• Provide funding certainty for District Health Boards so they can continue with long term planning.
• Promote initiatives to retain nurses and doctors, including investing more than half a billion dollars over the next four years to fund the nurses pay increase.
• Ensure people in rural areas have access to specialist services through our $36 million a year travel and accommodation subsidies.
We will fund more mobile surgical bus services
and rural health workforce initiatives.
• Implement the Cancer Control strategy.
Key areas include extending the free breast screening service to cover 45-69 year olds,
and more money for palliative care and treatment.
• Establish an Organ Donor Register.
• Fund “Healthline”, a 24 hours, seven days a week, free health information service.
3 FAIR AND FINAL SETTLEMENTS
Final date for lodging historical Treaty claims by 1 September 2008,
and commit to finish all settlements by 2020
“Maori economic and social development is the way forward.
Maori are looking to the future – to build on the strong asset base and deliver real gains to all our people.” Parekura Horomia
The future for Maori is bright and full of potential.
91 per cent of Maori are now in jobs and Maori unemployment and benefit rates have both halved since 1999.
Maori have a leading role in the future of our country.
It is in the interests of all New Zealanders to ensure everyone has the chance to succeed.
We will focus on realising the potential of all New Zealanders through strong and inclusive education, employment, and enterprise policies.
4 RATES REBATE
Increase maximum rates rebate to $500
and increase income eligibility thresholds
Ensuring quality of life for older people is a hallmark of the Labour government.
That’s why we reversed National’s cuts to superannuation rates in 1999
and have maintained the true value of superannuation.
We have already invested $6 billion in the New Zealand Superannuation Fund.
Labour guarantees current superannuation rates
and will continue to adjust them upwards each year.
Labour will not raise the age of eligibility.
“Superannuitants can trust Labour.
We reversed National’s cuts to superannuation
and set up the Super Fund to guarantee superannuation for the future.”Michael Cullen
Many older New Zealanders today struggle to meet some large costs such as rates.
For many, the value of their family homes has increased much faster than the increases in their income.
Labour will help meet these costs by providing realistic rates rebates.
Under Labour the maximum rates rebate will go up from $200 to $500 and the income eligibility threshold will be increased from $7,400 to $20,000.
and the income eligibility threshold will be increased from $7,400 to $20,000.
Up to 300,000 households will be eligible for relief.
5 SAVINGS AND HOME OWNERSHIP
$1,000 kick start for everyone joining KiwiSaver
and up to $10,000 as a grant for couples ($5,000 for single people) saving to buy their first home. Steve Maharey
“Kiwi families can realise their dream of home ownership
because we’re providing them with a real incentive to save.”
Labour’s new KiwiSaver scheme will help workers save
and we will provide a $1,000 deposit kick start for everyone who joins.
When you have been saving in the scheme for at least three years, you can withdraw your savings for a first home deposit.
And if you do, the Labour government will give you a grant of $1,000 for each year you have saved – up to a maximum of five years.
That’s a deposit subsidy of up to $5,000 for a single person and up to $10,000 for a couple where both are in KiwiSaver.
KiwiBank will not be sold under Labour
and its highly successful KiwiReach home mortgage deposit subsidy scheme will be extended so that more New Zealanders benefit.
Labour believes that all New Zealanders should have access to decent affordable housing.
We will keep income related rents for low income state house tenants,
expand the state housing stock,
and reduce waiting times.
We have already provided an additional 5,700 state houses since 1999,
and committed funding for an additional 3,288 over the next four years.
Labour commits to expanding these numbers even further in the third term.
We will also look at ways to encourage home owners to install energy efficiency measures
and cleaner sources of home heating.
6 INDUSTRY TRAINING
5,000 extra Modern Apprentices
“Labour's investment in Modern Apprenticeships is great news for young people and for employers, in helping address skills shortages.” Helen Clark
Our country’s ongoing economic success depends on training and skills.
Labour’s Modern Apprenticeship programme has been hugely successful.
We’ve set a new target of 14,000 Modern Apprentice places by 2008.
We have funded record numbers in industry training – 140,000, almost double the numbers from before we were elected –
and will continue to work towards our goal of having 250,000 people participating.
The Gateway programme will be extended to all state secondary schools to encourage more work-based learning for senior school students.
7 JUSTICE
250 extra community police on the streets
“Victims’ rights will continue to be central to our justice system,
as will getting tough on crime and the causes of crime.” Phil Goff
Labour will continue to support police to drive crime down even further.
We will put another 250 community police on the street over the next two years
and progressively increase numbers on an ongoing basis.
Providing additional police presence in local communities helps raise visibility and by working with communities helps reduce both crime and the fear of crime.
We will also work with local communities on new initiatives to help combat tagging and graffiti.
Our tougher sentencing and parole laws are working.
We will further improve victims’ rights by looking into the level of immediate financial support available to victims or families of victims of serious crime, especially homicide.
We will continue to support the implementation of the family violence strategy to help reduce domestic violence.
We’ll provide early intervention
to strengthen families
and deal with anti-social behaviours.
Children and young people who make mistakes will be steered away from a life of crime by Youth Offending Teams,
which have proven successful in ensuring Police, Child, Youth and Family Services, health, and education services, all work together to address and resolve issues that lead to youth offending.
To ensure crime doesn’t pay we will:a. Make sure fines are paid faster by providing more measures to collect overdue fines and reparations.
b. Make impounding and possible confiscation of a car easier, at an earlier stage, as a more effective penalty.
c. Legislate so gangs can be stripped of the proceeds of their crimes.
d. Treat the use of drugs as an aggravating factor at sentencing.
Police will be better resourced,
DNA testing will increase,
and a nationwide non-emergency number will be established for police so the 111 system is reserved for urgent calls.
By increasing the size of the police force every year since 1999, we have already funded around 1400 extra police staff
and now have the biggest and best-resourced police force ever.
More police, more jobs, and lower unemployment have all helped achieve the lowest crime rate in New Zealand since 1982.
The crime rate is now around 22 per cent lower than it was at its peak in 1996.
Forward. Together. New Zealand Labour
Do you want a change in government?
Tax cuts now
ACT will: Immediately reduce the tax rate on those earning up to $38,000 a year to 15%
and to 25% for those earning over $38,000
Reduce the company tax rate to 25%
Reverse Labour’s 5 cents a litre petrol tax
Introduce a Taxpayer Bill of Rights to stop new taxes and unjustified spending
Undertake a thorough review of the IRD to ensure it’s fair to all taxpayers
Zero tolerance for crime
ACT will: Treat entry-level crime decisively with tougher sentencing
Abolish all early release
and replace parole with supervision through electronic monitoring and reparation responsibilities
— End concurrent sentencing
— Have judges listen to and heed victims’ views
— Fund an extra 25,000 police officers to match Australia’s policing rate
— Ensure police officers focus first on thieves on thugs,
— and only then on traffic tickets and unintended wrongs
— Ensure life means life for first-degree murder
— Treat DNA as the modern fingerprint, eg. on arrest if police deem appropriate
— Require the maximum sentence after three repeat offences, automatically
— End pointless family group conferences,
— make young offenders responsible for their actions
— and deter re-offending
— Remove the suppression of criminal records
End hospital waiting lists
ACT will: Ensure all available hospitals - including private hospitals - are used for public health care
End shortages of doctors and nurses by incentivising them to stay in New Zealand when they graduate and to come back after their OE
Cut unnecessary bureaucracy
and spend the money on healthcare
Empower frontline professionals to make decisions not bureaucrats and unions
Focus on prevention - incentivise people to eat well and exercise
Cut taxes so people can afford to have health insurance
Review health regulations
including occupational licensing
and hire qualified overseas expertise
Reinstate the training of enrolled nurses ‘on the job’ in hospitals
Review Pharmac and its monopoly on drug buying
- ensure effective drugs are available to New Zealanders
Ensure people who need real help are in care, not on the street
and address the problems in mental health caused by the closure of psychiatric hospitals
End welfare abuse
ACT will: Advocate continued adequate state support for those with chronic conditions who genuinely cannot support themselves
Introduce a single ‘temporary’ benefit
Time-limit the work search period for those fit to work to find a job
Require those who have not found work within the time limit to participate in a full-time work placement programme
with assistance provided for childcare, transport, etc
Require regular case manager interviews for sickness beneficiaries
Require a mother applying for a benefit to name the father of her child
Require annual benefit reapplication to reduce fraud
Introduce shared parenting in the event of a family breakdown
Review the Child Support Act to require parents to meet their financial obligations to their children
Retain base benefit levels,
but ensure people on welfare do not end up better off then people in full time work
Standards and choice in education
ACT will
— Allow “the funding to follow the child” – introduce flexible funding so parents can use it on the school of their choice, public or private
— Scrap the NCEA, introduce external exams
— and allow choice between recognised NZ and international qualifications
— Ensure schools emphasise English and Maths at all levels
— Abolish zoning to allow free choice of schools
— Foster successful, innovative schools by allowing different governance structures, devolved funding and independence
— Improve teacher training
and allow schools to pay good teachers more
— Make student loans much easier to repay by dropping the top rate to 25 cents in the dollar – so the average loan could be paid off in half the time
— Revitalise traditional apprenticeship arrangements.
GETTING THINGS DONE
Party Vote Jim Anderton’s Progressive
Keeping the Government on track
Jim Anderton’s Progressive Party has shown that small parties do make a big difference in Government.
Kiwibank
4 weeks Annual Leave for all New Zealanders
Real action to turn the tide against drug abuse
260,000 new jobs through regional and economic development
Stopped the sell-off of important state assets
Doubled apprenticeships
No Sales of Strategic Assets
But there’s still more to do
Jim Anderton’s Progressive Party has developed a new Kiwi Family Package which puts the core needs of New Zealanders into the heart of government.
KIWI FAMILY PACKAGE
EDUCATION
Our children deserve the best future we can give them.
From early schooling to industry training, tertiary education or apprenticeships, our children must have choices that enable them to achieve their goals and dreams.
Education is an investment in a healthy and happy society.
It is also the key to lifting living standards for all New Zealanders.
Jim Anderton would like to be the Education Minister in the next term of government to ensure the education system delivers for all New Zealanders.
As Minister for Economic Development, Jim has been successful with his ‘jobs machine’ in reversing unemployment.
There is still more to do.
Education is vital for our nation’s future.
STABLE GOVERNMENT
KIWI FAMILY PACKAGE
HEALTH
Our goal: Affordable healthcare for all.
Our steps: No prescription charges for those under 18 and over 65 years
A special, accountable fund to tackle hospital waiting lists in the regions
Improve home care services and increase help for families of the elderly in residential care
Keep NZ Nuclear Free
OVER 65s
Our goal: Ensure financial security for elderly New Zealanders.
Our steps: 1% increase in superannuation, above annual inflation adjustment
A cash payment of $200 in winter to go towards heating costs
No prescription charges
HOME OWNERSHIP
Our goal: Remove barriers to home ownership.
Our steps: Capitalise Family Support payments up to $30,000 to close the deposit gap
THINKERS, NOT DRINKERS
The Progressive Party supports raising the alcohol purchasing age to 20
In government, we will continue to ensure marijuana is not decriminalized.
We are anti-drugs.
GET THINGS DONE
KIWI FAMILY PACKAGE
JOBS AND THE REGIONS
Our goal A full employment society
with a positive future for every New Zealander and every region.
Our steps: Everyone under twenty in a job, education or training by 2007
Double apprenticeships from the current 7000 to 14,000 by 2007
Invest in initiatives to develop our regions to create jobs and growth
Cut the company tax rate to 30% to encourage job creation and business development
Complete a regular nationwide Skill Shortage Stocktake, in order to effectively plan ahead
and promote training and education where it is needed
TERTIARY EDUCATION
FREEDOM FROM DEBT … SWEET AS!
Our goal: Free tertiary education
while keeping our skilled young people working in New Zealand.
Our steps: For each year you work in New Zealand after graduation we will meet the Student Loan repayments for at least 3 years - that’s interest and the loan
Bring back universal student allowances
Gradual reduction of tertiary fees
THINK EDUCATION
Every party vote you give to Jim Anderton’s Progressive is a vote to deliver:
The Kiwi Family Package
A Party which is honest and clear about its coalition partner – Labour
A Party with a proven track record of getting things done
Jim Anderton’s Progressive Party aims to be as successful with delivering free prescriptions,
raising superannuation,
encouraging home ownership,
raising the drinking age
and slashing student debt
as we have been with Kiwibank,
job creation
and regional development since 1999.
Giving your Party Vote to Jim Anderton’s Progressive Party will keep the Government on track
and allow us to deliver our Kiwi Family Package.
STABLE GOVERNMENT
Brash Address to the 2005 Campaign Opening
Sunday, 21 August 2005, 3:55 pm
Speech: New Zealand National Party
A new government and a new direction
21-Aug-05
Dr Don Brash
National Party Leader
Address to the Official 2005 Campaign Opening, Sky City Convention Centre, Auckland.
My fellow New Zealanders.
147 years ago, my great-great-grandfather William Brash came to these shores.
Along with thousands of others, he came because he saw this as a land of opportunity, a place where he and his family could get ahead.
Some, especially those with Maori heritage, will have roots even further in our past,
but for all of us, the notion of New Zealand as a land of opportunity features in our reasons for being here.
We owe a huge debt to those who, over many decades, came to this land as pioneers, and laid the foundations of the wonderful country we enjoy today.
I cannot help but ask myself how my great-great- grandfather, and the many thousands of other pioneers who worked so hard, endured such adversity, and took such risks, would feel, were they able to see the direction the country in which they had invested so much hope has taken in recent years.
A country which tolerates nearly 300,000 working-age people being paid a benefit to stay at home, while businesses are crying out for staff.
A country which releases violent criminals to be recycled through the police files and the courts after serving only a third of their sentences,
with some of the worst offenders being paid compensation for their hurt feelings.
A country in which meaningful grades and reports have been disappearing from our schools,
with large numbers of young people leaving school unable to read or write or count.
A country in which an unhealthy alliance between the extremists and the politically correct has seen the emergence of two different standards of citizenship, depending upon your ethnicity.
A country in which middle income folk are told by their government that they are the new rich, destined to pay 39 cents in tax on the top dollars of their income, plus a further 12½% tax on the money they spend.
A country in which New Zealanders are increasingly trapped by a tax and benefit system
which can see those who want to get ahead lose 90 cents in the dollar in tax and benefit abatement as the penalty for trying harder or working smarter.
I ask myself, just what would those rugged, courageous, adventurous folk who founded this land have made of that?
My guess is that they would say we had lost our way.
That it was time for a change of direction.
Time for a change of government.
New Zealand is a great country.
A country of wide open spaces, of spectacular mountain ranges, of giant kauri forests, of stunning beaches, harbours and fiords.
We share a heritage and a culture we can be proud of, and which makes us distinctively New Zealanders.
You can hear it in our speech and in our music, read it in our novels and our poems, see it in our landscape, our art, and our films, taste it in our food and wine.
This is the country which produced Ed Hillary, Peter Blake, Katherine Mansfield, Ernest Rutherford, Apirana Ngata, Kiri Te Kanawa, and Peter Jackson: talented, strong minded, resourceful people, produced by a rich and beautiful land.
This is a country where we absolutely take it for granted that an election will be held roughly every three years, and that a government will be elected without bloodshed, with the army safely in its barracks.
We have a great country.
So how can it be that in terms of per capita incomes we have now slipped far behind other developed nations we used to regard as our equal, like Australia?
And now even behind countries we used to look down on as under-developed or developing nations, like Singapore.
How can it be that we have a growing stream of bright and energetic New Zealanders leaving for the higher standard of living they can earn abroad?
How can it be that almost a quarter of all New Zealanders with a tertiary qualification now live outside this country
– with the frightening certainty that that trend will continue if Labour is re-elected to office?
And how can it be that while the world is so clearly passing New Zealand by, our government has no solutions, no answers?
The Clark Labour Government used to talk of New Zealand gradually climbing its way back into the top half of the ranks of the developed nations.
But now, they do so no more.
The Clark Labour Government used to talk of stopping the brain drain to Australia.
But now, they do so no more.
The Clark Labour Government used to pretend they shared an ambition to see New Zealand surf the Knowledge Wave.
But now they do so no more.
You see, the Clark Labour Government has run out of ideas.
Run out of aspiration, ambition, vision or even hope.
And now they have run out of time.
It has been said that this Clark Labour Government may well go down in history as the luckiest government of all time – given the benefits of the most favourable trading conditions for our key exports for many decades.
Today I bring you good news and bad news on that front.
The good news is that the Clark Labour Government's luck has just run out.
The bad news is that New Zealand's luck is also now running out.
Our economy has slowed quite sharply.
We are reaching the end of the golden weather.
In the six months to March of this year, the economy grew by less than 1%, and almost every forecaster expects the economy to grow at no more than about 3% for as far ahead as anyone can predict.
The golden weather which has enabled the Labour Government to spend on hip hop tours, twilight golf courses and radio sing-along courses has come to an end.
Sadly, the opportunity which could have been taken to set our country on a path to greater prosperity has been squandered.
Ladies and gentlemen: from here on, we New Zealanders are going to have to make our own luck.
From here on, New Zealand will need a government that is capable of making its own luck.
On 17 September, New Zealanders will confront some stark choices.
Two very different policy programmes, driven by two very different sets of values, and two very different styles of politics, will be on offer.
It will be an important choice – indeed, a momentous choice for our country.
Today, as we formally open our official campaign for the 2005 general election, I want to tell you about the sort of country we can be – indeed the sort of country we need to be if we are to send a message to our children and grandchildren that we can offer them a real future here.
First, we must make this a country which rewards and respects those who want to work hard, acquire skills, and get ahead.
That is the reason that the National Party’s tax and welfare policies are so important.
Tomorrow, I will announce the details of a comprehensive set of changes to the current tax rates.
As will have been clear from the announcements made by John Key on Friday, following release of the Treasury’s Pre-Election Fiscal Update, our package will reduce the tax burden by $2.2 billion in year one – the 2006/07 year – rising to $3.9 billion in year three, the 2008/09 year.
For most hard working New Zealanders, that will bring welcome relief.
Between 2000 and 2004, the income tax paid by the average household went up by 24%, almost twice as fast as pre-tax household incomes.
As a result, after tax and inflation, average household incomes didn’t rise at all between 2000 and 2004.
How on earth do we expect people to work harder, to work smarter, to acquire skills, to invest more in growing their businesses if, at the end of it all, they are going to be no better off, because the government has taken the lot?
And if New Zealanders have no incentive to work hard in order to get ahead, how on earth is our country supposed to get ahead?
The programme of tax changes I will announce tomorrow is critical – not just because a few New Zealanders who see the prospect of keeping more of their hard-earned cash might decide to vote for the National Party (although I certainly hope they will), but rather because lower taxes and better incentives are the key to re-igniting the spirit of enterprise required if New Zealand is once again to be a land of opportunity.
Over the past six years, we have seen the growth of a culture of high taxation, waste and bureaucracy.
And that bureaucracy is suffocating not just our businesses but also our schools, our homes for the elderly, our hospitals, and our police.
It has become all pervasive.
If we are to do better as a nation, we need a culture of enterprise, ambition and aspiration.
At the heart of that culture must be a tax system which offers incentive and reward.
Tomorrow, I promise, you will see a package of taxation policies that will do just that.
One of the simplest changes I will formally announce tomorrow is in the field of tax on secondary employment – right at the very heart of my concern about incentives and reward.
Those who take on a second job today often find their tax being collected at a very high rate, with the onus falling on them to collect a refund many months later.
That in itself is a major disincentive to getting ahead,
and often the result is that they end up not getting their refund – indeed, faced with that high tax on secondary employment, they often decide against that extra job!
The New Zealand I hope to lead will be one where we reward, not punish, those who want to get ahead by taking on a second job.
So we will change the way in which tax is collected on secondary employment.
We will collect that tax at a rate below 20 cents in the dollar, unless the taxpayer asks, in anticipation of a higher tax obligation, for collection to be at a nominated higher rate.
We will do this because we want to remove every obstacle we can standing in the way of those who want to get ahead, whose efforts will see New Zealand get ahead.
Hand in hand with our tax policy will be our welfare policy.
It should be a matter of great shame to this nation that, at the peak of the economic cycle, we have 300,000 working age New Zealanders on a full time benefit – 110,000 of whom have been on a benefit for at least four years.
The waste of taxpayers’ money – at a cost of $14 million every day – is bad enough.
But the waste of those lives is a human tragedy of enormous proportions.
A National Government is committed to strongly supporting those who, through no fault of their own, are unable to support themselves.
But for those who are unemployed and able to work, we will find work.
Those on the domestic purposes benefit will be expected to be available for part time work when their youngest child goes to school – something that tens of thousands of tax-paying mothers decide to do of their own volition.
And the sickness and invalids benefits will cease to be a place to hide for those who have no legitimate entitlement to taxpayers’ support.
So we are offering a package of sensible and fair taxation and welfare policies that encourage New Zealanders to get ahead,
and see their country get ahead.
But the risk to this country lies not just in continuing to slip further behind economically.
New Zealand is also at risk from a growing acceptance, indeed encouragement, of mediocrity in far too many aspects of our national life.
Yes, our best sports people are in the top international league,
but too often our children are discouraged from trying hard to win.
Yes, our best educated people are amongst the best educated in the world,
but too many of our schools no longer celebrate those who do outstandingly well, no longer give marks, no longer give meaningful grades.
And in the tertiary sector, we have seen scandalous amounts of money wasted on courses of minimal value either to those enrolled or to the wider New Zealand society
– with university funding up just 28% over the last five years
but spending on low quality community education courses up more than 800%.
These are sure signs of a society that has lost its way, lost its focus, lost its sense of values.
In particular, we have lost our focus on the core public services which people should be entitled to expect from the government they fund with their taxes.
And so the second promise I make to you today is that the next National Government will focus on excellent delivery of the services that New Zealanders expect in return for their tax dollars,
because those services are a critical building block in the better performing economy we must have.
And because they are essential to the civilised society which we generally expect.
In no area is that more important than in Education.
I am totally committed to a New Zealand in which every child gets the very best education of which they are capable,
one in which their parents will have choices about where and how their children will be educated,
and one in which schools have the freedom to operate in the interests of their communities.
That is why the next National Government will take the education sector out of the bureaucratic and union-dominated straightjacket in which it is now trapped.
We will abolish rigid school zoning.
We will improve the quality of teacher training
and ensure that good teachers are paid more.
We will remove the cap on the rolls of the integrated schools
and restore to the 1999 level the subsidies for independent schools
in order to enhance parental choice.
We will fix the NCEA.
When a child falls behind in reading or arithmetic, we will give their parents a voucher to buy the extra tuition they need.
And we will let schools be run by their boards, communities and principals, not by teacher unions, bureaucrats, and heavy-handed Ministers.
There is no point in creating a wealthier, better educated, nation if New Zealanders cannot feel safe in their own homes.
Again, as the Clark Labour Government has been carried away with its hip hop tours and its twilight golf courses,
it has lost sight of one of the most important roles of any government: the protection of its citizens.
As will be evident to any New Zealander who has read a newspaper in recent months, the quality of New Zealand policing has been put at risk on Helen Clark’s watch.
And public confidence in the police has also been put at risk.
Let me be very clear about this:
I, Don Brash, will place the protection of New Zealand’s citizens right at the very top of the list of solemn duties of the Prime Minister of this land.
Under a National Government, police resources will be devoted to fighting crime, not to filling in forms or raising revenue by filling speeding ticket quotas.
We will abolish parole for all repeat and violent offenders.
We will change the Proceeds of Crime legislation to enable the police to smash organised criminal gangs.
And we will maintain a DNA data base of all people convicted of a criminal offence to ensure speedier resolution of many offences.
A Don Brash-led Government will get serious about protecting New Zealand’s citizens, and get tough with the small minority of violent anti-social thugs who are currently re-cycled through our courts and through our police files again and again and again.
No single area better illustrates the “spend now, think later” approach of the Clark Labour Government than Health.
If six years ago you had asked me whether it was possible to increase health funding by 50%, and get virtually no more operations, no more services out of the health system, I would have said that would have been a challenge.
But clearly the Clark Labour Government has been equal to that challenge.
Today, they preside over a health system which consumes more dollars and produces less value for money than most of us could ever have believed.
More money will help.
But there are problems in our health system that money alone will not fix.
The next National Government is going to be driven not by ideology, not by blind prejudice, but by a simple and unambiguous requirement that we use taxpayers’ money to buy the very best health services for our people,
regardless of whether they are delivered by the public or by the private sector.
And we will maintain the levels of funding required to deliver the quality and quantity of healthcare that New Zealanders expect.
There is one other core service funded by New Zealand taxpayers which I want to mention in this context.
The decisions as to who qualifies to become a citizen of our country must sit very high on the hierarchy of responsibilities of the government of our land.
Yet the exercise of that responsibility has been seriously deficient in recent years.
Scandal after scandal has occurred in the Immigration portfolio, to the point where we are almost de-sensitised to the headlines.
A National Government will give the Immigration Service a major, top to bottom, overhaul
, and roll the Service into a new Ministry that draws together the functions of the Immigration Service and the Citizenship role of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
A National Government will ensure we treat the task of deciding who gets to be a New Zealander with the seriousness and professionalism it deserves.
The concerns I have alluded to today – about taxation, welfare, education, law and order, immigration, and health – are to the forefront of the National Party’s agenda.
They are also to some extent on the agendas of the other parties of the centre-right, and that gives me real confidence in our ability to see these issues addressed by a National-led Government.
Finally today I want to promise New Zealanders a different style of political leadership after 17 September.
Over recent weeks, Helen Clark and her senior Ministers have attempted to make much of my relative lack of Parliamentary experience – even though it is about the same as that enjoyed by Bob Hawke before he became Prime Minister of Australia.
Well I have two things to say about that:
Last time I saw one of those polls measuring public respect for various occupational groups, politicians were giving used car salesmen and mad axe murderers a run for their money somewhere near the bottom of the list!
So I feel no particular anxiety about being excluded from that assessment.
But if my opponents are, by referring to my Parliamentary experience, suggesting that I might, as Prime Minister, do things differently from the incumbent, then my answer is: Absolutely, yes.
If the public of this country accord me the privilege of serving as Prime Minister after September 17, things will be different.
Very, very different.
For a start, if my ministerial limousine is travelling at 160 kilometres an hour, I promise I will notice.
And if I sign a painting, it will be because I painted it.
I promise to end the era of government by smoke and mirrors, and the rule of the Beehive spin merchants.
I promise an end to the creeping, some would say galloping, political correctness which has overrun our ship of state.
And I promise that when something goes wrong, it won’t always have been the officials’ or the driver’s fault.
I promise you a government of mainstream New Zealanders, for mainstream New Zealanders.
I may not have started the debate in this country over the place of the Treaty of Waitangi, but I think it would be fair to say that I did nudge it along a bit.
And if I am elected to the office of Prime Minister, I will use every ounce of energy in my body to see us create a country in which all New Zealanders, regardless of their ethnicity, are treated as equals before the law,
and in which the historic Treaty claims are settled with speed,
with fairness
and with dignity.
My vision is of a country in which we all, regardless of background, regardless of race, can find our own land of opportunity,
not through the endless re-interpretation of a document signed in a different time and for a different purpose,
but through an understanding that we have a shared future, a common stake in this great land of ours.
If you want the continuation of a politically correct, social engineering, arrogant government, which has done nothing to improve our growth rate or stem the exodus of Kiwis to greener pastures abroad and which believes it can spend your money better than you can, I suggest you don’t vote National.
But if you share our vision of what New Zealand could become – a country with living standards at least equal to those in Australia,
where every child gets the very best education of which they are capable,
where those who need help from government get it
but those who don’t need it stand on their own two feet,
where eliminating crime is taken seriously
and where every person is equal before the law
– then know that the National Party stands ready to deliver the policies to make that future a reality.
On 17 September, I invite all New Zealanders to join us on that journey.
We will establish a Tiriti Commission to facilitate constitutional change;
We will entrench the Maori seats in legislation, with a 75% majority of the House
and a binding tangata whenua referendum (75% majority);
We will invest $6m into the Waitangi Tribunal per annum;
We will provide $20m to community based educators to carry out Tiriti / Treaty education;
We will entrench Te Tiriti o Waitangi in legislation;
We will set up Maori to initiate state sector reform from a Tiriti perspective.
Health and Wellbeing
We will inject an additional $ l00m per year into diabetes services;
All families with a history of diabetes should receive free screening;
We will invest $20m per year, into ten regions, into wellbeing programmes;
We will invest an additional $26m on alcohol and drug treatment services;
“We will invest to fund public education, treatment and intervention services on problem gambling (0.32 of the vote);
We will invest $5m to enable co-ordinators in ten communities to run education programmes, and support to individuals and families and police in responding appropriately to P.
Education
We will invest more to ensure that all children can read, write, count, speak and think with confidence,
in English and Te Reo;
We will call for free education across the board;
All tertiary students will be entitled to a full living allowance.
No interest on student loans
and repay when you earn over $60,000;
We will initiate cultural audits within the ERO programme;
We will promote whanau involvement in education
and support community education;
We will support Maori providers across all levels of education.
Employment and Training
We will lift the minimum wage to $12.50 per hour;
We will increase government cadetships across the public sector;
We will increase support for and improve access to trade training and apprenticeships;
We will support initiatives and incentives to build whanau, community, local and regional enterprise and innovation;
We will ensure the minimum wage raises with inflation.
Environment
We will support the repeal of the Foreshore and Seabed Act;
We will initiate a ‘Taking responsibility for Aotearoa’ strategy to promote conservation and environmental management;
We will develop an ‘Energy Strategy for Aotearoa’ to ensure the best use of available resources;
We will call for the full implementation of section 33 of the Resource Management Act so that Maori can properly share in environmental decision-making;
We will call for environmental impact assessments to be completed before development projects are able to be approved;
We will invest in the production of organic food to better ensure the availability of healthy kai.
Whanau First
We will ensure all government money targeted for families actually gets to the direct source of need
-the whanau;
We will establish a Whanau Development Commission;
We will develop a Whanau Enterprise programme to encourage and grow entrepreneurship;
We will establish Maori leadership programmes to enhance whanau, hapu and iwi structures.
Poverty
We will increase superannuation payments
and lower the age of entitlement to 60 years;
We will cap rent for state housing
and review the accommodation supplement;
We will introduce a universal child benefit
that can be capitalised to enable families to buy their own homes;
We will call on the tax system and the budget surplus to reduce poverty and invest in people;
We will reinstate child-related component of core benefits
and the child tax credit to all low income families;
We will use $1.75 billion of the surpluses to give a tax discount of 50% to our low income people;
and still maintain all existing services
Norman: Green Party Campaign Launch
Monday, 6 October 2008, 9:33 am
Speech: Green Party
RUSSEL NORMAN
Green Party Co-Leader
CAMPAIGN LAUNCH 05 OCTOBER 2008
Vote for the Future
ADDRESS BY CO-LEADER RUSSEL NORMAN TO GREEN PARTY CAMPAIGN LAUNCH
The real question we need to ask at this election is who will be the voice for those who have no voice.
Who will be the voice for children?
900,000 children and young people can’t vote at this election - 900,000 children and young people who have a deep interest in the future of this country and this planet.
They have more at stake than anyone else – it’s them that will inherit the world we leave.
Who will be their voice in parliament?
The Green Party will be the voice for those who will inherit the earth.
Who will speak out for parents’ right to know where their kids’ food comes from?
At a time when Labour and National gang up together, united against the right of a parent to know the true source of their children’s food,
which party has the basic human decency to say people have a basic human right to know where their food comes from?
The Green Party will speak out for people’s right to know,
while Labour and National protect agribusiness’ right to make money.
And who will tell Fonterra and the rest that it’s not good enough to sit on your hands while the authoritarian Chinese Government suppresses the truth about poison milk;
it’s not good enough to look the other way while the Chinese Government spies on anyone using the words ‘milk powder’ on Skype.
Helen Clark belatedly complained that Fonterra took too long to go public while her government didn’t go public either, after they found out about poisoned milk,
and it wasn’t recalled for 20 days after the New Zealand government was officially notified by Fonterra.
If you can’t trust Labour and National to go public about poisoned baby milk then what on earth can you trust them on.
Surely staying quiet about poisoned baby milk is some kind of moral Rubicon which we would never expect a New Zealand government to cross, and then they did.
Who will be the voice who speaks out about poisoned baby food, only the Greens.
Who can you trust to take a precautionary approach to food safety?
Who will support sustainable organic food production
and protect kids
and our clean, green reputation.
The Green Party.
Who will be the voice for the children of the future who will miss out on swimming in a New Zealand river because it’s so polluted it’s dangerous?
Kiwi parents who had a baby 10 years ago might have expected that their child would today be able to swim in the rivers and streams where they themselves swam as children.
Yet now that 10 year old child can’t safely swim in most of our rivers because they are so polluted with effluent from agribusiness.
Who will be the voice for the children of today and tomorrow who will never have a chance to swim in a clean river while Labour and National are in control?
The Green Party will be that voice.
Who will speak up for the 111 Maui dolphins that remain?
Who will say it is simply unacceptable that the next dolphin to become extinct in the world will be a New Zealand dolphin?
Who will speak up to protect the last 36 New Zealand Fairy Terns whose habitat is threatened by coastal development encouraged by a district council that thinks progress means sub-divisions?
The Green Party will speak up.
Who will speak out to protect the future water supply of Aucklanders threatened by dairy conversions in the Waikato river catchment?
Who has the courage to stand up to the giant dairy companies who want to convert pine plantations to industrial dairy farms across the central north island
and then demand that the taxpayer picks up their billion dollar bill for their greenhouse pollution?
Who will speak out for that threatened species the family farmer under assault from industrial agribusiness;
who will speak out for the farmer who is kaitiaki of the land and the rivers?
The Green Party will speak out and we will stand up.
And who has the courage to stand up against the death threats of the fundamentalists who demand the right to beat their children?
Who will stand up for the child living in fear of a hiding from a water pipe or a piece of four by two?
The Green Party will stand up for children
and we will stand up against violence.
Who will be the voice for the children and adults growing up and living in poverty?
Poverty which denies them the chance to grasp all that this beautiful country has to offer.
The Green Party is a voice against poverty even when it’s not trendy.
The Green Party believes in a fair go for everyone, no matter what side of the tracks you’re from.
Who has the guts to say to the roading lobby ‘we’re sick of subsidising your trucking companies;
we’re sick of your roads wrecking our cities;
we’re sick of your pollution;
we’re sick of all the giant trucks making our roads unsafe.
Who has the guts to say it’s not good enough that people can’t afford to get around our cities and towns because of rising petrol prices
and we need affordable reliable public transport to get to work and home again?
The Green Party has the guts to fight for decent reliable public transport
and we’ll get you home cheaper and faster.
In a time when Labour and National are competing as to who has the longest motorway, who has the audacity to call out ‘the emperor has no clothes’ - oil will never be cheap again?
In a time when Labour and National are competing as to who can waste more billions on motorways;
who has the audacity to say to the Road Transport Forum we don’t care that you’re funding the Labour and National party election campaigns,
we need better public transport.
Only the Green Party has the audacity to say the emperor has no clothes,
that building an empire on oil is like building an empire on sand.
Only the Green Party will build a decent public transport system now.
We will make it safe to bike and walk to work and school.
Labour and National are running from the real debate, trying to suppress any diversity of views.
They don’t want to have the real debate because they’ll be revealed for the sell-outs that they are - selling out our children’s future - leaving a legacy of social, environmental and economic debt which will have to be repaid.
The leadership of Labour and National know that when the repo man comes calling they’ll be long gone.
Who will be the voice for the generations to come who will ask how could we possibly have suspended disbelief, how we could possibly have bought the argument that we had to destroy the planet to save the economy.
Surely the lesson from the current financial crisis is that you cannot keep borrowing from the future forever.
Only the Green Party recognises this simple truth.
Who will stand beside Ngati Tara in their attempt to save stunning Doubtless Bay in the far north from a council that wants to fill the water with sewerage and fill the land with suburbs and subdivisions?
The Green Party stands beside tangata whenua
and all those who fight to protect this country.
Who will be the voice for the heart and soul of Aotearoa New Zealand?
There are plenty of voices in Parliament for the greedy of this country.
We have a Parliament full of wallets, a Parliament full of stock options, a Parliament full of multiple investment properties;
a Parliament which gives voice day in and day out to the interests of the developer,
the polluter,
the speculator.
But who will be the voice in Parliament for the land of this country,
for the people of this country,
and for the very earth itself?
The Green Party.
We are a nation led by politicians who are racing towards a future that they cannot see or understand because they have their faces turned towards the past.
Every year they run faster, using more resources producing more pollution, running ever faster while looking where they have been instead of where they are going.
Hoping that magic will save them from the reality that there is only one planet and resources are limited.
Who will have the courage to turn around and actually face the future?
The Greens will face up to the future and won’t live in the past.
We know that we must urgently reduce our greenhouse emissions.
We know that we must urgently prepare for rising oil prices.
We know that protecting safe healthy food is fundamental.
In a world made uncertain by out of control financial speculation on Wall Street,
we need to learn to value what is important.
In Aotearoa New Zealand we are blessed with a fantastic natural environment.
It is the foundation of our economy and society, we must treasure it and look after it.
And in Aotearoa New Zealand we are an amazing people.
We have potential for greatness.
Michael Joseph Savage showed that we can lead the world in looking after people;
the nuclear ban showed that we can lead the world in looking after the world itself.
Now we can once again lead the world by making clean and green a reality and not just a marketing slogan.
At this election don’t waste your vote on the old grey parties, don’t vote for the past.
At this election vote for a strong green voice in parliament, vote for the future.
Party vote Green.
ENDS
Fitzsimons: Through the Eyes of a Child
Monday, 6 October 2008, 9:35 am
Speech: Green Party
JEANETTE FITZSIMONS
Green Party Co-Leader
CAMPAIGN LAUNCH 05 OCTOBER 2008
Through the Eyes of a Child
ADDRESS BY CO-LEADER JEANETTE FITZSIMONS TO GREEN PARTY CAMPAIGN LAUNCH
When you make your decision at this election, we are asking you to look first through the eyes of a child – of all our children.
Aila looks out at us from the wharf with the ocean behind her, with an honesty, a directness, a challenge that you don’t often get from adults.
Today you have seen her on screen, and she’s just as stunning as on a static billboard.
She’s not saying, “Who’s going to give me the biggest tax cut?”
She’s saying, “Who’s going to look after our future?”
She’s not impressed by the name calling in Parliament and the political “game”.
She’s already told us, during filming, what she thinks of people who drive all over the city one person to a car when they could catch the train, because she is going to inherit the consequences.
She is going to inherit the consequences of the way you vote in just five weeks.
What will she think, in 20 years’ time, as she looks back on the priorities we adults had at the 2008 election?
What will she think of a society that built a house-of-cards financial system that lent money it did not have,
sold things it did not own,
claimed value for things that did not really exist,
then crashed; bringing down with it many things of real value –
like people’s homes
and jobs.
What will she think of political parties that put tax cuts ahead of dealing with the big challenges to her future – climate change,
the end of cheap oil,
risks to the safety of our food,
the ecological collapse of our oceans,
a decent health and education system,
the pollution of our air and water?
In 20 years’ time, as she contemplates having children of her own, what will she think of the education system we built?
Did it prepare her for the future or for the past?
Has she learned how to live a rich and satisfying life with less energy and natural resources than her parents’ generation?
Is she saddled with a huge student debt she may never payoff?
Did the health system invest in keeping her well, with healthy food choices,
warm dry housing,
and early intervention to catch threats like diabetes and dental problems before they develop;
or did it leave her alone until she got really sick, then put her on a waiting list?
The images of her with Augustine and the skateboard, and with Aotea on the swing, are how we like to think of children.
It’s how they have a right to be.
Carefree, healthy, fit, enjoying life.
But for too many children it’s not like that now.
Labour’s policy of Working for Families has improved living standards for our second-poorest children, but not for those on the lowest incomes of all.
If your parent is a low paid worker, there may now be enough money to afford decent food and the necessaries of life if you are careful.
But if your parent is on an invalid or sickness benefit, you don’t get that extra help.
We will all live with the consequences of leaving those families in need.
There’s a call for change at this election.
People get tired of leaders and of political parties just as they get tired of their furniture and it seems time to rearrange the room or go out and buy some new stuff.
Change is exciting – you don’t know quite how it will turn out!
But no-one seems very clear what they want to change to.
Let’s change from….tax cuts to maybe bigger tax cuts?
From one middle-of-the-road party to another?
From Mother Coke to Father Pepsi?
We know how different they taste.
If you are sick of the décor and want to change the furniture, why would you change from grey to grey?
The fact is, neither of those parties has a plan for reducing our critical dependence on oil and giving us more security.
Both of them say we should do something about climate change but something called “the economy” has to come first.
After repeated overseas food safety scares neither of them will defend your right to know where your food comes from so you can make your own decisions.
Both will take us into a Free Trade Agreement with the US that will allow transnational pharmaceutical companies to undermine our low cost system of generic medicines and vastly increase the cost of being sick.
The US will also demand the right for its corporations to buy our land and to sell their GE food and their GE seeds for planting into New Zealand, unlabeled.
Both Mother Coke and Father Pepsi actively welcome and fund a future of genetically engineered food, grown here.
The only differences I can detect is that Labour is more gung ho about GE than National, who prefer to just let it happen through the market;
but National wants to further weaken what rules we do have, in the interests of reducing compliance costs!
Neither will do anything to encourage organic growing except when the Greens have the power to push them.
The Prime Minister says this election is about trust.
OK, I’ll sign up to that.
Who do you trust to work for real sustainability, not just greenwash?
Mother Coke and Father Pepsi, or the Real Green Thing?
Who do you trust to take urgent action on climate change
and to prepare for rising oil prices?
To get our cities moving with a functioning public transport system
before they build yet more motorways?
Who do you trust to give you the right to know where your food comes from?
Who do you trust to keep New Zealand GE free?
Who do you trust to invest in preventative health care rather than waiting till you are sick?
Who do you trust to vote in accordance with the policies they have put to you, the voter?
If these are the things you care about, why would you change from grey to grey?
If these are the things you care about, then the change you need is Green.
There’s no doubt that 12 Green MPs – 10 even – would change any government.
Even with six, we already have.
And that’s without even being part of Government.
We are ready to play a role around the Cabinet table if we are asked,
and if we are offered a policy agreement that meets the present and future needs of our children.
During the coming week we’ll be releasing the criteria against which we will judge the policies and programmes of other parties and deciding who we could work with in future.
But round the Cabinet table is not the only way to make change.
For the last six years we have not supported any government.
We have not voted confidence and supply in anyone.
We have negotiated co-operation agreements with the last two governments, and voted for each piece of legislation in accordance with our policies.
It’s called independence, and we value it very highly.
We have used our influence with successive governments to gain funding through the budget process.
Insulation of all state houses.
Healthy food in schools.
Environmental legal aid.
Environmental education.
Treaty education in schools.
Conservation partnerships between communities and DOC.
More money for COGS.
Testing for food contaminants.
Funding for Environment Centres.
Quit smoking assistance.
A peacekeeping centre.
Community internships.
All mostly small amounts of money, but the world is a different place, a better place, because of our budget initiatives.
Then there is the legislation we have introduced and passed.
Our first bill in Parliament, introduced 10 years ago, set the framework for a comprehensive energy efficiency system.
A first in New Zealand.
Our latest bill, passed last month, did the same for Waste Minimisation.
In the last three-year term, only five private members’ bills passed through Parliament. All five were Green bills.
Six MPs, 5% of Parliament, and 100% of the non-government bills passed.
We have removed the legal defence for assaulting children.
We have ensured young workers aged 16 & 17 get paid an adult’s wage for doing an adult’s job.
We have provided for mothers in prison to keep their babies for longer
to create that vital bond that is essential for the child
and the most important motivation for the mother not to reoffend.
We have improved work-life balance for workers who also care for dependents, by creating a right to negotiate for flexible working hours.
New Zealand is a better place because of Green legislation.
Add to that the numerous bills we have improved thorough the select committee process – like the sustainability clause in the Biofuel Act -
and the lobbying and shaming we have done to change government policy.
We contributed to the pressure to raise the minimum wage
and raise overseas development aid.
The Government admits it is spending a lot more on public transport than it would have been without our pressure.
We pushed it into reclaiming the rail system.
We negotiated numerous changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme to make it fairer
and more effective,
not least of which is a $1 billion fund to upgrade homes, right across the country, making them warm and dry, with lower power bills.
These issues are not peculiar to New Zealand.
There is a world wide movement towards green thinking and green action.
The business papers are full of sustainability talk
and leading businesses are getting serious about reducing their waste,
using energy more efficiently,
saving water,
redesigning processes to demand less of the environment,
and gaining market share because of it.
International movements to find better ways to measure the economy are gaining ground.
The international Global Footprint Institute has just published again the date on which the world had used up this years’ ecological production and is now living off its ecological capital.
That date was September this year.
It gets earlier every year.
The Genuine Progress Index is gaining ground as a more sensible way of measuring our true wealth, by excluding negative expenditure like pollution and crime
and including uncosted voluntary work with real economic significance.
Here in New Zealand Landcare Research has for some years now had a robust tool for calculating a person or a firm’s carbon footprint and is challenging leaders to use it and publish the results.
The New Zealand Herald has green pages every issue.
We read the daily blog of the couple who are trying to live without creating any waste – and enjoying it.
We have new magazines like Good providing the information people need to green their lives and have fun at the same time.
Robyn, who approached me some months ago about energy efficiency, has told you about her journey in understanding and changing her life,
and there are thousands like her.
We have Transition Towns movements in many NZ communities, working out how to live with less oil,
less impact on the climate,
growing more of their food organically,
riding a bike and sharing transport.
It is exhilarating to find you cam solve some of your own problems in your own life.
It is empowering stuff.
But my message to those who have recently discovered this empowering way of life, is that if you are thinking green and acting green, it also matters deeply how you vote.
You can grow your vegies and insulate your house and ride a bike, but you can’t build your own public transport system.
We are all in this together.
Individual action can go a long way, but we also need to act collectively
if we want our country to prepare for a future that will not be like the past.
If you are thinking green and acting green, now is the time to make your party vote Green.
ENDS
Speeches
Helen Clark launches the Labour election campaign
Sun, 12 October 2008
I stand before you today to launch our campaign for a fourth term for our Labour-led Government.
I do so because I truly believe that we in Labour have the vision, the leadership, the experience, the judgement, the commitment, the determination, and the plan which New Zealand needs at this time.
And these are challenging times – for our world.
Our country, while resilient, is not immune to what is happening.
Our world is experiencing the worst financial crisis seen since the 1930s.
A curtain is being drawn on the era of the free wheeling unregulated money traders and financiers whose greed has shaken the international financial system to its very core.
Co-ordinated international action will be needed
to ensure that the greed merchants don’t ever again get the chance to destroy the lives of ordinary people in real jobs
trying to put food on the table for their families.
We know of no precedent for the scale of what is happening in international markets, nor for the scale of the responses being made in those world capitals where financial services make a significant contribution to the size of the economy.
Who could have envisaged even six weeks ago the US Government would undertake a $US700 billion bail out – or Britain a part nationalisation of major banks?
At present, New Zealand and Australia have escaped the worst of the storm, as the quality of the assets in our banking systems has been higher.
The Reserve Bank has already been intervening in the market
to ensure that liquidity is maintained,
and the Government has agreed to implement a deposit guarantee scheme which will provide New Zealand depositors with additional confidence.
The Minister of Finance will be announcing the details this afternoon.
Both the Government and the Bank are committed to doing what needs to be done to keep the New Zealand system safe.
You can count on us to use sound judgement and to be resolute through these challenging times.
Our great party, the oldest in New Zealand, responded effectively to the depression in the 1930s.
Our opponents then had failed dismally and must not be given the opportunity to let New Zealand down again.
At the international level the challenge now is to stop the financial market crisis turning into a full-blown economic crisis.
Projections of world economic growth have been trimmed.
That includes forecasts for New Zealand in the near term.
Our country is coming off eight years of good growth by developed world standards – ours was still at 3.2 per cent in the year to last December.
The latest forecasts are for a flat year in the year to March, and 1.8 per cent growth in the following year, before returning to growth of over three per cent.
But these forecasts were completed before the last few extraordinary weeks on world financial markets.
At times like these, it is important to have a plan
– not a knee-jerk reaction, and it is certainly important not to panic.
Nor is complacency an option.
It is at times like these that we New Zealanders must ask who do we really trust with the future of our economy and our country.
It is at times like these that we need a vision for growth and investment, and a plan to make it happen.
It is at times like these that we must have a plan which helps all our people move forward – and does not just abandon the poorest to the cool economic winds.
Labour has six priorities for building a strong, upmarket economy,
driven by skills and innovation,
underpinned by our savings
and modern infrastructure,
focused on growing our export trade,
and committed to sustainability.
Our plan addresses these six critical areas for growth and investment in the short, medium, and long term, and I am focusing on them today.
I’ll also be indicating the kind of new measures the government is prepared to take to ensure that the economy doesn’t stagnate and unemployment doesn’t take off as a result of this international crisis.
I make no apology for beginning with our commitment to education and skills training.
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata – the development of our people must come first.
All our people must have the opportunity to reach their full potential
– and have the chance to fill the skilled job slots available in the economy.
Even now employers are experiencing difficulty finding skilled labour.
We’ve set out a big vision for the future of secondary education to improve our young people’s chances of success.
Under Schools Plus, we want our schools to be able to respond to the full range of abilities of our teenagers – and to make education relevant and personal to all our young people.
By 2011 we will have youth apprenticeships available in every high school in New Zealand for students from Year Nine on.
From 2011, every student from Year 9 on will have their personal education plan – agreed between them, their school and their family.
From 2011 there will be an education or training leaving age of seventeen, and from 2014 of eighteen.
Not all those students will be in school – but they will still be learning in work or in training.
We want those students to be able to move on to new opportunities in apprenticeships and industry training.
By the end of this year we will have approximately 14,000 young people in Modern Apprenticeships training.
· Our new target is that in each year, over the next three years we will add another 1000 – to reach 17,000 in Modern Apprenticeship training by the end of 2011.
As well, we are lifting our target for the numbers of Kiwis in industry training in the course of each year.
Last year, there were over 185,000.
· Our new target is to lift those numbers in training to ten per cent of the work force.
· That means that by 2011 we aim to have 230,000 people in recognised training.
These new targets will help us achieve the goals of the New Zealand Skills Strategy – a visionary strategy for a highly skilled workforce,
developed by government with Business New Zealand, the Council of Trade Unions, and the Industry Training Federation – and I thank them all for their co-operation.
But in the near term, the prospect of fall out from the international crisis requires us to have new plans for workers whose jobs might be affected.
I am announcing today that Labour will introduce a new retraining allowance, on the same basis as a student allowance, but with no spousal income test, for workers who have been in the workforce for at least five years and have been made redundant.
An allowance will also be available to those who have been in the workforce for ten years and wish to upgrade their skills or retrain in a new area.
These allowances will be available for up to a year for enrolment in a recognised full time course,
including to those who have previously used up their full time student allowance entitlement.
My dream has always been to enable our young people – and mature students – to have the kind of support my generation had in full time, quality tertiary education.
We have to keep investing in our people.
This is critical to realising our goals for a knowledge led economy and society.
I will address these issues in my speech at Otago University tomorrow.
Skilled and educated people will drive the innovation needed for our economy to grow and develop.
Labour wants New Zealand to be a smart economy – not a dumb economy.
For years our companies cried out for a tax regime which would support them doing the research and development
which is so critical to developing a high value economy.
We responded in Budget 07 with a tax credit of fifteen per cent of allowable R and D expenditure.
It came into effect on 1 April this year and is expected to increase private sector R & D significantly.
Our R & D tax credit is considered by many to be superior to Australia’s, and there are signs that it is beginning to attract R & D investment.
Who, other than the most small minded plodding, short term-focused conservatives, would want to trash that and risk losing R & D investment and innovative companies to Australia?
Labour is committed to working with our smart companies to grow this economy.
And we are committed to working with the big pastoral and food sectors to boost the value of what they export.
We have put $700 million up for innovation there through the Fast Forward Fund – and industry have committed to match it.
This is the kind of vision we must have to transform our nation's future prospects and lift our people’s living standards.
Labour backs innovation,
and we back education and skills for the people who will drive it.
And that means driving our export trade forward too – the third element of our plan.
On behalf of New Zealand, Phil Goff and I have been relentless in working to open up markets for Kiwi exporters.
The Free Trade Agreement with China was our biggest, boldest move.
It is even more significant now as developed economies are in or near recession.
Growth in China, while clipped, is still significant.
It is to our great benefit that we are well placed in their market of 1.2 billion people.
We have just concluded negotiations on an FTA with all of ASEAN – a market of half a billion people.
We are in FTA talks with the Gulf states, and in preparatory talks with Korea.
We have a foot in the door to study an FTA with Japan, and a study is underway with India.
But wait – there is more.
The National Party said that because we were ''missing in action'' in Iraq, we would never get an FTA with the United States.
I would rather New Zealand was missing in action in Iraq than have our soldiers missing in action in a war when the cause was not right.
Our foreign policy has always been conducted on a principled basis and always will be.
That means acting with integrity and treating each issue on its merits.
Now the United States has agreed to negotiate with New Zealand and three other friends on a Trans-Pacific FTA.
We have far more in common with the United States of America as a fellow Western nation than we have with most countries.
It is recognition of that common interest, in the context of only relatively isolated differences, which has enabled us to move forward.
Closely linked to our plans for export trade is our plan for New Zealand to become more sustainable. – the fourth plank in our platform for advancing our economy.
Under Labour, New Zealand has risen to the sustainability challenge because it is the right thing to do for our planet – and because it is the smart thing to do for our economy.
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our times – and it cries out for leadership from all nations.
Labour in New Zealand provides that leadership.
It is not in our nature to be a fast follower.
New Zealand is better than that.
We did not wait for others to lead us on votes for women,
social security,
and being nuclear free.
We proudly led the world on those,
and we will lead on sustainability too.
We now have a world leading emissions trading scheme.
We have biofuels in our fuel mix.
We are promoting renewable energy
and reafforestation.
We have many measures for energy efficiency and conservation.
We are investing heavily in our public transport and rail systems.
In these and many other ways, we will get our greenhouse gas emissions down.
For the sake of our economy, we must show that we care and we will act.
In our most affluent export markets, consumers are making ethical decisions about what goods and services they will buy.
If New Zealand goods and services lack environmental integrity, we will suffer.
We have fantastic opportunities to capitalise on our clean and green brand –
and with the commitment Labour has made to sustainability we will.
The fifth driver of growth is investment in infrastructure.
This also has a role to play in navigating our economy through the effects of the current crisis.
Over nine years, we have doubled annual funding in roading.
Investment in public transport is fifteen times larger.
We have put up half a billion dollars for investment in the rail track.
We have bought back both the track and the rail service
– and the major shareholding in Air New Zealand.
In Labour, we do not think public ownership is a sin!
We believe there are many things which must be kept Kiwi, and that includes Kiwibank.
We have made huge commitments to invest in electricity transmission and generation.
The next 3 – 4 years see plans overall for investment in renewable generation of $3.5 to $4 billion.
We are implementing a half billion dollar plan for super fast broadband – in a five year down payment on our ten year plan to speed up internet access radically.
We have spent three times as much on public health infrastructure in the last nine years as there was in the previous nine.
And billions more dollars have gone into capital works across our schools, justice, policing and other infrastructure.
Our budgets set out a big forward programme for physical infrastructure – at $5.4 billion this year alone – 180 per cent above 1999 levels.
Now, taking into account the international financial crisis, Labour is developing an additional stimulus package for investment in infrastructure should conditions not improve.
It is incumbent on us to show leadership
so that a financial crisis offshore does not lead to depression in New Zealand with widespread unemployment.
Labour is not prepared to stand by and see that happen.
We will be prepared to bring forward spending on infrastructure and other initiatives to create real jobs
and build the potential for future growth.
When growth is slowing, it’s time to tune the growth engines, not slow them down
or demolish them as our opponents are proposing.
So a key part of our plan to deal with downside risks to the economy is to develop a package which would:
· bring forward planned infrastructure spending
· fund new building and construction projects, and
· support local authorities to bring forward catchment management initiatives in hill country to fight erosion.
I am releasing details today of the kinds of projects which could be brought forward.
· They could include key rail and road projects, - like work on the North South junction north of Wellington.
· At the moment, tunnels there are too small to allow new sized containers to be carried by rail, so they have to be transferred to the road.
· This has to be fixed.
· We could also bring forward the projected rail link to Marsden Point.
The projects could also include
· expanding our sewerage subsidy scheme to support currently unfunded local government proposals
· bringing forward school property proposals which are presently in the unfunded queue.
· further support for back country reafforestation.
Initiatives in all these areas are expected to be job rich and can be embarked on if New Zealand risks a hard landing from the present crises.
In addition to the kinds of projects I’ve already mentioned, in the next few days I will announce further proposals to stimulate the supply of affordable housing,
both to help modest income earners buy their own home
and to support greater continuity of employment in the house building sector.
Given the privilege of re-election, Labour in government will move to prepare a formal economic statement for release in December setting out the steps to be taken to reignite the economy, including steps along the lines I have indicated today.
While Labour will not be cutting overall public spending, we will reprioritise to ensure a focus on those areas which will be of the most assistance in the current economic and financial circumstances.
The sixth driver of our economic plan relates to boosting savings.
Over nine years in government, we have been building a substantial New Zealand Superannuation Fund,
reintroduced a public service retirement savings scheme,
and launched KiwiSaver.
More than 800,000 New Zealanders have chosen to invest in their future through KiwiSaver.
Under Labour, KiwiSaver will help Kiwis buy their first home
and have a much more comfortable retirement.
Under Labour, KiwiSaver will boost our savings and help deepen our capital markets.
It is widely acknowledged that two of the most pressing issues to address in the Kiwi economy are innovation
and boosting savings.
Both are big investments in our future.
To trash those investments for inequitable and short term tax cuts, which do nothing for modest income families and make everyone in KiwiSaver worse off, would be a massive step backwards for New Zealand
– and Labour in government will never let that happen.
In the 1970s a previous National Government destroyed Labour’s superannuation scheme,
depriving our country of the chance to build up substantial savings.
Muldoon’s mokopuna must not be allowed to do that again.
My focus today has been on the pathway we must follow to grow and invest in our economy during these very challenging international conditions.
I have discussed our six drivers of growth,
with significant new steps which can be taken should current conditions not improve.
There is of course another plan on the market – it has five points:
· tinkering with tax cuts – except at the upper end where people would get heaps, and at the lower end where people actually get less.
· introducing national testing in schools – for no educational benefit
· further deregulation – as if no lesson had been learned from offshore experience.
· a broadband plan which favours the largest telco and is anti-competitive
· cuts to public spending – except on prisons where they want to build them for geriatrics they will never release.
Nobody could see that hopeless set of slogans as a road to recovery for New Zealand.
In contrast, Labour offers vision and substance, backed by nine years of experience which equips us to face the current international crisis.
Just as we have led New Zealand to respond to
· the challenge of terrorism – post September 11, and
· the challenge of climate change,
Now we will apply all the knowledge, skills, and judgement we have to leading New Zealand back to robust growth and government finances of the kind we have enjoyed under Labour before the current international crises struck.
In the coming days, Michael Cullen will release more detail of our economic policy.
He will focus primarily on the measures needed for long term growth,
but will also address some of the short term issues associated with the current crisis, such as measures to reduce the risk to companies concerned about their provisional tax commitments.
I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the phenomenal job Michael Cullen has done as both my deputy and as Minister of Finance these past nine years.
The fact that New Zealand is better placed than many nations during the current international crisis is due in no small part to his work as steward of our economy.
Shortly I will release more policy initiatives for health and housing,
and other policy will be released by ministers during the campaign.
But underpinning everything we will do is our focus on the future; on growth and investment;
on opportunity,
security,
and fairness.
We will take strong and decisive action to guarantee our future – as we always have.
Our vision for New Zealand is an inclusive one.
We seek reconciliation over the wrongs of the past
through the Treaty settlement process
and we seek to work with Maori as Treaty partners.
We work hard for a 21st century New Zealand inclusive of all ethnicities, faiths, and beliefs.
We have a strong commitment to our nation’s natural heritage and we will act to protect and conserve it.
Last week’s Crown acquisition of the 78,000 hectare St James pastoral lease near Hamner Springs has been a highlight for me.
That incredible area is now preserved for the people of New Zealand and our visitors to enjoy for all time.
We will continue our work to promote New Zealand’s unique culture and historical heritage
and the incredible talent of our creative people.
As I speak new films are being made, music composed, and books written supported by the investments our Labour Government is prepared to make.
In government over nine years, people have not always agreed with everything we have done.
But I believe we have earned respect:
· for getting things done
· for taking the tough decisions
· for sticking to our principles
· for not just saying whatever we think people want to hear
That is why I have said this election is about trust.
Who do we trust the future of our family, our economy, our public services, and our country with?
Who has the experience, the judgement, the skills, and the contacts to lead New Zealand through challenging times?
Leadership is about long term vision and commitment.
Leadership is about an ability to stay the course; to be resolute, steadfast, and utterly determined.
Leadership is about love of country and dedication to the common good.
That is the kind of leadership I and the New Zealand Labour Party offer New Zealand – as we have in our past, as we do in the present, and as we will in the future.
With your support, with your commitment, we will continue to serve the people of New Zealand in government for a fourth term.
Webpages summary
People and communities
Labour represents Kiwis from every walk of life.
We know how important it is to be well connected because we know that public services work better when public organisations work closely with the real people they are working with.
One size definitely does not fit everyone.
Real people all have different needs.
We also have different needs at different stages of our lives.
But we deserve services that are designed for ‘us’ and are there to help us go about our lives.
Labour works for us all.
So, whether that is working with older kiwis to understand their issues or working with Maori to make sure our young have access to the training and skills they need to do well or in a range of other ways, Labour will always ensure that everyone gets a fair go.
Economic Transformation
New Zealand is well positioned to ride out this challenging international economic period in a better shape than many other countries.
That’s not because of luck, but because we have planned for it.
We have done what some said was impossible –
over the last nine years we have halved Crown debt
at the same time as we have invested in the future of all Kiwis.
This country is utterly unique.
We are a small proud and feisty island nation quite a long way from the rest of the world.
To create a smart economy
that will ensure high paying jobs
and economic growth,
we need to support forward-thinking Kiwi companies in their research and development
and help them to turn their ideas into sellable products.
We must also make sure we have the education and skills training necessary to contribute to and benefit from economic growth.
By encouraging our businesses to become globally successful,
we can all benefit from a higher standard of living.
Health
New Zealanders are living longer using more medications and having more surgery.
Our health services have changed radically, with an increasing focus on primary services such as GP and community nurses.
Screening is up, smoking is down and more of us are taking the driving seat in our own health.
Labour believes no one should have to choose between getting early health advice and putting food on the table
and that is why we have invested to halve the cost of seeing your GP and lower the price of prescriptions.
Labour believes our health system is a core part of kiwi life.
We don’t privatise this sort of necessity and have ambulance staff check our pockets for insurance cards before they act.
Labour will always fight health privatisation.
We won’t let the ‘market decide’ who gets care.
Social services
Labour has worked to restore the place of fairness in New Zealand.
The economic success we have enjoyed has enabled us to address core underlying social problems in a way we have not seen for decades.
We will continue to provide funding certainty to the community organisations that provide essential social services to New Zealanders.
Our new funding model which will see these services funded for the full cost of delivery.
We’ve restored and increased the level of New Zealand Superannuation.
We’ve massively increased the incomes of families in New Zealand
with the Working for Families programme, significantly reducing child poverty.
We’ve also reintroduced income related state house rentals
and massively improved the rates rebates scheme.
National life and identity
In the first decade of the 21st century, New Zealanders have emerged as confident global citizens, proud of our history, and secure in our identity.
Our national identity is unique and we must protect it for the future.
Our children need to grow up knowing who we are and what we stand for.
Whether this is through our arts and culture,
our writers, musicians, film-makers and television producers,
our sports people
or whether it is through our nuclear-free position,
taking a stand on the war in Iraq
or our groundbraking free trade agreement with China,
New Zealand and New Zealanders can stand tall.
We are proud Kiwis and committed to continuing to support our unique and independent voice, at home and abroad.
Sectors and regions
Labour is providing infrastructure
to help Kiwis from all walks of life fulfil their ambitions.
Whether you live in the town or the city; whether you work in forestry or manufacturing, film and television or tourism, Labour wants to support these sectors to connect with each other, maximise their shared knowledge and become world gold standard.
Education
One of the best things you can do for your child is to start their education early – it gives them a strong foundation for learning and life.
Labour understands the importance of education and will never scrimp on this investment.
It is of benefit to us all - a good education as a way to achieve greater wellbeing.
Increased success in education can also contribute to even lower benefit numbers and lower crime rates.
We are committed to providing the best possible educational opportunity for all our children and young people.
That includes 20 Free Hours early childhood education for 3 and 4 year olds,
quality public primary and secondary schooling in every neighbourhood
and making tertiary education more affordable.,
We’re committed to keeping all young people engaged in education or training until they are eighteen.
That will ensure they get the best start to the next phase of their lives, whether it is in the workforce or continued education.
Keeping New Zealanders safe
When it comes to Law and Order Labour is committed to a justice system that is modern
and fair
Labour has passed legislation that enhances the rights of victims in the justice system,
increased frontline police by 1000
and started to really shine the light on domestic and family violence.
Community safety is broader than law and order alone, however.
We need to know that pests which could threaten our entire food production are kept out of New Zealand
and similarly we need to know that international organised crime can never take hold here.
Likewise we need to preserve our international reputation as a country where human rights are upheld
and people are ‘safe’ from being exploited by institutions or individuals.
Labour will always invest to keep Kiwis safe across this broad spectrum.
Standard of living
New Zealanders spend a great deal of their lives working and contributing to local and national economies.
If they are happy and healthy and motivated in a positive working environment, this is good not only for the individual worker and their family and local community – it has spinoffs for business and industry too.
Labour believes that workers deserve a fair reward for the contribution they make.
That’s why we’ve made sure all New Zealanders are entitled to four weeks holiday a year,
brought in paid parental leave
and increased the minimum wage every year.
We have already given money back to people through the Working for Families programme because families are the building blocks of our communities.
We also have a planned series of tax cuts over the next 3 years because we have saved for the proverbial rainy day,
and now during a worldwide economic downturn Kiwis need a little more in their pockets.
Labour is committed to helping New Zealanders when times are tough,
helping them save for the future with KiwiSaver,
and helping make the Kiwi homeownership dream a reality.
Sustainability
Our aim, quite simply, is to build a sustainable economy and society:
one that does not rest upon the exploitation of the many by the few;
one that cares for our environment and means that we leave real choices to our children and grand children.
In the 21st century sustainability and prosperity absolutely go hand in hand.
Increasingly first world consumers are making ethical decisions about what they will buy, based on the environmental integrity of a product – they want to know just what it does for them, they want to know how it was made, how was it produced, how did it get here.
If we want to enjoy the best the world has to offer, we have to earn a global income.
And we must strengthen our clean and green Kiwi brand.
That is why the Emissions Trading Scheme is so important –
it’s why the emphasis on renewable energy, and on energy efficiency, is so important,
and why we need to keep investing in public transport,
cleaning up our water systems
and ensuring planning decisions continue to be made with an eye to the future and sustainability rather than just the short term.
These ACT policies will change New Zealand and in time give you $500 per week
Come and play Finance Minister.
In the right hand column you can make the kind of choices this country needs.
(Oh, and if anyone says these policies are ''hard right'' note how many of them have been adopted by left-wing governments).
OK. Now vote yes or no to each policy.
You may not like them all but remember every time you vote no, check how much national growth and weekly pay that decision costs.
(Growth is what allows us to pay for better medicines, great teachers and more roads)
Boosts NZ annual growth by...
Boosts NZ average weekly pay by...
1. Government waste. Cut state spending to Australian levels
Lower inflation.
Lower interest rates.
More money left with those who earn it
2. Taxation. Cut and flatten rates
More incentive for people with initiative to create wealth and jobs
3. Local government. Limit to core activities
Lower rates.
Keep money for other things
4. Public service: Close departments we don't need
Millions saved for things we do need
Reduce bureaucracy
Good state servants freed up for more productive jobs
Return bureaucracy to non-political role
Unbiased advice
Limit Cabinet to 12 ministers
Better decisions sooner.
Fewer baubles of office
Limit Parliament to 100 MPs.
The many countries with fewer MPs per capital than NZ include...Japan, Netherlands, France, Israel, Spain, Belgium
Millions saved for things we need
5. Red tape. Get rid of all nutty regulations
The state no longer wastes productive people's time on pointless form-filling
Appoint Minister of Regulatory Reforms
Firms cut free of red tape can focus on creating more wealth and more jobs
Pass Regulatory Responsibility Act - to set checklist for good lawmaking
Politicians must consider national interest, so they can't easily pass laws for cynical political reasons
6. Resource management. Reform the Resource Management Act
Good projects start and finish sooner
7. Education. Create competitive market.
Award a full education scholarship to every child to be spent at the public or private schools of the parents' choice
Kids learn more, faster.
(State funds parents.
Parents choose schools.
Schools reward good teachers.
Good teachers drive education - to please parents, not bureaucrats)
8. Healthcare. Create competitive market.
Give every New Zealander health insurance
Hospitals cure more patients, sooner.
(State gives health policies to all.
Patients choose hospitals.
Doctors, not bureaucrats, drive healthcare)
9. Accident Compensation. Create competitive market - as used to work well here
Accident victims back at work sooner
10. Welfare. Create competitive markets for sickness, invalid, and unemployment insurance
Welfare recipients back at work sooner.
More generous support for those who can't work
11. Immigration. Welcome more good quality immigrants
Industries get the skilled workers they need
12. Labour. Allow freedom of contract to make it easier to trial new workers and replace poor performers
Business runs better with right staff.
Workers and company earn more.
Contract protects both parties
13. Privatisation. Sell state businesses where private firms can serve customers better
Happier customers.
Lower prices.
More product variety and choice
14. Infrastructure. Build better networks (e.g. roads, water, electricity)
Better service for less money
Replace user charges with tolls that reward off-peak use
Smoothing demand reduces bottlenecks.
No need to pay for more capacity
15. Tariffs. Cut remaining tariffs on imports
Cheaper imports.
Exporters who can't compete switch to fields where they can
Strengthen bonds with the US
US Free Trade Agreement would earn NZ $1b+ a year.
More Kiwis exposed to US Entrepreneurial skills
16. Housing. Free up more land for homes
Cheaper sections.
More people achieve Kiwi dream of owning home
17. Law and order: Bring back private prisons - now best practice overseas
More secure,
more humane,
cheaper prisons
Let private firms free up cops for 'zero tolerance' policing
Young taggers don't progress to worse crimes.
People feel safer
Speed up courts (e.g. night courts)
to reduce unfair delays
More decisions sooner
18. Climate change. Adopt saner policies.
Low carbon tax better than carbon trading
Don't hurt Kiwi families needlessly.
(Nations that cause 75% of emissions must lead)
19. Constitutional framework. Strengthen
Makes democracy more democratic
Adopt taxpayer Bill of Rights
State spending capped.
Taxes kept low
Pass Regulatory Responsibility Act - to get checklist for good lawmaking
Hard to make bad laws like Electoral Finance Act
Return to Privy Council
Free access to best judicial minds from a population of 58 million
Hold referendum on MMP voting system
People get long-overdue say on how they like MMP
20. Families at risk. Appoint mentors to teach parenting and life skills
Less family violence.
Fewer damaged children.
Thriving families less drain on taxpayers
PETER DUNNE United Future
A PARTY vote for United Future at the November 8 election is a vote for the prosperity of you
and your family.
United Future’s tax policy is as simple as 1, 2, 3.
We would set personal tax rates as follows: 10 percent up to $12,000.
20 percent between $12,001 and $38,000.
30 percent above $38,000.
Introduce income splitting for parents with dependent children.
Make honoraria for volunteers up to $1000 tax free.
Abolish gift duty.
Align the top personal, company and trust tax rates at 30 cents.
But it’s not just your income we care about; we want to make sure you’re healthy too.
So we’d bring in free annual warrant of fitness health cheeks for all New Zealanders,
as well as guaranteeing elective surgery, where needed, within six months for all New Zealanders over 65.
We can do this by using all the spare capacity in the public and private health systems,
without getting hung upon strange ideological arguments over “public: good, private: bad”.
Our zero tertiary education fees policy will lift the heavy burden of debt from graduates and their families just as they start on their professional lives.
Having stated our preference for working with a National-led government (because we think a Green-influenced Labour government would destroy New Zealand), United Future’s role would be to moderate National’s more extremist instincts.
For example, more United Future MPs would help John Key in resisting ACT’s efforts to get Sir Roger Douglas and his extremist financial views access to the Cabinet table.
So party vote United Future for sensible, family-friendly policies
and as protection against fanatical extremists who want to save the world by destroying New Zealand and your jobs.
A final word from Jim 07 Nov 2008
It takes real strength to care for others.
But if there’s one lesson I have learned, it’s that extending your hand to another can be the most important thing you do, in politics and in life.
International financial conditions have turned very tough.
I believe we can come through these times stronger than ever.
New Zealand is better placed than most countries to weather this adversity.
But we have to choose to do so.
I am asking you to make a choice for a caring and stronger New Zealand.
Often people say to me, “it’s time for a change”.
And I ask them, “a change to what”?
Do we want a Government that has the strength to care for its people
providing jobs,
education,
healthcare
and a reasonable standard of living for all New Zealanders?
Or do we want to return to the failed policies of the past -
the high unemployment,
the sale of our strategic assets
and the breakdown of our communities New Zealand experienced in the eighties and nineties.
During the last nine years, the government I have been in has strengthened our economy
with the longest consecutive period of growth in forty years.
Over 370,000 jobs have been created,
superannuation rates have been increased
and KiwiSaver will help to provide for future generations.
The opposition opposed every progressive achievement this government introduced.
They opposed the ministry of economic development,
paid parental leave,
Kiwibank,
increases in the minimum wage worth $200 a week since 1999.
They opposed twenty hours free pre-school care.
They opposed us buying back Air NZ and Kiwi rail.
This year I worked to make the biggest investment in science in New Zealand’s history - the $2 billion Fast Forward fund.
And National even want to get rid of that.
Their ideas are wrong for New Zealand.
The last National government’s response to the Asian financial crisis was to cut benefits and superannuation
and sell assets.
We can’t go back.
New Zealand can’t afford to face these testing times with the failed policies of the past.
I am proud to have championed Kiwibank.
I am proud Progressives introduced the Bill that guaranteed all working New Zealanders at least four weeks paid annual leave.
We have shown, with that progress, how MMP parties can make a difference.
We put ideas on the policy agenda.
With your Party Vote - you can achieve even more progress.
I hope to keep my seat of Wigram for the ninth time.
If I do, every extra Party Vote for Progressive will help to bring candidates to parliament who will join me to push for more affordable dental care.
Dental care should be within everyone’s reach.
We will work to reduce heating costs by using some of the excess profits made by publicly-owned power companies to reduce winter power bills.
We have a detailed plan to help vulnerable teenagers - with jobs,
early intervention to turn at-risk kids away from crime,
and support to reduce suicide and the harm caused by drugs.
We’ll give parliament the chance to vote on putting the age for buying alcohol back up to twenty.
Progressives have proven we are logical and practical.
In good times and bad, there will always be a need to care for others.
No matter how you choose, I am grateful to live in a beautiful country I am deeply proud of.
I am proud to live in a country where we make our policy choices after reasonable and good humoured debate.
I believe politics is a noble profession, where our job is to advance the hopes and efforts of our country.
I am inspired by what New Zealand can become, and I hope you will be too.
Good luck in making your decision.
I recognise there are good people and good ideas being put forward at this year’s election.
That makes your choice tough.
And it makes it vitally important too.
I look forward to continuing to serve you and continuing to be a strong, caring voice in New Zealand’s parliament.
JIM ANDERTON
LEADER OF THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY
MP FOR WIGRAM
From the people who brought you Kiwibank and 4 weeks minimum annual leave – here’s what’s next
We won’t let them sell Kiwibank
Power bill rebates
The chilling reality is that some people face winter power bills they can’t afford.
Imagine if you’re on a fixed income, and you get a $400 month power bill.
How would or could you cope?
Power company profits are rising quickly.
Most of them are publicly owned – so the profits are coming to the government.
Just a quarter of their gross profits would pay for a $200 winter power rebate.
We propose that New Zealand households get a rebate of $200 to ease the high cost of heating in winter months.
Help for our youth
Unemployment for eighteen and nineteen year olds has fallen from 17,514 to less than one thousand.
Now we need to build on that.
That’s why we want to make harmful drugs, including alcohol, much less available.
We have a detailed programme to intervene with high risk families
and steer kids away from a life of crime before they even get started.
We’re offering an exciting future, with investment in education,
the biggest boost for sports in our history,
and investment in industries that offer young New Zealanders a future here at home.
Home ownership
Home ownership is out of reach for many young families.
It’s just too hard to save a deposit.
We want to help families to buy their own home.
We’ll let families capitalize the family support, bringing them home ownership,
financial security
and a sense of belonging to their community.
Access to dental care
The cost of seeing a dentist is beyond the means of hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders – especially those on fixed incomes.
It’s great that, with our support in government, the cost of the doctor has reduced for many New Zealanders, and prescription medicines are much cheaper to pick up.
Progressives want to put dental care within reach of everyone too.
Speech: My Key Commitments to You
by John Key, Party Leader
12-Oct-08
My Key Commitments to You
Speech at National Party Campaign Opening
Sky City, Auckland
It's time for a change of Government.
It's time for a fresh start.
I stand before you today full of confidence about New Zealand's future and full of the determination needed to lead that future.
Because I know you are looking for fresh leadership at this election and I am ready to step up and make sure you get it.
You are all rightly sick of political sideshows, bossy government, and yesterday's fights.
You're sick to death of hearing about Winston Peters,
and you're sick of being told what to do.
You are looking for a Government that will focus on the issues that matter to you –
a Government with a plan for economic recovery,
and a Government with fresh ideas and the energy to meet the challenges this country faces.
At this election National is offering exactly that.
I am campaigning on strengthening our economy,
on rising to the challenge presented by tough global conditions,
and on delivering greater prosperity to New Zealanders
and their families –
because Kiwis are sick of struggling to keep up with the cost of living,
they're sick of worrying about soaring interest rates,
and they're sick of high taxes.
That's what Labour has delivered for nine years and that's what National is here to change.
I am campaigning on raising education standards,
on running a crusade on literacy and numeracy,
and on ensuring our schools are working for all students
– because New Zealanders are sick of the long tail of underachievement in our schools,
they're sick of wondering how their children are really doing,
and they're sick of yesterday's schools.
That's what Labour has delivered and that's what National is here to change.
I'm campaigning on improving safety in our communities,
on cracking down on criminal gangs,
on going to war on P,
and on getting dangerous criminals off our streets –
because New Zealanders don't want LA-style gang crime,
they don't want spiralling youth crime,
and they don't want dangerous criminals on our streets.
That's what Labour has delivered and that's what National is here to change.
I'm campaigning on getting more out of our health system,
on delivering shorter waiting times,
on reducing bureaucracy,
and on backing our doctors and nurses
– because Labour has put in more of your money but they haven't got the results,
and that's what National is here to change.
The Economic Context
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is no ordinary election campaign.
Because this election comes at a time when the global economy is in turmoil and at a time when we are all concerned about what the future may contain.
Unlike Labour, I'm not prepared to mislead the New Zealand public about the situation this country finds itself in.
I understand how tough times already are for many of you.
I also understand that the events we've been seeing on our news bulletins each night – the diving sharemarkets, the bank bailouts, the collapsing firms – though seemingly far away, have and will continue to have real implications for many New Zealanders.
I won't continue Helen Clark's business-as-usual farce.
A National Government will rise to these challenges.
We have been monitoring the build-up in problems in the financial markets over the past several months, and particularly in recent weeks, and the scale of intervention by other governments.
We have kept in close contact with the Reserve Bank, and I am satisfied that its current plans are sufficient at this stage to maintain confidence in the New Zealand financial system over the coming months.
Should it become necessary, however, National is committed to working with the Reserve Bank to ensure financial stability.
We will do what needs to be done to keep our financial system strong.
But I'm also here to tell you that something has to change.
Because Labour doesn't have what it takes to get us through this one.
They have ignored the evolving economic crisis and they have done so at your peril.
Getting through this storm will require an astute and economically focused Government.
Labour simply isn't up to the task.
They are fair-weather economic managers.
They know how to spend your money and play with a surplus.
But they don't know how to boost economic growth
and get value for your money.
Today, somewhere else in Auckland, they're launching a campaign for re-election.
They'll be talking about economic transformation and listing a whole bunch of buzzwords.
Well you know what?
Labour's actions speak louder than their slogans.
Because Labour had nine years of great global conditions.
Ask yourself this: Do you really feel better off?
• You had nine years without a tax cut.
• Interest rates doubled.
• Inflation went through the roof.
• The wage gap with Australia widened.
• And more of your friends and family have left this country permanently.
It's a shocking record, and Helen Clark and Michael Cullen should be judged by it.
Warren Buffett has a saying that, 'You never know who's swimming naked until the tide goes out'.
Labour managed to disguise their loose economic management in the good times, but now that the tide is out they are awfully exposed.
When Michael Cullen opened the books last week, what was his news for struggling Kiwis?
A decade of deficits.
A decade of deficits and what's he planning to change?
Absolutely nothing.
Worse than that, he revealed almost 60 fiscal risks – extra spending promises to add to the red ink.
Well, I'm here to tell you that Michael Cullen's number just came up.
And he signed his valedictory in red ink.
Because New Zealand can't afford our fair-weather Finance Minister any longer.
Only National will show the discipline and resolve needed to ensure Kiwis can have financial security in the years ahead.
Only National can make the most out of every taxpayer dollar.
And only National can get New Zealand out of the red ink.
National's economic management plan
Earlier this week, while Helen Clark was announcing another business-as-usual purchase of a $40 million estate for DOC, I released National's economic management plan.
It's a plan to bring discipline to government spending,
to reduce red tape,
to reduce personal taxes,
to boost infrastructure investment,
and to raise education standards.
It's a recovery plan to ensure our country and our families get through these tough times.
Some say it has not done enough.
Some say it does too much.
Some say we should have cancelled all tax cuts and battened down the hatches.
I've got a few points to make about it.
First, let me be clear: National's tax reductions on April 1 next year will come right when our economy needs them.
It would be absolutely wrong to tighten the screws on the economy at this point.
It would cost people jobs and it would grind our economic engine to a halt.
What our country actually needs is a boost.
Reducing taxes will stimulate the economy and that is what we will sorely need by April next year.
Second, National's plan faces the fact that we must lift productivity in this country.
Labour has a dreadful record on productivity and National will do better.
That starts by sorting out the Beehive's own backyard and getting some productivity improvements in the public sector
– reducing administration costs,
cutting red tape,
pushing money into frontline services.
We will do that, Labour won't do that.
End of story.
Third, National's plan recognises that lifting productivity also means removing the bottlenecks in the economy – the roading problems and the creaky communications networks that are holding business back.
That's why National will fix the Resource Management Act
and that's why we'll invest more in the infrastructure the economy needs to grow.
Fourth, lifting productivity also means encouraging businesses to invest.
The guys in red like to talk about this idea.
But let me tell you something.
I've had a bit more to do with business than them
and it's actually more straightforward than they think.
The number 1 reason that private companies invest is because they are profitable and feeling positive about the future.
All the R&D credits in the world won't cut it if companies aren't making any money.
We have to get the fundamentals right first.
Finally, a Government that cares about the future of our children and our grandchildren simply must have a plan for digging us out of deficit.
That's what National's plan will do.
It won't be an easy task.
So it's no surprise that Labour has nothing to say on this one.
Only National has the backbone needed to deliver for our children and dig this country out of deficit.
But there is no free lunch.
The road out of deficit involves making some hard choices.
And we've done that.
We've been straight-up and said that in its current form, Labour's gold-plated KiwiSaver scheme isn't affordable.
It's not affordable for the three out of four working-aged Kiwis who haven't joined,
and it's not affordable for the Kiwi taxpayer.
National's plan will get us more quickly out of deficit, but not yet as quickly as I would like.
If we're to get New Zealand out of deficit before this year's new entrants go to secondary school then we must grow our economy faster.
I know we can do it.
You want to know why?
Because I've actually worked in the world of finance and business.
Helen Clark hasn't.
I've actually picked up a struggling business and made it grow.
Helen Clark never has.
And I've actually got stuck into a business, trimmed its sails, and delivered some profits to its shareholders.
And that's what I am determined to do for this country.
Key commitments
In laying out our economic plan, National has been very clear about our priorities.
We all know what will be the first to go under Labour, whether they want to admit it or not, and that is the rest of their tax-cut package.
Well, unlike Labour I'm going to be straight-up about my priorities.
That's why I'm sending a card to all of you.
It's called My Key Commitments to You and it will be delivered to every household in New Zealand over the next 10 days.
In it are 11 commitments that I make to you.
Some people might suggest it's similar to the pledge card Helen Clark has previously released.
Well, there are several differences, but let me tell you the really big difference.
This one is not paid for by taxpayers.
Our commitment card is proudly paid for by supporters of the National Party.
Unlike Helen Clark, we're not breaking the law to make someone else pay for it.
Let me tell you what it says.
If National is elected to lead the next Government, I personally guarantee we will deliver on the following 11 key commitments.
Number 1, we will strengthen the economy,
increase after-tax incomes,
and ensure Kiwis can get ahead under their own steam by reducing personal taxes on 1 April 2009, 1 April 2010 and 1 April 2011.
Under National you won't have to wait nine years for tax reduction.
We will deliver tax reduction five months from now, on 1 April 2009.
And unlike Labour we won't cancel our tax cuts.
We'll get New Zealand through this recession and on to a growth path.
Number 2, we will maintain and build New Zealand's asset base by increasing investment in infrastructure such as roads, broadband, and public transport,
and by not selling Kiwibank or any other state-owned company.
I'm not interested in selling assets – I'm all about building assets.
We need to unblock the bottlenecks in New Zealand's economy.
We need to make sure there aren't barriers in the way of productive growth.
We need to invest in the breakthrough technology that will get us up to speed with the rest of the world.
Number 3, we will ensure government spending is focused on frontline services such as health and education by capping the number of bureaucrats
and putting real discipline around government spending.
If I am elected Prime Minister of this country on November 8, I will bring the chief executives of government departments together and give them a simple message: Your mission is to facilitate the development of a more successful, prosperous nation
– not to stand in the way of those who seek to create that prosperity.
And my message to government employees will be just as clear: You must focus taxpayers' money on the frontline services that New Zealanders have a right to expect.
And you must scrutinise every dollar to make sure it is money well spent.
Labour has been a fair-weather Government in rosy economic times.
Labour is used to being awash with cash and being able to waste your money.
Well, the surpluses are now all gone.
It's time for a National Government that will get the most out of every single dollar.
Number 4, we will make our communities safer by ensuring the worst repeat violent offenders are not eligible for parole.
This week, an editorial in the New Zealand Herald suggested National won't follow through on this policy.
Well, I've got news for them.
I am 100% committed to this policy and
I will see that it is delivered.
Because parole is a privilege not a right.
Some people say that's not fair on criminals.
Well, on this question, as on all law and order questions, I'm prepared to take a side.
And that side is the side of law-abiding New Zealanders.
You have had to put up with escalating violent crime for too long.
I'm determined to get on top of it.
Number 5, we will confront failure in our school system by setting National Standards in literacy and numeracy, requiring every pupil's progress to be assessed and the results reported to parents in plain English.
I was able to get where I am today because I received a good education.
Today, one in five children is leaving school without the qualifications and skills they need to succeed.
Those kids are New Zealand's future.
We're going to tackle their literacy and numeracy problems early.
We'll make sure parents know how their child is really doing.
And we'll make sure teachers work with struggling kids to get them up to standard.
It's time to put the rungs back on the ladder of opportunity.
Number 6, we will tackle our health workforce crisis by introducing voluntary bonding for new doctors, nurses, and midwives,
and by boosting the number of funded medical student places by 200 over five years.
Health professionals are leaving this country in droves.
Labour has ignored this crisis.
They've focused on the bureaucracy.
We'll focus on the front line.
Simple as that.
Number 7, we will give families financial certainty by
continuing all Working for Families payments at current levels,
keeping 20 hours ECE,
and keeping caps on doctors' fees.
Mums and dads do some of the hardest work in the world.
I salute the families who juggle so many pressures, who turn up in their thousands to school sport, who help look after each other's kids, and who do all they can to raise their children well.
They deserve our backing.
My Government will support them, it will back them,
and it will trust them to make their own choices about what is best for their kids.
Number 8, we will give seniors financial certainty by keeping the age of eligibility of NZ Superannuation at 65
and steadily increasing the amount of Super paid each week as a result of our personal tax cuts.
I pledge to keep NZ Super at 66% of the average after-tax wage.
Labour hasn't made that pledge.
Labour hasn't put aside the funds for that pledge.
Labour is hoping our seniors won't notice.
Well, I won't play games with our senior citizens.
They have given their working lives to this country.
My Government will be straight with them
and we will make sure their Super payments rise every single year.
Number 9, we will encourage people to save for their retirement,
while making it fairer and more affordable for everyone in these tighter economic times,
by retaining KiwiSaver, with contributions at the 2% plus 2% level.
We know that 4% is a lot to ask from some people worrying about their credit card debt, trying to pay down their mortgage, or struggling to make ends meet.
We want young New Zealanders to be able to join KiwiSaver and stay in it for their working lives.
Not to have to put off joining because 4% is too much of a stretch.
Not to have to drop in and out.
So we will make KiwiSaver more affordable and more enduring – for those in it to today and for those who might join tomorrow.
We'll make KiwiSaver a 2 2 plan
while preserving the right of those who want to contribute at higher levels, to do so.
Number 10, we will provide a safety net for those who are unable to work, by passing a law to maintain and inflation-index all benefit payments,
while encouraging those who can work to go back to work.
I believe in the welfare state.
I personally benefited from it when I was growing up and I will never turn my back on it.
So I will work hard to protect the vulnerable from the sharp edge of a recession.
But I also believe in people getting ahead under their own steam.
So we will do what it takes to get those who can work back to work.
Number 11, we will encourage students to get rid of debt sooner by keeping interest-free student loans
and offering a 10% bonus on early repayments.
Young New Zealanders who are furthering their education, who are working hard, and who are gaining the skills this country needs, should know:
We back them in that choice.
We applaud their aspiration.
We want them to contribute to this country.
We will make it easier for them to get rid of their debt
and we will make sure they can see a brighter future here in New Zealand.
Because right now one in four of our tertiary-trained people live overseas.
They don't live there because they didn't get a student allowance.
They live there because they could see a brighter future outside New Zealand.
So National will work hard to show our young people that they can have a real future in New Zealand
where their aspiration and effort will be rewarded.
Ladies and gentlemen, those are my 11 key commitments.
I have signed them and I will see them through.
If I am Prime Minister I will deliver more than these 11 commitments.
I am campaigning on a fresh set of policies across many areas of government.
And most importantly, I am campaigning on bringing much-needed economic leadership to the Beehive.
Conclusion
I have absolute confidence that New Zealand can look forward to a brighter economic future.
My confidence in New Zealand's future is based on my confidence in everyday New Zealanders.
Kiwis are resilient.
You will do what you have to do to get through this recession and get through it well.
You just need the confidence that things will improve and that your Government will deliver.
I am here to give you that confidence.
Ladies and gentlemen, at this election, New Zealanders have a clear choice.
When you wake up on Sunday the 9th of November what do you want to see?
Do you want more of the same?
The same directionless economy?
The same political games and distractions?
The same loose management of your money?
The same excuses, buck-passing, and the same failure to deliver real results?
Because that is what you will get from the Labour Party.
Or do you want fresh leadership focused on the issues that matter to you?
Fresh leadership with a fresh focus on the economy and your financial prosperity.
Fresh ideas, fresh solutions and fresh resolve.
The will needed to turn this economy and this country around.
Because that is what you will get if you vote National.
So, for the next four weeks, I'll be campaigning on New Zealand's shared aspirations for the years ahead.
Ladies and gentlemen, in 27 days New Zealanders can have a more ambitious future.
A more successful future.
A brighter future.
A future they can believe in.
My friends, it's time for a change.
Let's go out and deliver it.
Election Policy
This election, the Māori Party is asking an important question.
He aha te mea nui o te Ao?
What is the most important thing in the world?
Many of you have told us, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata: it is people, it is people, it is people.
But such is the rich and creative tapestry of the people who inhabit Aotearoa, that we have received many other answers.
Real wages for real work;
being respected;
a clean environment;
my kids;
seeing the Treaty honoured;
thriving whanau and communities;
having hope.
This document presents some of these solutions that you have shared with us.
Our promise is to join with you, and work hard,
to achieve what we as a people know is right for this nation.
Our party, the Māori Party, incorporates the name of the indigenous peoples of Aotearoa - maori - in this sense meaning natural. 
Our commitment to you is that we will uphold indigenous values,
to ensure our country maintains its natural beauty for all who call this land home.
We are working on further developing an identity which is truly of the Pacific. 
This is our long term plan.
Our aspirations are:
·         Te Tiriti o Waitangi: we want to face our past with courage, so we can build our future together.
·         Economy: we want to work together to make the nation great again
by investing in ourselves
to lead us to productivity on a grander scale.
·         Whanau ora: we want to invest in our children and their children yet to come.
·         To feed their minds,
to nurture their creativity;
to appreciate the wonders of their identities, their languages, and their cultures.
Our tupuna saw a future for this nation in a partnership based on mutual respect, co-operation and good faith. 
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the founding document of our nation. 
It provides the basis for good governance. 
It sets out a framework for how resources should be managed, and how we can aspire to be a more ethical and inclusive community.
The Māori Party is the only political party where the Treaty underpins its actions through kaupapa tuku iho. 
The Māori Party is calling for open and informed debate for constitutional change.
Our priorities are:
Constitutional Commission
• Establish a Constitutional Commission to begin a constitutional review aimed at, among other things, drafting arrangements that give effect to the Treaty of Waitangi.
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Treaty
• Appoint, as an Officer of Parliament, a Parliamentary Commissioner for the Treaty to proactively promote the Treaty's commitment to partnership.
The ‘Ratou' Policy
People who have more knowledge of their history are much more likely to benefit from our increasingly diverse nation.
·         Primary and secondary schools will be required to teach heritage studies,
·         which will include a history of the Pacific, in line with the aspirations of Pacific people.
Immigration
As we do better internationally, Aotearoa is better able to attract and retain highly-skilled and talented people.
To compete globally it is important that new citizens share our understanding of history.
• All new citizens to complete a course in the history of Aotearoa and the Pacific as part of receiving citizenship.
Local Government and Resource Management Acts
To ensure that local governments acknowledge the authority of mana whenua we propose to amend the Local Government and Resource Management Acts to:
·         Require robust and accountable work practices by local government and regional authorities when working with mana whenua;
·         to establish effective strategies for engaging Maori communities and advancing Maori representation, eg STV, a Maori constituency.
Diversity and representation
As provided in the Treaty, tangata whenua should have an equitable say in the decisions which affect them. 
We will ensure better outcomes by increasing the pool of experienced directors
and by requiring Maori representation on Crown Company Boards, State Owned Enterprises, Crown Entities, Crown Research Institutes and District Health Boards
Māori Seats
In spite of their inauspicious and indeed undemocratic beginnings tangata whenua now regard the Māori seats as the only guarantee of at least a minimal degree of representation.  
The Electoral Act 1993, and its predecessor, the Māori Representation Act, 1867, have recognised a separate polity for tangata whenua in the form of a separate Maori electoral roll.
In 2008, a major disparity between the Māori and general electoral systems remains.
The exclusion of the system of Māori representation from the entrenched provisions of the 1956 Electoral Act, is described by Professor Ranginui Walker as "perhaps the most discriminatory measure of all in the application of the law to Mäori representation".
We promote the entrenchment of section 45 of the Electoral Act. [Section 35, which defines the General seats, is currently entrenched but section 45, which defines the Maori seats, does not currently provide for entrenchment].
Our priorities are:
Improving performance
To support the work of Parliament to hold the Executive to account, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Treaty will be required to:
·         Build an evidence base on iwi, hapu, marae and Maori development.
·         Monitor state sector progress and contribution to improving the status of tangata whenua.
Māori Electoral Participation
Representation in a democracy is not only a basic human right, it also enables our nation to move forward together.
The Māori seats will stay until such time Maori freely choose, via a mana-whenua referendum or constitutional review, to get rid of them.
·         We will introduce a Private Members Bill to entrench section 45 of the Electoral Act
·         We will initiate a Māori Electoral Participation project, including:
- All people to be automatically entered on to the General Roll at 18 years of age; or the Maori roll if Māori (with an option to transfer to the General Roll);
- Ensure electoral rolls also have constituents identified on the basis of their iwi and hapu.
This will assist tribal development planning and maintenance of identity.
- Extend the provision in the Census to identify tribally to the electoral roll, where tribal affiliation is also stated.
- Review Maori Electoral Option, particularly restraints around timing.
Māori Electoral Districts
• Amend section 45 of the Electoral Act to be consistent with section 35 of that Act, meaning that no Māori electoral district shall be situated partially in the North Island and partially in the South Island
Treaty Settlements
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is also the starting point for the process of reconciliation between iwi, hapu and the Crown.
Our priorities are:
Reducing negotiation time
Justice is not only a basic human right,
it also underpins an inclusive economy.
We believe that much can be done to increase the speed of Treaty settlements, including:
• Breaking the cap: the fiscal cap on Treaty settlements must be abolished.
It is an artificial and ineffective constraint.
·         Review claimant funding: uneven and inequitable funding creates barriers to full and final settlement.
·         Explore other forms of compensation, including joint-ventures that provide long-term security.
Chief-to-Chief
·         Promote Chief-to-Chief negotiation.
·         Maintain kotahitanga in and between iwi and hapu as well as with the Crown by promoting kanohi-ki-te-kanohi discussions.
Full funding for the Waitangi Tribunal
The Waitangi Tribunal has played an important role in the delivery of justice and reconciliation.
To ensure sustainability of the Tribunal we propose a review of the Tribunal's funding so as to ensure it is fully funded for the work it does.
Improving performance
Establish, as an Officer of Parliament, a Parliamentary Commissioner for the Treaty - whose role is to review and monitor progress of Treaty Settlements, as well as the performance of the Office of Treaty Settlements, the Waitangi Tribunal and the whole settlement system.  
·         We will involve independent facilitators
The Office of the Controller and Auditor General will be required to report annually on the effectiveness of interventions targeted at Maori, Pacific, refugee and migrant communities as well as young people.
The Office shall also be required to report annually on the capability of the state sector to achieve outcomes for Māori.
The Office shall focus on profiling good practice.
Natural Resourses
The confiscation of a customary right was immoral as seen in the Foreshore and Seabed Act.
It showed that not only a property right was stolen but Māori were denied the human right to due process for testing customary ownership in the courts of this land.
We oppose the Crown sale or lease of the foreshore and seabed or its resources, including mining. 
We must protect and preserve our land - to keep it from falling into foreign ownership.
We are concerned about the impact our use of our natural resources is having on land and water, as well as the air.
We promote the regeneration and revitalisation of freshwater marine life,
protection of flora and fauna,
utilisation of better wetlands;
and in the case of lakes and lagoons, restore raupo, nourish beaches and sand dunes. 
We will protect natural values
and care for streams, lakes, rivers and waterways from agricultural, industrial and domestic waste. 
We must protect our land from the production, release and disposal of toxic and hazardous waste
and promote freedom from ecological destruction.
Issues around water must include the mana whenua, including water rights and privatisation. 
Treaty claims to water ownership and interests in fresh water must be resolved in the review of the Resource Management Act.
Our priorities are.
Repeal
Continue to present legislation that repeals the Foreshore and Seabed Act
Aquaculture
• It has been four years since the Maori Commercial Settlement Act was passed, and most iwi are yet to receive any form of settlement from the Crown. 
Urgent progress must proceed to ensure iwi get the full value from the settlement.
Fisheries
• We will oppose any changes to fisheries law or practice that seeks to undermine the 1992 Deed of Settlement.
Māori land
• No more Māori land will be taken via the Public Works Act. 
Māori owners will be given first right of refusal to purchase land the Crown no longer requires for the purpose for which it was originally intended.
·         Multiply owned land - Introduce proposals to enable leasehold titles to be commercially bankable.
·         Third party financial institutions prepared to invest in multiply owned land will be sourced, nationally and internationally.
·         Implement recommendations of Rating Review: Establish a basis for valuing Maori land for rating purposes with strategies that recognise the cultural context of Maori land,
·         Implement recommendations of Rating Review: Establish a basis for valuing Maori land for rating purposes with strategies that recognise the cultural context of Maori land, the objectives of Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 and the inappropriateness of valuations for rating purposes being based on the ‘market value' of Maori land.
·         We support organic food production
Environment
The Māori Party is committed to keeping our natural resources and environment healthy, safe and intact for everyone and for future generations.   
The Māori Party believes in the efficient use of water,
the conservation of energy,
and the need for sustainable environmental management. 
The Māori Party is also committed to assisting whanau, hapu and iwi, as tangata tiaki, to take whatever measures are necessary to ensure the wellbeing and future good health of the environment.
·         We promote the appropriate development of renewable energy resources, including geothermal and hydro, wave, wind and solar, in order to protect and preserve limited resources such as oil, gas and coal.
·         We support the Department of Conservation in working with local hapu and iwi to transfer the kaitiakitanga role back to tangata whenua.
We aspire to work together
to make the economy great
but not at the expense of our environment. 
Climate change affects us all and the biggest emitters must take responsibility to change the way they do business.
Any cost they pass on to consumers must encourage environmentally responsible choices.
The principle must be that polluters pay.
We want sustainable development. 
We must reduce our dependence on oil by strategies to reuse, recycle, repair, respect, replace and trade local.
Our priorities are:
·         A Nuclear Free Aotearoa.
·         We also want a GE Free Aotearoa.
·         Improved public transport
  which results in reduced emissions.
·         We also support the development of sustainable building practices
·          and the use of emission-free vehicles.
·         Request the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment to urgently convene cross-party discussions to assess the impact of peak-oil production on Aotearoa.
·         Moratorium on 1080 drops.
·    Mitigate the impact of emissions pricing on low and modest income consumers  by developing options for affordable and sustainable energy services for householders.
Taxation and Social Responsibility
Manaakitanga and rangatiratanga leads us to address the low income taxpayers. 
Rangatiratanga and kotahitanga prescribe a rise in the minimum wage
to help to reduce the gap between low-income taxpayers and the average income for the Nation.
The Government's indebtedness has declined to a low level relative to our gross national product. 
The Government is also in a better position to borrow than private businesses and individuals. 
The tax system needs to reflect the principle that taxation should be distributed to achieve equality.
Petrol taxes and duties should be spent on reducing the environmental impacts of transportation, eg public transport, rail and shipping freight; and not returned to general fund.
Our priorities are:
·         No tax on the first $25,000 earned.
·         Incentivise small businesses to grow, by reducing unnecessary compliance costs.
·         Food should be exempt from GST on the grounds that GST hits low-income people disproportionately.
·         Adjust superannuation entitlements for those groups who currently experience lower life expectancy.
·         We will call for a review of Kiwisaver and its implications for the equity and fairness of retirement income policy.
We want to see more community services
and less government bureaucracy
for the outcome of whanau restoration.
·         We will make the Government more accountable and transparent through the unbundling of public money spent on tangata whenua;
·         and a report shall be produced on the outcomes achieved across the social policy sector with the funds allocated for tangata whenua.
·         We will empower communities, whanau and hapu to develop responses to issues impacting on them; by trusting them and resourcing them.
Strategic Alliances
We will invest in strategic alliances across central and local government, industry, business and Maori communities that incentivise;
·         Māori skills and qualifications;
·         Māori participation in the labour market;
·         Māori privately and collectively owned business growth;
• aligning Māori resources with regional driver industries
and invest in opportunities for partnerships, joint ventures and other economic development collaborations.
Thriving Māori Businesses
By 2021, 43% of New Zealanders will be Māori, Pasifika or Asian. 
We recognise the contribution that Mäori enterprise and entrepreneurship has made to our nation's economy.
And at the same time, we know that the growth of the Māori asset base and the strong entrepreneurial drive within the Māori business sector could be used to help invert the annual pyramid of spending, in order to focus on the future.
Because iwi are major contributors to the economy, and owners of large natural resources, we support investments in geothermal and water power plants.
The Māori Party promotes the Genuine Progress Index as the standard measure of business success.
We will encourage whanau to enter into commercial enterprises that build on their particular circumstances as a whanau.
We support the development of local and regional business partnerships between local and regional authorities, industries and businesses; whanau, hapü and iwi. 
We support collective business development strategies that increase economic participation
and encourage local and regional self-reliance.
The economic benefits of international trade agreements need to be balanced with consideration of our own local, regional and national social progress and environmental enhancement.
We support the right to be treated fairly and with dignity;
and to a safe and healthy workplace.
Small Business
We will incentivise whanau and family businesses to grow.
Small businesses will be encouraged to grow, and to increase employment of rising quality
within the context of kaitiakitanga. Our priorities are:
·         We advocate for a 5% reduction in the business tax (down from 30% to 25%) for all businesses with a net income of less than $100,000.
·         We will support business development incentives (eg MWDI) to invest in success.
·         We will review compliance requirements so that there is no increase in compliance costs.
·         We will simplify employment legislation,
·         ensuring a focus on family friendly practices.
·         We will hold employers accountable for preventable workplace related deaths and injury.
Entrepreneurship and Enterprise
• Streamline the funding distributed by the Ministry of Economic Development to create a Community Development Bank.
The Bank will make small loans to whanau and family businesses to incubate and rollout new products and services.
·         Investing in regional research and development programmes that will forecast the long term opportunities and skills required to increase productivity and economic growth.
End Child Poverty by 2020
Successive governments and their policies have created policy problems in our land of plenty.  Our priorities are:
Support child, whanau and families
·         We will set a deadline to eliminate child poverty by 2020;
·         We will designate an official poverty line at 60 percent of the median household disposable income after housing costs
·          and set net income for those on benefits at this measure to prevent poverty.
·         We will increase minimum wage to at least $15 an hour.
·         Raise core benefit levels, including superannuation, veteran's pensions.
Simplify Working for Families
·         including extending the ‘in-work' payment to all families.
·         Investigate the reintroduction of a Universal Child Benefit;
• Establish a ‘Neighbourhood Renewal' Fund,
which may include incentives to encourage living more collectively,
eg community gardens,
afterschool care,
post-natal support for parents.
Improve quality and performance
It is important that the community receives accurate information about our progress as a nation.
To advance this we propose the adoption of the ‘Genuine Progress Index.' 
Joint action across government agencies creates confusion and duplication.
Social sector agencies need to move their resources to the regions so that community solutions can be supported - rather than one-size- fits-all solutions.
Also, government agencies need to align their regional foot-prints.
Too much cost, time and effort is expended on this inefficiency.
Services that matter
Acting quickly and appropriately can address negative outcomes before they start.
Programmes like KidsCan - who provide raincoats and shoes to low-decile schools, should be fully-funded.
Therefore we propose the establishment of an ‘Every Child Matters' Fund.
This is a targeted and time-limited grant to ensure, among other things that no child starts school without a raincoat or shoes.
Services to support better homes
Maori often have the land but not the income to service borrowing. 
Without state assistance, home ownership for most is a dream.  
Decent housing is essential to good health and wellbeing. 
Cold homes can harm people, particularly the very young and the very old. 
We will expand retrofit programmes to ensure homes meet achievable Warm Home Standard targets to WHO levels of 18° minimum.
  We will cap the rent for state housing and review the accommodation supplement to address overcrowding and homelessness.
• We need realistic options to enable low income families into homeownership - we will investigate proposals to capitalise family benefit payments;
Social housing communities
The state must take the major responsibility for social housing
along with local body and civil society partners, including iwi.
• We will resource iwi and Māori organisations to develop sustainable housing initiatives, including iwi trust initiatives, marae based living, co-operative housing.
Whanau Ora
The Maori Party promotes whanau ora as the way forward  to achieving a future where whanau determine what is in their best interests. Our priorities are:
·         Wairuatanga - spirituality
·         Hinengaro - the mind
·         Tinana - physical wellbeing
·         Whanau - the family
·         Whanaungatanga - extended family
·         Waiora - total wellbeing for the family and individual
·         Mauri - the life force
·         Mana ake - the unique identity of the family and individual
·         Ha a kui ma a koro ma - breath of life from our ancestors
·         Whatumanawa - the open and healthy expression of emotion
·         Whenua -reconnection to the land
• Whakapapa- maintain connections to whanau, hapu and iwi.
Cultural Competency
Agencies will be monitored for cultural competency
to ensure the quality of services, access and outcomes invest in well-being. 
We commit to addressing institutional racism.
·         Cultural competence will be an employment standard in justice, health, education, and social services.
• We will support and resource providers with a track record of success in attaining mauriora;
and in preventing family violence.
Opportunity Communities
We support communities by trusting in their own locally developed solutions. 
Those who have never had the backing to reach their potential, will be supported to find new and sustainable opportunities to achieve their goals.
The cure is in the care
The Māori Party supports a restorative justice system,
where victims are empowered
and the community is integral to bolster relationships and reduce crime 
Restoration of the role of the collective is important.
The Māori Party will require all Government agencies to recognise and work with whanau on all issues that affect them.
We want to decrease Māori offending and victimisation,
to reduce the use of imprisonment as the priority response to offending,
and to encourage better use of the policing resource.
• We support literacy and numeracy projects in prison.
Eliminating Social Hazards - Gambling
The harm being done by pokies, particularly for Māori, Pasifika, Asian, low income workers and beneficiaries, should be addressed by:
·         devolving greater power to local authorities to reduce venues;
·         investigating new technologies such as player tracking and pre-commit card;
• reviewing the way in which so much funding is redistributed from poor communities to activities which benefit people in other areas.
Tobacco out of Aotearoa (TOA)
Despite the legislative and regulatory environment, the number of cigarettes and the volume of tobacco available for consumption is increasing. 
The health of the nation must come before the profits of the tobacco giants.
• Introduce Tobacco out of Aotearoa Bill.
Health
Our focus is on being healthy and living longer. 
We recognise that the cost, quality and location of health provision all has a material impact on the wellbeing of families. Our priorities are:
Improve access
Health is a basic human right.
Children and young people should not be excluded because of their whanau employment status, ability to pay or where they choose to live.
We believe in free preventive health care to under-six year olds and over-sixty-five year olds.
·         We will support rangatahi wellbeing programmes.
·         We will resource more services for tangata whaiora in the community sector,
and ensure tangata whaiora representation on the Mental Health Commission.
·         We will also ensure Rongoa Māori services are accessible.
• Initiate wellness checks / warrant of fitness, 6-monthly minimum, dependent on degree of risk;
and regular checks for diabetes, asthma, cardiac and chronic disease.
Increase the supply of quality health workers
To ensure all children get the best possible start in life, we support a shift in the emphasis of health investment towards primary care.
We will invest in a sustainable well-paid health workforce in public, non-government and not for profit sector.
The Māori health workforce shall get ‘equal work for equal pay.'
·         We will sponsor single parents and low-income people to train for the workforce.
     
·         We want to achieve safe staffing  through minimum staffing levels.
Improve quality and performance
The community must receive accurate information about the performance of hospitals, PHOs and DHBs, including adverse events to be reported publically every three months.
We support the separation of the funder provider roles of the DHBs.
We will review the duplication of corporate and administrative functions between hospitals, PHOs and DHBs, and whether there are any savings available if duplications were removed. 
Services that matter
Acting quickly and appropriately can address negative outcomes before they compound and result in mortality; bariatric surgery needs to be funded.
·         Public health programmes to reduce the high incidence and cost of type two diabetes and heart disease will be funded.
·         We support whanau focused alcohol and drug, addiction, recovery and restoration services; including within prisons.
·         Resource mobile dental units such as buses to get to rural, poor communities with a focus on whanau dental needs;
• Regular cervical cancer smears and prostate checks.
Services for kuia and kaumatua
Older people should feel safe and secure, and be able to live with dignity.
Yet the aged cared workforce is underpaid, understaffed, and too often do not receive the training they need to deliver the best care.
The aim of the review is to ensure kuia and kaumatua with moderate health needs are able to live in their homes as long as possible.
Disabled Persons
The Māori Party supports proper recognition of disabled people and their families in the context of whanau ora. 
We believe that disabled persons have the right to participate in decision-making, be protected by law, and have control of their lives.
We have supported IHC's complaint to the Human Rights Commission that Government policy has impacted on the ability of schools to meet the educational needs of students with disabilities.
Our priorities are:
·         We support the establishment of an appropriately funded lead agency for disability issues.
• We promote Government working in partnership with whanau to develop a framework for information distribution and flexible support.
Vision and hearing testing
Analysis of coverage data reveals that European children were far more likely to be screened at preschool than others. 
In the 2005/06 year, while 77% of European children received their vision screen, only 45% of Maori children and 29% of Pasifika children received these ‘universal' tests.
·         We will review the National Vision Hearing Screening Programme service specifications to ensure universal coverage is achieved.
·         Improved access to technology (smoke alarms, video phones, texting and signing on mobile phones) will be explored.
The priority for the Māori Party is that disabled persons and their whanau can access support
in order to have a life of their own, and to achieve that vital sense of purpose. 
We endorse the concept - nothing about us, without us.
·         We will resource respite care and wraparound services for disabled persons
to ensure they determine where they seek to live.
Meaningful Entitlements
·         We support the Early Family Support System triggered by the first identification of disability, being universally available to families.
  We support a review of the funding and contracting model for special needs in schools.
·       Current provision is uneven and inequitable.
·         We will review income support to ensure full participation in family and community life in order that people with disabilities have better access to supported independent living.
• The disability policy will address the disparities between Health and ACC disability funding based on cause.
Workforce Capacity
·         We will review the work conditions, pay and training opportunities for those working in the elderly, disability and home care sector;
• We will invest in sign language interpreters and teachers to express support for the NZ Sign Language Act (2006) as an official language.
Early Childhood
Our priorities are: Improve access
Education is not only a basic human right, but it is also necessary if we want to make sure our young people make good choices about their future.
Children should not be excluded from early childhood education because of whanau employment status or ability to pay.
·         We believe in compulsory and free early childhood education from four years of age.
·         We also believe that the exclusion of play centres and kohanga reo is unfair and improper,
and should be removed so that 20 hours free childcare be extended to children in these centres also.
Increase the supply of quality teachers
To ensure all children get the best possible start in life, we support a shift in the emphasis of education investment towards children and early childhood education, including lower adult: child ratios.
In return, we expect services to meet the needs of Maori and Pasifika children and their parents, to be culturally competent and appropriate.
·         We will increase the supply of quality early childhood care and education services in low-income areas.
Improve quality and performance
To strengthen the delivery partnership with the Kohanga Reo National Trust, we need to ensure the funding and contract model is robust, yet accountable, but minimises unnecessary compliance.
Similarly we believe that the funding and contracting model of early childhood education should be reviewed to ensure it is not creating unnecessary compliance costs.
Services that matter
Because providers like kohanga reo play an increasingly important role in delivering social services to whanau,
we believe that a number of new services should be piloted.
·         Literacy and numeracy services to parents trying to teach children to read, write and count.
• Puna Reo a iwi trialled with those whanau who are willing.
Education of the Future
To enhance healthy lifestyles, teachers in early childhood centres will have skills in health and physical wellbeing. 
Centres will be equipped with computers to support information technology skills. 
The use of the reo and dialects of Maori and Pasifika communities will be encouraged.
Primary and Secondary
The compulsory sector needs to be strong enough to equip students for life with a range of options before them.
Our priorities are:
Help young people to succeed
Too many Māori children are struggling at school.
·         We will establish incentives that reward school success and innovation in reducing under-achievement and disengagement.
·         We will promote whanau engagement by investing in communities and innovation.
·         We will reduce teacher-student ratios.
·         We will support professional development for teachers,
particularly in cultural competency.
• Fund schools to meet needs of high and complex needs students with a range of options including intensive counseling.
Increase the supply of quality teachers
Demand for good quality teachers, especially Maori language teachers exceeds supply.
·         We will promote participation in, and increase numbers of Maori language teachers
to increase the level and use of te reo Maori at all levels.
• We will develop and monitor a competency framework for Māori language teachers.
Bonding and student loan write-offs should be investigated to attract good teachers to work in to hard-staff areas.
·         We also believe the TeachNZ scholarship needs to be reviewed to ensure no students are disadvantaged.
Improving performance
Schools are essentially community based organisations, many of whom are large with strong organisational infrastructure.
·         The public needs to be provided with better information on school performance, including Māori and Pacific achievement.
·         The ‘enrolment schemes' need to be reviewed to ensure children from low-income whanau and families are not disadvantaged.
·         We support a single, national qualifications system.
• Invest in key support staff, such as those focused on improving levels of literacy and numeracy.
Iwi Service Provision
Because iwi are major contributors to the economy, and like everyone else need a literate and numerate workforce, we believe that a number of new iwi services could be funded or at very least, investigated for their feasibility.
·         Mobile literacy and numeracy services that can reach children, parents and whanau in rural areas.
·         Establishment of a Māori Education Authority.
• Greater freedom to supplement Maori educational outcomes
with whanau, hapu and iwi models of education.
Tertiary Education
Our priorities are:
Increase accessibility to tertiary education
Tertiary education is a front-end investment into the nation's future
and should be freely available to all.
·         To ensure that all people have the chance to pursue tertiary education, we will introduce a fee reduction policy to reduce fees to a nominal level over time.
·         We will also increase access to student allowances, by reintroducing a universal student allowance - which will be set at the level of the unemployment benefit.
Student loan repayment
Student loan debt repayments should only start when you start earning one and a half times the average wage.
·         There will be a five year grace period for repayments after graduation.
·         Student loans will remain interest free.
The cost of bridging-courses
More often than not bridging-courses at tertiary level compensate for poor quality secondary education.
Young people should not be charged for these courses. 
Remove discrimination
To overcome barriers to entry into a decent job, a review of racial discrimination in the jobs market will be completed.
The review will also offer solutions for overcoming racism.
Improve performance
Section 159G of the Education Act, the principles guiding the operation of the Tertiary Education Commission, needs to be amended to include a reference to the Treaty of Waitangi. 
We will advocate for increased Maori representation on tertiary governance bodies, including mana whenua and Māori student representation.
Industry Training
To increase the training opportunities and skills development of the Maori workforce, there needs to be investment into training
offered by Māori providers. 
A greater investment in industry training is needed for those trades with acute skill shortages, including building and construction, electricians, plumbers, mechanics, welders;
and in growth areas of the economy including IT and in creative innovation.
If iwi assets have developed in farming, fisheries and forestry, then priority needs to be given towards developing the skills of those already in their workforce, to achieve optimum results. 
It is about supporting people with the right blend of knowledge and skills. 
·         We will invest in trade training and apprenticeships, developed and delivered in conjunction with key industry sectors, to upskill workers and address skill shortages, and to better enable industries to take advantage of skills training.
• We support a retraining allowance.
Language Culture and Broadcasting
Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori
Language is the key to Māori identity and culture.
Te reo rangatira is the most precious gift our tupuna bequeathed to us to protect, maintain and share with the world.
The Crown and its agencies must respect that hapu and iwi are the appropriate guardians of their respective reo - and the Crown's duty as a Treaty partner is to assist and support the iwi and hapu to fulfil their responsibilities.
The Boards of Te Taura Whiri, Te Mangai Paho, Te Waka Toi, Whakaata Maori and similar agencies with responsibilities protecting te reo me nga tikanga Maori should be jointly appointed by tangata whenua and the Crown.
Government funding must be commensurate with the Crown's duty of active protection of the tino rangatiratanga of iwi in respect of their taonga. 
The Māori Party will ensure the Crown's legal and moral duties to protect and promote te tino rangatiratanga of iwi and hapu in respect of their taonga are also carried out by mainstream cultural institutions, eg TVNZ, Radio New Zealand, Te Papa, QE II Art Council etc.
The Party supports the view that TVNZ and Radio NZ should remain in public ownership,
but show a greater responsiveness to the needs and aspirations of all peoples of Aotearoa.
The Party supports the current framework for purchasing programmes and broadcasting services through NZ on AIR and Te Māngai Pāho.
Both agencies should continue to have a focus on Māori programmes and services.
The Party supports Māori broadcasting policy and resources being better developed through a co-ordinated approach with sectors such as education, training and business development.
The Party also supports tangata whenua having a more direct stake in the resources provided for the promotion of Māori language, culture and economic development through broadcasting.
Our priorities are:
Centre for Māori Language Excellence
Because excellence in te reo Māori is something we are proud of, we support the establishment and full-funding of a Centre for Māori Language Excellence.
·         Develop policy to address the cultural misappropriation of indigenous names and symbols.
>> I think a richer NZ would be one where the economy, and people and the environment are considered one system that works together
>> There'd be more opportunities for everyone.
>> We’d have a better public transport system.
>> There'd be a decent minimum wage.
>> There'd be a smaller gap between the haves and have nots.
>> There'd be houses you could afford
>> I reckon in a richer NZ there would be more jobs
>> We'd have MMP.
>> Well, healthy food would be cheaper.
>> I think in a Richer NZ we'd measure success in more ways than just monetary gain.
RUSSEL:
Kia Ora I'm Russel Norman,
METIRIA:
Tena koutou I'm Metiria Turei,
Together we're the co-leaders of the Green party
METIRIA:
18 years ago I was a young mum on the DPB with no education, no prospects, but with this beautiful baby who needed me.
And I needed help.
I used the welfare system to take care of us both
to go to university to get my law degree.
I understand first hand how important a supportive government is.
For me, a richer Aotearoa is one where every parent is valued
and where every child has a roof over their head and food on the table.
RUSSEL:
I grew up in Australia, I came to NZ 15 years ago for work and for study and I loved it here and I have been here ever since.
I've worked in factories, on farms and in offices.
I've got a doctorate of political science, I'm a member of parliament, and a new dad.
I believe a richer New Zealand is one where we look after the people
and we look after the environment.
RUSSEL:
This election the Green Party has three priorities for action in the next three years, to help build a Richer New Zealand.
We're going to clean up rivers,
get kids out of poverty
and grow green jobs.
RUSSEL:
We have a plan to stimulate 100,000 new green jobs through government leadership
and business incentives.
METIRIA:
It will add resilience to our economy, without taking our country further into debt.
And you can read all about the details on our website.
RUSSEL:
One action is extending the home insulation scheme we created to a further 200,000 homes.
METIRIA:
We will encourage businesses to join the green economy
through research subsidies, and tax incentives.
We need government support for sustainable services and products which can be sold around the world.
RUSSEL:
A good example of this is a kiwi company called Aquaflow.
They've developed a way to turn sewage into bio fuel, fertilizer, and clean water.
METIRIA:
But we've got to keep it kiwi, with government support and partnership with investors we can keep our best and our brightest anchored in New Zealand.
RUSSEL:
We get the ongoing benefits of jobs and research, and we don't lose all the profits overseas.
METIRIA:
And while we're on the topic, selling off our state assets, even a "part sale" won't make New Zealand richer.
The Green Party will keep our country's assets in public ownership and we will put them to work as catalysts for our common economic good.
RUSSEL:
Global investment in renewable energy is set to double to US$800 million dollars a year by 2015.
With the right incentives, we can get at least 1% of that global market.
Just 1% would generate billions of dollars in exports from New Zealand
and employ tens of thousands of people in clean jobs, right here.
METIRIA:
If you want New Zealand to get a piece of the clean energy action, you need to Party Vote Green.
VOX POPS:
>> In a richer NZ I reckon all our lakes would be clean.
>> I just want my kids to be able to swim in our estuary.
METIRIA:
GO! (kids jump in) haha, when I was a kid I used to swim in the mighty Manawatu… but now, it's one of the most polluted rivers in the world.
RUSSEL:
The good news is, we can clean it up.
The Green Party has a plan to make all our rivers and lakes clean enough to swim in again, just like this one.
(kids splash) After all, It's every Kiwi kid's birthright.
METIRIA:
Having healthy waterways is good for our clean green brand
which underpins our tourism and agricultural exports.
RUSSEL:
The Green Party will set standards to control the amount of water taken from our rivers and cut pollution going into them.
METIRIA:
We'll introduce fair charges for irrigation
and use the funds to clean up our rivers,
and create green jobs.
RUSSEL:
We need to support our farmers and industry
to help find solutions that work for everyone.
METIRIA:
A Green Party Vote at this election is a start to making our rivers clean enough to swim in again.
(splash)
VOX POPS:
>> Well I think in a Richer NZ there should be more care for parents and their young children.
>> Our kids are really important
METIRIA:
We're here at Edmund Hillary School in South Auckland to celebrate a positive story…
VO METIRIA:
As a decile 1 school they've had their fair share of challenges, but by developing their own Mahinga Kai gardening & learning programme they've changed attitudes and brought their community together to support each other.
RUSSEL:
It's a great start in the battle against some of the problems caused by real hardship.
Child poverty is a reality in our country, and the Greens have a plan to do something about it.
METIRIA:
We have developed four solutions to bring 100,000 children out of poverty by 2014.
VO METIRIA:
We will give parents on a benefit access to the training incentive allowance, to help them study and take care of their kids.
VO RUSSEL:
We will extend Working for Families to 140,000 of the poorest households with children.
METIRIA:
We will raise the minimum wage to $15 immediately to help working parents provide for their children.
RUSSEL:
And we'll create insulation standards for rental properties
to ensure warm, healthy homes for thousands of kids.
METIRIA:
Child poverty costs this country around $6b billion a year.
If we invest just a fraction of that in our kids now, we will save money and save lives.
Ensuring a better future for all of us.
RUSSEL:
We just need your party vote to make it happen.
VOX POPS:
>> A richer New Zealand would have more Green MPs.
>> I think we need more Green MPs in Parliament.
RUSSEL:
The Greens are a growing, popular party, with a fresh new way of looking at world we live in.
METIRIA:
New Zealand was the home of the world's first Green Party and we've been represented in Parliament now for well over a decade.
We're a successful, independent party and we've delivered great change regardless of who's been in government.
RUSSEL:
In just the last three years, working alongside Government we've made 100,000 homes warm and dry.
We've got the funding for the cycleway, toxic sites cleanups, for pest control and more.
METIRIA:
Your vote can deliver more positive change for the next three years.
To find out more about what we believe in, and why you should support us at this election, please visit our website
RUSSEL:
We have a full range of policies on economics, health, education, justice, and so much more
METIRIA:
If you share our vision for a richer New Zealand
One with clean rivers,
where everyone has a job,
and where every child has enough to eat …
RUSSEL
If you want a smart, green economy
that works for everyone….
RUSSEL & METIRIA:
in this election… Party Vote Green!
Labour gave us ...
Free Healthcare
Universal Superannuation
Affordable Tertiary Education
The Minimum Wage
Declared NZ Independent – 1947
First Woman MP
First Woman Cabinet Minister
First State Houses
Kept NZ out of the Iraq War
Nuclear Free New Zealand
Labour: it’s who we are!
Grant Duncan, Assoc Professor, Massey. “When we look at our history I think we’ll find that pretty much most of the signature progressive changes that we’ve made have been made by Labour governments. (Newspaper heading: ‘Top marks for political courage’).
National parties when it comes to electoral campaigning prey upon the fears of the public.  (National Party ad shown: ‘This year the choice is clear. Labour Stop. National Go.’).
Now it’s the National party with the stop sign saying progress will stop if you vote for Labour but I think that when you look at the actual policies, when you look at the real world history of what Labour parties do, they don’t have their foot on the break, they don’t actually stop progress, they tend on the other hand to be progressive politically and socially. (Newspaper heading: ‘It’s time to face some hard choices’).
Goff: “I think the big difference between National and Labour is that we’ve got a vision and we’ve got a plan for the future.
A better New Zealand, a New Zealand that will be better for our kids and our grandkids.
It’s about finding jobs.
It’s about giving training to people, up skilling New Zealanders.
It’s about making sure we’ve got a fair taxation system, that enables us to pay off the debt, keep our assets, and give everybody a fairer go, because people are finding it really hard”.
David Parker MP, Spokesperson for Economic Development. “I believe in the efficiency of free and competitive markets.
The Labour Party does.
We’re not communists.
But that doesn’t mean to say that the market’s always right.
And that doesn’t mean the government can just take its hands off all the levers that only a government can pull and pretend that the market will get it right.
It doesn’t work like that.”
Nanaia Mahuta MP, Spokesperson for Maori Social Development. “If National believes that the free market will take care of us, then Maori have been the victims of that philosophy.
Labour believes we need to be an active government (Newspaper heading: ‘Labour’s recovery fix-it plan’) and have greater regulation in areas where we can ensure greater equity, in our society.
So I think that is really important, and that’s a fundamental difference.”
The last Labour Government:
Balanced the Books
Free Trade Arrangement with China
Zero Net Crown Debt
NZ Super Fund
Budget Surplus
The Next Labour Government will:
Create a stronger economy
with a fair tax system
David Cunliffe MP, Finance Spokesperson: “With this tax package, the books balance.
We’ve carefully costed everything.
CGT is the centrepiece (Text: ‘Capital Gains Tax’), we’ve had independent experts check the capital gains tax and the numbers balance.
CGT brings in up to $3 billion per year, and it means that we can pay off the government debt and keep our assets.
Duncan: “Capital gains taxes are perfectly normal, most civilised countries have them, there is nothing radical or fearful about them whatsoever.
But they are a way of helping put a break on the development of asset bubbles,
and they are also a way of ensuring that the wealthy, who are the people mostly making the gains, actually pay a little bit of a tax on what is essentially a form of income. ‘
“What the National party did was increase the proportion of total tax that is paid by middle income and lower income people and decreased the proportion of total tax that is paid by the people who are already most wealthy.”
Goff: “There is nothing more fiscally irresponsible than what the National government did.
You know they borrowed money to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy.
The top earning people in this country, a thousand dollars a week in tax cuts, and they borrowed $1.1 billion more than they got from GST to give those tax cuts to the wealthy.”
The last Labour Government:
Introduced Working for Families
20 hours Free Early Childhood Education
Interest Free Student Loans
100,000 people OFF benefits
The next Labour Government will:
Close the gap between rich and poor
“Under the last Labour government we stopped the income gap growing between rich and poor,
and that was quite a notable feat compared to the trends around the world where the income gap grew between the rich and the poor. (Newspaper heading: Nats’ policy increases inequality’).
Since we left office, the income gap has started to grow again. (Newspaper heading: ‘Level of inequality just not acceptable’).
David Shearer MP, Research and Development Spokesperson, “Some people have been left behind.
There is no doubt about that.
That doesn’t mean to say that we reward people who are sitting on welfare,
or we allow people at the other end who can get away with not paying any tax.
Uhm, but it’s definitely for me, that there’s that sense of fairness, that is disappearing.”
Mahuta, “The thing that scares me most about the prospect of a National Act government is that there will be greater inequality in our country between the very rich and the very poor.
What that tells me is that Maori will be right at the bottom. (Newspaper heading: ‘Crime hurts young, ethnic, poor’).
National’s plan isn’t a plan for a brighter future; National’s plan is to keep the rich rich and the poor poor and downtrodden.”
Duncan: “Our New Zealand probably in OECD terms has higher than average income inequality, and yes we really need to take this seriously because I think we can see from the politics that is going on all around the world (Newspaper heading: ‘London’s burning: Riots spread across the city’) now that income inequality and wealth inequality (Newspaper heading: ‘Riots spread to other cities’) have really got out of control.
There is no use in having policies that are just lolly scrambles for the rich again.
We’ve actually got to think about really reconfiguring social and economic policy”.
Goff, “National says we can’t afford to lift kids out of poverty.
You know what I say to them.
You can’t afford not to. (Newspaper heading: ‘Alarm raised over child poverty’).
If we don’t invest in our children we certainly pay for it in (Newspaper heading: ‘NZ’s child poverty rate one of highest’) in our young people being unemployed, poorly educated, (Newspaper heading: ‘Child poverty getting worse’) in the criminal justice system.”
Cunliffe” It costs about $100,000 per year to keep a prisoner in a maximum security prison.
It’s far, far cheaper to feed and educate young people than it is to see them drop out of the system and to become a cost to society for the rest of their lives.”
Extend Working for Families
“We need every kiwi kid to get a decent start to life and that’s what our policy will achieve.”
Parker, “There are issues here that need to be addressed and the current National led government is not brave enough to tackle them.
They’ve got this welfare reform that says they’re going to push all the people sitting on their arses, according to them, into jobs, when we’ve got high unemployment because there’s no jobs to go into
(Newspaper heading: ‘OECD calls for superannuation age to be raised’) and yet the big issue is actually superannuation.
Within four years the amount that will be spent on superannuation is twenty times the amount that we spend on the unemployment benefit.”
Goff, You can’t just put that burden on a younger generation.
We know that problem is coming.
Let’s deal with it now. (Image: ‘Raise the retirement age’).
Let’s fix it.
We can do that by gradually getting people to retire later at age 67.
Under our plan (Newspaper heading: ‘At last – Labour breaks taboo on super’) it won’t affect anybody until 2020.
It’s really obvious why we’ve got to do this.
We can make superannuation sustainable, we can protect it for the future, we’ve got to do the right thing. (Labour poster: Labour will leave more for future generations than just debt).
Cunliffe: “Universal Kiwisaver is a crucial part of the plan.
You know it’s the key difference between us and Australia.
They’ve had compulsory super just like Norm Kirk tried to get for New Zealand and Rob Muldoon canned it (Newspaper heading: ‘Reforming superannuation needs to start immediately’).
Compulsory Kiwisaver builds a huge pool of local capital.
The government’s own savings working group calculated that if we could do something like that we would grow GDP by 10%.”
The Last Labour Government:
Raised Minimum Wage 9 Times
4 weeks Annual Leave
Paid Parental Leave
Lowest unemployment in the OECD
The Next Labour Government will...
Grow the economy
and create jobs
Goff, “Since National became government, 62,000 extra people have gone on benefits.
That is costing a billion dollars (Newspaper heading: ‘Unemployment hits its highest level in a decade).
You know they talk about welfare reform.
The best form of welfare reform ( ‘How high will jobless go?’) is actually providing jobs for people to go to
and that is what the research and development tax credit is about.
It grows jobs, high pay, high skill, high tech jobs and it enables us to compete with the world at the top level. (Image: Research and development tax credit).”
David Shearer, “So we need to bump up the amount of research and scientific research in particular, the amount that companies are doing, we need to plan for that, we need to look at the capital that is available to these young companies that have got fantastic ideas, but they just aren’t getting them off the board at the moment, and a lot of these ideas people come in from the United States or Asia, they look at the idea and they think whoa, I’ll buy that from you and we sell it to them because we don’t have the capital to produce it ourselves.
And we need to get alongside some of these companies in a way that we haven’t done yet and really help them along.
All of those things are not being done at the moment.”
Mahuta, “Youth unemployment is very serious, Maori and Pacific youth unemployment is more dire, over 58,000 young people don’t have a job (Newspaper heading: ‘Youth jobless a time bomb says business lobby group’), or aren’t in any time of training (Jobless young will take lives).
The future doesn’t look bright for them (Newspaper heading: ‘Youth unemployment a growing problem’).”
Duncan, “This is a disaster now.
People are able to leave school and get into trouble with the law and the taxpayer is paying for lawyers, police officers, judges, social workers.”
Parker, “The Labour Party has got some pretty brave policy in this area too.
We say, well why not encourage employers to take on apprentices by instead paying (Labour policy: ‘Dole Payments to Subsidies for Apprenticeships’) the equivalent amount for a period to the employer who is willing to take on another apprentice.
Now that’s the sort of thing that a government can do.
No one can do that other than the government, but this current government they’re not willing to take those hard calls.
And as a consequence they’re willing, effectively, to put up with very high rates of unemployment and the unfairness and the social unrest that causes over time.”
The last Labour Government:
Invested in Public Transport
Emissions Trading Scheme
Increased Recycling Facilities
17 New Marine Reserves
Home Insulation Programme
30,000 hectares to the Conservation Estate
The Next Labour Government will
Protect our Environment
Goff, “National for heaven’s sake, wanted to mine our National Parks, our most precious areas.
National wants to pay the cost of pollution for the polluter.
Labour believes in making the polluter pay.”
Mahuta, “When I saw the Rena disaster I thought oh my goodness, this cannot be happening.
And then I thought why is this happening?
Is this the result of a more systemic issue of deregulation?”
Duncan, “Certainly it looks like the Pike River and Rena disasters are pointing towards a lack of regulatory control in this society, but there are other things as well, the leaky buildings syndrome, for instance, is perhaps another example. “
Parker, “Regulation seems to be a dirty word to the National Party.
If it weren’t for regulation our harbours would be full of sewerage.
Regulation can be good.
We do have a real problem in New Zealand with the extra amount of livestock effluent and fertilizer, going into our waterways from the increasing intensification of farming.
That needs to be properly managed so that the environmental outcomes are good, rather than making our rivers dirtier.
You can’t have it the other way around and say look, environmental matters, you only do something about the environment when you are wealthy and can afford to do so; the reality is you can’t afford to ignore your environment.
The Last Labour Government:
Bought back Kiwirail
KiwiSaver
Rescued Air New Zealand
KiwiBank
The Next Labour Government will ...
Keep our state assets
Goff, “You know it is really dumb to sell the assets.
What business person would sell the best performing assets in their business in order to pay off their debt?
You lose the assets.
You can only sell them once.
And you lose them forever.
And you lose the dividends they bring back to us as Kiwis.
You know that $800 million last year, that paid for our health services and our education services.
You cut that in half.”
Duncan, “Those state assets we own, why would we sell them to the few to own (‘State assets assessed for sale to investors’).
The so-called mum and dad investors, are wealthy mum and dad investors and they are not the average investor (Buy state asset shares of foreigners will, English tells Kiwis).
The asset sales policy is all of us giving to the few.
And get this, when those people on-sell those shares at a profit there is no capital gains tax.
So the two things need to be looked at together.
National doesn’t want a capital gains tax, they want to sell off state owned assets, so the wealthy can get a tax free wind-fall profit out of us, out of something that we the public have invested in and owned for decades.
Who would vote for that?”
The next Labour Government will...
Introduce Capital Gains Tax
No GST on Fruit and Vegetables
Expand Kiwisaver
$15 Minimum Wage
Extend Working for Families
$5,000 tax free zone
Fair deal for Red Zone residents
Apprenticeship Scheme
Support Auckland Rail
Raise Retirement age to save Superannuation
Free healthcare for under 6’s
Extend parental leave
R&D tax credit
Keep our state assets
Duncan, “It is really important that people look beyond the surface image, that they look beyond the personality driven, television driven politics and that they actually have a really cold hard think about what we are actually voting for because the danger is that people may end up voting for policies that aren’t in their practical material interests.”
Cunliffe, “Labour’s economic plan is fully costed, its numbers balance, we reach surplus in two years, we pay off the debt quicker than National.
It is the most detailed, comprehensive fiscal strategy any opposition in decades has produced and put before the country.”
Parker, “So many people out there know that what we are proposing, some of these big choices that need to be made, that we’re right, they know in their hearts its right for New Zealand.
And if they want to help they’ve got to get out there and vote on the day.”
Mahuta, “It’s a call to action.
If people want to vote for Labour they have to get out and vote with their feet.
If they care enough to ensure that this country is not for sale then vote Labour.
If they care enough to ensure that all our kids get a good opportunity then vote Labour.
If they care about having a more fair society then vote Labour.
It’s that simple.”
Goff, “It is about having a plan for the future and about having the courage to take the hard decisions.
It’s not about flogging off our assets
and driving down wages.
It is about a fairer more equal New Zealand. (2 ticks for Labour).
New Zealand needs ACT!
New Zealand’s a wonderful country.
We live in a country which is bigger than Britain, with more natural resources per person than almost any other country on Earth.
A country which has more fresh water per person than almost any other country on the planet.
A country which gave women the vote before any other country, and has one of the oldest democracies in the world.
A country where we can say with certainty that, no matter how vigorously we disagree with each other about politics, nobody will get shot, or beaten to death, in political turmoil.
A country which has produced Ed Hillary, and Kiri Te Kanawa, and Kate Sheppard, and Katherine Mansfield, and Jean Batten, and Apirana Ngata, and Bill Buckley, and Angus Tait, and Bill Gallagher, and Ernest Rutherford – a man ranked by some as close to Newton and Einstein in terms of his contribution to our understanding of physics.
It is a wonderful country.
But ladies and gentlemen, this country is at risk.
  Far too many people are finding it hard to make ends meet.
  Far too many young people can’t get a job.
  Far too many people fill our jails.
  Far too many children are poorly fed and poorly housed.
  Far too many families break down in acrimony and violence.
  Far too many young people come out of school unable to read and write.
  Far too many working age adults languish on a hand-out.
  Far too many towns and cities spew untreated waste into our once-clean streams and rivers.
And to a large extent these are the social costs of the under-performance of our economy.
   Once, we were one of the richest countries in the world.
  Our productivity was up with the best.
But then we were hit by the loss of our best export market, and by the disastrous policy response to that.
  By 1984, New Zealand was on the verge of bankruptcy.
  We were rescued by Sir Roger Douglas, the Minister of Finance who went on to found the ACT Party, and for more than 10 years productivity started growing strongly again.
But when Winston Peters became the Treasurer in 1996, and even worse when Helen Clark became Prime Minister in 1999, the momentum ended.
She introduced the envy tax for those on higher incomes;
she reversed many of the labour market reforms;
she introduced legislation giving local authorities the power to do whatever they wished;
and she massively increased government spending towards the end of her reign – an increase which set up the years of deficit since 2009.
Today, the Government is borrowing hand over fist; $20 billion in the last year, hundreds of millions of dollars every week, the equivalent of hundreds of dollars a week for every household.
Productivity growth has fallen away – to an estimated 1% annually according to the Reserve Bank. 
Despite the best export prices in a generation and weak import demand, the balance of payments is still in deficit – with that deficit projected to increase over the next few years.
  And as a result our debt to the rest of the world gets bigger, year by year – not yet at Greek or Spanish levels, but damned uncomfortable just the same.
Two credit rating agencies have downgraded us, and as a former Governor of the Reserve Bank I know that that’s an ominous sign.
The IMF projects growth in per capita income over the decade to 2016 to be half the growth they project for Australia over the same period.
  In fact, 148 countries are expected to grow faster than we will over that period.
  We would have been in a state of national mourning if even one other country had beaten us at rugby – we seem relaxed at being 149th in the economic growth stakes!
The gap between incomes here and incomes across the Tasman continues to grow.
   When National came to power, the gap was 35%; now it’s closer to 40%.
   As a result, New Zealanders leave in ever-increasing numbers; nearly 300,000 over the last decade.
Just last week, the Herald on Sunday wrote of the Kiwi families living in Australia but longing to come home.
  Couples like Adrian and Jules Paalvast, with three New Zealand-born sons – longing to return to New Zealand, but feeling unable to do so because Adrian makes three times the salary in Australia that he could make in New Zealand, thus enabling Jules to stay home with her four children.
A survey of 4,000 13-year-olds recently found that an astonishing 27% of them wanted to leave New Zealand permanently when they were old enough to do so.
Dealing with this challenge should be the dominant theme in the election campaign – but it’s not.
  The serious danger is that we could reach a tipping point, the point at which so many New Zealanders have left that it becomes a cumulative process, with each new departure easier to justify than the last one.
  Some suggest we may already have reached that point.
At this critical time in our country’s life, voters face a stark choice: do they want a centre-left government headed by Phil Goff or do they want a centre-right government headed by John Key?
  There are no other options available.
We in the ACT Party are in no doubt at all about which of these two men offers the better prospect for our great country, and we have already declared publicly that we will give Confidence and Supply to a John Key-led Government.
The Labour Party is advocating policies which nobody who cares for our long-term future could support
– massively more borrowing than even National proposes;
employment legislation which would see a  return to the industrial mayhem which prevailed before 1991;
a $15 minimum wage which would lead quite directly to more unemployment;
an end to the 90-day trial period in employment contracts;
a capital gains tax;
a big increase in the compliance costs imposed on small businesses because of the exemption of fruit and vegetables from GST;
a huge increase in the costs of the farming sector as a result of bringing biological emissions into the ETS in 2013;
and an instruction to the Reserve Bank to stop worrying about inflation and start focusing on the exchange rate.
  This is crazy stuff.
As an aside, I understand as well as anybody the problem which big swings in the exchange rate cause for exporters.
  I spent almost 14 years of my life trying to reduce those big swings.
  Alas, there are no easy ways to eliminate them, not at least if keeping inflation under control is also an objective. 
The Labour Party pretended they knew what to do about this issue in 1999, when they were campaigning to win the election in that year, and promised to have the whole Reserve Bank framework put under a microscope.
  When they won the election, they duly appointed a monetary policy expert from Sweden to do exactly that, and after months of study, the expert declared the New Zealand monetary policy framework world’s best practice.
It may sound good to exporters for Labour to say that they will smooth out those exchange rate fluctuations and keep inflation under control: believe me, no central bank has yet discovered how to do that.
So there’s not the slightest chance that ACT could support Labour after the election.
But like many others, we want a John Key-led Government to deal more decisively with the challenges which our country faces than has been the case over the last three years.
The Government has introduced National Standards in the school system, and some of our schools are world class.
  But far too many young people are coming out of 10 or 12 years of school barely literate. 
Parents who scrimp and save to send their children to independent schools are forced to pay twice for the privilege, once through taxation and a second time through school fees.
  The school system remains highly centralised – with a centralised curriculum, and a centralised and bureaucratic remuneration system.
There has been a pleasing reduction in violent crime in the last three years, and the ACT Party can take some of the credit for that
– we supported National in increasing police numbers, especially in South Auckland,
and we were responsible for getting the Three Strikes legislation passed, so that repeat violent and sexual offenders spend longer in jail. 
But there is still far too much senseless violence,
and too often the police prosecute the victim of that crime, as when Virender Singh was prosecuted a year or so ago when he tried to defend himself with a hockey stick while being attacked by five drunken youths.
Right now, the world economy is looking more ominous than at any time in my life-time.  
I spent a few days visiting London and Washington late last month to get a first-hand picture of just how bad things might get.
  I came home deeply worried – the Eurozone is in serious trouble because of irresponsible government spending in the countries of southern Europe; the United Kingdom and the United States are struggling under massive government deficits; and Japan seems unable to get to grips with its own massive government debt.
  The scope for the world economy to endure a prolonged and deep recession is all too evident.
In this threatening global environment, we believe the Government needs to urgently focus its spending on those who most need it,
to flatten and reduce taxes in order to encourage investment,
and to radically reduce the bureaucracy which makes life so miserable for homeowners, farmers, and manufacturers – indeed, for anybody wanting to do something!
Realistically, ACT is the only party which can help National do what John Key and the rest of the Cabinet know needs to be done.
  And Friday’s “cup of tea” shows clearly that John Key knows that.
Over the last three years, ACT has ensured stable centre-right government – indeed, we enabled John Key to announce that he was in a position to form a government on the night of the last election, because we had pledged support to National in advance, as we have done again.
Again and again, we supported National Party-initiated legislation when without our support legislation would have failed.
We gave voice to widespread public concern about the Anti-Smacking law,
the Marine and Coastal Area Act,
and the Emissions Trading Scheme, though ultimately in vain.
We can claim much of the credit for the retention of the right to silence in criminal cases.
And as I’ve mentioned, as a result of our initiative, the Three Strikes legislation was passed.
  As a result of our initiative, students are no longer obliged to join a union.
  As a result of our initiative, the Productivity Commission was set up.
  As a result of our initiative, the 2025 Taskforce was set up, and the National Party committed to promoting policies which would close the income gap with Australia by 2025.
   (National doesn’t talk about closing that gap much anymore, because they know they don’t have a plan to close it. 
ACT does!)
So we’ve shown we can work with National, and can deliver positive benefits for New Zealand.
But much remains to be done.
In the last few weeks, National has gone some way towards policies which we strongly support by proposing quite far-reaching welfare reform,
some useful changes in employment law, and some steps in the right direction in enabling employers to take on teenagers at less than the adult minimum wage.
  They’ve even made some tentative suggestions for reforming the Resource Management Act.
  We support all these moves – as far as they go.
But let me set out what we would like to achieve in the next Parliament. 
There are nine policy areas we’ll be looking to work with National on to improve the lives of all New Zealanders, and perhaps especially those New Zealanders whom the major parties seem to have forgotten – those who struggle to keep small and entrepreneurial businesses alive,
the farmers and those who provide services in rural communities,
the self-employed taxi drivers and dairy owners (for whom earning even $13 an hour for the hours worked seems a distant dream),
those struggling to cope with the burden of bureaucratic officials and senseless red-tape.
Pass Spending Cap (People’s Veto) Bill and Regulatory Standards Bill
1)    First, we want to ensure that the two Bills introduced by Rodney Hide in the last Parliament are passed into law – namely the Spending Cap (People’s Veto) Bill and the Regulatory Standards Bill.
The Spending Cap Bill would not require any reduction in government spending – indeed, it would explicitly allow government spending to increase as our population grows and as prices rise, and it would allow for a complete exemption from the cap to deal with a national emergency, such as the Christchurch earthquakes –
but it would prevent future governments engaging in the kind of grossly irresponsible electoral bribes which the Clark Government undertook in the last three years of that Government’s life.
  For this reason, we believe its passage is well overdue.
Similarly, the Regulatory Standards Bill – opposed by most government departments and supported by most people in the private sector – would raise the bar on new legislation and regulation to the considerable benefit of everybody.
Only a party vote for ACT will get these two fundamentally important pieces of legislation passed into law!
Reduce government spending relative to the size of the economy to enable radical tax reduction, and a lower exchange rate
2)    Second, we will be pushing for a faster reduction in government spending – relative to the size of the economy – than that currently envisaged.
  At the moment, government spending is a larger share of the total economy than in any year of the last Labour Government.
  And yet there are a number of spending programmes which National criticised strongly when in Opposition but which remain untouched –
programmes which have little or no merit in terms of any concept of social justice.
Getting spending under control more quickly would have three important benefits.
It would hasten the day when we’re no longer borrowing from our children to make life more enjoyable for ourselves.
It would enable tax rates to be reduced and flattened.
  We’re especially keen to get the company tax rate reduced – that’s vitally important if we’re to see a strong increase in investment in New Zealand.
  Yes, our company tax rate was reduced last year, but taken together with the change in depreciation allowances the overall effect was to increase the effective corporate tax rate.
  In any event, our company tax rate remains at 28%.
  That in fast-growing Singapore and Hong Kong is only 17%.
By how much could tax rates be reduced?
  The 2025 Taskforce showed that, if government spending could be reduced to the same share of GDP that it was in 2005, at the end of Labour’s second three-year term in office, then the top personal tax rate and the company tax rate could both be reduced to 20%.
  I’m not confident that that’s still possible, but a radical reduction of both rates could certainly be achieved.
Because of the crucial need to raise wages and salaries by increasing investment, we favour accepting that there will need to be an ongoing gap between the company rate and the top personal rate (as there is currently) by introducing a radically lower company tax rate at 12.5%, with the top personal rate as low as revenue will allow, perhaps 25%.
  We don’t doubt that that would have a very dramatic effect on investment, and therefore on wages, salaries and jobs.
Another substantial benefit of getting government spending reduced more quickly is that it would help reduce the exchange rate
 – vitally important if farmers and other exporters are to generate the strong growth in exports that our high level of overseas debt demands.
This is partly because much of the borrowing being undertaken by the government is being done by selling bonds to foreigners – and of course those foreigners have to buy New Zealand dollars to buy the government bonds.
It’s also partly because tighter restraint on government spending would almost inevitably prompt the Reserve Bank to further reduce the Official Cash Rate, and that too would reduce the upward pressure on the exchange rate.
  Yes, the OCR is lower now than at any time in our history, but it’s also higher than in any other developed country except Australia.
  There can’t be much doubt that if the OCR were, say, 1% rather than 2.5%, the exchange rate would be lower and export growth would be stronger.
Only a party vote for ACT will get government spending back under control quickly, and take the pressure off exporters!
Radically reduce bureaucracy
3)    Third, we will be pushing for a strong attack on bureaucracy.
  And by that we don’t simply mean a reduction in the number of bureaucrats, though that would no doubt be part of it.
  We mean taking an axe to some of the more ridiculous rules and regulations which those bureaucrats enforce:
· The rule which enables Auckland Council planners to tell a home-owner to paint her white house black or brown because it’s near the Kaipara;
· The rule which requires a retailer of farming equipment in Masterton to get approval before erecting a sign on his own property;
· The rule which requires a farmer to get approval before building a hay-barn on his own property;
· The rule which enables local authority planners to designate a farm as having outstanding landscape value, without any suggestion of compensation for the loss of value which that designation involves;
· The rule which requires a farmer to get a building consent to replace his home after it’s burnt down;
· The law which enables local authorities to tightly constrain the supply of land, with disastrous consequences for housing affordability for most young New Zealanders.
Fixing these frustrating and expensive rules would almost certainly require a fundamental reform of both the RMA and the Local Government Act, and quite possibly an amendment to the Bill of Rights Act to ensure that the right to peaceful enjoyment of one’s own property is enshrined in law.
Only a party vote for ACT will make a serious dent in the inane bureaucratic rules which cost us a fortune and ruin our lives!
Take an axe to the Emissions Trading Scheme
4)    Fourth, we also want to take an axe to the Emissions Trading Scheme.
  Whatever you believe about the causes of climate change, it makes no sense at all for New Zealand, producing just 0.2% of global greenhouse gas emissions, to have the only all sectors, all gasses, ETS in the world.
No other country penalises farming for its production of greenhouse gases, and yet that is a major part of the ETS in New Zealand.
Yes, National proposes to defer the inclusion of agriculture into our ETS until 2015; Labour proposes to include it from 2013.
But even now agriculture is hurt by the effect of the ETS on the price of electricity, petrol, diesel, and coal.
  If biological emissions were to be included in the ETS on the basis proposed by the Labour Party, it would have an absolutely devastating effect on the viability of a great many farms.
  Even the deferment proposed by the National Party would at best leave farmers paying thousands of dollars for their use of on- and off-farm energy.
  New Zealand’s farming sector – the most efficient producer of food in the world – doesn’t deserve that kind of punishment.
Indeed, there’s a strong argument that biological emissions don’t add to greenhouse gases at all: every unit of carbon emitted by pastures, crops and animals was first absorbed from the atmosphere.
Only a party vote for ACT can protect farmers – and the rest of us – from the ETS!
Give parents effective control over their children’s education
5)    Fifth, we want taxpayer funding to “follow the child”, to give parents an opportunity to send their children to any school willing to take them, as already happens with Early Childhood Education.
  This would enable parents to send their child to an independent school if that was their preference, or to an “integrated school”. 
And to enable parents to make an informed choice about which school is best suited to their child, we would open up SchoolSMART, a website run by the Ministry of Education which holds information about schools, about pupils’ performance, about teacher performance and about other indicators.
  National once campaigned to make this information available to parents.  
In Government, they haven’t done it.
We would recognise long-established and well run state schools, such as Auckland Grammar, Epsom Girls, McLean’s College, Rangitoto College, Wellington College and Christchurch Boys High School, as “trust schools”, and allow them to operate substantially free from bureaucratic control – including giving them the ability to establish other campuses, perhaps by acquiring schools which might be losing pupils.
Only a party vote for ACT will
give parents a chance to choose the school which best suits their child,
and boards of trustees and principals a chance to run their schools free from the stifling hand of Wellington bureaucrats!
Promote a multi-party consensus on changes to New Zealand Superannuation
6)    Sixth, we will push for a multi-party consensus on changes to New Zealand Superannuation to ensure its long-term viability as our population gradually ages.
The Labour Party has recently announced their support for a gradual increase in the age of eligibility, as we proposed months ago.
  They’ve adopted the proposal of the Retirement Commissioner, which would see the age of eligibility reach 67 by 2033.
We think that that’s too slow, not affecting in any material way the baby boomer generation.
The Australian Labor Government has announced that the age at which Australians will become eligible for their taxpayer-funded pension scheme will reach 67 by 2023, 10 years earlier than the Labour Party has proposed here.
But whether by 2023 or 2033, this issue needs to be put on the agenda.
  Most other developed countries are gradually increasing the age at which their citizens become eligible for taxpayer-funded retirement income, and for the same reason.
  We’re all living longer.
  It’s totally irresponsible to pretend that no increase will be needed.
Only a party vote for ACT will ensure that this issue is addressed in a timely way!
Promote a safer, more secure, society
7)    Seventh, we will push to make New Zealand a safer and fairer place by ensuring that the victims of crime are not subject to unfair scrutiny by the police when they try to defend themselves,
and ensuring that young offenders are appropriately dealt with before their criminal activities escalate.
The statute books already entitle people to use reasonable force to defend themselves and their property.
  But in practice it’s all too common for the police to charge people who defend themselves – in other words, for the police to treat victims as criminals.
I mentioned the case of Virender Singh a moment ago.
  I could have mentioned the case of Greg Carvell, charged with shooting and wounding an intruder who was threatening him and two of his staff with a machete.
  Or the case of Paul McIntyre, charged with shooting and wounding one of three men who were trying to steal his property in a remote location in the dead of night.
  There have been far too many similar cases.
While clearly the use of force in defence of person and property must be reasonable – it would clearly be absurd to use lethal force against a teenager retrieving a ball from your front lawn – the present policy needs to change.
 We believe there’d be merit in enshrining the right to self-defence in the Bill of Rights Act.
In respect of youth offending, there’s a lot of evidence that to the extent young people get away with minor offending, there’s an increased chance of their engaging in further and more serious offending.
  We will ensure that all young people know that breaking the law has consequences, in order to ensure our young people stay on the straight and narrow.
  Ensuring that young people receive a decent education,
and can find a job when they need one, will also help keep young people out of trouble.
Only a party vote for ACT will
protect your right to self defence,
and make it clear to our young people that every crime has a consequence!
Push for equal legal status for all New Zealanders, irrespective of race
8)    Our eighth agenda item is to give effective force to Article III of the Treaty of Waitangi – the clause which asserts that all New Zealanders have equal status at law.
  We reject the notion that the Treaty established a “partnership” between “the Crown” (on behalf of all New Zealanders) and a subset of New Zealanders defined by their ancestry.
  If Article III is taken seriously, it leaves no room for separate Maori electorates in Parliament,
no room for Maori wards in local government,
and no room for requiring consultation with Maori over and above the obligation to consult with any other New Zealander.
We believe that, except where already in private ownership, the foreshore and seabed should belong to the Crown, on behalf of all New Zealanders.
  Because we are a party which believes in the rule of law, and in particular the right of all New Zealanders to have access to the courts, we also believe that those who think they have a customary right to certain parts of the foreshore should be allowed to have their claims tested in court.
  And we mean tested in court: we don’t regard negotiating such claims with a minister, within an intensely political environment where Parliamentary votes are at stake, as at all a substitute.
We favour the enactment of a simple piece of legislation providing that nothing in any statute or regulation, whether passed by Parliament or by any other regulation-making body, should confer any benefit, preferment or special status on anybody by reason of the ethnicity of that person.
Only a party vote for ACT will move New Zealand forward to a state where all New Zealanders – those of Maori ancestry, those of European ancestry, those of Asian ancestry, those of Pacific Island ancestry – all of us have equal rights under the law!
Re-establish a constructive relationship with Fiji
9)    Finally, we will push to rebuild our relationship with Fiji.
The ACT Party has long been in broad agreement with the thrust of New Zealand’s foreign policy: in particular, we favour the drive for building new relationships with China, India and other emerging countries in Asia,
and for working hard to bring the Trans Pacific Partnership to a successful conclusion.
  We have supported the Government in its determination to fulfill New Zealand’s commitments in Afghanistan until next April.
  We continue to regard a close relationship with Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada as fundamental to our security.
But we’ve come to the conclusion after extensive talks with Fijians now living in New Zealand, and New Zealanders with long experience in the Pacific, that our present policy of holding the Bainimarama regime at arm’s length is not working for New Zealand or for Fiji.
Fiji has long been family: many New Zealanders holiday there and a significant number have business interests there.
  Many New Zealanders were born there. 
We need to rebuild a positive relationship with that country
– encouraging the regime towards its professed aim of building a vibrant colour-blind democracy, based on one vote one person.
Only a party vote for ACT will lead to a re-examination of our relationship with Fiji!
So there you have a summary statement – the ACT Plan for the next Parliamentary term if you like – setting out what we will be aiming to achieve in the next Parliament.
All of our policies are motivated by a concern for those New Zealanders who, like Adrian and Jules Paalvast, want to return to their homeland, but feel that they can’t do so in fairness to their children.
  And for those who still live in New Zealand but feel deeply torn between what this country has to offer and the much higher living standard which, for the foreseeable future, they could enjoy abroad.
And when we look at the policy positions being adopted by other potential partners of the National Party, we’re convinced that ACT is the most logical partner for National.
The parties of the left – Labour, Mana, Maori and Green parties – are in a competition over who can come up with the most economically irrational policies.
  They are in a race to increase the minimum wage – in the process, destroying jobs and consigning those they claim to represent to the unemployment benefit.
  So much for compassion!
Their other policies would be just as destructive. 
The Maori Party wants to exempt the first $25,000 of income from tax;
to make teaching te reo compulsory in secondary schools;
to scrap the 90 day probationary period;
to write Treaty of Waitangi principles (whatever they are!) into employment law;
and to give iwi a veto over foreign investment.
The Green Party wants to protect the environment, as of course we in ACT do also,
but has a totally unworldly view of how economies work and has no understanding what a devastating impact on our living standards the implementation of their core policy platform would have.
  For a party that talks up their opposition to big business, they seem intent on delivering massive subsidies to big businesses that promise to create so-called “green jobs” – despite policies of that kind leading to massive job losses in countries such as Spain which have gone down that path.
By contrast, ACT shares much the same basic philosophy as the National Party – a belief in freedom,
in individual responsibility,
in limited government,
in equal citizenship,
a belief that New Zealanders’ lives would be better by having less government – less government taxation, less government spending, less government borrowing, less government bureaucracy.
  And we actually mean it!
Of course, we have differences of opinion with National too.
  We want to see much more vigorous action to deal with our problems than National has felt able to deliver over the last three years. 
But we haven’t the slightest doubt that we could again work constructively with National, to the benefit of all New Zealanders – high income and low income; young and old; urban and rural; Maori, Asian, Pacifika and European.
And that’s my message to all New Zealanders.  ACT is the only party with the experience and the commitment which can help a John Key-led Government deal with the challenges which our country faces. 
And those challenges are huge. 
In a world getting tired of countries which can’t live within their means, we’re still borrowing like there is no tomorrow.
In a world where our people are getting steadily greyer, we’re not confronting the challenges posed by the increasing cost of New Zealand Super, of care for the aged, and of healthcare.
In a world where people find it easier and easier to move countries, we’re drifting off the pace, and seeing too many of our young people deciding to make a better life for themselves somewhere else.
A party vote for ACT at this election is your best way to ensure that we meet those challenges, for the benefit of all New Zealanders.
Flexible Superannuation
New Zealanders should be able to take superannuation at reduced rates down to 60 or increasingly enhanced rates if they hold off until between 66 and 70,
alongside making KiwiSaver compulsory.
 Kiwis would then be able to manage their retirement age and lifestyle – choices they currently do not have
– and it would be cost neutral with the current scheme.
 Each year below 65 that superannuation would be claimed down to 60, would see a small reduction, and each year over 65 up to 70, it would be enhanced.
The final figures used would make it cost-neutral with the superannuation scheme as it stands,
with the long term sustainability issue addressed by having compulsory KiwiSaver.
 The sustainability arguments around superannuation, and whether it should be 65 or 67, then become redundant.
 People can then do their own maths and work out what works best for them based on their lifestyle and aspirations.
 It is very simple.
Our policy recognises that today people work and stay active for longer
– and it is sustainable for New Zealand in the long term
when connected to compulsory KiwiSaver, which frankly we need to do as a nation at some point.
Kiwis will have a working, sustainable and secured retirement future and that is what we need to be working towards.
 In the meantime, what we propose gives them choice about how they want to shape their lives in retirement and when they want to begin.
 
UnitedFuture will also:
Amend the superannuation formula so it is calculated on forecast changes to the CPI and average wage increase for the following 12 months.
(Currently adjustments are made after the event, creating a time lag that cheats superannuitants of their full entitlement.
Any unforeseen changes to inflation or wages would be adjusted each April, in favour of superannuitants.)
Exempt those who have themselves contributed to overseas pension schemes from the provisions of Section 70 of the Social Security Act, which currently deducts the amount of their overseas pension from their NZ Superannuation entitlement, thereby penalising them for having provided for their own retirement.
Section 70 should only apply where an overseas pension has been fully funded from general tax revenues.
Income Sharing
UnitedFuture believes the tax system should work in the interests of those raising families
and it should empower family and community self-sufficiency rather than creating dependency.
Income sharing recognises that the spouse or partner who has chosen to work part-time or has opted out of the paid work force in order to raise their children is making a vital contribution to our society.
Income Sharing means that each partner in a relationship caring for children would be taxed on a 50% share of their combined income, resulting in a significant reduction in total income tax paid by the family.
Income sharing recognises the costs of raising a family, and in particular, those situations where one parent is either a full-time carer for their children or works part-time.
For tax purposes, the income of both parents is combined and then divided equally, which can mean that they pay less tax since it is levied at a lower rate under our progressive taxation system.
Since the government subsidises childcare for those returning to paid work, it should also acknowledge the contribution of those who have decided to forego their income, in whole or in part, to stay at home with their children.
UnitedFuture has introduced legislation for an income sharing scheme for parents with dependent children up to the age of 18, in addition to Working for Families and other entitlements.
 Key Facts:
The present tax system means that people who have no dependents pay exactly the same amount of tax as people with dependents.
Couples who are self-employed in farming or business and retired couples are already able to split their income for tax purposes but this is not available for those on PAYE incomes.
According to the 2006 census, there were 310,000 two-parent families with dependent children (children under the age of 18 years, living at home) and most of these would benefit from income sharing.
Income Sharing
Income Sharing (PDF, 151.7 KB)
Note: PDF downloads require the free Adobe Reader application to view.
Caring for Elderly
UnitedFuture has two key policies to keep older New Zealanders warmer and healthier.
Both are about making New Zealand the kind of country it should be
and make economic sense.
Subsidise the power bills of over-65s by $50 per month for the three coldest months of the year – June, July and August – so our seniors can afford to keep warm
A free ‘Warrant of Fitness’ annual health check for those over-65 to identify health problems and illness early
It is the decent thing to do in terms of how we treat the elderly in our country.
Times are tough, but if you cut too many corners you end up with a false economy – and a very harsh country.
 Each winter, on average an extra 3000 people a month are hospitalised at a cost to taxpayers of about $880 a day, and a great many of those people are elderly – that adds up to about $243 million in extra hospital costs each winter.
 We have got to stop just looking at the initial cost of schemes, and measure them against what they save in the longer term through people being healthier and not being in our hospitals, and frankly, not dying because they get cold and sick.
 We save cents and lose dollars.
It is a false economy and we see it too often.
 Put that $243 million for increased winter hospitalisation up against our Winter Warmer policy cost of about $57 million to help keep a lot of elderly well, warm and out of hospital.
 Death rates also jump 18 percent over winter – many of them elderly.
The subsidy could be implemented by a rebate on the power bill to be claimed back by the power company.
The $25 cost of the annual Warrant of Fitness health check for each senior citizen would be tiny when balanced against the $880 a day hospital tab picked up by the taxpayer when conditions not got on to early are far more serious and far more expensive to treat.
The combined cost of the two policies if fully taken up by all senior citizens would be about $71.5 million – $57 million for the power bill subsidy and $14.5 million for the WOF annual health check.
 Given the benefits that would come from these policies, they would be extraordinarily economical.
Asset Sales
The National has a manifesto that includes asset sales.
New Zealanders need to start a proper debate on the future limits of those sales.
To this point there has not been a proper national debate beyond National saying yes and Labour saying no.
We need a conversation that is more detailed and drills down into what New Zealanders really think are acceptable bottom lines.
New Zealanders are not definitively pro-asset sales, but under certain conditions, it is no longer the bogeyman issue that Labour would have you believe.
UnitedFuture’s role as a support partner is not just to contribute its own policies, but to help keep a government to a reasonable, centrist path.
UnitedFuture says let’s start with three no-go areas where there would be no asset sales, not now, not ever
Kiwibank, Radio New Zealand and the water supply should be ruled out of any future asset sales programmes
Kiwibank is in every sense now a national institution, whether you bank with it or not.
And in a market full of Australian-owned banks, and an increasingly fraught and troubled globe, it is both a symbolic and practical statement of our economic sovereignty.
Collectively, it is ours pure and simple.
It must stay that way.
Radio New Zealand exists in an increasingly commercial media marketplace, and it is more important than ever to have a voice that does not bend to the dollar, to ratings, to external forces.
Every nation needs its own voice
and we need to afford that voice our collective protection.
Water. UnitedFuture does not intend to wait until it is on the asset sales agenda.
New Zealanders would never – or should never – accept a sell-off of the supply of the water, or any of the aspects around it.
In addition, with regard to Asset Sales, UnitedFurure will insist that:
- The New Zealand Government retains majority control (51%)
- Shareholding by private investors be capped at 15%
- New Zealand household investors are given preferential purchase right at time of issue.
View the archive
Outdoor Recreation
1 November 2011
UnitedFuture believes that all New Zealanders have a birthright to enjoy our unique, diverse landscape.
Our strong outdoor heritage is central to what it means to be a Kiwi.
Our key policies to achieve this are:
Enshrining public access to all public resources, including game, waterways and coastline, in law.
Establishing a robust National Environmental Standard for all freshwater waterways.
Curtailing the application of 1080 poison and replacing it with new and more environmentally friendly forms of pest-control.
Imposing a moratorium on new hydro and irrigation schemes for rivers without existing dams and still regarded to be ‘wild’.
Prohibit heli-hunting, herding or hazing from helicopters except for legitimate animal management operations when numbers warrant it.
Make sure the Game Animal Council Bill, currently before Parliament is passed,
and the Game Animal Council is established as a statutory body.
Work with the recreational fishing sector to establish a public consultation process regarding the future of inshore fisheries management.
This will include whether a statutory management organisation 'run by fishers for fishers' should be established.
EDUCATION:  21st  CENTURY SCHOOLS  Building Better Public Services
Lifting achievement in schools
Good schools are vitally important.
They provide an opportunity for children from every background to get ahead and make the most of their lives.
They are an essential requirement for a skilled, creative, and productive workforce, which is a key to growing a stronger economy.
New Zealand’s schools provide some of the best education in the world.
But many of our school buildings are old, leaking, falling apart, earthquake-prone, and out-of-date for the needs of today – let alone the challenges of tomorrow.
National has made  improving  our schools a priority.
We’ve substantially increased  funding to  build and upgrade schools.
We’ve fast-tracked  school  building work through the recession to  build new  21st  Century  school buildings.
We’ve  also provided extra resources to  make our  schools ready for ultra-fast broadband.
Building more 21st Century Schools
Now we are taking the next step.
National is modernising and transforming New Zealand’s schools so that they meet the demands of today’s students.
21st Century schools look very different from older schools.
They have ‘flexible teaching spaces’ that can be expanded or shrunk depending on need.
They have break-out rooms for small groups and they are wired up for the very latest technology.
National will invest $1 billion from  the Future  Investment Fund to  make our  schools ready for  the 21st  Century.
Key facts
More  21st  Century Schools
National will invest  $1 billion  to further  modernise and transform our  schools.
Over  the next five years we will:  −  Build  new, modern schools.
−  Rejuvenate  existing schools on the same site.
−  Build new,  modern teaching areas in existing  schools.
−  Wire  up many more schools with fibre, to  take advantage of ultra-fast broadband.
The Future Investment Fund at work
Funding will be provided from the Future Investment Fund.
This will allow us to upgrade schools without borrowing  more money from  overseas, increasing our  debt, and  paying higher  interest payments offshore.
The  Network for Learning
The Network for Learning  (N4L)  will be a virtual network that will allow all schools and  students  in New Zealand  to access ultra-fast broadband, connect to each other, and  access the very latest  in teaching and learning resources online.
Related policies
• Future Investment Fund
National has…
Boosted funding for school buildings and infrastructure
Invested an average of $570 million per year since 2008 on school property.
This compares to an average of $370 million per year under Labour.
Brought forward school funding during the economic recession to provide an essential stimulus to the economy.
Establishing two new schools in Hobsonville as a public-private partnership to get better value for taxpayer money.
Upgraded school ICT facilities
Provided $130 million to upgrade the wiring in schools so they can make the most of ultra-fast broadband.
Supported Canterbury
Ensured all schools were up and running eight weeks after the February earthquake.
Our  results  so far
Upgraded schools and infrastructure
•  Completed more than  500  major building modernisation projects.
•  Upgraded  schools through our  Jobs and  Growth  programme.
Since the start of  2009,  this created:  −  270 new classrooms and gyms.
−  139 non-teaching spaces such as halls,  libraries and administration  blocks.
−  An extra  2000 jobs.
•  Opened 18 new mainstream and specialist  schools, and  currently  have another  four  under construction.
•  Set up three teen parent units to help young  mothers stay at school.
Ultra-fast broadband in schools
•  Upgraded  the wiring in  a quarter of our  schools and we are rolling out the  programme across  the country.
•  Rolling out ultra-fast broadband to 100,000 students  at 221 schools by  July  next  year.
97% of schools will be connected in five years  with the other 3 per cent of  schools, which are in the most remote  locations, will receive a high  speed wireless or  satellite connection.
No  schools will miss  out.
This will make us one  of the most  connected education networks anywhere in  the world.
What we will do next…
Build 21st  Century  Schools
1. Build more schools for the 21st century
• Invest $1 billion extra on schools to become fit for the 21st Century.
We will build new schools and modernise our older schools so that they are modern learning environments.
Existing money for school building projects will be needed simply to maintain the existing school network and to help address health and safety issues such as earthquake proofing and leaky buildings.
The extra $1 billion will allow us to carry out a programme over the next five years that will involve:
−  Building new, modern schools
−  Rejuvenating existing schools on the same site
−  Building new, modern teaching areas in existing schools
−  Wiring up many more schools with fibre, to take advantage of ultra-fast broadband.
This will mean we are increasing the total average amount spent on school building projects each year by more than 50 per cent over Labour’s spending to an average of $680 million a year.
All the new schools and all the new teaching areas that are part of the 21st Century Schools programme will be built as modern learning environments and incorporate flexible teaching spaces.
New Zealand’s school buildings
By 2020 the number of school students is  expected  to rise by 44,000,  an increase  of about 6.5% compared to 2009.
Accommodating  this increase could require over  2,000 new classrooms as these students  move through the education system.
New  schools and classrooms are needed in  fast-growing areas like Auckland, while many  schools in other areas face falling rolls and  struggle to provide good facilities.
Sixty per cent of schools are over 50 years  old.
Many need considerable investment to  support new ICT and teaching methods.
Many old  school buildings are earthquake  risks, while an estimated  96  per cent  of new buildings modified between  1995 and 2005   have weather-tightness issues.
Teaching and the tools we use for teaching are changing.
That’s why it's important to  provide our  young people with modern  schools where they can use the latest technology.
We need  to  have schools that reflect the needs  of the 21st  Century.
21st Century schools – like Albany Junior and Senior High Schools – look very different from older schools.
They have ‘flexible teaching spaces’ that can be expanded or shrunk depending on need.
They have breakout rooms for small groups and open spaces where classes can share resources.
They are fitted with the latest technology.
We will invest $1 billion on rebuilding our schools, or building new schools so they meet these modern standards.
Funding will come from the Future Investment Fund.
2. Rebuild Canterbury schools
• Rebuild the Christchurch schooling network.
We are committed to rebuilding the Christchurch schools.
This is also an opportunity to look at the schooling network afresh and rebuild for the Christchurch of tomorrow.
National will ensure that Christchurch schools make the most of their facilities and resources, and that they collaborate rather than compete with each other.
We will also ensure that there is a range of education provision so that parents can continue to have choice about what type of school they send their children too.
Some of the extra $1 billion is likely to go to Christchurch, as well as other sources of funding, including insurance and the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Fund.
3. Develop a national IT school network
• Establish the Network for Learning (N4L).
The National-led Government has announced the Network for Learning (N4L).
The N4L is a virtual network that will allow all schools and students in New Zealand to access ultra-fast broadband, connect to each other, and access the very latest in teaching and learning resources online.
The N4L will:
−  Drive 21st Century technology-based learning throughout the school system.
−  Ensure the school system keeps pace with modern developments.
−  Provide all schools with cost-effective access to the latest teaching and learning resources.
The N4L will help schools work together and share their knowledge for the benefit of their pupils.
For example, a specialist teacher in Auckland could teach a class with students in Invercargill and Gisborne.
The N4L will break down barriers of distance and time, and ensure that all students have access to the very best resources.
It will allow the latest teaching resources to be made available to teachers via the network.
The N4L is designed to enable learning in ways that suit individual student’s skills, strengths, interests, and needs
and that recognise their identity, culture and language.
With reliable and fast access to internet content and services over the N4L, teaching and learning will no longer be constrained by physical location, timetables, and the learning pace of peers.
The N4L will be controlled by a trust in the long term.
The Government has allocated funding for the network in the Budget 2011 education contingency.
4. Get better value from school property
Review school property management so we get the best facilities more efficiently.
Continue to investigate PPPs as a way to build new school property and buildings.
Review the Integration Act, particularly with regard to school buildings and property.
Further develop the National Infrastructure Plan to promote better management of school property.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Underfunded school property  infrastructure when in power
 Is beholden to the teacher  unions which resist innovation in our  schools
Under Labour, our schools would  be stuck in the 20th  Century.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
WOMEN’S   AFFAIRS  Building a  Brighter Future
Ensuring women can succeed
Women make a huge contribution to our economy, our society, our families and New Zealand’s future.
National is lifting women’s participation in the economy and in governance roles,
and is reducing violence against women and families.
We’re ensuring women are engaged in their communities and can be successful in whatever they do.
National has…
Increased women’s participation in work
Achieved a female labour force participation rate of 62.9 per cent
– the highest in New Zealand’s history.
Launched My Board Strengths, an online self assessment tool to help those who want to serve on company boards.
Worked with Industry Training Organisations to help women break into male-dominated trades,
and launched Women in Trades networks in our main centres.
Improved gender equality
Submitted New Zealand’s seventh ‘report card’ as part of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
New Zealand is one of the top five countries in the world for gender equality.
Key facts
•  Closed  the gender pay gap to 9.6  per cent  – the lowest ever.
•  Female labour-force participation  is the highest in New Zealand’s history.
•  New Zealand  is  ranked  one of the top  five  countries in the world for gender  equality.
•  Introduced new support services for victims  of sexual violence.
Reduced the gender pay gap
Closed the gender pay gap to 9.6 per cent
– New Zealand’s lowest on record and the third smallest in the OECD.
Continued work to better understand the causes of the gender pay gap, such as the need for greater access to flexible workplaces, good quality and affordable childcare, and increasing the number of women in leadership and management positions.
Increased support for victims of sexual violence
Introduced new court support services for victims of sexual violence, including information on how to access relevant services.
Put in place a $500 discretionary grant for victims of sexual violence.
What we will do next…
1. Extend flexible working arrangements
Extend the right to request flexible work arrangements to all employees.
Promote the benefits of flexible work arrangements and flexible workplaces more widely to employees and employers.
Enable employers and employees to reach agreement without invoking a formal procedure.
Remove the six-month period before an employee has the right to request a flexible working arrangement.
Remove the limits on the number of requests an employee may make for leave over a 12-month period.
Flexible working hours assist women to remain in the workforce, while taking care of their children and dependants.
National wants to ensure our economy gets the most benefit from women’s skills and experiences.
2. Protect women from violence
• Continue contributing to initiatives to end violence against women.
We need to change attitudes towards family violence to ensure women and all New Zealanders are safe in their homes and communities.
This will help women to make a greater contribution to our economy and society.
3. Promote family-friendly workplaces
Continue to examine the causes of the gender pay gap to ensure women receive equal pay for equal work.
Review the requirement for workers with caring responsibilities to be in a job for six months before being able to request flexible working arrangements.
Ensure employers and employees are aware of mechanisms to deal with workplace discrimination.
Promote the benefits of family-friendly workforce policies.
Family friendly workplaces help women balance their family commitments and businesses get to retain experienced staff for longer-term social and economic benefits.
4. Encourage women on boards
Engage with businesses and industry to promote more participation by women on boards and in senior management roles.
Promote the economic and strategic advantages women can bring to governance and increased productivity.
Aim to increase the participation of women in governance to 45 per cent in the public sector and over 10 per cent in the private sector by 2014.
Investigate establishing a single point of access for public-sector board nominations.
International evidence shows a positive correlation between women in leadership and corporate performance.
WELFARE  REFORM  Building  Better Public Services
People are better off in work
The welfare system will always be there to support people and families who genuinely need it.
National will ensure that welfare helps those in genuine need.
But we also believe that long-term welfare dependency can become a trap leading to a life of limited outcomes and limited choices.
Getting off welfare and into work means a better life, better opportunities, and a brighter future for people and their families.
We believe anyone who can work should be in employment, in training, or looking for a job.
People and their families are better off in work.
It is the path to higher incomes and a better standard of living for people and their children.
Working more closely with those on a benefit
We are committed to a comprehensive reform of the welfare system to bring it into the 21st Century.
Our changes will fundamentally alter the welfare system with a new work-focused benefit, greater work expectations, and an approach that focuses on the long-term cost of welfare dependency.
National will ensure the Government works more closely with people on welfare to help them into employment.
By supporting more people off welfare and into work we will help them achieve their potential, and secure a brighter future for them, their families, and their communities.
“National will comprehensively reform the benefit system.
We will expect a lot more people on a benefit to be available for work.
And we will do more to help them into jobs with extra childcare, training, workplace and health and disability support.”
Key facts
•  328,000 people  – or 12 per  cent of working age New Zealanders  – are on a benefit.
•  170,000 have spent at least  five of the past  10 years on a  benefit.
•  222,000 children  in benefit-dependent homes.
Our changes
•  Simplifying benefits to three types  – Job  Seeker Support, Sole Parent Support, and  Supported Living Payment.
•  Extra work obligations  –  e.g.  a  sole parent  whose eldest child is  five  or over  will need to  be available for part-time work.
•  Doubling the number of people on a full-time  work test from 57,000 to 137,000.
Expected  results
•  An extra 46,000 people off welfare and 11,000 working  part-time in four years.
•  $1 billion  in savings  over four years.
National has…
Protected the incomes of the most vulnerable through the recession
Safeguarded all core benefits and student support despite the global financial crisis and worldwide recession.
Boosted abatement levels so that people on a benefit can earn more without it affecting their benefit.
Annually increased benefits to adjust for with the cost of living,
and made it a legal requirement for benefit payments to change annually in line with inflation.
Increased the minimum wage each year to keep up with inflation.
Increased superannuation payments by 19% over the past three years.
Provided extra redundancy assistance
Introduced the ReStart package to give financial support to people made redundant during the worst part of the recession.
−  Available for low to moderate income families with children, and people with high housing costs.
−  Financial support for 16 weeks or until they move into work.
Improved frontline services
Focused on finding jobs and placing people into work, to manage the increase in unemployment as a result of the recession.
Invested $17.2 million to boost frontline staff numbers.
Focused on providing more work opportunities.
Hundreds more job vacancies come into Work and Income every week.
Introduced the Future Focus welfare reform package to place clear obligations on beneficiaries
Required people on the Unemployment Benefit and the Sickness Benefit to reapply for their benefit after 12 months.
Introduced part-time work obligations for DPB recipients whose youngest child is over six.
Introduced graduated sanctions, so benefits are reduced by 50 per cent for failing to meet a work test, and 100 per cent for ongoing non-compliance.
Introduced new criteria for hardship grants.
Repeat applicants for one-off hardship payments now need to show how they are managing their money and are required to attend budgeting courses.
Supported young people into work
Rolled out our $152 million Youth Opportunities package, which included:
−  12,000 places in Job Ops – six-month job placements in businesses for low-skilled young people so they can develop work skills and confidence,
with a $5000 subsidy to employers.
−  5000 places in Community Max – jobs for up to six months in community programmes, connecting young people to the positive work going on in our communities.
−  1970 places in the Limited Service Volunteer programme, instilling discipline, confidence, and motivation in 18-to 24year-olds.
Our results so far
Future Focus Reforms
Our Future Focus  reforms  have already  delivered  results.
Since the changes came into  effect, the number  of beneficiaries has fallen from 345,000 to around 328,000.
Prior to our Future Focus reforms, only  25 per  cent of beneficiaries were work tested.
We’ve  increased  that to 36 per cent.
Domestic Purposes Benefit  (DPB)
New  obligation:  To work  part-time  or look for  work  when youngest  child is  six
•  2,000 more DPB recipients  now working  part-time.
•  12,000 DPB  recipients have left the benefit  and gone into  full-time work – a 20  per    cent  increase.
Unemployment  Benefit:
New obligation:  To reapply  after 12 months
•  Nearly 5,000  beneficiaries  didn’t bother to  reapply  –  clearly  some had other  income.
•  More than 2,500 were in work already.
•  9,200 benefits  cancelled so far as a result.
•  Saved  taxpayers over  $17 million.
Sickness  Benefit:
New obligation: to reapply  after 12 months
 900 Sickness Benefits  were cancelled.
250 went into employment.
 The number of  people on the Sickness  Benefit  working part time  has  gone up  by 3 per cent.
 Movement from the Sickness Benefit  to  the long-term Invalid’s  Benefit is at  the lowest  level since the  mid-1990s.
Extra redundancy protection
Supported over 7000 families through the recession with extra payments through National’s Restart package.
Superannuation payments increase
NZ Superanuation payments have increased $166 a fortnight for a married couple in the past three years.
This is an almost 19 per cent increase, or 8.5 per cent after adjusting for inflation.
Extra staff on the frontline
303 extra frontline Work and Income  staff.
Helped young people into work
90 per cent of young people who completed a Job Ops programme are not on welfare.
75 per cent of young people who completed a Community Max programme are not on a benefit.
Long-term welfare dependency
The costs
The longer someone stays on the benefit, the harder it is for them to get back into work.
This is what leads to welfare dependency.
Over 1000 people have been on the Unemployment Benefit for more than four years.
Around 8800 people have been on the Sickness Benefit for more than four years.
And 11,000 people on the DPB have received a benefit for more than 10 years.
Many of these people are capable of working.
It’s not fair on hard-working taxpayers that people who can work are receiving welfare for not working.
Nor is it ultimately good for beneficiaries or their families.
Long-term welfare dependency leads to:
Loss of potential
Work leads to higher incomes and better opportunities in the future.
Nobody reaches their potential by receiving welfare for doing nothing, when they could be working.
The benefits of work are psychological and social, as well as financial.
Poor outcomes for parents and children
There are clear links between welfare, poverty and poor health.
Evidence shows that children are better off when their parents are in work.
Future generations dependent on welfare
There is increasing evidence that children born into long-term welfare dependent families are more likely to become welfare dependent as adults.
Huge long-term financial costs
It is estimated that the lifetime cost of those now receiving welfare is $45 billion – even taking into account that some will stay on the benefit for a shorter period than others.
Welfare  facts
•  Taxpayers spend  $8 billion  a year to pay  benefits to one in eight  New  Zealanders  of working age.
170,000  of those have spent at  least five of the past  10 years on a  benefit.
•  There are 57,000  people on the  Unemployment Benefit.
The cost to  taxpayers of the unemployment  benefit is  $2.5 million every day.
•  There are 58,000  sickness beneficiaries  – more than double the number 20 years ago:  24,500.
The cost to taxpayers is  $2.2  million  every day.
•  102,000  solo  parents are on the DPB and  11,000 have been on the DPB for  more than  10 years.
The cost to taxpayers is  $5  million  every day.
•  222,000 children live  in benefit-dependent  homes.
The Welfare Working Group
The National-led Government set up the Welfare Working Group to make recommendations for addressing long-term welfare dependency.
The Working Group undertook a comprehensive review of the welfare system and made 43 recommendations for change.
We’ve taken on some of the Welfare Working Group’s recommendations in our welfare reforms.
What we will do next…
The following changes to the benefit system have been announced by the National-led Government.
National will put these changes in place if we are re-elected to Government.
1. Simplify the current spread of benefit types
• Reform the welfare system with new benefits that recognise that most beneficiaries can and do want to work.
There are currently 11 benefit categories.
Our changes will streamline this into three categories to make it very clear who should be working, who should be getting ready to work, and who simply can’t work due to illness or disability.
There will also be greater obligations on beneficiaries to look for work.
Our expectation is that most people on a benefit are able to work, and will need to make an effort to get a job.
Changing benefit categories and asking more people to make themselves available for work will send a strong signal about the degree of change we are seeking.
It will also send a signal to case managers at Work and Income, and to the general public.
It will help to shift people’s attitudes and set genuinely different expectations about being available for work.
• Introduce Jobseeker Support, a new work focused benefit.
This will be the biggest benefit category.
It will include people currently on the Unemployment Benefit or Sickness Benefit, and sole parents whose youngest child is 14 or older.
Everyone receiving Jobseeker Support will be expected to be available for work, either fulltime or part-time, as their capacity allows.
The only exception will be for people who cannot work for the time being, because of sickness or injury, and who will therefore get a temporary exemption.
The Government will work more actively with people towards a target return-to-work date.
We will introduce much more comprehensive work capacity assessments to get a better picture of what people can do and to determine what the right obligation is for each person.
This is quite a different approach from the way the Sickness Benefit, in particular, currently works.
The new approach recognises that most people will recover their health
and ensures they receive the right help and support to be employable again.
It also recognises that work is often a key part of getting well.
What we will do next... (continued)
• Introduce Sole Parent Support, to replace the Domestic Purposes Benefit.
People on Sole Parent Support will have to be available for part-time work when their youngest child is five years old, which lines up with the age most kids start school.
Other sole parents, while they won’t face work obligations, may be required to undertake pre-employment activities that will increase their likelihood of getting a job in the future.
Parents who have an additional child while on a benefit will receive a temporary exemption from their existing work obligations,
but that will only last for 12 months.
Part-time and full-time obligations will remain at 15 and 30 hours a week, and we will introduce more flexibility around these targets.
For both jobseekers and sole parents we will provide more support earlier on, particularly for those groups most at risk of long-term benefit dependence.
This support won’t be fully in place in year one, but will build up over time.
Once their youngest child is 14, people on Sole Parent Support will be expected to look for full-time work, and move off this benefit and on to Jobseeker Support.
Sole parents who have another child while on the Sole Parent Support will need to start looking for work after that child turns one.
• Introduce the Supported Living Payment, for the long-term sick and disabled.
This benefit will be for two groups of people:
−  Those who are permanently and severely disabled or terminally ill, and who currently receive the Invalid’s Benefit.
−  People caring for someone who requires the equivalent of hospital-level care, who currently receive the DPB – Care of Sick and Infirm benefit.
People on the Supported Living Payment will not be expected to be available for work.
These are the people the welfare system is primarily designed to support – those who can’t support themselves.
2. Take an active investment approach to welfare
An investment-based approach will tailor support to beneficiaries based on their likelihood of becoming long-term welfare dependent.
Expectations will centre on each individual’s capacity to work rather than ‘entitlements’, shifting the focus to what people can do; not what they can’t.
For example, it makes sense to put more resources and support into helping a teen parent with no education, than to help a university graduate who is between jobs.
Early intervention will reduce long-term social and financial costs.
There will be more transparency of the future costs of the benefit system and new accountability arrangements to foster long-term perspectives.
Welfare reform  – savings
The National-led Government’s  comprehensive changes  to the welfare system  are expected to  result in 28,000  to  46,000 fewer people on benefits and an extra 7,000  to  11,000 beneficiaries working part  time.
These reforms will require an  up-front  investment of $130  million  a year  over four  years.
This  will be funded  partly from  departmental baselines and  partly from  reprioritised spending.
The initial expected savings  will be $1 billion  over four years.
3. Reform Youth welfare
Earlier this year, the National-led Government announced a Youth Welfare Package aimed at disengaged young people.
National will put this package in place if re-elected to Government.
Require young people under 18 and teen parents under 19 on a benefit to have their money managed for them.
Pay rent and bills directly on their behalf, and allow special payment cards for essentials.
Require these young people to undertake budgeting and parenting courses.
Ensure that all young welfare recipients are in education, training or work.
We want to make sure young people stay in education, work, or training and don’t drift away from school and onto welfare.
4. Help young beneficiaries get work skills
• Provide 1000 places for 16-to 24-year-olds in the Skills for Growth programme.
Our new Skills for Growth programme gives young people a real chance to get the skills they need for a career.
Employers in industries such as aged care, agriculture, and horticulture get a $5000 subsidy to hire a young person struggling to find work.
The young person gets a job and training towards a recognised industry qualification.
The Government allocated $17.2 million over four years in Budget 2011 to fund this programme.
• Provide 3000 places for 16-to 24-year-olds in Job Ops with Training.
Job Ops with Training offers employers a $5000 subsidy to employ and train a young person for six months.
Our successful Job Ops programme offers employers a $5000 subsidy to employ a 16 to 24-year-old for six months.
We’re taking that further by requiring the employer to develop a six-month training programme as part of the deal.
The Government is funding this programme with $13 million allocated in Budget 2011.
• Provide 1500 places for 18-to 24-year-olds in the Limited Service Volunteer programme.
The Limited Service Volunteers programme gives young people who lack confidence and have been on a benefit for more than six months, basic military and life training skills so they have confidence to find a job.
We’re expanding this successful six-week residential programme which is delivered by the NZ Defence Force in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.
The Government is funding this programme with $25 million over four years as allocated in Budget 2011.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Under  Labour:   Beneficiaries  were shifted  between different  types of benefit rather than supported  into  work.
 The number of people on the Sickness  Benefit increased from 33,000 in December  1999 to 46,000 in June  2008.
 The number on the Invalid  Benefit increased  from 53,000 to 85,000.
 More than 7,000 people had been on the Sickness Benefit for  more than  four years,  even though it is  meant for  short-term  temporary illness.
 Compulsory  budgeting advice was abolished  and benefit advances were  given with no  questions asked,
resulting in  crippling levels of  beneficiary debt.
New Zealand  can’t afford  another dose of Labour.
WELFARE  OBLIGATIONS  Building  Better Public Services
Building confidence in the welfare system
We’ve been through a lot in the past three years, from the global financial crisis to the Canterbury earthquakes, and a number of people found they had to rely on the State for help.
That’s why we have a welfare system: a safety net to support those who genuinely need it.
Under National, the welfare system will always be there to support these people.
Our policy for welfare reform is more hands-on, focused on supporting people into work.
We’ll put more resources and support into helping those at greater risk of long-term welfare dependency.
We will expect more people on a benefit to be available for work and to be ready to work if they are offered a job.
At the same time, we will do more to help them into work through things like childcare, training, workplace support, and access to health and disability support services.
National has already committed to helping the majority of the people within the welfare system to become work-ready.
However, there is a small number who see welfare as a free ride on the taxpayer,
and those who are facing a future of life-time welfare dependency.
Our welfare system is one of the best in the world.
In order to continue to be able to support those who need help, we have to hold to account those who don’t.
Related policies
• Welfare reform
“Welfare fraud is unacceptable to hardworking taxpayers.
National will ensure those who abuse the system are held to account,
so it’s there for those who genuinely need it.”
Key facts
•  Taxpayers currently fund about $8 billion in  welfare payments a year.
•  In  2010/11 there  were 690  benefit fraud  prosecutions,  involving more than  $22 million.
•  Additional abuse of the welfare system,  valued at $183  million,  was identified by  the Ministry of Social Development, but was not  prosecuted as it fell  below  the current  prosecution  threshold.
Our changes
•  Increase data-matching  information in  benefit  applications with information held  by other  agencies  to make  identifying  fraudsters  easier.
•  Review the law to  make it easier  to  prosecute people abusing the welfare system.
•  Create  a specialist anti-fraud  team  focused on reducing abuse of the welfare system.
Expected results
•  Save  over  $200  million  in taxpayers’ money  over four  years.
Clamping down on welfare fraud
Welfare fraud of any kind is unacceptable.
It takes money away from the people who need it and undermines confidence in the welfare system.
We will get tough on benefit fraud and those who are abusing the welfare system.
National will make it easier to match information in benefit applications with information held by other agencies to catch fraudsters sooner,
and we will give power to authorities to actively seek to recover the money by selling such fraudsters’ assets.
How big is  the problem?
This year, Work and Income increased  data matching information in benefit applications with  information held by other agencies and  found  between six and twelve  per cent  of people were  receiving benefit  payments they were not  entitled to.
There are 25,000 people currently  receiving a benefit who have committed benefit fraud in the past,  or who have received  substantial  overpayments  they were not entitled to, after  abusing the welfare system.
Some of these people remain  a high risk  for future abuse of    the system.
−  Labour  refused to do anything about this.
−  National has put  extra checks and controls  around these high-risk people to prevent  future abuses.
We have to do better to safeguard taxpayers’ money and to protect the integrity of the welfare system.
Case studies  in fraud
An Auckland man  used 123 fake identities  to  steal $3.4 million  over  two  years, or  $56,000  a fortnight.
A  Wellington man  fraudulently  received over  $28,000 from the unemployment  benefit  while travelling the world, spending two years  seeing the  sights of Europe,  Asia and Africa.
His benefit was  stopped  only  when National  introduced our 2010 Future Focus reforms,
which require all people who have been on the unemployment benefit for  one  year to  reapply  for the benefit.
A Tokoroa woman received $140,000 by  claiming the  Domestic Purposes Benefit and  Invalids  Benefit while continuing to live with her husband for 14 years.
A  Tauranga woman  fraudulently received  $17,500 in  extra benefits as  a single parent, until investigators scrutinizing her Bebo and  Facebook pages found that  she was living with the father of her  two-year-old son.
She was  convicted and  sentenced to four  months'  home detention and 200 hours of  community service.
A man with an estimated  $1 million in  investments used fraudulent  documents to  receive $71,483 in  Disability and  Invalids  Benefits  over  a seven-year period.
The man had money invested under two different  names with contact addresses in Wellington, Auckland and Melbourne.
A Palmerston North woman,  between  December 2003 and March 2010,  fraudulently claimed $25,893,  which she put  toward buying and selling houses.
She was  convicted  and sentenced to seven months’  home detention.
National has…
Introduced Future Focus reforms setting clear expectations for work availability
People on the Unemployment Benefit or Sickness Benefit for 12 months have to reapply for the benefit.
This has identified some people who were in work, but who were still claiming benefit payments they were not entitled to.
People getting the DPB are now expected to work part-time, or look for part-time work, from the time their youngest child is six years of age.
Expanded data-matching to identify fraud and abuse of the welfare system
• Increased data-matching benefit applications with information held by other agencies.
In 2010/11 Work and Income completed:
− 1.99 million matches with the Department of Internal Affairs.
− 9.6 million matches with Customs.
− 1.7 million matches with Corrections.
− 1.9 million matches with ACC.
− 57,000 matches with Inland Revenue.
The increased data-matching of benefit applications with information held by other agencies found between six and twelve per cent of people were receiving benefit payments they weren’t entitled to.
In 2010/11, there were 690 successful prosecutions for benefit fraud involving more than $22 million.
In 2010/11, additional abuse of the welfare system valued at $183 million was identified by the Ministry of Social Development but was not prosecuted as it fell below the current prosecution threshold.
Future Focus  reforms
Prior to our Future Focus reforms, only  25 per  cent of beneficiaries were work tested.
We’ve increased  that to 36 per cent.
Since the changes came into effect, the number  of people on  benefit  has fallen from 345,000 to  around 328,000.
Domestic Purposes  Benefit (DPB)
Obligation  introduced: To work part-time or look for  work when youngest child is  six.
•  2,000 more DPB recipients  are  now working part-time.
•  12,000 DPB  recipients have left the  benefit  and gone into full-time work.
Unemployment benefit
Obligation  introduced: To reapply after 12 months.
•  Nearly 5,000  beneficiaries  didn’t bother to  reapply;  some  clearly had  other income.
•  More than 2,500 were in work already.
•  9,200 benefits cancelled  so far as a result.
•  Saved  taxpayers over  $17 million.
Sickness benefit
New obligation: to reapply after 12 months.
•  900 Sickness Benefits  were cancelled.
•  250 people on the Sickness Benefit  went into  employment.
•  The number of  people on the Sickness  Benefit  working part time  has  increased  by three  per cent.
•  Movement from the Sickness Benefit  to  the long-term Invalid’s  Benefit is at  the lowest  level since the  mid-1990s.
What we will do next...
1. Bring a greater focus to welfare fraud and those who abuse the welfare system
• Focus on welfare fraud and those abusing the system by data-matching information in benefit applications with information held by other agencies by making greater use of technology.
We will extend the use of data-matching between government agencies to ensure fraudsters are picked up early.
For example, when a person applies for the Unemployment Benefit, their information will be shared with the Department of Inland Revenue to ensure they do not have another source of income, which would make them ineligible to receive the Unemployment Benefit.
False identities could be detected by sharing benefit application information with the Births, Deaths and Marriages office in the Department of Internal Affairs.
• Review the Social Security Act, focusing on how to make it easier to prosecute people who defraud the taxpayer.
We will review the Social Security Act 1964 and operating guidelines to make it easier to prosecute people who abuse the welfare system.
In particular, we will review the rules around relationship fraud and make them clearer, so people know when they have to let Work and Income know they are in a relationship.
We will get tougher and prosecute people who don't give us relevant information about their situation in order to claim benefit payments they are not entitled to.
For example, a couple where one party is on the Domestic Purposes Benefit can be considered in a relationship for benefit purposes even if they live in separate houses and do not have a physical relationship.
There are 13 relationship indicators which are used to decide on the status of a relationship, including emotional support, shared social activities, joint-decision making, and joint financial arrangements such as hire purchase agreements.
• Fund a new team of fraud specialists and investigators focused on reducing abuse across the welfare system.
The specialist fraud team will work across the public sector, taking an all-of-government approach to coordinating anti-welfare fraud activity between government agencies.
The specialist team will cost $600,000 a year and be funded from savings achieved through reduced fraud and the recovery of assets.
2. Clamp down on drug use
• Sanction jobseekers whose recreational use of drugs affects their ability to apply for and secure a job.
Too many young people, especially, are not applying for a job if the job involves drug testing.
If left alone, these young people are at risk of long-term welfare dependency.
How  big  is the problem?
In May, Work and Income in Ashburton invited  74 of the district’s 112  unemployed  young people to a  job  seminar.
Of those who  attended,  18 per cent  said  they would fail a  drug test if they were asked to take one.
If a person doesn’t apply for a job because a potential employer asks them to take a drug test, or if they fail such a pre-employment drug test, their benefit will be cancelled.
National’s proposed investment approach to welfare means providing more support for people who are capable of work, but are likely to remain on benefit long-term without this assistance.
As a result, those who suffer from drug addiction will be offered help and support to deal with their addiction.
If there is doubt about whether a person suffers an addiction or is a recreational drug user, a National Government would be guided by expert professional medical advice.
3. No dole for people on the run from Police
• If someone is on the run from the Police, with a warrant out for their arrest, we will stop their benefit.
Taxpayers should not be paying people wanted by the Police to evade the law.
Once the outstanding arrest warrant has been cleared, benefit payments will resume,
with no back pay.
This collaborative approach between Police and Work and Income will free up significant Police time and resources.
How  it will work
Once a person  suspected of committing a criminal offence has failed  to appear  before  Police,  an arrest warrant  might be  issued.
If Police fail to locate  a  person  subject to  an  arrest warrant,  the Police could request  Work and Income to start proceedings to  suspend the person’s  benefit.
Work and Income will then  write to  the person, letting  them know they have a  week  to deal with the outstanding warrant.
The person will have one week to come into  Work and Income and  show they have dealt  with the warrant.
If  there is  no contact from  the person,  Work and Income will suspend  the person’s benefit.
Beneficiaries with children will receive  50 per  cent of their benefit until they  supply  evidence to show they have dealt with the outstanding  warrant for  their  arrest.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Did  nothing to stop  fraud and abuse of the  welfare system, allowing it  to go largely  unchecked.
 Allowed recreational drug users to evade  work expectations  by taking  even more drugs  and not turning up for job interviews.
 Didn’t identify beneficiaries with serious drug  addictions in order to get them the support  they needed.
 Continued  paying benefits to  criminals on the  run from Police.
 Fudged welfare fraud data to hide the  problem of welfare abuse.
We  can’t afford another dose of Labour.
LAW & ORDER: VICTIMS  Building a Safer New Zealand
Putting victims first
National is building a safer New Zealand.
We’ve embarked on a comprehensive programme of reform to protect communities, prevent crime, and put victims first.
We’ll stay tough on criminals,
keep record numbers of Police on the beat,
and make sure the justice system focuses on the rights of victims.
Making the justice system more responsive to the needs of victims
Victims of crime are in the criminal justice system through no fault of their own.
They have to deal with the financial, emotional, and physical effects of crime long after it has been committed.
National is reforming our criminal justice system to put a stronger emphasis on victims.
We’re ensuring that victims are heard, that they get the support they need, and that they are not brutalised again when defendants are tried.
We’re also making sure they get better information and protection when offenders are released back into the community.
At the same time we’re modernising court processes to make the justice system safer and more efficient.
We’re speeding up court cases, reforming legal aid, and improving civil justice.
Our changes are  making justice more responsive  to the needs of victims
and  helping to build a  safer  New Zealand for children, families, older people –  and  all New Zealanders.
”National will double the penalties for breaching a protection order,
fund a programme of security improvements for the homes of family violence victims,
and keep improving services for victims.”
Key facts
•  Imposed a $50 levy on all offenders  regardless of the crime they  have committed.
•  Used  the new levy  to expand services and  support for victims  of serious  crimes and  their  families.
More  than 2000 victims  or their  families have received extra  support in the first year  of the levy.
•  Ensuring victims have more  say in their own Victim Impact  Statements.
•  Reforming the broken legal aid system.
•  Setting up a Victims’  Centre to improve the information and services victims  receive.
•  Improving the  victim  notification system.
•  Directing prisoner compensation to victims.
•  Speeding up and improving  court  processes.
•  Reforming civil justice
and the law of  contempt.
Related documents
• Tougher bail policy
National has…
Put victims at the heart of our justice system
Established a victim compensation scheme
Imposed a $50 levy on all offenders. regardless of the crime they commit.
The levy is in addition to any sentence or court order.
Funded 13 different services for victims of serious crime from this levy.
These include:
−  Larger grants for families of murder victims, including a new High Court attendance grant of $124 a day.
− Funeral grants for families of murder victims.
− Increases in travel, accommodation, and child care assistance.
−  Access for sexual violence victims to a trained advisor who has knowledge of the dynamics of sexual violence cases.
−  Expanded financial help of up to $1,000 for victims attending case-related hearings.
−  New financial assistance and counselling for families whose loved ones have been killed through a criminal act that is not homicide (such as dangerous driving causing death).
−  A new court attendance allowance of $100 a day for victims of sexual violence, and provision for an unpaid supporter.
−  A new means-tested emergency grant of up to $2,000 for economically disadvantaged victims of a serious crime who require special assistance.
−  Access to DVD support material and a redesigned victims’ website.
• Set up a Victims’ Centre in the Ministry of Justice to monitor how victims are being treated.
Reforming victim impact statements
Introduced the Victims of Crime Reform Bill.
This will allow victims to say more in their Victim Impact Statement, and allow them to be better informed through the victim notification system.
Directing prisoner compensation to victims
Introduced the Prisoners’ and Victims’ Claims (Redirection Prisoner Compensation) Amendment Bill.
This will ensure any compensation awarded to a prisoner and not paid to their direct victim will be used to fund general services for other victims.
Made our courts more efficient
Reforming the broken legal aid system
Started essential reform of legal aid to improve quality and reduce costs, after eligibility and lawyers’ fees were expanded by Labour with little regard for the cost.
Passed the Legal Services Act which, among other measures, establishes performance standards for legal aid lawyers.
Expanded the Public Defence Service to take on up to half of all criminal defence cases.
Made victims of serious crime eligible for legal aid for coronial inquests and parole hearings.
Improved court efficiency
Passed laws expanding the use of audio-visual technology for the appearance of defendants and witnesses, making court hearings quicker, safer, and less costly.
Expanded the jurisdiction of the Disputes Tribunal to help reduce pressure on court workloads.
Our results so far
More services and support for victims
The Offender  Levy has  collected nearly  twice the first-year target of $2 million.
More than  2000  victims  have  received  grants or  services  in the first year  of our new  $50 Offender Levy.
In its first year the levy paid  out $1.64  million in  services and entitlements for victims of crime  and their families.
These  include:  More help for families  affected by homicide
•  296  people received  help  from the Homicide Support Service.
•  96 grants  were given to families to help with  the loss of income and costs incurred after     a  homicide.
•  322 family members received $124 per  day  High Court attendance grant.
•  33 families  received assistance with funeral or  memorial service costs.
•  319 family members received assistance for  expenses  to  help them attend court  proceedings and Parole Board hearings.
More help for  sexual violence  victims
•  298 victims received a discretionary  grant to  cover immediate costs after  a sexual assault.
•  539 victims were assisted by the Sexual  Violence Court Support Service.
More help for victims of serious crime
•  188 victims received assistance for expenses  (such as  travel, childcare, and  accommodation)  to help them attend court  proceedings and Parole Board hearings.
What we will do next…
Further enhance the rights of victims
1. Improve services and support for victims.
• Pass the Victims of Crime Reform Bill. This will:
−  Give victims more say over what goes into their Victim Impact Statement.
−  Introduce a Victims’ Code to improve how government agencies interact with victims.
−  Improve communication between prosecutors and victims.
− Improve the Victim Notification System.
Give  victims  more  say  over  their  own Victim Impact Statements
Victims have a major stake in our justice system.
We want to improve their interaction with the criminal justice system,
and make it easier for them to express how offending against them has impacted on their lives.
• Pass the Prisoners’ and Victims’ Claims (Redirection Prisoner Compensation) Amendment Bill to ensure any compensation awarded to a prisoner is paid to their victims or to the Victims’ Services Fund.
Currently, if an offender receives windfall compensation in prison, their victims can claim against it.
However, if no victims claim, or they don’t claim or receive the full amount, the prisoner still gets to keep the money.
This is inconsistent.
Under our proposed law, any money left over will go to the Victims’ Services Fund.
• Fund the safe@home programme with $500,000 a year from the offender levy.
The safe@home programme provides security improvements for the homes of family violence victims at risk of serious harm or death.
Safe@home helps these families stay safe in their own homes by strengthening doors, installing house alarms, smoke alarms and security lights, fitting deadlocks, repairing broken windows and doorframes, and installing silent monitored alarms that, when activated, lead to the Police Communications Centre being alerted.
It is run by Safer Homes In New Zealand Every Day (SHINE) – a non-government organisation focused on family violence prevention and safety.
Support from the offender levy will allow the programme to be rolled out to South Auckland, other urban centres in the Upper North Island, and then further afield as funding allows.
2. Double the penalties for breaching a protection order
• Increase penalties for breaches of protection orders to better protect victims of domestic violence.
In 2010, 976 people were convicted of breaching a protection order and, of these, 185 received a prison sentence.
National will double the maximum penalty for a single breach of a protection order to two years in prison or a fine of $10,000.
Any subsequent breaches, regardless of the period in which they occur, will be punishable by up to three years imprisonment, rather than by the current maximum of two years in prison for two or more breaches in the space of three years.
This policy will send the clear message that breaches of protection orders will not be tolerated.
3. Better protect victims as witnesses
• Change the way evidence is heard to better protect vulnerable court participants – especially children.
It is not acceptable that child victims and witnesses have to wait 15 months for cases to go to trial.
About 750 children give evidence in court each year – the majority of them in sexual offending cases.
We must ensure they are not re-brutalised by the process.
We will change the law so that children under the age of 12 give their entire evidence in one go by video or CCTV.
This will reduce the stress and potential waiting time for children giving evidence, and improve the quality of the evidence.
To improve the questioning of child complainants in court, we will also use funds collected from the $50 Offender Levy to introduce specialist intermediaries trained in the development and language of children.
The exact nature of the model will be developed by the Ministry of Justice in consultation with legal and judicial experts and will be phased in over the next two years.
What we will do next…(continued)
Improve efficiency and safety in our courts
1. Speed up and improve court processes
• Put in place changes from the recently-passed Criminal Procedure (Reform and Modernisation) Bill.
These include:
− Streamlining procedures in criminal courts.
− Reducing delays for victims and witnesses.
− Saving up to 450 trials and 9000 court hours each year.
−  Shaving 6-9 weeks off the average time it takes for a court case to be completed.
Reduce the length of the average  court case by 6-9 weeks
These changes are estimated to save taxpayers around $23 million over five years.
• Review the Family Court to re-examine the role of the State in refereeing family disputes.
Since 2005, Family Court costs have gone up by 63 per cent while caseloads are largely unchanged.
We want to make sure the Family Court is efficient and that the government’s investment is delivering value for money for families and taxpayers.
Drawn-out, expensive litigation is not in the best interests of children.
The review will focus on developing ways to help families find solutions to their problems without having to resort to the Family Court.
• Review state prosecution services.
National wants to ensure state prosecution services are efficient and effective.
Some cost savings may be possible.
Continue to review courts legislation to ensure courts operate in an efficient and timely manner.
We are modernising the justice system for the benefit of those who find themselves there through no fault of their own.
National is bringing our courts into the 21st Century with legislation allowing for audio visual links in courts and prisons.
We will continue to ensure courts keep pace with technological change.
• Pass the Juries (Jury Service and Protection of Particulars Jury List Information) Amendment Bill.
National will pass this bill to protect jurors’ details from falling into the wrong hands.
2. Improve legal aid
 Continue to get legal aid  spending under  control, after eligibility and provider fees were  expanded  under  Labour.
Legal aid  costs increased  by 55  per cent  between 2006/07 and 2009/2010.
This is  completely unsustainable
and would have led  to a $402 million blow-out  in costs over five  years if National hadn’t  brought  spending  under control.
 Improve  the quality of representation.
Dame Margaret Bazley’s  review of legal aid  identified glaring problems  with legal aid in  New Zealand.
Improve access to justice
1. Reform the civil justice system
 Introduce a law  providing for class actions.
This will  let different  complainants  bring similar claims to court  at the same time rather than having to wait years  longer for  their  individual claims  to  be heard.
 Investigate  setting up a commercial court.
 Continue to make  other  reforms  to  the civil justice system to improve access  to justice
and  speed up dispute resolution.
These reforms will improve access to justice,
reduce delays and inefficiencies,
and free up resources for the criminal justice system.
2. Reform the law of contempt
• Update our contempt law for the information age to prevent abuses of the judicial process.
The internet has made it more difficult for the judiciary to control court processes, such as suppressing names – often for the protection of witnesses.
National will ensure these remain decisions for judges to make, and that such decisions can be enforced.
3. Improve court administration
• Reform the tribunals system to gain administrative service efficiencies
and improve access to justice.
Our justice system includes many separate tribunals.
These could be restructured to provide more efficient access to justice, as well as better use of taxpayer and levy-payer money.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:
 Left behind a criminal justice system in  disarray, lacking accountability and  a focus on  victims.
 Promised a victims’  compensation scheme in 1994, 1996, 2005, and the beginning of 2008,  but  never delivered.
 Called National’s  offender levy and victim  compensation scheme a cruel hoax, insulting,  and a gimmick.
 Was  too slow to change the law to allow  legal aid entitlement for victims attending parole hearings and coronial inquests.
 Was  too frightened  of the legal profession to  embark  on the kind of reform  of  the criminal justice system that was necessary to  make it  work well.
We can’t afford to go back to Labour.
VETERANS’   AFFAIRS  Building  Better Public Services
Respecting veterans, honouring service
Our ex-servicemen and women hold a special status in New Zealand.
National is committed to honouring their contribution to our peace, our freedom, and our security.
We are working with veterans to ensure they are taken care of, and that their place in our community is recognised.
Key  facts
•  Provided  $3.85 million  for  the New Zealand  Defence Service Medal  –  13,000 awarded so far.
•  Increased  NZ  Super and  Veterans’ Pension by $166 a fortnight for a married couple, and  $84 for  someone  living alone.
Super  and  Veterans’ Pension payments  up  by 19%.
•  Annual increase to the War  Disablement  Pension for veterans with service-related  disabilities.
•  Adopted  a new travel concession system  so  veterans  can have claims reimbursed faster.
•  Established a Veterans’ Enquiry Line and  Veterans’  Affairs newsletter  to keep  ex servicemen and women  informed.
•  Provided  $400,000 to  each of three veterans’ homes.
•  Providing funds so  World War Two veterans  can travel for  70th  anniversary  commemorations.
National has…
Honoured veterans service
Established the New Zealand Defence Service Medal.
160,000 former personnel may qualify.
Increased the Gallantry Allowance by $20 a week for the 105 current recipients.
Established multi-media competitions to ensure we don’t forget the sacrifices at Gallipoli and Passchendaele.
Honoured Merchant Navy Day and Viet Nam Commemoration.
Extended eligibility to the Women’s Land Service for the Year of the Veteran Certificate of Appreciation and Lapel Badge.
Supported veterans
Set up the Ministerial Advisory Group to look at the health and wellbeing of veterans.
Established Case Management in the Community so veterans can meet staff and receive the services and allowances they are entitled to.
All areas are now covered.
Shortened turnaround times for processing War Disablement Pensions.
The number of claims awaiting a decision has fallen by 10,000 since 2008 to just 1000.
Provided annual medical assessments and ex gratia payments for Viet Nam veterans,
and completed the review of the international research into the effects of Agent Orange.
What we will do next…
1. Honour our veterans and commemorate those who served
• Fund those World War Two veterans who are able to travel overseas to attend 70th anniversary commemorations associated with their overseas service.
This will include business-class or RNZAF flights, accommodation and meals, medical assistance, and support staff.
Over the next four years there will be a number of 70th anniversary commemorations of World War Two.
Official New Zealand commemorations will be announced around anniversaries of key battles in each campaign.
This will be provided for in Budget 2012.
• Establish a new military commemorations coordination unit within the Defence Force to plan and coordinate military commemorations.
As well as overseas commemorations there will be local events for veterans who are unable or do not wish to travel overseas.
This will be met within existing baselines and reprioritisation of funding as a result of changes to Defence Force operations.
• Continue to successfully manage other significant commemorations.
In coming years there will be a focus on planning the centenary commemorations of the Gallipoli landings in 1915.
In 2013 there will be events involving Korean veterans to commemorate the Armistice in 1953.
• Complete the development of Memorial Park in time for the centenary of the First World War.
Wellington’s Memorial Park will be the centrepiece for our commemorations of the First World War, beginning in 2014.
The Government committed funding in Budget 2010 to ensure Memorial Park is worthy of the people it commemorates.
2. Support our veterans
• Modernise the War Pensions Act in response to the Law Commission’s report on the review of the Act.
The Law Commission’s report contained 170 recommendations that affect several government agencies and would require amendments to many acts and regulations, so extensive consultation and analysis is required.
Changes will meet the needs of older veterans and future veterans of today’s deployments.
 Review  Veterans’ Affairs  New Zealand.
We need  to  ensure  VANZ  has a sound  legal, financial,  and policy infrastructure  that  provides  the best support  for our  veterans.
 Investigate further enhancements to the services provided  to our veterans.
Labour would take New Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Said it would review the War Pensions Act  for years before finally  commissioning a Law  Commission review.
This  took three years  and  no draft legislation  was produced.
 Failed  to address the  fact  that veterans under  65,  who are unable to work  due to  injuries  sustained prior to 1 April 1974,  are eligible  only for the Veterans’ Pension and receive less than they  would  if they were on ACC.
This affects  fewer  than 50 veterans,  but is  unfair and  will be addressed by National as  we respond  to  the Law Commission  review.
 Left a backlog of 11,000 War Disablement Pension claims.
Veterans can’t afford another dose of Labour.
TREATY   NEGOTIATIONS  Building a Brighter Future
Reaching full and final settlements faster
National believes the Crown has a responsibility to put right real injustices committed in the past.
Putting historic grievances behind us through the full and final settlement of historic claims will allow all New Zealanders to move forward together.
Settling historic grievances and moving forward
Treaty settlements provide redress for the wrongs of the past.
They also provide an economic stimulus that boosts local investment, creates jobs, and lays the foundations for the future economic success of our regions.
National has set the aspirational goal of completing full and final settlements of historical Treaty grievances by 2014.
We have committed more resources to help complete the process,
and we’ve shown the high-level political leadership needed to ensure we can reach full and final settlements faster.
Guaranteeing public access to the foreshore and seabed
National agreed to review the Foreshore and Seabed Act as part of our Confidence and Supply Agreement with the Maori Party.
The Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 is an enduring solution to the divisive foreshore and seabed issue.
We’ve guaranteed free public access to the common marine and coastal area for all New Zealanders,
and restored access to justice through the courts
while protecting property rights.
These are core National Party values.
“National has committed more resources to help complete the Treaty settlement process,
and we’re showing the high-level political leadership needed to ensure we can reach full and final settlements faster.”
Key facts
National has  a track record  on achieving Treaty  settlements  to be proud of.
In one term  –  just three years  – National has  reached more Treaty  settlement  milestones than  Labour did  in  nine years.
We’ve  achieved  103 milestones  so far, including:
National has...
Provided higher-level political leadership for Treaty settlements and substantially boosted momentum towards our goal of completing full and final settlement of all outstanding historic Treaty claims.
Increased funding for the Office of Treaty Settlements each year to support momentum towards completed outstanding claims.
Directed considerable resources towards starting settlement negotiations so claimants can hit the ground running.
Set up Kokiri Ngatahi – annual Crown-iwi Treaty settlements hui.
These have helped more iwi reach lasting resolutions of their historic grievances faster.
Made greater use of chief Crown negotiators.
Established the Treaty of Waitangi Cabinet Committee chaired by the Prime Minister, providing high-level advice to Cabinet on Treaty settlement negotiations.
Resolved the foreshore and seabed issue once and for all.
Case study  – Ngai Tahu
Treaty settlements provide an economic stimulus  that boosts local investment, creates jobs, and  lays the foundations for the  future economic  success of our  regions.
Ngai Tahu has  transformed its  1998 settlement  of $170 million into a locally-owned asset  portfolio of tourism, property, fisheries,  and investments worth well over $600  million.
Its whale-watch enterprise has revitalized Kaikoura and brought in tourism.
It also uses  assets  to fund initiatives  such as the Whai Rawa personal savings scheme and numerous  education grants worth hundreds of thousands  of dollars every year.
What we will do next...
1. Maintain political leadership
 Ensure  high-level political leadership for  Treaty settlements,  and  continue to  make  greater use of  chief Crown negotiators  with  mana and experience.
In order to  maintain  our momentum  towards  settling all historic treaty claims it’s important  that  a  senior  government  minister  is responsible for  settling Treaty claims.
We will use chief Crown negotiators  to  continue  providing high-level  negotiation  leadership.
 Continue the annual  Kokiri  Ngatahi Treaty  settlements hui.
Kokiri Ngatahi – “Moving forward together” – hui provide a unique opportunity for claimants to meet with the Government each year to discuss and improve the process of resolving historic Treaty claims.
2. Provide necessary resources for Treaty settlements
 Appropriately resource the Office of Treaty  Settlements  to maintain momentum.
The Office of Treaty Settlements does a  good job in a  challenging  field.
We need to  ensure they have the expertise  and resources  to represent  the Crown,  and maintain  our  solid  momentum.
 Improve the passage  of  settlement legislation  so that the  benefits  from  settlements flow to  iwi and regional economies.
As  we’ve seen with the Ngai  Tahu settlement,  the benefits of  the  Treaty process  flow beyond the immediate  iwi.
We have a  unique opportunity to encourage iwi  investment in  our local communities and  regional economies.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
 Labour’s record between 1999 and 2008 was  poor.
They stalled settlements, averaging less than 1.8  deeds  of settlement each year they  were in office.
 Labour would not have  resolved outstanding Treaty settlements until  well  past 2020  –  if     at all.
 Labour’s slow progress  destroyed momentum and delayed the completion of  settlements,  prolonging grievances  and  disadvantaging iwi  economically and socially.
We can’t afford to  lose  momentum on  Treaty settlements.
TRANSPORT  Building a  Stronger Economy
Building world-class transport infrastructure
Building a better transport system is vital to transform New Zealand’s future, and to create more jobs with higher incomes.
Economic growth is our top priority in transport.
After taking office, we reallocated transport funding to boost investment on state highway construction by more than $1 billion over three years.
This is helping to build a stronger economy, relieve congestion, and improve safety.
During the recession, we accelerated $400 million worth of “shovel ready” road projects.
We’ve also substantially boosted funding for public transport.
Building better roads and rail
New Zealand has 700 kilometres of 'high-use highways' – just over six per cent of the state highway network.
They carry 35 per cent of total vehicle kilometres on highways and 19 per cent of freight volume kilometres across the whole road network.
The Roads of National Significance will tackle the chokepoints on these high-use highways.
They will improve links between our regional economies, ports, and cities and encourage business, tourism, and jobs.
Supporting the repair of Christchurch’s roads is another top priority, to help rebuild Canterbury.
The $4.6 billion KiwiRail Turnaround Plan and investment in upgrading the Auckland and Wellington networks means National is investing almost $7 billion in rail.
We’re improving the railfreight network, helping KiwiRail become commercially viable, and supporting modern, reliable commuter services.
“National will invest $9 billion over the next 10 years to remove bottlenecks and reduce congestion on our high-use highways through the Roads of National Significance.
We’ll also invest in key regional routes to provincial centres to improve route security, reliability, and safety.”
Key facts
•  Significantly boosted  investment in state highways.
•  Lifted  investment in public transport:  −  $1.6 billion to upgrade and  electrify  Auckland’s commuter rail system.
−  $485 million to upgrade  Wellington’s  commuter rail network.
•  Approved  KiwiRail’s  $4.6b  turnaround plan.
•  Several big projects  in our  Roads of National Significance have  opened  early.
•  Public transport patronage is increasing.
•  KiwiRail revenue is growing.
•  The  road toll is coming down.
•  We’re investing  $12.2 billion  in state  highways over  the next  10  years.
•  Our plan involves making  further progress on the Roads of National Significance.
National has…
Boosted investment in our roading network
Increased investment in state highway projects by more than $1 billion over three years to promote economic growth and productivity.
Created a new category of infrastructure project called Roads of National Significance (RONS) and fast-tracked work on these, including:
− Puhoi to Wellsford
− Auckland’s Western Ring Route
− Victoria Park Tunnel
− Waikato Expressway
− Tauranga Eastern Link
− Wellington’s Northern Corridor
− Christchurch motorways.
Accelerated the completion of important regional roading projects such as: − The Hawkes Bay Expressway Southern Extension
− The Matahorua Gorge Realignment
− Kopu Bridge Replacement
− Muldoon's Corner Realignment
− The Kamo Bypass Extension
− Caversham Highway Improvements.
Fast-tracked other roading projects to provide economic stimulus during the recession as part of our Jobs & Growth Plan.
Released a State Highway Classification that categorises state highways by volumes of traffic, freight, and tourism.
This has helped identify roads suitable to be designated as future RONS.
Boosted investment in  public  transport
 Investing $1.6 billion to upgrade and  electrify Auckland’s commuter rail system and  $485  million to  upgrade Wellington’s commuter  rail network.
 Signed off new agreements  with councils in  Auckland and Wellington to complete the  refurbishment of the network and rolling  stock  in both cities.
This  includes funding the  purchase of an all-electric train fleet  for the core Auckland network.
 Responded to increases in demand for  public  transport with more  subsidy  funding (see chart  below)
in combination with  a value-for-money  drive.
Started to  turn around  KiwiRail
Approved  KiwiRail’s  $4.6 billion  10-year  turnaround plan.
 Provided $750 million in new seed capital to  support the KiwiRail Turnaround Plan.
This will be invested in new track, rolling stock, and  locomotives to improve the reliability of  the  freight network.
Made roads safer
• Passed new legislation to tackle:
− Cell phone use in cars
− Drugged driving
− Illegal street racing
− Reckless young drivers
− Recidivist drink drivers.
See our Road Safety policy for more details.
Made the SuperGold Card sustainable
Increased funding by $9 million over the next two years and maintained transport entitlements for SuperGold Card holders.
Improved maritime transport
 Conducting a value-for-money review with Maritime NZ to improve services and reduce  costs.
 Developed the Qualifications  and  Operational  Limits framework.
 Investigating feasibility  of new interisland ferry  terminal at Clifford Bay.
 Published port  productivity  data to improve  the flow of exports through ports.
Enhanced aviation services
 Put in place the SmartGate system  with Australia to  make trans-Tasman airline travel easier.
 Reduced Aviation Security passenger levies.
 Conducting a value-for-money review with  the  Civil Aviation Authority  to improve services  and reduce costs.
 Furthered negotiations for international air  traffic rights.
 Passed legislation  to implement  the Cape Town Convention.
Our results so  far
Big progress on Roads of  National Significance
Five of the seven RONS are currently under  construction,  employing around 1500 people  directly
.  Highlights include:  •  Hobsonville  Motorway on Auckland’s  Western Ring  Route opened  six          months early.
•  Victoria Park Tunnel  completed.
•  Construction underway  on Waikato  Expressway, Tauranga Eastern Link, and  the  Christchurch Southern Motorway.
•  Wellington’s Transmission Gully  project  referred to a Board of Inquiry for a  nine month fast-track consenting process.
•  Investigation work underway on the Puhoi  to  Wellsford motorway  extension.
Better  roads
•  Completed major projects  including the Hobsonville Deviation, Manukau Extension, Taupo  Bypass, Pyes Pa Bypass, Hawke’s Bay expressway extension, Dowse to  Petone  upgrade, and  Dunedin’s  SH88 upgrade.
•  Created  550 jobs directly and 1200 in  associated trades by  fast-tracking roading projects  in our  Jobs &  Growth Plan.
•  In 2010,  the second-lowest death toll on the  roads was recorded.
Better  rail
•  KiwiRail revenue grew $17  million in the  2010/11 year.
More passengers  using public transport
•  Public transport patronage  in Auckland and  Wellington increased  by almost 14  per cent  between 2007/08 and 2010/11.
What we will do next…
1. Keep building better roads
Invest $12 Billion over 10 years in State Highway construction.
Complete construction on: − Christchurch’s Southern Motorway Stage 1.
− The Ngaruawahia and Te Rapa sections of the Waikato Expressway.
− The Tauranga Eastern link.
Construct New Zealand’s largest-ever roading project, the Waterview Connection on Auckland’s Western Ring Route, including two three-laned tunnels bored under Avondale.
Start construction on: − The Christchurch Western Bypass and the Southern Motorway Stage 2.
− The Basin Reserve Flyover and the Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway on the Wellington Northern Corridor.
−  The Cambridge and Rangiriri sections of the Waikato Expressway.
Design and consent the Transmission Gully section of Wellington’s Northern Corridor (construction due to start in 2015/16).
Finalise the design and consenting of the Puhoi to Warkworth section of the Puhoi to Wellsford RONS, and prepare for a construction start in 2014/15.
Construct replacement Waitaki River bridges on State Highway 82 at Kurow.
• Evaluate four new RONS projects for development following final completion of the first three RONS projects (Victoria Park, Waterview, and Tauranga Eastern Link):
−  State Highway 29 between Hamilton and Tauranga.
−  State Highway 1 between Cambridge and Tirau.
−  Further development of the Hawke’s Bay Expressway.
−  State Highway 1 North and South of the current Christchurch motorway projects.
Continue to develop key regional roading projects that will enhance productivity and economic growth, including the Rotorua Eastern Arterial and the Waiwakaiho Bridge in New Plymouth.
Improve the resilience of key inter-regional freight routes like Mt Messenger on State Highway 3, and the Manawatu Gorge.
2. Rebuild Canterbury
 Provide funds from the natural disaster contingency in the Land  Transport Fund  to  help rebuild Canterbury’s roading infrastructure.
 Work  with the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority  Horizontal Infrastructure Alliance to  accelerate the co-ordinated  rebuild  of crucial Christchurch infrastructure.
3. Boost funding for public transport
Continue to improve public transport with investments in infrastructure and service subsidies.
4. Continue the KiwiRail Turnaround Plan
Continue to support KiwiRail’s 10-year Turnaround Plan.
National will encourage KiwiRail to make sensible commercial decisions to build a strong, reliable rail-freight system.
Assess the proposal for a ferry terminal at Clifford Bay.
This has the potential to cut road travel times to Christchurch from Wellington and Auckland by over an hour, and rail times by an hour-and-a-half.
5. Improve maritime shipping
Work with the Productivity Commission on its review of international freight transport costs, and evaluate and put in place practical recommendations that flow from that.
Pass legislation to update the Maritime Transport Act, including for the International Convention on Civil Liability.
Complete and introduce the new Maritime Operator Safety System to improve the safety management of domestic commercial maritime operators.
Complete the development of the new seafarer qualifications and operational limits framework.
This will provide a greater emphasis on competence and proven ability.
Complete the funding review of Maritime New Zealand, and ensure its funding continues to be adequate, and reflects the costs imposed on it by different types of maritime operators.
6. Enhance aviation services
Negotiate air service agreements with key Asian and South American markets to boost tourism and trade.
Continue to improve safety regulations, particularly for the agriculture and adventure tourism sectors.
Develop a new National Airspace Policy to take advantage of new navigation tools and to improve safety.
Improve services and value-for-money provided by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Aviation Security Service.
Labour  would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Would  dramatically  reduce State  Highway  construction spending,  abandoning projects  that will increase economic  growth.
 Would  reverse  hypothecation of fuel  taxes.
This would  see the money you pay at the  pump diverted to non-transport projects.
 Unwind  investment  on the  Roads of National  Significance, cancelling the Kapiti Expressway  and  the  Puhoi to Wellsford  project.
 Has called for Auckland commuter  rail to be  expanded  to the North Shore and the  Auckland  Airport without any cost-benefit  analysis.
 Would sabotage  KiwiRail’s  financial turnaround plan by expecting KiwiRail  to purchase rolling stock at a 25  per cent  premium  to the tendered price.
New Zealand  can’t afford Labour’s plans.
National has made great progress  on highway  construction, investing in  public transport, and  turning around KiwiRail.
Labour would put  that all at risk.
TRADE   Building a Stronger Economy
Building our exports
Enhancing and growing New Zealand’s international trade links and opportunities is a key part of our plan to build a stronger economy
and create more jobs with higher incomes.
New Zealand has always been a trading nation, with our productive sector and niche companies providing the world with high-quality unique products.
As efficient producers with a small domestic market, our focus has to be on the rest of the world.
Improving competitiveness in our markets
To achieve this we need to have smart strategies in place on a number of fronts.
In today’s world, economic and political power is shifting rapidly.
New Zealand’s sound relationships with our traditional partners in Europe, North America, and Australia need to be complemented by high quality relationships with the emerging economies – China and India in particular.
National has made early progress in improving New Zealand’s access to other countries’ markets.
However, there is still much work that can be done to improve the competitiveness of New Zealand exports in key markets,
encourage companies to take advantage of the opportunities they have,
and secure an advantageous position for the longer term.
To do this, we need better coordination of core New Zealand strengths – this is the key idea informing the Government’s ‘NZ Inc’ country strategies.
“National will lead at least 28 high-level trade missions to Asian countries over the next three years to expand trade and business links.
We will also continue to pursue high-quality trade agreements, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership and bilateral free-trade agreements.”
Key facts
•  Refocused NZTE  on its customers –  Kiwi exporters.
•  Signed  free  trade agreements with Hong  Kong  and  Malaysia,  and started negotiations  with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, India,   and Korea.
•  Led high-level trade missions to  Mexico, China, Brazil, Hong Kong,  the Gulf States,    and India.
•  Grown exports to  our major  trading partners.
•  Developed the first  NZ  Inc Strategy to  expand trade with India.
Related policies   Finance   Economic Development
National has…
Boosted our trade network
Refocused New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) with a new organisational strategy and refreshed leadership.
NZTE now concentrates on its customers and on leveraging the most value from our international resources.
Reviewed Government agency operations off-shore to ensure we have a connected, cooperative ‘NZ Inc’ approach to our work overseas.
As a result of the review, we have embarked on a programme to establish NZ Inc Country Strategies.
NZ Inc Country Strategies
NZ Inc Strategies are centralised plans  that set  priorities for New Zealand’s operations in  our key markets.
The strategies aim to  strengthen our  economic, political and security relationships  with countries and  regions,  encourage people to people links  and two-way investment.
Announced the first NZ Inc Strategy for India.
Promoted free trade agreements (FTAs)
• Continued New Zealand’s programme of reaching bi-lateral FTAs.
−  Signed FTAs with Hong Kong, Malaysia, and ASEAN.
−  Started negotiations with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, India and Korea.
• Progressed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Recently, leaders of the nine countries in the TPP agreed on the broad outlines of the FTA, at a meeting hosted by US President Barack Obama in Honolulu on the fringes of the APEC summit.
The Deputy Prime Minister Bill English represented New Zealand.
The announcement is an important milestone.
It signals broad outlines – including progressive tariff elimination and an end point of full market access – and a strong political commitment from leaders.
Leaders are committed to a high-quality agreement.
This negotiation is genuinely about free trade and getting trade rules that work for exporters.
• Worked hard to make sure we are making the most of our existing FTAs.
New Zealand has a comprehensive array of FTAs.
We have already seen the results – New Zealand exports to China at year end June 2011 totalled $5.6 billion, up 90 per cent on 2008.
Supported trade missions
 Carried  out an extensive  programme of  engagement  to promote  our  exports.
Ministers have led trade missions to Mexico, China, Brazil, Hong Kong, the Gulf States,  and  India, and extensively supported  New Zealand companies on bilateral visits, in  places as diverse as Singapore and New York.
These efforts have raised the profile of New  Zealand exports and assisted our exporters  in these markets.
 Taken real advantage of the Shanghai Expo.
The 2010 Expo was one of the most  successful efforts New Zealand  has  made offshore.
The business leveraging and  communications programmes built around  our  participation were effective and  rewarding for those businesses involved.
More free trade agreements
FTAs in place
Australia, Brunei, Chile, China, Hong  Kong, Malaysia, Singapore,  Thailand,  ASEAN.
FTAs  being negotiated
Korea, India, Russia, UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Belarus, Kazakstan.
Trans Pacific Partnership
Brunei, Chile, Peru,  the United  States, Viet  Nam, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia.
The NZ Inc  India Strategy
New Zealand’s exports to India are growing  rapidly.
India is currently New Zealand’s  seventh largest  export  market, earning $917 million in  the year to March 2011.
Only three years ago,  India  was this country’s  24th-largest export market.
On 20  October 2011,  John Key  launched the National-led Government’s  NZ Inc  Country  Strategy  for  India.
The Strategy  sets  ambitious medium-term goals  and provides  a clear direction for the whole-of government effort over a five-year period.
It will be the  first of a number of such strategies.
The NZ Inc India Strategy identifies  six strategic  goals for furthering New Zealand’s ambitions for  its relationship with  India.
Each goal is focused, demanding, and precise  –  a  benchmark against  which success  can be measured.
The six strategic  goals  are:
1.  Grow  merchandise exports  to at least $2  billion by 2015.
2.  Grow  services trade by 20  per  cent per year.
3.  Improve the bilateral investment framework and facilitate growth in the investment  relationship.
4.  Attract and  retain  skilled migrants from India.
5.  Engage more deeply with India on  regional and global issues.
6.  Raise the profile of New  Zealand’s value  proposition in India.
What we will do next…
1. Pursue further high-quality trade agreements
• Continue to focus on completing successful bilateral FTAs out of our on-going negotiations.
New Zealand has on-going negotiations with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, India, Korea and the Gulf Co-operation Council, as well as the TPP negotiations.
National will work as swiftly as possible to bring each of these negotiations to a quality conclusion,
and will not settle for substandard agreements.
• Conclude a quality TPP agreement,
while ensuring New Zealand’s best interests are served.
New Zealand’s trade with the Asia-Pacific region has been growing rapidly in recent years, with Australia and Asia now taking over 60 per cent of our exports.
The United States is our third-biggest export market, and a high-quality free-trade deal could deliver the same kind of export growth we have seen out of our deal with China.
Recent progress on the fringes of the APEC meeting in Honolulu was substantial and encouraging – and adds real political momentum to concluding a quality result.
However, any deal must be in New Zealand’s best interests.
National has stated that we think the Pharmac model works very well and we will not trade it away just to get a conclusion to the TPP deal.
 Focus quickly on outcomes  when an opportunity arises in the WTO to move  forward on the Doha  Round.
A National-led Government would continue  to put high priority into  this  formal negotiating agenda and will creatively  explore  any opportunity that arises to re-energise the global trade negotiations in the WTO.
 Continue to look for new opportunities for  New Zealand in the FTA  space.
While our preference will always be for a  comprehensive multi-lateral progress  via Doha, in the meantime we must move on  with an agenda of bi-lateral deals.
What we will do next…(continued)
2. Boost trade missions
Develop a comprehensive programme of Government-led trade delegations to China, India, and ASEAN.
Target at least 28 high-quality trade missions led by sector Ministers over the next three years.
Experience in Asia and India has shown the strong link between business and political partnerships in of these countries.
During the Shanghai Expo, six business delegations went to China led by sector Ministers.
Our trade with China has grown massively over the past three years.
In the year to June trade was up 90 per cent on 2008.
That period has coincided not just with the FTA, but also with a high tempo of Government led trade missions.
This shows that while the Government can put in place the architecture to allow freer trade, we must also take a role in ensuring New Zealand can make the most of those agreements.
Trade missions have been around for a long time, but the most recent experience in Asia has shown that Government-led missions are a vital part of opening doors in Asia for New Zealand businesses.
Successful missions have also been to Mexico, Brazil, and the Gulf States.
Government Ministers can gain access that businesses alone cannot.
We need to leverage the opportunities this allows.
National will develop a programme of trade delegations, led by relevant sector Ministers, to undertake a comprehensive agenda of visits to emerging markets in Asia and other key areas.
China and India will be a priority, but we will also focus and build on the FTA we have with ASEAN to develop the opportunities we have in these markets as we have done in China.
3. Roll out our NZ Inc Strategy programme
• Drive our focus on NZ Inc agencies and interaction and release a series of NZ Inc Country Strategies
Our trade and economic objectives will be pursued in a more coherent and coordinated manner, with all of the NZ Inc agencies – MFAT, NZTE, Immigration, New Zealand Education, Tourism, and Defence – operating in concert, according to an agreed strategy.
These strategies will be designed market-by market, with execution led by Ministers,
and with a priority given to partnership with the New Zealand private sector.
Release of these strategies has begun with the India Strategy, and will include Australia, China, USA, ASEAN, Japan and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour  will add 10 more costs on business and make New Zealand less competitive internationally:
 A capital gains tax on all businesses.
 A more than doubling of employer  KiwiSaver  costs.
 Irrigation taxes.
 A minimum wage increase that would cost  thousands of jobs.
 Accelerated ETS tax on the  farming sector.
 Cancellation of the 90-day trial period.
 A return  to 1970s industrial relations policies.
 A wind-back of National’s ACC changes, meaning higher ACC levies.
 Extra transport  charges.
 Lifting interest rates  by borrowing an  additional $15.6 billion over  four  years.
New Zealand  can’t afford another dose of  Labour
TOURISM  Building a Stronger  Economy
Building the value of our international visitors
National is committed to tourism playing a strong role in the growth of the New Zealand economy.
The past three years have been challenging for the tourism industry, with the last year in particular being very difficult – with the Christchurch earthquakes, the tsunami in Japan, the volcanic ash cloud and the continuing impact the global financial crisis.
Traditional markets, such as the US and Europe, have felt the full force of the global financial crisis.
However, the work we have put into Australia, China, and other fast-growing parts of Asia, such as Malaysia, is paying off and ensuring visitor numbers overall are remaining stable.
The key for the future of tourism is to ensure we get high-quality visitors and increase the value we get from them – get them to spend more.
Increasing visitor numbers is important, but working out how to get more spend out of each visitor is the crucial piece of work.
National will focus the work of government agencies on how to increase high-value visitors.
Rebuilding Christchurch as a tourist destination
We are also working hard to rebuild Christchurch and strengthen its role as the gateway to the South Island.
We are working with the City Council and the Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO) to ensure the right support is in place.
We’re also continuing work to rebuild the infrastructure required to ensure Christchurch remains a key visitor destination.
“National will ensure our second-largest export earner continues to add to the growth of the New Zealand economy.”
Key facts  •  Boosted funding for tourism marketing by  $67.5 million over  the  past three years.
•  Reformed the government’s tourism agencies
•  Kept The Hobbit  in New Zealand.
•  Introduced the highly successful SmartGate initiative  to streamline  trans-Tasman travel.
•  Allocated  $50  million to develop and  construct 18 Great  Rides in the New Zealand  Cycle Trail Project.
•  Underwriting a $20  million  17,000 temporary  stadium for Christchurch.
•  Working to expand  air  connections  – new  links  already in place  with Malaysia and Southern China.
•  Focus  tourism research  and our tourism  agencies  on building  the value of our  international visitors.
Related policies
Economic Development
Trade
National has…
Focused agencies on international markets
Increased investment in marketing New Zealand as a destination off-shore.
We’ve injected an extra $67.5 million over the past three years, and given Tourism New Zealand its first baseline increase since 2005.
Refocused Tourism New Zealand on its operations.
Tourism NZ has developed a three-year marketing strategy, focusing more directly on potential visitors who are actively considering New Zealand as their next international destination.
This has involved the use of more targeted media channels, in particular digital mediums.
Ensured Tourism New Zealand operates in a more efficient way.
National has worked to ensure more dollars are being spent on frontline marketing, and less on back office administration.
Reformed the Government’s tourism agencies.
National reviewed the responsibilities of the Government's key tourism agencies, the Ministry of Tourism and Tourism NZ.
As a result, the Ministry of Tourism was reintegrated into MED, to ensure that tourism was once again at the heart of the Government’s economic growth agenda.
Supported regional and Maori tourism
Increased the focus on Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs), with more private sector and RTO involvement in our offshore marketing through joint ventures with Tourism New Zealand.
The main focus with RTOs has been in Australia, but work has been done with a variety of airlines in other markets.
Allocated $4.5 million over three years to develop and implement a Maori Tourism Action Plan to strengthen and promote Maori tourism.
This initiative is being led by the New Zealand Maori Tourism Society, with the support of an interagency group.
The Plan is based around five interrelated strategy areas:
−  Major cities: provide the opportunities for Maori cultural tourism to be positioned more strongly at the heart of large centre tourism offerings, notably Auckland.
−  Events Strategies: support opportunities to further promote Maori culture and tourism through leveraging existing events and creating new events.
−  Regional: promote collaborative regional strategies by working with Regional Tourism Organisations and Maori Regional Tourism Organisations to develop new product offerings.
−  Conservation land: maximise the cultural value of conservation land for better tourism outcomes.
−  Trade: develop strong reinforcing links between trade and Maori tourism.
Improved International links
Introduced the highly successful SmartGate initiative with Australia.
SmartGate has made travel between our two countries a quicker and more convenient process.
Advocated to the British Government our strong opposition to the United Kingdom’s Airline Passenger Duty.
This tax will unfairly target long-haul passengers travelling to New Zealand and Australia.
We’ve worked with partner nations, and have so far managed to get the full implementation on the tax delayed.
• Worked to identify and develop new air links, with a hands-on Government approach between Tourism New Zealand, the Ministry of Economic Development, Immigration New Zealand and others.
Kept The Hobbit in New Zealand
Ensured that The Hobbit, a major opportunity for New Zealand tourism, will be filmed here in New Zealand.
Negotiated the inclusion of promotional material about New Zealand on the Hobbit DVD release, to be directed by Sir Peter Jackson.
Entered into a long-term strategic partnership with Warner Bros to promote New Zealand as a film production and tourism destination.
Supported Canterbury
 Formed a partnership arrangement with Christchurch City Council and Christchurch  International Airport  to help Christchurch &  Canterbury Tourism  play a lead role in  the  recovery of tourism  across Christchurch, Canterbury,  and  the South Island.
The partnership will provide $1.6m of  extra  funding to support tourism recovery activity, including $625,000 each from the  Government and Christchurch International  Airport,  and  $350,000 from Christchurch  City Council.
This  partnership illustrates a  positive and  constructive relationship between central  government, local governments, and local tourism industries.
 Announced the Government will underwrite  a $20  million, 17,000-seat temporary stadium  for Christchurch to  ensure Cantabrians  can, once again,  enjoy  the benefits of major  sporting and cultural events.
Built the New Zealand Cycle Trail
• Allocated $50 million to develop and construct 18 cycle trails around New Zealand as part of the New Zealand Cycle Trail Project.
The New Zealand Cycle Trail Project is designed to showcase the very best of our country – our spectacular scenery, unique culture, and first-class Kiwi hospitality.
The trails build on our strong reputation as a premium tourism destination.
Together, 18 great rides are expected to provide more than 2000km of trail once completed in 2013.
They have already provided 562 jobs during construction alone.
Our results  so far
More visitor spending
•  Despite the most difficult conditions the  industry has faced in a generation, the  Tourism Satellite account shows that  visitor  spending in the  year to March 2011 was up  2.1 per cent to a total of $23 billion.
−  International  tourism spending increased  1.5 per cent to $9.7 billion.
−  Domestic  tourism spending increased 2.5  per cent to $13  billion.
More visitors from  our emerging  markets
•  Growth  in visitor numbers  out of emerging  markets in Asia continues  to be  strong, as do  visitor numbers out of Australia.
This is  offsetting disappointing  visitor  numbers from our  traditional markets  such as  Europe and  the United States, which have  been hit hard by  the global financial crisis.
Strong employment
•  91,900 full-time equivalent employees (or  4.8 per cent of total employment) were directly employed by the  tourism industry, an increase of  0.6 per cent.
New international connections
Our work on air connections is already  paying dividends:
•  Air Asia X now flies from Kuala Lumpur to  Christchurch.
•  China Southern Airlines  now flies from  Guangzhou to Auckland.
We are already seeing  the results from  this:  •  The number of visitors from Malaysia has increased 47 per  cent over  the past 12 months,  from  20,000 in the year ended  September  2010 to 30,000  in the  year  ended September 2011.
•  China Southern  started daily flights at the  beginning of November.
It is estimated this  will bring around an extra 50,000 visitors a year  to New Zealand, worth $150 million to  the economy.
What we will do next...
1. Keep tourism at the heart of government
• Keep the Prime Minister as Minister of Tourism.
The focus and advocacy this has bought to our second-largest industry has been invaluable.
It puts tourism at the heart of the Government’s economic thinking and Cabinet decision-making.
What’s more, the Prime Minister is able to be a powerful advocate of the industry off-shore.
2. Develop tourism infrastructure
• Continue to work with the Auckland Council and the cruise industry to develop an International cruise terminal in Auckland.
New Zealand as a whole receives economic benefits from the cruise sector, as Auckland enables visits to other ports.
The construction of a cruise ship terminal on the Auckland waterfront was high on National’s agenda as facilities were being prepared for the Rugby World Cup, and a key factor in our decision to part purchase Queens Wharf.
Our plan had been to see a cruise ship terminal developed as part of facilities alongside the fan-zone on Queens Wharf.
Local government structures in Auckland at the time made this impossible.
• Continue negotiations with Sky City to develop an international convention centre in Auckland, to bring jobs and high-value business travelers to New Zealand.
A key piece of infrastructure to attract high value business travel to New Zealand on a large scale is a new convention centre of international size.
The National-led Government has been working hard to find a solution that would see such a convention centre built in New Zealand,
at a minimum cost to the taxpayer.
We will continue our negotiations in this area.
3. Improve international links and processing
• Continue multi-agency work to encourage air connections from new and emerging markets.
Our multi-agency approach to opening up new air routes has been successful.
The prime examples are the new service from Guangzhou to Auckland by China Southern, and from Kuala Lumpur to Christchurch by Air Asia X.
Potential benefits of these new routes are huge.
We will continue our work in this area, in particular, focusing on opportunities out of South America.
Links to that region are the missing piece in the jigsaw of routes in and out of New Zealand.
What we will do next…(continued)
 Continue to look for ways  to expand the  successful SmartGate system.
SmartGate was introduced  by the National led Government  and has been hugely  successful.
We will look to  expand its use where possible.
 Continue to improve visa processing, to  encourage easier travel  for visitors.
Immigration New Zealand has made  improvements in China in particular.
These have been key to achieving a higher  frequency of travel from China and increasing  the confidence of operators  – including airlines  –  to choose  New Zealand as a destination.
4. Build the value of our international visitors
 Continue  Tourism New Zealand’s increasing focus  on identifying and targeting high-value  travellers who are actively considering travel to New Zealand.
Tourism New  Zealand’s  three-year marketing strategy and increased use of targeted  digital media is the future  of tourism marketing, and  ensures  we will get a greater  share of high value free and independent  travelers.
 Continue the work  now  underway and focus  more on business events,
with a new convention centre in Auckland as a major  draw-card.
Surveys repeatedly  show that  business  travellers spend  more, and are more likely to  bring their  families back on holiday.
5. Rebuild Canterbury
 Rebuild Christchurch as a tourist destination  and gateway to  the South Island.
It will take  time for Christchurch and South  Island  tourism to return to business  as  usual.
Strong collaboration between  central government, local government,  and  Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs)  is critical to  ensure the tourism industry  does not suffer  long-term effects  from  the  earthquake.
We have formed a partnership, along with  the Christchurch City Council and  Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism (CCT),  to ensure the RTO can continue to play a  lead role in  Christchurch’s  tourism industry.
Tourism New Zealand  has also begun  working in Australia in partnership with CCT  to market Christchurch as a  gateway for  driving trips in the South Island.
We intend  to continue this  work and ensure  government agencies are giving as much help  as  they can to help rebuild  Christchurch’s  tourism market.
 Work  through the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority and  with Christchurch City Council and CCT to help facilitate the  re-construction of  the  Christchurch Convention Centre.
The Christchurch Convention Centre was  severely damaged in the February  Earthquake.
Rebuilding the Convention Centre will be a  catalyst for  developing new  accommodation  in Christchurch –  an important factor in  bringing visitors back to the  city  and  reinvigorating the Canterbury tourism market.
6. Further improve our tourism agencies
• Move Major Events back into the Tourism portfolio and involve Tourism NZ more heavily in its operation.
We have the most proactive approach we can to attract major events here.
The National-led Government has developed new guidelines for major events, and increased funding to $10 million a year.
We will now integrate the efforts of government agencies,
and develop an aggressive approach to attracting international events.
We will also take advantage of the networks and skills built up during the Rugby World Cup, and make the most of the experience gained.
• Work with local government to ensure they and their RTOs are in the best position to attract visitors.
National will make sure the Ministry for Economic Development works with local government and RTOs to ensure they are properly structured and focused on getting the best from international and local visitors.
• Investigate issues around local facilities where rating bases are small and visitor demand is high.
In some parts of the country, large visitor numbers are being supported by tiny communities with very low rating bases.
National will look at establishing what changes may be needed to ensure local government can provide the facilities required to support their visitors.
• Continue our work on the $4.5 million Maori Tourism Action Plan to strengthen and promote Maori tourism.
We are now in year two of the Maori Tourism Action Plan.
We will continue inter-agency work and the work with the Maori Tourism Council.
7. Improve tourism research
• Continue the work Tourism New Zealand is doing with the Tourism Industry Association to educate and communicate the expectations of visitors from new markets.
New international markets mean changing the way we do business.
Visitors from Asia are growing at a dramatic rate.
We need to make sure we adapt to the different needs and expectations of this new market.
We will continue to conduct research into the expectations visitors have of our tourism products and services to ensure they are what they expect
, and they are provided in a way that encourages visitors to spend more.
Put in place the recommendations from the review of the core tourism dataset recently carried out by the Ministry of Economic Development.
Good quality and timely statistics and forecasts are vital for industry planning.
Recently, MED reviewed the core tourism dataset and made recommendations for changes.
National will implement those changes as quickly as possible, following the recently announced Tourism Domain Plan.
The top priorities of that plan are:
−  Redevelopment of the International Visitor Survey, including sampling arrivals at all ports and reducing questionnaire size.
−  Developing a set of regional tourism indicators such as a tourism attractions and activity monitor.
−  Improved forecasting methodology to forecast over five years.
−  Developing identifiers for tourism and Maori businesses within the Statistics New Zealand Business database.
Labour would take  New  Zealand  backwards
Labour  will add 10 new  costs on business and make New Zealand less competitive internationally:
 A capital gains tax on all businesses.
 A more than doubling of employer  KiwiSaver costs.
 Irrigation taxes.
 A minimum wage increase that would cost  thousands of jobs.
 Accelerated  ETS tax on the  farming sector.
 Cancellation of the 90-day trial period.
 A return  to 1970s industrial relations  policies.
 A wind-back of National’s ACC changes, meaning higher ACC levies.
 Extra transport  charges.
 Lifting interest rates  by borrowing an  additional $15.6 billion over  four years.
New Zealand can’t afford another dose of Labour.
TERTIARY   EDUCATION  Building  a Stronger Economy
Better value for students and taxpayers
Tertiary education is a passport to higher skills, higher wages, higher productivity and higher growth for our economy.
National will continue improving tertiary education, lifting achievement, and focusing on better outcomes for students and taxpayers to achieve these results.
Improving tertiary performance
Under Labour, there were large increases in funding, but little accountability and even less improvement in results.
National is improving value-for-money
and the relevance and quality of tertiary courses.
We’ve funded more student places at universities, polytechs, and private training providers.
The sector is now providing a record number of student places in tertiary education.
A simpler qualifications system will give students and employers confidence about the quality of their qualifications and the opportunities available with their new skills.
Our changes to student loans are encouraging greater accountability of borrowers, getting costs under control, and driving better value for taxpayers.
We are reinvesting much of the savings in more places at tertiary institutions.
We are focusing the Government’s support of the $2.3 billion international education industry to drive better performance and earnings for our economy.
“National will link funding to educational performance,
publish employment data for graduates of each qualification,
and simplify the number of qualifications on offer.
We’ll maintain interest-free student loans
and aggressively chase overseas-based borrowers to repay their loans.”
Key facts
•  Lifted performance at tertiary institutions.
•  Retained interest-free student loans.
•  Made student loan borrowers more responsible for completing and repaying their  loans,  requiring students  to meet their  responsibilities to the taxpayer.
•  Boosted international education.
•  Four times as many  students  as  in 2008  are  accessing literary and numeracy in foundation  education courses.
•  12,000 more  core tertiary student  places.
•  Higher  course achievement  and completion.
Related policies
Skills Training
Education in Schools
National has…
Lifted performance at tertiary institutions
Funded more student places at universities, polytechnics, and private training providers than ever before.
Reduced funding for low-level and short hobby courses that don’t provide marketable skills for students.
Published tertiary institution performance information.
Set up performance-linked funding so institutions will be funded on the results they achieve, rather than raw enrolment numbers.
Started simplifying the qualifications framework
Focused on course quality and nationally recognised qualifications to make them simpler for employers and students to understand.
Reduced by half the number of low-volume qualifications.
Boosted international education
Launched a single, focused government agency for export education – Education New Zealand – to drive better performance and earnings in this $2.3 billion industry.
Increased promotional funding for international education by $10 million a year.
Encouraged literacy and numeracy
• Embedded literacy and numeracy into much more lower-level foundation education.
Supported Canterbury
 Reopened tertiary institutions promptly  after  the February  22 earthquake.
 Provided $42 million in  Budget 2011 for  1500 new places towards 4500 construction-related  training places for Canterbury.
 Maintained funding for tertiary institutions,  despite a  reduction in students.
Enhanced  the  student  loan scheme
Retained  interest-free student loans
 Retained  interest-free student loans,  as promised in our 2008  policy.
Encouraged greater accountability
 Required  students to pass 50  per cent  of their full-time courses over two years  to  be  eligible for further  student loan support.
 Limited borrowing to  seven full-time studying years.
The standard undergraduate degree  takes only three years of full-time study, a medical degree takes six.
Incentivised early repayment
 Put in place a 10 per cent  student-loan  repayment bonus for voluntary payments  of $500 or  more.
Enhanced  borrower  responsibilities
 Stopping  loan eligibility for those in arrears  –  by at least  $500 for more than a year  – on their  student loan repayments.
 Actively chasing overdue borrowers in  Australia and Britain.
 Shortened  the repayment holiday for overseas based borrowers from three years to one.
 Required every new loan application to include a New Zealand-based contact person.
 Put in place a two-year stand-down for  Australians and new permanent  residents.
 Restricted borrowing for people aged 55 and  over to tuition fees only.
 Started broadening  the definition of income  for student-loan  repayment purposes.
 Hold the loan  repayment  threshold at  $19,084 until 1 April 2015.
Our results  so far…
More  tertiary places
•  12,000 more  core full-time tertiary  places  funded  in 2012  than in 2008
without increasing  the tertiary  budget, by delivering better value for-money  from investment  in tertiary  education and the student loan scheme.
Better courses and  higher  completion rates
•  Cut  the number of poor quality  courses  by at  least 15%.
Around  three  in four courses are  now at certificate  4 level or above.
•  Six  Institutes of Technology  and Polytechnics  (ITPs)  had course completion rates  of 78 per  cent or  more in 2010, compared with  just  one ITP  in 2009.
More adult students  gaining literacy  and  numeracy  skills
•  Over  83,000 adults  are accessing  literacy and  numeracy in foundation courses  in 2011.
This  is  four times  as many as  in 2008.
Better value from the student loan  scheme
•  Reducing  the write-down on new  student  loans  from 47.4  cents in the dollar  (2010)  to 44.7 (projected for  2012), saving $42 million.
•  Recovered $4.7 million in overdue debt  through a successful pilot programme aimed  at 1000 Australian-based loan holders.
Judgement day for   defaulting students  –  Dominion Post  editorial, 3 Oct, 2011
•  Have recently expanded the debt recovery  programme  to 50,000 debtors in Australia and Britain.
An estimated $289 million is  overdue from  people living overseas.
Less bureaucracy
•  Reduced staff numbers at the Tertiary  Education Commission  to 224, down from  355 in  December 2008.
What we will do next…
1. Keep driving better outcomes for students from tertiary education
• Link funding to educational performance outcomes from 2012.
Performance-linked funding will improve educational outcomes for students and employers
and improve value for money.
Five per cent of a tertiary provider’s tuition funding will be at risk each year, based on their performance against four clearly defined achievement indicators.
 Collect and publish employment  data for  graduates of  each qualification.
Making this information  public will help  students  decide which avenues of study  are more likely to lead to the careers  they want.
 Continue to reform  the qualifications system,  with a target of around 1,200 qualifications by 2014,  down from over 6000  in 2008.
Employers and industry have told us they  want  a simplified system that  allows  qualifications to be recognised more readily  nationwide.
 Limit  Level 1 and  2 tertiary  provision to those  who haven’t previously achieved Level 1 and  2 qualifications at  school or  at  tertiary level  – with the exception of  ESOL  and Maori language courses.
2. Build stronger tertiary institutions
Continue to invest available additional funds in higher-quality, higher-level study and research.
We want to ensure younger New Zealanders are prepared with the best possible skills to achieve in the modern world.
Work to continue to improve the governance and operations of publicly-owned tertiary institutions.
Continue to remove differences in funding treatment between public and private providers.
National will ensure funding is prioritised at all times to the results achieved, rather than towards who owns the tertiary institution.
Investigate, as the focus on quality and outcomes improves performance, the possibility of relaxing funding caps for high quality providers and allowing them more flexibility to adjust their offerings and grow their institutions.
3. Support literacy and numeracy
• Embed literacy and numeracy in every level 1 and 2 foundation course across the tertiary system.
Building fundamental skills in literacy and numeracy is a core of our education system.
What we will do next…(continued)
4. Boost international education
 Work to double the value of export  education services to New  Zealand to   $5 billion over  the next  15 years.
We will use the new Crown Agency,  Education New Zealand, and its additional $40  million budget  to  work alongside schools,  tertiary institutions, and  service providers to  lift  our income from  export education.
 Ensure robust  monitoring and accountability  of international providers.
National is determined to protect the value  of the New Zealand education brand in the  world marketplace.
5. Further enhance student loans
 Maintain  interest-free student loans.
National  wants  to  help students  get the qualifications they  need  to succeed, make the  most of their opportunities,  and play their  part in growing our economy.
 Enforce borrower responsibilities  and  ramp up  our campaign to seek repayment  of  overdue student debt from  New Zealanders  living overseas.
70 per cent of overdue debt is owed by those now living overseas – even though they only represent 15 per cent of borrowers.
We estimate savings of $38 million over four years.
It’s only fair that those living and working overseas who have a student loan pay back their overdue debt to help make the scheme more sustainable for the next generation of students.
 Ensure students  who borrow from  the scheme are  working towards  qualifications  that can  attract an income  that  allows them  to pay back the loan.
It doesn’t make sense to let  students get into  debt if they  are unlikely to  obtain  a qualification that allows them to earn  enough to pay that debt back.
 Prevent  students who borrow for  tuition fees  from signing up to a course of study  that  exceeds  2-2.5  equivalent full-time students  (EFTS) in one year.
Some students are borrowing for very large course loads in one academic year.
In many cases, they are changing their minds about what they will study more than once within that year.
National will consult on, and institute a limit of between 2 and 2.5 EFTS per year.
This will prevent taxpayer money being wasted in this way, and prevent borrowers building up big loans for no benefit to them.
Labour would take New Zealand backwards
Under  Labour:
No accountability for money spent
 Huge amounts of money were wasted in tertiary education.
 Success was determined by how much was spent, not whether it got  results.
 There was no accountability for the taxpayer subsidies paid to tertiary providers.
Too many courses and  unacceptably  low completion rates
 The number of degree-level graduates did not improve between 2000 and 2008, despite huge increases in funding.
 A bloated qualifications register caused confusion for students and employers.
When National took office, there were more than 120 tourism certificate courses on offer around the country.
Poor  quality  control  in international  education
 Quality in the international education  sector  was ignored.
The result was a rollercoaster in enrolments that damaged the tertiary sector and cost New Zealand hundreds of millions of dollars.
The student loan scheme became unsustainable
 Almost no conditions were imposed on students taking out a loan.
 The costs of student debt, and the loan scheme, were allowed to balloon unchecked.
Failing students were allowed to become trapped in debt, without gaining the qualifications they needed to afford repayments.
We can’t afford  another  dose of Labour.
SKILLS  TRAINING   Building  a Stronger Economy
Building a skilled workforce
Workers need the right skills to make the most of their opportunities, earn higher incomes, and contribute to New Zealand’s future.
And businesses need well-trained workers with the right mix of skills to grow and succeed.
Improving skills is a key part of National’s agenda to
help people into work,
help our businesses grow,
improve productivity, and build a stronger economy
with higher-paid jobs.
Getting better results from investment in skills
Government funding for on-the-job training almost trebled under Labour.
But funding increases were not matched with any accountability for the funding, or a significant increase in performance.
We now spend over $4 billion a year on tertiary education.
This includes industry training and modern apprenticeships.
That’s about 1.6 per cent of GDP, which is high relative to the OECD average of 1.2 per cent.
Our challenge is to ensure we are getting the best results for students, taxpayers, and the economy, right across the tertiary sector, including in industry and vocational training.
New Zealand has a strong history of vocational training.
National will build on this by effectively engaging with industry, adopting innovative approaches to training, and providing meaningful and relevant qualifications for young people.
“National will ensure better results for industry trainees and apprentices, and re-invest more funding as demand grows.
We will keep more 16-and 17-year olds engaged in vocational education, and help young people on benefits into skills training.
Key facts
•  Industry  trainees  achieved 14  per cent  more  credits in 2010 than in  2008.
•  We’ve reduced the number  of qualifications  at levels 1 to 6 from  4600 to an  estimated  3100 –  with  more progress to  come.
•  Four times  as many adult  students as in 2008  are  gaining literacy and numeracy skills in their  foundation courses.
•  We’ve supported 15,500 young people to  get work  skills through our successful Job  Opportunities  programme.
The  vast majority of these are no longer  on a  benefit.
National has…
Improved vocational pathways
Made good progress in simplifying vocational pathways – especially with the targeted review of qualifications, which is being managed by NZQA.
Improved the provision of vocational and skills training
Shifted the funding system from one that focuses on inputs – or how many places are being funded – towards a model that focuses more on results – or how many trainees are getting the qualifications they need.
Removed funding for low-value short courses and pure regulatory compliance.
Established a new operational policy for Industry Training Organisations (ITOs) that targets funding at the actual progress of trainees.
Reformed the governance of polytechs.
Started a wider review of industry training policy.
This is examining the ITO model and how it has evolved, how industry training works in other countries, and whether the current system can be improved to perform at its full potential.
Improved literacy and numeracy in the workplace
Encouraged literacy and numeracy to be embedded as part of all level 1 and 2 training.
This is part of the Government’s wider push for embedded literacy and numeracy in all foundational learning.
Increased options for 16-and 17year-olds to stay engaged and train
• Established the Youth Guarantee.
The Youth Guarantee provides fee-free school-level skills training for 16-and 17-year-olds at:
−  Tertiary institutions such as universities, polytechs, wananga and private training organisations.
−  Trades Academies: partnerships with schools and local training providers that allow students to earn worthwhile qualifications while learning practical skills.
−  Service Academies, which are military style programmes that offer courses in leadership and outdoor education while students earn NCEA literacy and numeracy credits.
 Provided funding for 2,500  Youth Guarantee places.
 Created  eight  Trades  Academies and 19  Service  Academies.
Helped young beneficiaries get better skills
• Rolled out our $152 million Youth Opportunities package, which included:
−  12,000 places in Job Ops: six-month job placements in businesses for low-skilled young people so they can develop work skills and confidence,
with a $5000 subsidy to employers.
−  5000 places in Community Max places: jobs for up to six months in community programmes,
connecting young people to the positive work going on in our communities.
−  1970 places in the Limited Service Volunteer programme: instilling discipline, confidence, and motivation in 18-to 24year-olds.
Introduced a 90-day trial period for new employees
 Introduced the voluntary 90-day  trial period  for new employees in small  businesses.
 Expanded the 90-day trial period to  all businesses following its successful  implementation.
Our results  so far…  A simpler  qualifications framework
•  Reduced the number  of qualifications at  levels  1 to 6  from 4600 to an  estimated  3100  by the end  of 2011, with further  progress  due in 2012 and 2013.
More achievement and  better value  in industry  training
•  Preliminary 2010  performance data for  the industry training sector  shows a significant  increase in both the credit achievement rate and the credit weighted programme completion rates  over 2008 and 2009.
Trainees have achieved:  −  A 14% increase in total credits  since 2008.
−  A  significant increase in the number of  qualifications in the 2010/11 June year, according to NZQA data.
•  Recovered approximately $4 million from  ITOs  for trainees  who  were not  eligible for funding.
More adult students  gaining literacy  and  numeracy  skills
•  Since 2008, we’ve seen the  number of adults  accessing programmes with  an embedded  literacy and numeracy component  more than quadruple.
These are courses  covering any  number of areas, from hairdressing to  horticulture, that include the development  of core literacy and numeracy  skills.
•  Over  83,000 adults are accessing literary and  numeracy in foundation courses in 2011.
Helped young  people into work
•  90% of  young people  who completed  a Job  Ops programme  are  no longer  on welfare.
•  75% of young  people who completed  a Community Max  programme  are no longer  on a benefit.
•  13,000 jobs  were created in small businesses  through the 90-day trial period, according to  research by  New Zealand Institute of  Economic Research.
This research did not  include the extension of the 90-day trial period to all businesses on  1 October 2010.
What we will do next…
1. Improve vocational pathways
• Further reduce the number of qualifications at levels one to six – to simplify the whole pathway for trades and skills qualifications.
National wants to ensure that qualifications are relevant and that their value is well understood by trainees and employers.
We will reduce the number of qualifications from the current 3100 to around 1300 by the end of 2014 to help achieve this.
• Develop new vocational pathways at the secondary and tertiary interface.
Initial pathways are being developed for: − Construction and infrastructure
− Primary industries
− Social and community services
− Service industries
− Manufacturing and technology
Vocational pathways will help bridge the gap between education and employment.
They will describe the learning and assessment standards valued by broad sectors of industry.
They will also include a career and study map that will show young people their potential occupations and future study options.
Clear vocational pathways will encourage more students to stay in education, so they can achieve qualifications valued by industry.
2. Improve the provision of vocational and skills training
Keep improving the performance of the whole industry training sector.
We will use the Tertiary Education Commission’s new Industry Training Register to monitor the progress of trainees in different industries around the country.
We’ll also focus all providers on achieving meaningful results for trainees and their employers.
Re-invest more funding in industry training as demand grows, following the global recession.
Encourage more ITO mergers to simplify and strengthen the industry training system.
While there have been some mergers to date, we currently have 33 ITOs in New Zealand.
As a comparison, Australia has just 11 Skills Councils, which are equivalent organisations across the Tasman.
Complete and implement the comprehensive wider review of Industry Training Policy.
In particular, we will address any structural issues that hamper cooperation between on the-job and off-the-job training providers.
What we will do next…(continued)
3. Improve literacy and numeracy in the workplace
Extend requirements for adult literacy and numeracy to level 3 courses so that they are a core part of training for all courses from levels 1 to 3.
Fundamental skills in literacy and numeracy are a core part of the skills needed in our workforce.
We want to ensure trainees pick up these skills while they are learning.
Keep investing, alongside employers, in intensive literacy and numeracy training for those workers with very low levels of literacy and numeracy or with English as a second language.
4. Keep more 16-and 17-year-olds actively engaged in learning skills
• Establish a new category of specialist teacher which will allow experts in particular areas, notably trades, to be employed by schools and deliver specialised courses.
We will make it easier for schools to employ people with specialist skills who may not be a registered teacher but can undergo basic teacher-training (which may be on the job).
This will allow schools to provide similar courses to polytechnics with similar teachers, and provide better consistency of teaching between secondary and tertiary education.
 Make it easier for  schools, tertiary education  providers,  and local business to set-up a trade  or  service academy themselves.
The current funding system  limits  the ability  of schools to  fund students  on a  per pupil  basis,  so they can  learn at  a Trades or  Service Academy.
We will bring more  flexibility  to  the  system to  provide a better  transition  between secondary and tertiary education.
 Review careers guidance in schools.
We want to make sure that careers guidance  meets the needs  of students, and that they  are being given effective advice on courses, careers,  and tertiary  study
–  particularly for  those teenagers who are interested in  vocational skills.
 Track students who leave school before 18  and make sure they are in some form of  education  or training.
We  don’t want to see  students just drop  out  of the system.
Schools  will be asked  to report students who are leaving school and not  going on  to  further training or  employment so  we can  support them  and  they  don’t end  up on the dole queue.
 Develop better education options for teen parents.
Having a baby can  be a huge barrier to education.
We will work to  remove barriers  by establishing teen parent  units in centres of high need and ensuring there are links between schools and accessible early  childhood care.
 Enhance the Youth Guarantee.
National will create  flexible learning  environments  to provide more options to  engage at-risk  students in the  education system.
 Provide  12,500 Youth Guarantee places  in  the wider Youth Guarantee from  2014.
We will provide more  options to engage at risk 16- and 17 year old  students so they  stay  in the education system learning for longer.
 Open further  Trades  Academies  from  Auckland to Cromwell.
 Open eight new Service Academies in 2012.
According to a  recent Education Review Office (ERO)  report, service academies are having a  positive effect  on some of our most difficult  students, according to a recent ERO review.
5. Help young beneficiaries get better work skills
• Provide 1000 places for 16-to 24-year-olds in the Skills for Growth programme.
Our new Skills for Growth programme gives young people a real chance to get the skills they need for a career.
Employers in industries such as aged care, agriculture, and horticulture get a $5000 subsidy to hire a young person struggling to find work.
The young person gets a job and training towards a recognised industry qualification.
We allocated $17.2 million over four years in Budget 2011 to fund this programme.
• Provide 3000 places for 16-to 24-year-olds in Job Ops with Training.
Job Ops with Training offers employers a $5000 subsidy to employ and train a young person for six months.
Our successful Job Ops programme offers employers a $5000 subsidy to employ a 16 to 24-year-old for six months.
We’re taking that further by requiring the employer to develop a six-month training programme as part of the deal.
We’re funding this programme with $13 million this year allocated in Budget 2011.
• Provide 1500 places for 18-to 24-year-olds in the Limited Service Volunteer programme.
The Limited Service Volunteer programme gives young people who lack confidence and have been on a benefit for more than six months, basic military and life training skills so they have confidence to find a job.
We’re expanding this successful six-week residential programme which is delivered by the NZ Defence Force in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.
We’re funding this programme with $25 million over four years as allocated in Budget 2011.
6. Introduce a ‘starting-out’ wage for new workers
• Establish a new ‘starting-out’ wage – a minimum wage set at 80 per cent of the adult minimum wage.
This will be available for 16-to 19-year-olds who meet certain criteria, and are starting work with a new employer, in recognised industry training, or have just come off a benefit.
The starting-out wage will help our youngest and most inexperienced workers get a foot on the employment ladder and learn work skills.
Just as the voluntary 90-day trial period is providing thousands of job opportunities for inexperienced workers, the starting-out wage will help young people who would otherwise be locked out of a job.
For many, it will provide an opportunity to gain skills, earn money, and get the valuable work experience they need to compete in the open labour market to get work.
It will also encourage employers to give a young worker a job, where they may have been unwilling to hire them on the adult minimum wage.
For more details, see our Employment Relations policy.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Under  Labour:   Too many  industry training courses were of questionable quality and  had  unacceptably low  completion rates.
 A bloated  qualifications register  caused  confusion for  students  and  employers.
When National  took  office, there were more than  120 tourism certificate and  diploma courses  on offer around the country.
 There  was poor  accountability for the money  spent by  tertiary providers.
We can’t afford  another  dose of Labour.
HEALTH:  SHORTER  WAITING  TIMES  Building  Better Public Services
More operations, less waiting
Patients have a much better chance of recovering and getting on with their lives when they are diagnosed and treated, and return home in a timely way.
National will continue to deliver more operations, faster treatment, and a better chance for a healthier life.
We will continue to focus on better, sooner, more convenient healthcare
for all New Zealanders.
Improving quality in our health service
Only a few years ago, it was increasingly difficult to get elective surgery for essential operations, such as hip and knee replacements, cataract removal, or gall bladder removal.
People were waiting days to be seen in emergency departments.
Many cancer patients had to fly to Australia for vital radiation treatment.
Despite difficult economic times, our careful economic management and focus on efficiency has meant District Health Boards are now providing more care sooner, and significantly improving patient services in our hospitals.
More patients are receiving elective surgery and getting to see hospital specialists faster.
Our target for shorter stays in emergency departments means faster care for thousands of patients with urgent injuries and needs.
All cancer patients ready for radiation treatment are receiving it within the world gold standard of four weeks.
National will keep increasing elective operations, reduce waiting times, and deliver faster, more convenient healthcare
for all New Zealanders.
“National will provide even more elective surgery.
Our goal is that all patients booked for elective surgery will wait no more than four months.
We will extend the four-week maximum waiting time target for cancer radiation treatment to include chemotherapy.
And we will reduce waiting times for important diagnostic tests and further reduce waiting times in emergency departments”.
Key facts
More  elective operations
500  extra patients  a week,  or 27,000 a year,  are now getting  elective  surgery  – a 22% increase since 2008.
Less waiting in emergency departments
A record  92% of emergency patients  are  being treated, admitted, or  discharged within six hours.
Less waiting for cancer  patients
Waiting times for  patients ready  for  cancer  radiation treatment  have  been reduced to just four weeks.
National has…
Boosted health funding
Increased spending on the public health service by $1.5 billion over three years, despite some of the toughest financial times in our history.
We will continue to work on getting value for money.
800 extra doctors and 2000 extra nurses in public hospitals since late 2008.
Lifted performance in District Health Boards
Introduced new health targets so District Health Boards (DHBs) can focus on patients and care.
DHB clinicians and management have responded magnificently to the Government’s targets.
Published DHB performance against the National Health Targets on a quarterly basis.
Increased amounts of same-day surgery and minor surgery in GP clinics to improve patient convenience.
Improved efficiency to free up money and time,
and provide better care for patients.
The Releasing Time To Care Programme has significantly increased the amount of time nurses spend on direct patient care.
It is now being used in 100 wards around the country.
Introduced the Productive Operating Theatre Programme from the UK’s National Health Service.
This reduced delays and the number of cancelled operations, and increased the number of surgeries.
Focused on specialists
Made increasing access to specialists a priority.
Improved cancer radiation treatment
Funded 10 new linear accelerators for better, sooner, cancer radiation treatment.
Reduced waiting time to world-best standards.
Built dedicated  elective surgery theatres
Built four dedicated elective surgery theatres at Greenlane Hospital.
Approved dedicated theatres at North Shore and Waikato hospitals.
More dedicated elective surgery theatres means acute cases don’t disrupt booked operations.
This leads to more elective operations and a better quality of life for more people.
Our  results  so far
We’re making each health dollar go further  through a  focus on  efficiency  and less bureaucracy.
Substantially increased elective operations
•  60,000 extra patients have received elective  surgery over the past  three years.
This  includes:  −  23,000 more  operations  for people aged  over 65.
−  3100 more  operations  for children aged  nine and under.
Less  waiting for cancer patients
•  Patients  needing, and ready  for, radiation  treatment are getting it  in  the world gold  standard of four weeks.
•  No patient has had to  travel to Australia for  cancer  radiation treatment  since late 2008.
Less  waiting for emergency patients
•  92 per cent  of patients have been treated,  admitted,  or discharged  from  emergency departments  within six hours.
Boosted  specialist assessments
•  106,000  more patients have had  medical or  surgical specialist appointments  over the past  three years.
What we will do next…
1. Reduce waiting for elective surgery
• Ensure all patients booked for elective surgery receive it within no more than four months by the end of 2014.
More timely elective surgery often means less pain and anguish for patients and their families.
Reduced waiting also means a quicker return to normal life, including getting back to work.
Long waits undermine confidence in our public health service.
Currently, around 80 per cent of patients get the elective surgery they need within four months, and 91 per cent within six months.
National will shorten the wait-time goal to no more than four months without culling patients off waiting lists.
We can achieve this through maintaining the current growth in elective surgery volumes.
• Increase the number of patients getting elective surgery by at least 4,000 a year.
This is one of the Government’s six health targets and will help support the increased service needed to reduce waiting times further.
More dedicated elective theatres will support more operations and shorter waiting times.
Surgery will not be disrupted by acute cases and accidents.
DHBs are expanding the “Productive Operating Theatre” initiative.
We will continue to grow the number of elective operations to allow for population growth and ageing.
• Make sure patients needing a specialist appointment are seen within no more than four months by the end of 2014.
A record 145,000 patients received elective surgery in the past year –
27,000 more than under Labour.
We will provide $12 million a year to boost elective surgery, support these changes to waiting times, and continue the excellent progress our public service is making to increase elective operations.
Funding will come from annual increases in the health budget,
and DHBs will continue to make better use of their resources to support these new targets.
2. Reduce waiting for emergency patients
• Further reduce waiting in emergency departments (EDs).
Emergency Departments are a barometer for how well a whole hospital is working.
An efficient hospital means faster access to tests and beds, and patients getting back home as soon as they are ready.
Under the previous government, some people waited days to be seen.
Under National, 92 per cent of all patients are seen, treated, or discharged from our emergency departments within six hours.
We will work to meet the National Health Target of 95 per cent by 30 June 2012.
DHBs will continue to fund these improvements from within their budgets.
3. Reduce waiting for cancer patients
• Further reduce cancer treatment waiting times.
National will expand the four-week maximum waiting time target for radiation treatment to include chemotherapy treatment.
Considerable progress has already been made towards this objective over the past year.
This will be provided within existing DHB budgets.
4. Reduce waiting for important tests
• Reduce waiting times for important diagnostic tests such as CT scans, MRI scans, angiograms, and colonoscopies.
Patients are often referred to a hospital specialist before they can get an important scan or test.
This means waiting, in some cases up to six months, for an appointment to see the specialist before the patient is even referred for a test or scan.
That often means even more waiting.
Under National, more DHBs are letting GPs refer patients directly for diagnostic tests like MRIs and CT scans.
Direct referral from a GP means patients can get these tests sooner, meaning faster diagnosis and ultimately, better, sooner treatment.
National will work with health professionals to establish new maximum waiting times for diagnostic tests like MRI scans, CT scans, angiograms, and colonoscopies.
England and Canada use maximum waiting times for these tests.
Currently there is no national system for monitoring waiting times for these tests.
We’ll provide $4 million from the annual increase in the health budget to fund the first stage of better, sooner access to important diagnostic tests.
Labour  would take  New Zealand  backwards
A return  to Labour means  more bureaucracy,  more committees,  endless visions that never  deliver, and fewer  Kiwis getting operations.
Under Labour:
 Real access to elective surgery was cut.
 Access to Specialist Assessments was cut.
 Some people had  to  travel to Australia for  cancer radiation treatment.
 30,000 patients were culled  off hospital  waiting lists.
 Labour is  proposing to put less emphasis on  the emergency department,  cancer and  elective services.
Labour has criticised  our  work to improve hospital waiting times.
Patients can’t afford another dose  of Labour.
SENIOR   CITIZENS  Building a Brighter Future
A brighter future for older New Zealanders
National is working hard to ensure older New Zealanders get the security, wellbeing, and respect they deserve.
Over the past three years, we’ve focused on building stronger and more sustainable economic growth.
This is the only way we will achieve the financial security and brighter future older New Zealanders deserve.
National’s strong economic management has ensured all rates of New Zealand Superannuation are increasing regularly.
When the economy is growing and after-tax wages increase, rates of Super go up.
Our across-the-board tax cuts are also increasing Superannuation payments.
It is in older New Zealanders’ interests to support National’s stronger economic policies.
Building better frontline public services
We’ve targeted more funding on the frontline health service
and our six clear health targets are helping District Health Boards nationwide to concentrate on priority areas, such as more elective surgeries and shorter waiting times.
We’ve put more Police on our streets to keep New Zealanders safe and we’re cracking down on violent crime.
We’re spending more on education than ever before, so our children receive the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a modern economy, here in New Zealand.
“National will set minimum standards for home and community support providers.
We will continue to grow the number of aged care nurses in the Voluntary Bonding Scheme,
and further reduce waiting times for elective surgery, cancer treatment, and important diagnostic tests.”
Key facts
•  Reduced personal  taxes across the board and cut taxes on savings.
•  NZ  Super is up  19 per cent  since April 2008.
The married rate is up $166 a fortnight.
The single living alone rate  is up by almost $108.
•  More frontline public  services:   −  800 more doctors and 2000 more nurses  in our public health system.
−  Provided  $100 million  a year more for  primary care and  GP subsidies.
−  600 more Police by the end  of  2011.
•  23,000 more  elective surgeries  for over 65s.
•  165,000 home upgrades  with insulation or  clean heating.
•  Crime  is down 8.9%  per person in the past  two years, and  the lowest  it’s been since 1982.
•  National Standards  in  literacy and numeracy in  primary and  intermediate schools.
National has…
Boosted support for seniors
Increased all rates of Superannuation.
Implemented trans-Tasman Super portability to allow New Zealand Superannuitants living in Australia to transfer their entitlements to certain Australian Super schemes.
Increased funding for the SuperGold Card public transport scheme by $9 million, taking the total to $45 million over the next two years.
Signed reciprocal SuperGold Card arrangements with Australian state and territorial governments so seniors can get commercial discounts when travelling in Australia and New Zealand.
Built a safer New Zealand
Passed 18 new public safety laws, including tougher sentencing, bail, and parole laws.
Passed the Three Strikes law for the worst repeat violent offenders.
Put 600 more Police on the beat around the country by the end of 2011.
Passed new laws to increase sentences for involvement in gangs,
and boosted powers to intercept gang communications and dismantle fortifications.
Introduced a law to restrict access to methamphetamine (P) precursor chemicals
and created dedicated anti-drug taskforces in Customs.
Imposed a $50 levy on all offenders, regardless of the crime they commit,
and used it to fund 13 new services for victims.
Provided  better  healthcare for  over 65s
 Put in place health  targets, focusing DHBs on  better  frontline services  –  such as elective  surgery, and waiting times for cancer and  emergency department treatment.
 $300 million  extra annual funding for Health  of Older  People,
and $46  million extra annual  funding  for  home support services.
 Provided an extra $5  million to support  respite care.
 Increased funding for dementia services, with  almost  200 extra dementia  beds over the nex  two years.
Improved aged care
 Introduced spot  audits to strengthen  monitoring in rest homes,
and published  rest  home audits online.
 Introduced  regular, personalised assessments  for  people living in rest  homes.
Now people  living in rest homes will have their health  comprehensively assessed at least every six months.
 Provided an additional $18  million a year  to  help rest homes support and retain nursing staff.
 Provided extra specialised  training for 300  aged care nurses.
 Extended the voluntary bonding scheme to  include aged  care nurses.
25  per cent of nursing graduates who  registered interest in the Scheme in 2011 are either currently  working in,  or  intending to work,  in aged care.
Restored confidence in our financial sector
Established the one-stop-shop Financial Markets Authority with a sharper focus on enforcing the law.
Tightened oversight of those working in the financial markets.
This includes financial advisors, trustees, and auditors.
Got government spending under control, and set a return to surplus by 2014/15, so that we don’t leave growing debt for the next generation of New Zealanders.
Invested in New Zealand’s future
Allocated $12 billion for educating children, the highest level of education funding ever.
Provided $1.4 billion this year for early childhood education, a 40 per cent funding increase since 2008.
Opened eight trades academies this year, with 13 more to follow, helping young people learn practical skills alongside literacy and numeracy.
Providing 11,600 more core places in tertiary education.
Maintained interest-free student loans,
while getting better value out of the scheme for taxpayers.
Supported Canterbury  seniors
 Telephoned  over 23,000  seniors after the  September and February  earthquakes to  ensure they were safe
and provided  support where needed.
Improved services for senior citizens
Moved Senior Services into a dedicated unit within the Ministry of Social Development.
Set up a single dedicated line for Senior Citizen’s call centre operations 0800 552 002.
Introduced online services and applications for superannuitants.
Kept our doors open to seniors groups, such as Grey Power and Age Concern, to improve services for seniors.
Made it easier to take a 'Golden Years OE'
• Passed the Social Assistance (Payment of NZ Superannuation and Veterans Pension Overseas) Amendment Act. Now superannuitants travelling and living overseas can receive up to 100 per cent of their New Zealand entitlement, depending on how long they've lived here.
Our results  so far …
NZ Super  has  gone  up
•  All rates of New Zealand Superannuation  have increased by  19 per cent since 2008:
−  The married rate is up by  $166 a fortnight.
−  The  single living alone rate increased by  almost $108  a fortnight.
New Zealand is becoming safer
•  Crime is down in every  Police district in  the  country.
Per capita crime is  now the lowest it’s  been since 1982.
•  700 criminals have  received  their first strike  under the Three Strikes  Law.
•  $30.4 million  of P was seized in 2010.
This is  46 per cent more  than in 2009.
•  $40 million  has been seized from  criminals  to date this year under  the new proceeds of  crime laws.
•  Boy racing  offences are down by 15 per cent.
•  The Police have issued over 6000 Police  Safety Orders, confirming this as an effective  new tool to manage family violence situations.
Healthcare  is better
•  Over  800 more doctors and over 2000 more  nurses  are  working in our  DHBs.
•  23,000 extra  operations, such as hip and knee replacements, have been completed  for patients  aged over  65 since 2008.
•  92 per cent of patients  are being treated,  admitted,  or discharged from emergency  departments within six hours.
•  Patients needing, and ready  for, cancer  radiation  treatment are getting it in  the  world  gold standard of four weeks.
•  No patient has had to  travel to Australia for  cancer radiation treatment  since late 2008.
Homes are warmer, drier, and  healthier
What we will do next…
1. Maintain NZ Superannuation
Ensure New Zealand Superannuation for married couples continues to be at least 66 per cent of the after-tax average wage, paid from age 65.
All other Superannuation rates will continue to be calculated from this base.
Older New Zealanders deserve financial security in their retirement.
John Key has reaffirmed his promise to all New Zealanders that the age of Super eligibility will not change under National.
2. Set minimum standards for home and community support providers
Set a minimum standard for the quality of care that home and community support providers deliver to older New Zealanders.
We want older people who are receiving home-based support, and their families, to know they are getting quality, best-practice levels of care.
Currently, there is only a voluntary standard that providers can choose to meet.
A national minimum standard will mean the same level of care is expected from providers, no matter where they are or who they work with.
These minimum standards will be set by Standards NZ and rolled out to cover all providers of home-based support services around the country.
3. Expand the Voluntary Bonding Scheme
Continue to grow the numbers of aged care nurses in the Voluntary Bonding Scheme.
National added aged care nursing to the Voluntary Bonding Scheme in 2011, recognising the need for these health professionals across the country.
1800 doctors, nurses, and midwives have already signed up to our Voluntary Bonding Scheme in hard-to-staff areas and specialties, including aged care.
4. Further reduce waiting times for surgery and treatment
Ensure that, by December 2014:
−  All patients ready and booked for elective surgery get their operations within four months.
−  All patients needing a specialist appointment are seen within no more than four months.
Expand the four-week maximum waiting-time target for radiation treatment to include chemotherapy treatment.
Reduce waiting times for important diagnostic tests such as CT scans, MRI scans, angiograms, and colonoscopies.
These changes will help ensure more older New Zealanders get the essential treatment and operations they need sooner.
5. Confront elder abuse
Encourage the Police to work closely with partner organisations to share information and improve responses to elder abuse.
For example, co-locating Age Concern staff in Police National Headquarters alongside Victim Support and Community Patrols to improve national co-ordination.
Older people who are dependent on others are vulnerable to abuse.
Two to three cases of elder abuse are reported to agencies every day.
Closer agency relationships and better information sharing allows better support and services for these cases.
6. Support the SuperGold Card
Continue to expand the commercial benefits and discounts available and accessible to all SuperGold Card holders.
There are over 1,300 New Zealand SuperGold business partners with 5,600 outlets nationwide.
National will work with businesses to increase the number and range of commercial benefits available for seniors through the card.
7. Make it easier to apply for Living Alone Assistance
Pass the Social Assistance (Living Alone Payment) Amendment Bill.
Currently superannuitants who live alone must apply for the living alone payment in addition to their superannuation.
This Bill will make a technical change to streamline the process so superannuitants living alone will need to make only one application, rather than two, to receive their full entitlement.
8. Roll out ultra-fast broadband
Roll out ultra-fast broadband to and connect New Zealand with the world.
We’re putting $1.5 billion towards a nationwide ultra-fast broadband network, including $300m for faster broadband in rural communities and schools.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Allowed  power  prices to skyrocket by  72  per cent  in nine years.
Under National they’ve  gone up a modest  13  per cent.
 Would impose a  capital gains tax on  investment  properties  and family farms,
and  will send  New Zealand back into debt.
 Would  impose six separate personal tax rates  on New  Zealanders.
 Was  very  slow  to react as  more than $6  billion was lost  from failing finance companies.
National has had  to fix problems in this area.
 Culled  30,000 patients  off hospital waiting lists  before  they  had received  surgery.
 Abolished  minimum staffing  levels in rest  homes in 2004.
 Has promised to repeal the  Three  Strikes law,  which keeps the worst serious and repeat  violent offenders behind bars.
 Allowed violent crime  to increase 47  per cent.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
ROAD   SAFETY  Building a  Safer New Zealand
Safer journeys, safer roads
National is determined to keep reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
We will make common-sense law changes that clearly target the groups and behaviours that have the most impact on our road toll.
Each decision will be based on evidence, and we will be careful not to impose unnecessary additional costs on general road users.
Tackling our road toll
Over the past three years, National has made tackling our road toll a key priority as we work to build a safer New Zealand.
We have focused our activities on groups of road users that have the worst accident record on the road.
These are young drivers, reckless speeders, repeat drink-drivers and those well over the limit, unlicensed drivers, and motorcyclists.
Safer Journeys
Our new Safer Journeys road safety strategy targets these groups, and takes a “safe system” approach to road safety.
It targets safer roads, safer speeds, safer vehicles, and safer driving.
Our huge and ongoing investment in the Roads of National Significance (RONS) and the State Highway network will considerably improve road safety on New Zealand’s busiest roads.
“National will stop young drivers abusing the graduated-licence system,
and introduce a tougher restricted licence test to encourage 120 hours practice.
We will invest just under $300 million a year from the National Land Transport Fund on safety improvements on our roads.”
Key facts
•  Outlawed  hand-held  mobile phone use while driving.
•  Targeted high-risk drivers  through:  −  Confronting illegal street  racing.
−  Zero blood alcohol for  repeat drink-drivers.
−  Introducing alcohol interlocks.
−  Doubling time in  jail for  dangerous driving and drink driving causing  death.
•  Tackling the  youth road toll:  −  Zero blood alcohol  for  under 20s.
−  Raised the driving age.
−  New tougher restricted licence tests.
−  Will prevent licence pooling.
•  The road toll is  starting to fall – the  nine months to Sept 2011  was the lowest ever.
•  Passed drugged  driving legislation  –  313  drugged drivers  convicted  so far.
•  Street-racing offences are down by 15  per cent.
•  Investing $12.2  billion  over 10 years  improving  our state highway network.
•  Changing the  give  way rule to  make  it safer.
National has…
Outlawed mobile phone use while driving
Passed a new law banning the use of a handheld mobile phone to call or text while driving.
Confronted illegal street racers
 Passed comprehensive legislation tackling illegal street racers.
This  includes:
−  Anti-cruising bylaws.
− Car crushing laws.
−  Demerit points for illegal street-racing offences.
Tackled drink driving
Introduced a zero blood alcohol limit for young drivers.
Introduced a zero blood alcohol limit for repeat drink-drivers.
Passed a law to introduce alcohol interlocks.
Doubled the maximum penalty for dangerous driving and drink driving causing death from five years to 10 years.
Raised the driving age
Lifted the driving licence age from 15 to 16.
Clamped down on drugged driving
Passed New Zealand’s first drugged driving legislation, to make it easier for police to capture those under the influence of drugs while driving.
Given Police more tools
• Introduced new automatic number plate recognition devices for police to make it easier to track down unlicensed and high risk drivers.
Our results  so far
The road  toll is coming down
The  road toll is  starting to trend down, with the  number of accidents,  serious injuries, and deaths  starting to drop.
•  In the  12 months  to  September  2011, the road  toll was the lowest  recorded,  with 305 people  dying on  our roads compared to 357  the previous year.
Many of National’s  new  road safety  measures  have  come into effect  only recently, so New Zealand  can  expect  further progress  over the next  term of government.
Street  racing offences  are  declining
•  Street-racing offences have  come down by  15 per cent  under  National.
•  77 boy racers are on their first or  second  strike towards getting their  car crushed.
Drugged  drivers  are  being taken off our  roads
•  313 drugged drivers  have been  arrested  and  convicted  under our  new  legislation.
Licence  pooling  – a  growing  problem
Compliance with licence conditions at  the learner and  restricted licence stages  reduces  the crash risk of  new drivers and riders.
It is  important  that licence conditions are not seen as optional.
Currently, 40  per cent  of learner licence holders  and 36  per cent of restricted licence holders  have been on their  current  licence for  more than  five  years.
This ‘pooling’ at  the learner  and restricted licence  stage  is increasing.
Licence pooling can lead to  the following  problems:
−  Increased incidences  of licence-condition  breaches, and a lack of  respect for the  graduated- licence scheme,  reducing its  effectiveness.
−  Drivers haven’t  had their  driving skills, ability  to perceive hazards, or  driving attitudes  assessed at the higher level  required by the  full licence test.
What we will do next...
1. Improve driver licensing
Introduce legislation to stop drivers staying on their learners and restricted licenses for long periods – so that they respect the graduated licensing system and learn to drive properly.
Introduce a tougher restricted licence test early in 2012 to encourage young people to get 120 hours practice before getting their restricted licence.
Strengthen motorcycle licence testing
and introduce a power-to-weight restriction for novice drivers.
These actions will help to increase the skill of drivers as part of an across-the-board approach to road safety.
2. Invest in road safety
Invest around $620 million annually on road safety over the next three years, including $295 million a year on safety improvements
and $300 million per year on road policing.
Continue to implement our 10-year road safety strategy Safer Journeys.
3. Confront dangerous driving
Rebalance speeding penalties in favour of demerit points and away from fines.
Evidence shows that demerit points are more effective at changing driver behaviour than fines.
4. Scientifically determine the harm from drink driving
 Use the new drink driving law to determine  the actual level of harm caused by  drivers  with a blood alcohol limit  between 0.05 and  0.08 milligrams of alcohol per litre of blood.
5. Improve safety at intersections
Change the give way rule in March 2012 to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists and consistent with every other country in the world.
This will reduce confusion on our roads, improve the safety of all road users and bring New Zealand into line internationally.
Introduce red light cameras where they are shown to be effective.
6. Improve our state highways
Keep improving our state highways with a $12.2 billion investment over 10 years.
Continue to build the Roads of National Significance (RONS) as fast as we realistically can.
This will mean our busiest highways are built to eliminate the risk of head-on crashes and risky passing manoeuvres.
RONS include: − Puhoi to Wellsford
− Auckland’s Western Ring Route
− Victoria Park Tunnel
− Waikato Expressway
− Tauranga Eastern Link
− Wellington Northern Corridor .
− Christchurch motorways
Labour would take New Zealand  backwards
When it was last in government, Labour:   Made few changes to road  safety policy  during its  nine years in office.
 Introduced a road safety  strategy, and then  took almost  no steps to action it.
 Threw money at  road safety,  but made no  attempt to hold people accountable for the  money spent.
 Made  very  limited  progress  reducing  the road  toll  over nine years.
We can’t afford to repeat  that again.
National has made great progress  on making our roads safer  and reducing  the road toll.
Labour would put that all  at risk.
RESOURCE   MANAGEMENT  Building a  Brighter Future
Improving resource management
Sensible management of our resources is critical to protect the environment
and promote stronger economic growth,
to create higher-paid jobs
and build a more prosperous New Zealand.
National is committed to the underlying principles of the Resource Management Act (RMA), including sustainable management,
an effects-based approach,
and community involvement in decisions on public resources.
Simplifying and streamlining the RMA
National’s reform programme has been about simplifying and streamlining RMA processes,
providing stronger central government direction,
and addressing problems in areas such as infrastructure, water and aquaculture.
Our phase 1 reforms involved 150 amendments to simplify and streamline the RMA, to reduce costs, uncertainties, and delays.
This has improved outcomes for the environment,
supported business investment,
and encouraged stronger economic growth.
Our phase 2 reforms will reduce delays around medium-sized projects,
improve freshwater management,
and better manage natural hazard risks.
We will also better align the RMA’s planning processes with transport and local government planning.
We will continue to ensure that the sustainable use of our resources goes hand-in-hand with stronger economic growth.
Six-month consenting for regional projects
National will establish a six-month time limit for decisions on regional projects.
That means medium sized developments that need notified consents will be processed more quickly.
Key facts
•  Set a nine-month time  limit for  consenting projects of national significance  through the Environmental Protection Agency.
Major  projects such as  Tauhara Geothermal Power  and the Waterview  Motorway Connection  have been consented in record times.
•  Streamlined  and simplified the Resource Management Act.
•  Reduced  late consents from 31% in 2008 to  5% in 2011.
The number of  late consents has  fallen by around 10,000 a year.
•  Adopted National Policy Statements  on coastal management, renewable energy, and  freshwater management.
•  Adopted  national standards on  contaminated  sites  and water  metering to improve  consistency around the country.
•  Advanced policy work on fresh-water reform  through the Land and  Water Forum, and on  infrastructure and urban design through  Technical Advisory  Groups.
National has…
Simplified and streamlined the Resource Management Act
Made 150 amendments to the RMA to reduce delays, uncertainties, and costs – the biggest reform of the RMA since 1991.
Removed frivolous, vexatious, and anticompetitive objections that can add thousands of dollars to consent applicants.
Removed the Ministerial veto on coastal consents.
Improved plan development and plan change processes, and resource consent processes.
Strengthened compliance by increasing penalties and providing for a wider range of enforcement.
Established the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) as a stand-alone Crown agency.
Appointed a Technical Advisory Group to review Sections 6 and 7 of the RMA.
Sped up consent processing
Established priority consenting through the EPA for projects of national significance, limiting the consent period to nine months.
Required councils to provide a discount for late processing of resource consents to reduce delays.
Provided greater Central Government direction
Developed National Policy Statements on: − Renewable energy generation
− Fresh water management
− Coastal management.
Introduced spatial planning for city development.
Supported Canterbury
Streamlined resource management processes to speed up land remediation work.
Fast-tracked Lyttelton Port reclamation for disposing earthquake rubble
and supported the Burwood recycling facility and the re-use of demolished building material.
Our results  so far…
Less red tape
•  Vexatious objections  due to  trade  competition  are no longer allowed.
Countdown Warkworth  was consented in just four months under  National.
Pak ‘N Save  Wairau Road on the North Shore took  six  years  to get consent  under Labour.
•  Tree trimming no longer  requires resource consent  in areas  such as  Auckland.
This is saving households $3 million a year.
Faster consent processing
•  The massive $2 billion Waterview project  has  been consented in just  nine  months.
•  Dramatic improvements in resource consent  processing.
Improved compliance
•  Fines doubled and twice as  many convictions  for consent breaches.
•  Compliance levels  consistently improving  for key sectors such as farming.
What we will do next…
1. Ensure responsible resource management supports the government’s growth objectives
• Introduce a six-month statutory time limit on the consenting of medium-sized projects.
National’s phase 1 reforms have made a huge difference to the timeliness of national-scale infrastructure projects.
They set a nine-month timeframe for decisions where previously the process often took many years.
We’ve also reduced the time for processing of small non-notified consents.
Penalties for late processing have seen late consents drop from 16,107 in 2007/08 to 1807 in 2010/11.
Our phase 2 reforms will set firm time limits for processing of medium-sized consents – those that require notification.
These projects are typically new industrial developments, new subdivisions, new retail developments, and regional infrastructure.
Around 1600 medium-sized consents are processed a year.
We will pass a new law setting a statutory maximum timeframe for these consents.
Strengthen urban design provisions and simplify planning processes in line with the “Competitive Cities” discussion paper.
Further reform is needed to streamline the planning process and get durable outcomes for all stakeholders.
Review the criteria that persons exercising functions and powers under the RMA are required to recognise, provide for, and have particular regard to.
The RMA gives more weight to the impact a subdivision has on salmon than the land’s susceptibility to natural hazards.
We need to carefully consider what must be included when applications are considered.
2. Simplify plan-making
• Improve the plan-making process between resource management, transport, and local government.
There is poor integration between the resource management, land transport, and local government planning processes.
This makes the overall planning system cumbersome, unresponsive, and expensive.
National’s phase 2 reforms will simplify plan making.
We will ensure that planning for our communities can be done with a much simpler planning and consultation process covering resource management, transport and local government.
These reforms will be based on the Technical Advisory Group reports on how to improve processes for urban design and infrastructure.
3. Revise Sections 6 and 7 of the RMA
 Better address natural hazard risks.
The lack of any mention in the RMA of  natural hazards has been exposed as a  weakness following the Canterbury  earthquakes.
Significant new areas of  subdivision are being approved without any  consideration of liquefaction risk.
National will revise the RMA  to  include specific  consideration of risks from  natural hazards.
 Better manage  the growth  of our urban  environments.
The vast majority of resource consents are for urban developments yet Sections 6 and 7 give little guidance to decision-makers on how these can be better managed.
National will amend the RMA to make guidance clearer.
• Repeal and replace the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control, and Land Drainage Acts.
These  Acts date back to  the early 20th  Century.
We will amend the RMA to  incorporate remnants of these Acts into the  one statute.
4. Improve water management
• Progress the Land and Water Forum’s recommendations to improve freshwater management, quality, and allocation.
We established the Land and Water Forum as a collaborative process to help agree on a way forward and balance economic and environmental priorities.
The Forum has made 51 initial recommendations.
We will make progress on these as soon as possible.
5. Encourage collaborative agreements
• Provide incentives for parties in RMA proceedings to collaborate and agree on solutions to environmental problems.
Too often, RMA applications turn into an adversarial process where opposite sides reach for expensive legal remedies.
National supports parties reaching a collaborative outcome rather than seeking a legal ruling subject to endless appeals.
Labour would take New Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Allowed Ministers to interfere in the Environment Court’s decisions (eg. Whangamata Marina).
 Did nothing to  streamline  or simplify  processes under  the RMA.
 Imposed extended delays on major projects
resulting in significant  increases in cost to  the taxpayer and developers,
and ultimately  slowing down our economic growth.
 Allowed  adversarial processes in consent  applications to become the  norm.
 Failed to improve water management.
This  inaction inhibited  development and growth, and led  to  more pollution in our rivers and  lakes  and over-allocation of  water in some  areas.
The  situation in Canterbury  highlights Labour’s failure to provide leadership in water  management.
Labour  was  aware of Environment  Canterbury’s  shortcomings, including that fact  there was no  regional plan in place 20 years after  it was required by law.
It takes years for rivers  and lakes  to  become noticeably polluted,  yet  Labour  did nothing  to address this  historical problem or  put in place measures to improve  the situation in the future.
The poor  state of  Te Waihora Lake  Ellesmere is  an  example  of Labour’s failure to provide  leadership in protecting and remediating our  lakes and waterways.
Our environment  – and  our economy  –  can’t afford  another dose of Labour.
Rebuilding Canterbury
Rebuilding Canterbury is one of the Government’s top priorities.
We are doing what's needed to make this happen over the coming weeks, months, and years.
There is a huge task ahead.
We will need the on-going patience and cooperation of Cantabrians.
Together, we’ll get the job done.
Immediate earthquake response
Declared a state of national emergency so the Government could make urgent decisions.
Opened 10 welfare and recovery centres to provide financial and social support.
Contacted 19,000 vulnerable elderly people in the first five days to check if they needed help.
Set up the official Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.
Re-opened all schools, polytechnics, and universities.
Restored power and running water to nearly all households outside the CBD.
Supporting families and businesses
63,000 Cantabrians and their families supported by our $200 million wage support and job loss cover package.
$6.8 million to help earthquake-affected Canterbury businesses get back on their feet.
$4 million to help exporters reassure partners that Christchurch is open for business.
$625,000 for Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism.
CERA to lead the rebuild
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) is responsible for rebuilding Christchurch and its surrounds, and supporting the welfare of residents.
Over the next five years, CERA will work closely with the Government, Christchurch City Council, businesses, non-government organisations, and Cantabrians to get Christchurch back on its feet.
Other initiatives
Alliance of expert contractors is working with CERA and the City Council to rebuild Christchurch’s damaged roads and underground infrastructure.
Standing behind AMI policyholders with a $500 million back-up support package for AMI Insurance.
If required, this ensures claims will be covered.
Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Canterbury earthquake is looking into issues including the CTV and PGC buildings, and relevant building codes and standards.
NEXT  STEPS : BUDGET  2 0 11$5.5 BILLION Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Fund to provide certainty for rebuilding Canterbury.
EQ BONDS to help Kiwis fund the recovery and provide investors with a new savings option.
4500 PLACES for construction-related training, including 1500 new places worth $42 million.
$25 MILLION for CERA over two years to help the authority lead the rebuild.
$10 MILLION for social service agencies and counselling support for Cantabrians rebuilding their lives.
LAW  & ORDER:  PROTECTING COMMUNITIES  Building  a Safer New Zealand
Tackling crime
National is building a safer New Zealand.
We’ve embarked on a comprehensive programme of reform to protect communities, prevent crime, and put victims first.
We’ll stay tough on criminals,
keep record numbers of Police on the beat,
and make sure the justice system focuses on the rights of victims.
Protecting the public
Before National came to office in 2008, crime was increasing, gangs were growing stronger, prisons faced a critical shortage of beds, P was seriously damaging communities, violent repeat offenders were being freed on parole, and the courts were congested.
National is turning that around.
We’ve embarked on a comprehensive programme of reform.
We’ve passed 18 new laws and made other policy changes to improve public safety and the rights of victims.
This has resulted in less crime, tougher sentences and parole laws, more Police on the front line, a crackdown on illegal drugs, and millions of dollars seized from gangs.
We’ve averted the prison crowding crisis and increased public confidence in law enforcement.
National will further strengthen sentencing, bail, and parole laws, and confront violent and sexual abuse of children, families, and the elderly to build a safer New Zealand.
“National will stay tough on criminals.
We will screen parole applications to reduce unnecessary hearings,
increase penalties for child pornography,
and introduce civil detention orders for the most high-risk offenders who are at imminent risk of serious sexual or violent re-offending.”
Key facts
•  Clamped  down on gangs, organised crime,  and  methamphetamine (P).
•  Toughened  sentences  and bail, and  abolished  parole for  the worst repeat  violent criminals.
•  Put more  Police on the streets  and  gave  them  better  tools  to do their  work.
•  Recorded crime  per person is down in the  past two years  and at its lowest  since 1982.
•  Averted the prison  crowding  crisis.
•  Seized more than $30  million  of  P in 2010,  and  $40  million  of  criminal proceeds  to date.
•  More than  6000 families  have been  protected  by our Police Safety Orders.
•  Further strengthening  sentences,  bail,  and  parole laws.
•  Supporting innovation in  our prisons.
National has…
Strengthened sentencing, parole, and bail
Toughened laws
Removed parole eligibility for the worst repeat violent offenders, and for offenders who commit the worst murders,
and worked with the Act Party to implement the Three Strikes law.
Amended the Bail Act to reverse changes made by Labour that made bail easier to get.
Completed a wider review of bail laws.
Repealed the use of provocation as a partial defence for murder.
Increased the penalty for possessing a knife from two to three years in prison.
Introduced legislation that requires assaults on Police and Corrections officers to be an aggravating factor in sentencing.
Tackled gangs and P
Cracked down on gangs
Passed new laws to increase sentences for involvement in gangs,
and boosted Police powers to intercept gang communications and dismantle gang fortifications.
New powers to  take on the gangs
Passed laws to allow Police to seize gang assets and to make offenders prove that such assets were not acquired through crime.
Established the Police Asset Recovery Unit to seize the millions made from crime.
Tackled methamphetamine
Introduced a law to restrict access to methamphetamine precursor chemicals.
Created dedicated anti-drug taskforces in Customs.
Boosted support for families and communities to protect people from P.
Improved Police tools
Put more Police on the street
Put 300 extra Police on the streets in Counties-Manukau.
300 more  Police for South Auckland
Putting 600 more Police in total on the beat around the country by the end of 2011.
Expanded the Police toolkit
Allowed Police to collect DNA when taking fingerprints from people they intend charging with an imprisonable offence, and match that DNA against profiles from unsolved crimes.
Rolled out Tasers for frontline Police.
Introduced digital radio in the three main centres to improve Police safety.
Supported the Police’s decision to increase their access to firearms in lockboxes in frontline vehicles.
Tackled boy-racers
• Passed laws making it harder for boy racers to terrorise our communities.
Protected children and families
Better protected victims
Introduced Police Safety Orders to protect those at risk of family violence.
Amended the Sentencing Act 2002 within our first one hundred days to make offending against a child an aggravating factor when sentencing.
Tougher  sentences  for  crimes  against children
Increased penalties for child abuse and neglect.
Made it an offence for an adult not to take reasonable steps to protect a child or vulnerable adult knowing they were at risk.
Passed a law that focuses on keeping children safe when there has been violence in the home, and improves how the Family Court responds to those victims.
Boosted community probation
• Increased Community Probation Service funding by $256 million to boost staff numbers and improve the management of offenders serving community sentences.
Supported  Canterbury
Boosted  Police numbers
 Deployed 1200  extra  Police from  around  New Zealand  and  overseas for the immediate rescue and recovery effort after  the February quake.
Established temporary courts
 Set up temporary courts as  soon as possible  to minimise  delays to justice.
Provided offender  labour  for recovery work
 Supported the recovery effort by providing  170,000 hours  of free labour from offenders  on community work.
Improved our prisons
Made prisons safer
Removed razor blades from high-risk prisoners.
Invested $3.6 million in new safety equipment.
Passed laws to give Corrections greater powers to search for contraband.
Banned smoking in prisons.
Improved prisoner rehabilitation
Doubled drug and alcohol treatment places for prisoners – as promised – and opened three new drug treatment units focusing on short-term prisoners.
Doubled drug  and  alcohol  treatment places
Increased the number of prisoners receiving work skills training by 1000 as promised.
Boosted literacy and numeracy education in prisons.
Averted the prison crowding crisis
Built a 60-bed container unit and increased double bunking by 900 beds.
Encouraged innovation
Introduced private sector management at Mt Eden Corrections Facility.
Our results so far – New Zealand is becoming safer
Crime  is declining
Total recorded  crime  per person  is down two years in a  row.
8.2  per cent  decline  in  recorded  crime per person from  June  2009  to June 2011.
2010/11 crime rates  per person  fell in all districts.
The  lowest  overall crime rate since 1982.
Violent  crime  is  declining
Violent crime  per person is  down two  years  in a row.
10.6 per cent  decline  in violent crime per  person from June 2009 to June 2011.
No  parole for the worst repeat  violent offenders
•  700 criminals have  received  their first strike  under the Three Strikes  law.
More P is being seized  and  destroyed
•  $30.4 million  of P  was seized in 2010.
This is 46 per cent  more than in  2009.
Crime proceeds are being seized
•  $40 million  seized from criminals  to date  this  year  under  the new  proceeds of  crime  laws.
Boy racing  has declined
•  Street racing offences  down by 15  per cent.
Families protected from violence
•  The Police have issued  over  6000  Police  Safety Orders, confirming this  as  an  effective  new  tool  to  manage  family violence situations.
Probation services are improving
•  Probation Service staff compliance with  mandatory standards is now at  its  highest  level ever  (97 per cent).
Confidence  in  the  Police  is  growing
Public trust and confidence in the Police has  increased from 72 per  cent  in  2008/09 to 77 per  cent in 2010/11  –  the highest recorded  level.
Prison performance is improving
•  Prison escapes are at  their  lowest  ever,  with only two in the year to 1 October 2011.
•  Public confidence in Corrections is 53  per  cent  higher than it was in June 2008.
•  Positive  random drug tests  of prisoners are at  their lowest.
•  Prisoners achieved  108,000  NZQA credits in  literacy and numeracy  in  2010/11.
What we will do next…
Strengthen sentencing, parole, and bail laws
1. Make bail harder to get
• Pass legislation to make it harder for serious criminals to get bail.
Bail decisions should reflect the risk of reoffending.
We will make it harder for those accused of the most serious offences to get bail, particularly where there is a pattern of offending while on bail for such offences (e.g. offenders charged with class A drugs charges have the highest offending rates on bail).
See our Bail policy for more details.
2. Strengthen sentences for assaults on law enforcement officers
• Pass the Sentencing (Aggravating Factors) Amendment Bill.
This will make assaults on Police and Corrections officers an aggravating factor at sentencing.
Police and Corrections officers keep the community safe from dangerous people.
There has been a steady increase in assaults over the past five years.
We’ll send a clear message that assaults on law enforcement officers will be dealt with severely.
3. Introduce random drug testing
• Introduce random drug and alcohol testing where being drug-and alcohol-free is a condition of bail, home detention, or other community sentences.
Random testing will ensure offenders comply with their conditions, reduce re-offending, and uphold the integrity of the sentences handed out by the courts.
4. Reduce unnecessary parole hearings
• Introduce screening of parole applications.
This will allow the Parole Board to reduce the number of unnecessary parole hearings.
More than 650 parole hearings are held every year for prisoners who are unwilling to address their offending or who have not completed parts of their offender plan.
Parole is rarely granted at these hearings so they often cause needless stress for victims and are a waste of resources.
This policy will save an estimated $900,000 a year.
5. Introduce civil detention orders
• Pass a law to introduce civil detention orders.
These will protect the community from a very small number of high-risk offenders who are clinically assessed as being at imminent risk of serious sexual or violent re-offending when released from jail at the end of their sentence.
Offenders will be held under a civil detention order in a secure facility.
Public safety is being jeopardised by a very small number of offenders who are released from prison at the end of their finite sentence.
The current extended supervision orders are not the best tool to deal with these offenders, who are at very high risk of imminent and serious sexual and violent re-offending.
Civil detention orders will allow an application to be made to the High Court for such offenders to be held in custody until the Parole Board is convinced they are safe for release.
The new orders are expected to apply to between five and 12 offenders over a 10-year period.
The majority of these people are expected to be child sex offenders.
What we will do next… (continued)
Back the Police
1.  Give Police greater clarity around surveillance
• Pass the Search and Surveillance Bill into law.
This law will ensure clear and enduring rules for the Police and other agencies to carry out the search and surveillance of suspects.
2. Boost frontline technology
• Improve officers’ use of mobile technology such as personal digital assistants (PDAs).
National will ensure front-line Police spend less time on paperwork
and more time on the streets preventing and tackling crime.
Better mobile technology can help Police process cases on the spot without returning to the station to complete their paperwork.
Protect families, children, and the elderly
1.  Tackle sexual abuse and violence
 Increase the penalties for producing, trading,  or  possessing child pornography.
Child pornography is abhorrent.
We will send  a strong  message that  this trade feeds a  market in the exploitation and  abuse of children  – regardless  of where the initial offence was committed  –  and  it  will not be  tolerated.
 Require justice and  social sector agencies to  work  together  more closely to prevent family and sexual violence.
When government agencies work  together  on their  response to family  and sexual  violence  there is less  duplication and ‘patch  protection’.
This  ensures that as much funding  as possible reaches front-line services  to  support the victims.
2. Confront elder abuse
• Encourage the Police to work closely with partner organisations to share information and improve responses to elder abuse.
For example, co-locating Age Concern staff in Police National Headquarters alongside Victim Support and Community Patrols to improve national co-ordination.
Older people who are dependent on others are vulnerable to abuse.
Two to three cases of elder abuse are reported to agencies every day.
Closer agency relationships and better information sharing will allow better support and services for these cases.
Support innovation in our prisons
1.  Use private sector management where it makes sense
 Use a public-private partnership to construct  and manage a  new  prison at Wiri  – as  required.
Partnering between the Government and the  private sector  can  improve public  safety  by encouraging innovation  and better  rehabilitation.
International experience suggests that building  a new prison at Wiri by  way of a PPP  will bring savings of between 10  and 20 per  cent over the life of the contract.
 Continue private-sector  management of Mt Eden Corrections Facility.
Private management of  the  prison is providing access to world-class innovation and  expertise.
It  provides value  for  money and  incentives for innovation.
National will apply  the lessons from this contract to the entire  corrections sector.
2. Further improve prisoner rehabilitation
• Expand rehabilitation and reintegration services for prisoners and those serving community sentences,
Rehabilitation is an investment in community safety, and we want to do more of it.
We will expand rehabilitation and reintegration by:
−  Making drug and alcohol treatment available across all of our prisons.
Currently, services are available at nine of our prisons – out of 19.
−  Working with District Health Boards to develop drug and alcohol treatment for offenders in the community.
−  Targeting young offenders with education, training, employment, parenting and living skills.
−  Strengthening the programmes available in Maori Focus Units.
−  Taking greater advantage of employment services offered by Work and Income – and work with them to prepare and plan for prisoners’ release.
−  Doubling the number of prisoners participating in release to work programmes.
International research suggests prisoners are less likely to reoffend when they are off drugs, are able to read and write, and have basic work skills.
This work will be funded from within baseline spending.
Labour would take New Zealand  backwards
Under  Labour  in 2008:
 The criminal justice system  was  in disarray.
It  lacked  accountability and any focus on  victims.
 There was a critical shortage of  prison  beds.
 Gangs and organised crime were growing in  strength, and the  Government was losing the fight against P.
 Violent criminals were being released on  parole.
 The legal aid  budget was blowing out.
 Violent crime was up 47  per cent  over the previous decade.
 Only one law and order  policy  was released  – to  form a committee to look at gangs.
Labour  in 2011:   Is too frightened of the legal profession to  embark  on the kind of reform to the criminal  justice system that  is necessary to  make it  work well.
 Has announced they will repeal the Three Strikes  law and allow the worst  repeat sexual and  violent criminals  to get  out  of jail early.
We can’t afford  another dose of  Labour.
PRIMARY   SECTOR  Building a Stronger Economy
Building a stronger Primary Sector
The primary sector is the backbone of our economy.
Its success is a key part of our plan to build a stronger economy, create more real jobs, and raise incomes.
National is proud to champion our farmers and growers.
We’re delivering the solutions needed for an innovative, prosperous, and competitive rural sector, and we’re working hard to improve the performance of the sector across the board.
Growing the primary sector
National has focused on improving the economic performance of our primary producers.
We’ve cut red tape.
We’ve simplified and streamlined the Resource Management Act to achieve a better balance between our environment and our economic opportunities.
We’ve made the tax system fairer
and provided incentives for hard work.
We’re providing more support for rural health and education.
We’re creating the conditions for ongoing innovation in agricultural techniques,
and investing more than ever before in new technologies and irrigation infrastructure.
National will continue to deliver the solutions needed for our primary sector because we know how important it is to build a stronger economy and create more jobs.
“National will establish the Crown Water Investment Company, and provide up to $400 million from the Future Investment Fund to make equity investments in irrigation projects that help increase productivity, grow our rural economy, and create jobs.”
Key facts
•  Reduced  personal  taxes across the board and  cut  company  tax  to  28 per cent.
•  Almost half a billion  dollars  of government  and  industry  investment in the Primary  Growth Partnership  – promoting innovation  on and off the farm.
•  Cleaning  up New Zealand’s  lakes, rivers, and  aquifers  with a $265 million  investment.
•  Tackling  greenhouse gas emissions while increasing  food  production through the Global Research Alliance, and $50 million  over  10  years for the Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre.
•  Reducing  ACC levies for  rural businesses.
•  Providing $30  million to control Bovine TB.
•  Rolling out our  rural broadband  initiative.
Related policies
Future Investment Fund
Environment and Climate Change
National has…
Supported primary production
Supported innovation on and off the farm
Established the joint government-industry Primary Growth Partnership (PGP), with close to half a billion dollars of industry and government investment so far in innovation on and off the farm.
Boosted spending on science and innovation to $773 million.
Refocused Crown Research Institutes towards areas of long-term growth,
required them to work more closely with their sectors,
and provided $215 million annually.
Driven unity and cooperation in the wool sector through the formation of the Wool Taskforce and the Wool Unity Group.
Improved livestock
Introduced a graduate voluntary bonding scheme for rural vets.
Progressed the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) system – New Zealand’s first electronic livestock traceability scheme.
Delivered the biggest boost in funding for animal welfare activities in over a decade.
Toughened penalties for animal welfare offences,
and banned the use of sow stalls from 2015.
Provided $30 million over five years to control Bovine TB.
Supported horticulture and viticulture
Enhanced the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme for workers in horticulture and viticulture, allowing employers to meet their labour market requirements.
Overseen the entry of our apples into Australia, after the World Trade Organisation reversed a 90-year ban.
Encouraged forestry
Made the most of the Primary Growth Partnership to help forestry meet future demand.
Forestry was the first sector to benefit from PGP investment.
Worked towards an investment-friendly climate, which will encourage small, modern, and specialised log mills in New Zealand.
Reduced regulation through a voluntary industry initiative to address illegal logging, helping ensure sustainable forestry.
Protected biosecurity
Provided $25 million to help the kiwifruit industry manage Psa disease.
Committed $75 million for a ‘Joint Border Management System’ between MAF and Customs.
Supported rural  growth
Built better roads
Boosted investment by over $1 billion over three years in state highway projects that promote productivity and growth.
Progressed work on seven Roads of National Significance, improving links between our regional economies, ports, and cities.
Released a state highway classification that categorises state highways by volumes of traffic, freight, and tourism.
This has identified roads suitable as future Roads of National Significance.
Changed the rules around the weight of trucks allowed on our state highways to enable heavier loads and increased log lengths to be carried and increase productivity.
Cut red tape and made business easier
Simplified and streamlined the Resource Management Act.
Put in place the small business reform package to soften the edges of the recession.
Streamlined trans-Tasman travel, introduced new express arrival lanes, SmartGate.
Committed $75 million for Customs and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to develop a single trade window for importers and exporters.
Rolled out faster rural broadband
• Committed $300 million to our rural broadband initiative.
• Started laying fibre to vastly improve broadband speeds in rural areas.
• Rolled out fibre broadband to the first rural schools.
Improved employment law
Introduced the voluntary 90-day trial period for new employees.
Increased flexibility in the Holidays Act.
Reformed the personal grievance system.
Improved trade access
Identified growth markets, such as India and China, where we are increasing support for exporters as well as looking to build on existing free trade agreements or establish new free trade agreements.
China is the world's third-largest dairy producer and on track to become the world's largest dairy consumer in the next 10 years.
We’re well placed to make the most of this growth.
Supported rural communities
Improved rural health
Set up graduate bonding for doctors, nurses, and midwives working in hard-to-staff areas.
Put in place a rural training immersion programme to encourage nurses, physios, and other health trainees to consider on-the job training in rural areas, where they are more likely to stay when fully qualified.
Promoted remote consultations via internet for patients in rural areas so that patients can better manage their health at home.
Invested $100 million more per year in GPs and primary care than in 2008
and increased subsidies for doctors’ visits.
Fully-funded Plunketline 24 hours a day, seven days a week, giving new parents access to vital support any time of the day or night.
Provided $9.4 million this year to improve drinking water in remote communities.
Improved rural education
Rolled out National Standards in literacy and numeracy in primary and intermediate schools.
Established two primary industries trades academies, in conjunction with rural schools.
Introduced a graduate voluntary bonding scheme for teachers in hard-to-staff areas.
Improved  the  environment
Improved  fresh water management
 Provided  $265  million  to clean up lakes and  waterways in communities  with historic  water-pollution problems.
 Set up the Land and  Water  Forum to  provide cross-sectoral advice  across a full range of water interests.
 Allocated $35 million to the Irrigation  Acceleration Fund  to develop irrigation  infrastructure.
Doing  our share on climate change
 Repealed  Labour’s  Emissions Trading Scheme  (ETS)  and replaced it with a scheme  that halved  the cost on  families  and businesses.
 Committed to  regular  reviews of the ETS to  ensure we don’t get ahead  of our  trading  partners.
 Established the Global Research Alliance on  Agricultural Greenhouse Gases  and  committed $45 million.
 Established the NZ Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Centre and committed  $50 million.
Balanced tenure review
• Progressed a more balanced approach to tenure review and high country policy.
Our results so far
Supported rural growth
•  Refocused our tax system  to reward hard work  and encourage savings, productive investment, and exports, and discourage  borrowing, consumption, and property investment.
−  Cut  business  tax  to 28  per cent.
−  Reduced  income taxes  across the board.
•  New Zealand’s terms of trade are the  highest  they’ve been for 40 years.
•  The Primary Growth Partnership  has invested:  −  $321 million  to support innovation in  the  red  meat and dairy sectors.
−  $19.5  million to support the  transformation  of  traditional fertiliser use.
−  $105 million to  support the growth of the aquaculture and wild fish industries.
•  75 graduates signed up so far  to our  rural veterinary  Voluntary Bonding Scheme.
Better rural education
•  Invested  $7600 for each child enrolled  in early  childhood education.
•  1900 Years  11 to 13 students given the  opportunity  to build  the foundations for a  career in the  primary sector  through the primary  industries  trades academies.
Better  consent  processing
•  In the year  to June 2011,  95  per cent  of  resource  consents were processed on time,  compared  to  just  69  per cent  in the year to  June 2008.
Better rural health
•  1800 health professionals signed up to the  graduate  voluntary scheme so  far.
•  87 per cent  of all children under six  have free  doctors’  visits during the day.
•  Ensured that around  22,000  people  have  access to clean  safe  drinking water.
•  106,000  more patients have had a medical or  surgical specialist appointment  over the past  three years.
•  92 per cent  of patients have been treated,  admitted, or discharged within six hours from  emergency  departments.
•  A record 91 per cent  of two-year-olds are fully  immunised, up from only  73  per cent  a few  years ago.
What we will do next…
Invest in irrigation – the Crown Water Investment Company
• Provide $35 million from the Irrigation Acceleration Fund (IAF) to support the development of irrigation proposals.
The National-led Government committed $35 million in Budget 2011 over five years to support the development of irrigation infrastructure proposals to the ‘investment ready’ prospectus stage.
The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research suggests the fund could support the development of 340,000 ha of new irrigation.
This could boost exports $1.4 billion a year by 2018, and $4 billion a year by 2026.
 Establish the Crown Water Investment  Company  to fund the construction of water  storage and irrigation infrastructure.
The Crown Water Investment  Company  will be government-owned.
It will invest in new  water  storage and distribution infrastructure.
 Provide  up  to $400 million from the Future Investment  Fund for  the Crown Water  Investment  Company.
Funding will be available from Budget 2013 and over the following four Budgets.
The Crown will be a minority partner in water storage and distribution projects,
investing on commercial terms, and will expect a commercial return on its investment.
The intention is that the Crown’s equity stake in a project will be sold off over time.
The Crown will be able to invest, hold, sell down, or exit at specified times in a scheme’s development.
Where appropriate, the model will be open to iwi co-investment.
This commitment will not add new spending to government accounts.
We will not need to take on new debt to fund the Crown Water Investment Company, and it will not affect the Government’s ability to get back into surplus.
Why we need  more irrigation
Water is New Zealand’s most plentiful  resource.
It gives us a competitive advantage over other  countries, particularly in our  primary  sector.
But  often,  our water is not in the right place when it is  most needed.
Around 96 per cent of  the water  that falls on our land flows out to  sea.
Well-designed water  storage and irrigation  can make water more available.
It increases the amount of productive land,  protects  against droughts,  and takes uncertainty  out  of water flows for farmers and  recreational  users.
Water storage allows  water  capture at times of plenty, for use at times  of need.
It  also  helps  our environment.
More  reliable access  to  water will encourage  efficient water  use, help  replenish  aquifers,  and restore  stream and  river flows.
Why the  Government should invest
Irrigation  projects are complex.
A  large number  of stakeholders  – farmers, banks,  investors, recreational and environmental groups, local authorities, landowners, and  iwi – need  to agree  before  projects  can get  off the ground.
The Crown can speed up  progress.
Crown  investment  can  give confidence to capital markets to invest in large-scale irrigation  schemes.
Crown investment  can also  act as a catalyst for  interested regional and local parties  to  take part  in projects  so they  can  achieve critical mass.
There  are a number of irrigation schemes  under  development around the country  that could be  suitable for investment  through the  Crown Water Investment  Company.
Developing and finalising criteria for eligibility will be a priority.
Boosting irrigation  – while  protecting the  environment
The National-led Government’s ‘Fresh Start for  Fresh Water’  is an integral and vital part  of being  able to make  irrigation  schemes  work to benefit  the environment and the economy.
High standards of consultation, investigation,  and  design will be a pre-requisite of funding.
Under  the right circumstances, these new  schemes  will provide opportunities to  deal with  – and reduce  – environmental  degradation, particularly in  situations where existing and  previous water use  has  resulted in low flows.
Advance our Fresh Start for Fresh Water programme
• Clean up nationally significant lakes, rivers, and aquifers, working with stakeholders and local authorities.
This is part of our Budget 2011 programme to help councils with historic pollution problems.
We've reprioritised funding of $15 million over two years and already allocated $6.1 million to Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere.
Total funding for water clean-ups will be $265 million.
 Advance  the Land and Water Forum work to  set  limits  on water quality and minimum  flows.
The National-led Government has asked  the  Land and  Water Forum to report back to  Government by May 2012  on methods, tools,  and governance arrangements for setting limits for water quality and  quantity.
 Strengthen monitoring and  compliance of resource consents by  regional councils to  ensure greater consistency in performance.
Regional councils are doing  better with their  consent performance.
But there needs to be  greater consistency  to ensure breaches in  consent conditions are dealt with properly  and fairly.
What we will do next…(continued)
Support rural growth
Support rural innovation
Continue investment in the Primary Growth Partnership.
Continue to lead the Global Research Alliance on Greenhouse Gases.
Continue our investment in the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre.
Reduce ACC costs
• Cut ACC levies for small business on 1 April 2012. This includes:
−  A 21.3 per cent reduction in levies for dairy farming.
−  A 13.8 per cent reduction in levies for sheep and beef farming.
Further improve resource management
Introduce a six-month statutory time limit for the processing of medium-sized consents.
Repeal and replace the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act, and the Land Drainage Act.
Provide incentives for parties in RMA proceedings to collaborate and agree on solutions to environmental problems.
Build better transport links
Invest $12 billion over 10 years in state highway construction.
Support Kiwirail’s $4.6 billion Turnaround Plan.
Build faster broadband
Roll out our rural broadband initiative and deliver much faster broadband to rural New Zealand, with fixed wireless, ADSL, and fibre.
Connect 97.7 per cent of schools and 99.9 per cent of students to ultra-fast broadband by 2015.
Connect 60 remaining remote schools to wireless or satellite broadband by 2015.
Create job opportunities for young people
• Introduce a ‘starting-out’ wage set at 80 per cent of the minimum wage to lower barriers to work for our youngest workers.
Improve animal health
Continue progressing the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) system.
Implementing government/industry agreements to achieve better biosecurity protection.
Continue a review of the Animal Welfare Act and work on new codes of animal welfare.
Strengthen rural communities
Support rural education
• Continue to bed in National Standards.
2012 is the third year of a three-year implementation period for National Standards.
We’ve seen great progress so far, but National is determined to ensure all schools are implementing National Standards and providing parents with plain-language school reports on their child’s progress.
 Open more  trades  academies with an agricultural component from 2012,  for 16 and 17-year-olds.
Trades Academies are partnerships with schools and local training providers,  allowing  students to earn qualifications while learning practical skills.
 Encourage rural schools  to work together  to  make  better use of resources  for  better  results.
We will promote the shared  governance model, and use  student  achievement  practitioners.
Small schools can sometimes struggle to access the expertise and experience readily available in larger centres.
Boost rural health
• Put in place rural training initiatives to boost our rural workforce and improve rural general practice support.
We will build on successful rural initiatives already in place – such as the Rural Immersion Scheme – where health students train in rural communities.
We will roll this scheme out to Whakatane and Gisborne.
We will also build on the Rural Origin Medical Preference Entry scheme,
and the successful Rural Midwifery Recruitment and Retention programme.
• Advance regional clinical networks where key health services are led by the clinicians themselves.
Clinical networks allow doctors, nurses, and other health professionals to take the lead in designing and managing health services.
We will engage even more clinicians in developing such networks.
• Invest in more opportunities for self-care, including home improvements and self-care networks and better IT tools, to enable people to take care into their own hands.
People living in remote areas are now able to better manage their health conditions through information technology.
National will encourage more of this kind of innovation around the country.
This will be funded from within existing health budgets.
Do our  fair share  on climate  change
Tackle carbon emissions
•  Review the 1 January 2015 legislated entry of agricultural emissions into the ETS in 2014.
The agriculture sector is liable to surrender units for agricultural greenhouse gas emissions from 1 January 2015.
National will review this in 2014.
We will not impose a liability unless there are practical technologies to reduce emissions, and our trading partners have made further progress with their climate change policies to reduce emissions.
• Schedule regular reviews of the ETS to meet the broad objective of New Zealand doing its fair share on climate change, relative to other countries.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:
 Has an approach that attacks  agriculture.
 Says  farmers don’t pay enough tax and have  committed to introducing a  15  per cent  capital gains tax on all farm  sales.
 Opposed the roll out of fast broadband to  rural communities.
 Implied farmers  should be taxed on turnover  rather than profit.
 Would  introduce an irrigation tax.
 Would  put agricultural emissions into the ETS  in 2013.
This would add $200 million  to farm  costs, undermining  the competitiveness of agriculture.
 Would increase ACC levies by undoing National’s ACC changes.
 Would return New  Zealand to a rigid 1970s  industrial relations framework.
 Is on a witch-hunt to find  examples  of those working in  the agricultural sector getting special privileges.
We can’t afford to let Labour slash the sector  and send us backwards.
PACIFIC  AFFAIRS  Building a Brighter  Future
Growing strong, vibrant Pacific communities
New Zealand is a nation of the Pacific.
A large number of New Zealanders identify as Pacific, and Pacific nations play an important role in our society, culture, and economy.
National has been working hard to improve outcomes for Pacific families in New Zealand.
We’re lifting achievement in education for Pacific children and young people by increasing participation in the education system from an early age.
We are focused on improving child health, reducing rheumatic fever, obesity and smoking,
and improving access to health services Pacific families rely on.
It's important that Pacific New Zealanders have pride in their heritage and achievements, and confidence in their future.
That's one of the reasons we're committed to supporting Pacific languages and promoting Pacific cultures, for the benefit of New Zealanders as well.
Ensuring our Pacific island neighbours are strong and independent is important to build prosperity for all Pacific nations, including New Zealand.
National is strengthening and deepening relations with our closest neighbours.
Related policies
Health
Housing
Key facts
•  National Standards in  primary and  intermediate schools are helping to ensure children are getting the basic reading, writing, and maths  skills they need to succeed.
•  Across-the-board income tax cuts mean that  around three quarters of income earners  pay  no more  than 17.5  per cent  income tax.
•  Working for Families  is  being  better targeted  to lower income families  who need it  most.
•  Completed almost  165,000 home  upgrades  with insulation  or  clean heating.
•  Frontline health spending  has increased  by an  extra $500  million a year  to a total of $14 billion, the most ever.
•  94 per cent of two-year-olds from Pacific  families in New Zealand are fully immunised, compared with just 77 per cent in 2008.
•  The 90-day employment trial is giving  people the opportunity  to prove themselves in a  job,
and  giving employers the confidence to take on new staff.
•  Established the Prime  Minister’s Pacific  Youth  Awards for  our future Pacific leaders.
•  Continuing  to target support to ensure the  education system achieves better outcomes  for Pacific  students.
•  Working  to improve Pacific  health and  wellbeing through the public health system  and our health targets.
•  Providing warmer, drier, healthier  homes.
National has…
Expanded participation in Early Childhood Education (ECE)
Funded 141 Pasifika early childhood education centres over two years.
Provided $91.8 million for extra early childhood education places for Pasifika, Maori, and low-income families.
We have already created an additional 1198 ECE places in Counties Manukau
and provided funding for the Fijian bilingual Bula early childhood education centre in Mangere.
• Funded Pacific-language ECE centres to give Pacific children a better start in life.
Research shows appreciation and knowledge of one’s language and culture makes a real difference.
Budget 2011 provided funding for ECE centres specifically catering for Tongan, Niuean, Samoan and Cook Island children.
We’ve provided $7.1 million to build six new Pasifika ECE centres in south and east Auckland, creating 320 places extra for children in areas of high need.
−  $2.4 million to Te Manurewa Pasifika ECE Trust to build a Cook Island immersion service and a Tongan bilingual centre, both providing 50 places.
−  $1.2 million to Fatamanu Aoga Tupu Olaola Moui to establish a Niuean bilingual centre, providing 50 places in Otara West.
−  $1.3 million to Lifewise Trust in Otara South to establish a new licensed Tongan immersion centre providing 70 places.
−  Just over $1 million to Taaeafou I Puaseisei Preschool Trust to establish a Samoan bilingual centre in Mangere, with 50 places.
−  Just under $1 million to Apii Potiki Reo Kuki Airani to establish a Cook Island immersion centre, providing 50 places in Glen Innes.
Built skills and knowledge
 Boosted  trades and  industry training with  eight  Trades Academies open this year, and  13 more to follow in 2012,
giving young Pacific people the opportunity to learn skills  and a trade.
 Provided 2500 extra Youth Guarantee places,  to help  keep  teenagers  engaged in learning.
Youth Guarantee allows 16-and 17-year-olds to study towards school-level qualifications, free of charge, at polytechs, wananga, and private training institutions.
One in five Youth Guarantee places is being filled by a Pasifika student.
• Demonstrated positive gains for Pasifika students under the Pasifika Education Plan.
An example is Flaxmere College, which is committed to the objectives of the Plan.
Flaxmere’s Pasifika students were the highest achieving cohort for both NCEA Level 1 and 2 in 2010.
Central to this achievement has been setting high expectations and providing responsive leadership and teaching.
A key contributor is teachers valuing the cultural backgrounds of their students.
• Consulted on the Pacific Language strategy.
Education  results  so far…
More Pacific  students  are  leaving school with NCEA level two or higher.
National has…(continued)
Strengthened the health system
Maintained universal subsidies for GP visits
and invested $12 million to help eliminate rheumatic fever in vulnerable communities.
Established Integrated Family Health Centres, one-stop shops co-locating services such as GPs, minor surgery, pharmacists, and physiotherapists.
Increased Pacific health workforce study awards to around 400 a year.
These support Pacific students studying in New Zealand.
Improved diabetes management with pilot programmes allowing specialist nurses to prescribe diabetes medicines.
Supported Pacific people with disabilities
Established the Faiva Ora Leadership group to raise awareness for disabled Pacific people.
Produced a Pacific Church Disability information toolkit.
Health results so far…  More  children  are being immunised
Proportion of two-year olds fully immunized, Pasifika children: 2008 77%, 2011 94%.
Better cervical cancer prevention
•  Seventy-four per cent of young Pacific  women born between 1992 and 1996 are now receiving the cervical cancer prevention  vaccine, Gardasil, compared to 54 per cent of  all young women in  that age group.
Better breast cancer screening
Proportion getting a breast cancer screen every two years, Pasifika women: 2009 49.5%, 2010, 67.0%.
Ensured Pacific people live in suitable housing
Pacific people have benefitted from National’s achievements:
Insulated over 135,000 privately-owned homes.
Converted almost 30,000 homes to clean heating.
Completed 50,000 upgrades to state houses.
Built or purchased 1000 more state houses.
Pacific Peoples Healthier Homes project
National launched the Pacific Peoples Healthier Homes project to insulate 1100 homes in Wellington and Dunedin.
The project aims to reduce respiratory illness rates in Pacific people by insulating homes at little cost to the homeowner.
The Government will contribute 60 per cent of the insulation cost for households with Community Service Card (CSC) holders and 33 per cent for non-CSC holders.
The householders will contribute 10 per cent of the cost, and the Pacific Peoples Healthier Homes project will provide the rest.
Anyone of Pacific descent can apply.
Priority will be given to those on a low income and with health needs.
Boosted economic development for Pacific people
Increased funding to Vote Pacific Island Affairs to foster greater economic development and to develop business and entrepreneurial skills.
Supported our Pacific neighbours
Increased and supported diplomacy among our Pacific neighbours
and refocused Pacific aid for sustainable economic development.
Under National, 60 per cent of New Zealand’s development assistance now goes to our immediate neighbours in the Pacific.
Enhanced the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme for Pacific nations.
Providing $145 million over four years to ensure 500,000 more children in the Pacific are enrolled in school and 75 per cent of all children in the region can read by age 10.
Increasing investment by $7.5 million over five years in sustainable Pacific Ocean fisheries to ensure Pacific island nations gain a greater share of the profits from this vital resource.
Doubled the number of education scholarships for Pacific nations, providing 200 places for young Pasifika students to come and study in New Zealand schools then return home to help their communities.
Provided personnel and aid after the Samoan tsunami and Tongan ferry disaster.
What we will do next…
1. Work towards better outcomes from education for Pacific students
Continue supporting Pacific language early childhood centres.
Ensuring that young Pacific New Zealanders maintain links to their heritage through language is important, especially at an early stage of their education.
Open 13 more Trade Academies in 2012.
Increase Pacific participation in trades training over the next two years.
We’re opening 13 more Trades Academies in 2012
and we’ll draw on community networks and the pastoral care capacity of Pacific churches to reach out, support and identify suitable trainees from within the Pacific community.
Continue our support for Pacific cultures and languages, especially in our schools.
We recognise the pride Pacific New Zealanders have in their heritage and achievements, and will help build confidence in their future through language.
2. Support better health services for the Pacific community
Prevention is the best cure.
National will roll out more and better healthcare closer to home
for all New Zealanders.
Extend the Zero Fees for Under Sixes scheme to after-hours care.
Extending the Zero Fees for Under Sixes scheme to after-hours care will make it easier for those families who need their child to see a GP or nurse after hours.
This will reduce the increase in young children presenting at hospital emergency departments.
Improve diabetes and cardiovascular services for patients.
Reduce rheumatic fever, diabetes, and obesity amongst high risk groups and communities.
Lift immunisation rates to 95 per cent of eight-month-old children by the end of 2014.
Roll out improved ante-natal classes to respond to the needs of today’s parents,
and improve nutrition information for mothers during pregnancy.
Roll out a new comprehensive after hours telephone health service ensuring better access to care and advice, any time.
3. Ensure Pacific families are living in warmer, drier, healthier homes
Work closely with social housing providers, including Pacific island churches and NGOs to increase social housing, in areas of need.
We are working to resolve the housing shortage we inherited on coming into government.
There was not enough housing stock in areas of high demand, too much in areas of low demand, and a good proportion in poor condition.
By 2013 we will complete the insulation of all remaining state houses built before 1978.
Continue our $347 million Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart scheme to retrofit at least 188,500 privately owned homes.
Many New Zealand homes have inadequate insulation and heating.
Warmer, drier homes mean energy savings, lower power bills, and healthier communities.
4.  Improve financial literacy and tackle “loan sharks”
Introduce and pass tougher consumer credit laws announced by the National-led Government, in order to target loan sharks and protect unwary consumers.
Work to increase the knowledge and skills of potential investors.
Continue working with the public and private sectors to identify further steps to improve investor literacy.
Improve public understanding of incurring debt, particularly through marginal lenders or “loan sharks”.
Current gaps in the law governing consumer finance allow unscrupulous lenders to take advantage of vulnerable customers.
This has to stop.
National is working to significantly strengthen responsible lending requirements.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:
 Labour  insulated just 50,000 homes in nine years.
In just three years under  National we have completed  165,000 upgrades to  insulation and clean heating.
 In 2007/08 Labour upgraded just 5500 state  houses.
National has already upgraded over  50,000  state houses in just three years.
 From  2005 to 2008 Labour  doubled  spending on ECE, but participation only  increased  by  one per  cent.
We’ve targeted  increasing Pasifika participation in ECE.
 Under Labour only  77 per  cent of  Pasifika children under  two were immunised  – we’ve  lifted that to 94  per  cent.
 Labour  refused to fund PlunketLine 24/7  –  we’ve fixed that.
 Under Labour some cancer  patients waited  up to 15 weeks for  radiation treatment, we’ve reduced the wait  to just four weeks.
 Under Labour violent crime increased 47 per  cent  – we’ve turned that around  and now  Police figures show crime down in every  Police  district  of the country.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
MODERN   PUBLIC SERVICES Building Better Public Services
Better frontline  services,  better value-for-money
National is committed to delivering high-quality, modern public services for New Zealand families.
We’re identifying the things that matter most to New Zealanders and doing them better, within tight budgets and while reducing back office costs.
New Zealand has a very able and committed public service.
The responses to events such as the Canterbury earthquakes and the swine flu outbreak have shown the public service at its very best.
The current economic climate makes it critical that the Government focuses resources on the areas where there is the most need and where it will get the greatest impact.
In Labour’s last five years, total public service numbers grew almost 30 per cent, and overall government spending grew 50 per cent.
These massive increases left the incoming National-led Government with a large, structural budget deficit, and an over-sized public sector.
National is committed to getting back to surplus in 2014/15 – a significant challenge which will require ongoing spending restraint and a focus on results.
At the same time, New Zealanders rightly expect the public service to be as responsive, innovative and technologically smart as the rest of the economy.
“National will maintain a cap on the number of staff in core government administration, and will lower it to the current level of 36,475 FTEs.
We’ll continue to modernise the way public services are delivered and find savings to put back into frontline services.”
Key facts
•  A six  per cent  reduction in core government  administration  staff over three  years, from  38,859 to 36,475  Full-Time  Equivalents (FTEs).
•  Reprioritised  $8 billion  of funding over three  Budgets  towards  frontline health, education  and  other services.
•  Department and agency mergers  saving $92  million over four years.
•  More frontline police, doctors, nurses and  teachers.
•  Lifting confidence in public services.
•  On track to get back to  surplus in 2014/15.
Related policies
• Finance
National has…
Capped the size of core government administration
The number of people working in core government administration is now 36,475 FTEs, well under the cap of 38,859 set in December 2008.
The 2,384 fewer full-time positions represents a six per cent reduction.
There are now 18 per cent fewer communications and public relations advisors in the public sector than in December 2008.
Increased frontline staff in key areas
Increased key frontline staff – more teachers, doctors, nurses, and police officers.
Reprioritised spending
Over three Budgets, freed up almost $8 billion to put into boosting frontline services.
Focused on what matters most to New Zealanders, with health and education getting three-quarters of all new spending in this year’s Budget.
Increased back-office efficiency and transparency
Introduced joint purchasing by government agencies of supplies such as vehicles and IT.
Collected and published public sector performance information such as benchmarking of back office services across government.
Improved transparency, including the release of chief executive expenses every six months.
Streamlined agencies
• Merged some government departments and agencies as we create a more streamlined and efficient public service.
We’ve:
−  Brought Archives New Zealand and the National Library into the Department of Internal Affairs.
−  Created the new Ministry of Science and Innovation, from two existing government agencies.
−  Brought together the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Food Safety Authority and the Ministry of Fisheries,
to create an agency which better supports our primary industries.
−  Made changes to other government agencies including the Charities Commission and the Health Sponsorship Council.
Promoted innovation
Developed Social Sector Trials in six communities to pilot new, locally-led ways of organising and delivering social services for young people.
Used technology to improve the quality and experience of public services, for example through SmartGate for trans-Tasman passengers to clear customs.
Better managed the government’s assets
Established the National Infrastructure Unit to improve the way government agencies manage and plan infrastructure assets.
Began two public-private partnerships – Wiri prison and two schools in Hobsonville – to involve the private sector in building and managing assets.
Our results  so far
Fewer  positions in  core government  administration
More  frontline  staff
•  600 more police officers on  the beat before the end of 2011.
•  300 more police  on the  streets  of Counties-Manukau, helping turn the district around.
•  2,000 more nurses and 800  more  doctors  in our public  health service.
•  1,600 more teachers  in front of classrooms.
Back-office efficiencies
•  Our  first four joint  procurement  projects are expected  to save around $115 million over  the next five years.
•  Reduced administration costs at the Ministry  of  Health, saving $50 million over four years.
•  Benchmarking shows  that  government agencies  could save more  than $230  million a year  through  greater sharing, standardisation,  and  automation of back-office processes and  systems.
Increased public confidence
•  More  people  believe  the standard of public  services  is  better under the National-led  Government  (Fairfax Media-Research  poll, October 2011).
What we will do next...
1. Lower the cap on core government administration
Keep the number of core government administration positions at no more than 36,475 FTEs.
This is the current number of positions in core government administration.
The number of positions over the next three years will be below this new cap.
Chief executives will be required to manage their agencies within this overall cap.
Report publicly on the cap.
The State Services Commission will continue to report on the number of core government administration positions every six months.
2. Continue to find savings from the public sector
Find $980 million of savings over three years.
The wider state sector is expected to find $980 million of savings over three years, from 2012/13.
These savings will go towards improving frontline services and reducing debt.
Lower new spending allowances in the next two Budgets.
Fund all new discretionary spending from the $800 million new spending allowance in each Budget.
Most of this funding will go to health and education.
Return to surplus in 2014/15.
Ensure the public sector plays its part in the Government’s challenging goal of returning to surplus in 2014/15.
3. Streamline government agencies
• Merge departments and other agencies, where those changes have the potential to improve the direction, focus and results of the public sector.
National has a high threshold for structural change.
But where the benefits – in terms of service delivery and value-for-money – exceed the costs, the Government will make changes.
4. Focus on innovation and results
Ensure that public services are modern and responsive.
Seek new and better ways to deliver public services,
including more effective use of technology.
Continue to develop integrated and locally delivered public services.
Programmes such as Whanau Ora are a wrap-around service for families that can provide better support to those in need.
Explore innovation in public services.
Explore new approaches to delivering government services, including making better use of community and private sector providers to drive efficiency, innovation, and choice in service delivery.
Making sure the framework can deliver results.
Review the Public Finance Act and the State Sector Act to ensure that the public sector framework is flexible enough to achieve results across multiple agencies.
“Frontline public services are the priority for this Government.
We want to free up money for these services by reducing the costs of back-office and administrative functions…
[But] we are not interested in change for the sake of change.
We want change to achieve a better focus on what matters to New Zealanders, an enhancement of services to the public, and less complexity and duplication.”
Rt Hon John Key, Prime Minister, in his Statement to Parliament, 8 February 2011.
“What's quite clear from a recent poll that came out from Fairfax, is New Zealanders recognise that their public services have been improving over the last three years,
and that’s because we've had a strong focus on moving from back-office administrative functions into improving the front line.”
Hon Tony Ryall, Minister of State Services, speaking on TV3’s The Nation, 5 November 2011.
“In the future, government agencies will be increasingly organised around meeting the needs of households and businesses rather than expecting New Zealanders to navigate through a maze of specialised agencies to get the services they require.”
Hon Bill English, Minister of Finance, speaking to the Institute of Public Administration, 29 March 2011.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:
 Increased the  number of staff in  the public  service by 30  per cent in its  last five years in  government.
 Massively  ramped up spending, leaving behind  a large budget  deficit, and a over-sized  public  sector
that was crowding  out the competitive sectors  of the economy.
 Grew the size of  government departments  with no corresponding improvement in public  services.
 Has opposed every change  National has  made to improve quality and efficiency in the  public service.
 Would  increase the size of the government  bureaucracy and ramp up costs.
Kiwi families can’t afford another  dose  of  Labour
MAORI   AFFAIRS  Building a  Brighter Future
Encouraging Maori success
The Treaty of Waitangi underpins the Crown–iwi relationship.
The Treaty is our country’s founding document.
It is based on mutual respect and the vision of a more prosperous future for all New Zealanders.
The Treaty created a nation based on diversity and shared aspirations for future success, wealth, and prosperity.
National is committed to ensuring Maori and all New Zealanders can enjoy a successful and more prosperous future.
National’s values are Maori values
National and Maori share important values:
Recognition of property rights and economic independence.
Strong, capable families, whanau, and communities.
Cultural diversity that is recognised and celebrated.
Personal responsibility and choice.
Enterprise, entrepreneurship, and wealth creation that is encouraged and supported.
Related policies
• Treaty Negotiations
Key facts
•  Reduced  income tax  across-the-board  leaving more money in workers’ pockets.
•  Introduced  National Standards, including Maori medium National Standards,  for  literacy and numeracy  in  all primary  and  intermediate  schools.
•  Progressed Treaty  settlements, achieving over  100 milestones in only three years.
•  Funded  community-led projects supporting  3500 more  early  childhood education  places for Maori, Pacific,  and low-income families.
•  Better targeted Working  For Families  to low income earners.
•  Introduced  and  expanded Whanau Ora,  to  help  families  build resilience  and take control of their  own  lives and future.
•  89 per cent of Maori children  are now fully  immunised by  the age of two.
•  Providing $12  million to help tackle rheumatic fever in vulnerable communities.
•  Over  135,000  homes  retrofitted  with insulation
and over 29,000  converted to  clean  heating.
National has…
Lifted achievement in education
Expanded participation in early childhood education
Expanded 20 hours early childhood education (ECE) to include five-year-olds, kohanga reo, and parent-led playcentres.
Provided 3500 extra ECE places for Maori, Pacific, and low-income families, who were missing out and would benefit most.
Lifted achievement in schools
Rolled out National Standards, including Maori medium National Standards, for literacy and numeracy, giving parents clear information about their children’s performance and enabling schools to help those who need extra support.
Expanded family-based literacy programmes to decile one to three schools.
Over 80 per cent of decile one and two schools receive fruit through Fruit in Schools.
Supported Maori education
Established 33 new Iwi Education Partnerships.
There are now 53 education relationships between the Ministry of Education and iwi.
Extended Te Kotahitanga teacher training to 17 more schools, benefiting over 7000 more Maori students and over 830 teachers.
Implemented He Kakano leadership initiative to support Maori students in about 90 secondary schools.
Opened three new kura kaupapa and another nine extended to wharekura.
Boosted trades in schools
Introduced the Youth Guarantee to provide all 16-and 17-year olds the opportunity to study for free at polytechs, wananga, and private training establishments.
Opening 21 Trades Academies to teach practical skills and literacy and numeracy.
Our results so far…
•  The number of Maori  students remaining  at school until their 17th  birthday is increasing.
Improved whanau health and wellbeing
Provided better healthcare
Launched the Maori Health Innovation Fund, to assist Maori health providers to develop new services or to share innovative information.
Maintaining universal subsidies for GPs and establishing integrated family health centres combining services like minor surgery, pharmacies and GPs.
More elective surgeries every year and reduced waiting times
for all New Zealanders.
 95 per  cent of  high needs children under  six  now get  free GP visits.
Improved help for mums and babies
Fully funded PlunketLine 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Provided $54.5 million to boost maternity care, ensuring 18,000 new mothers receive extra WellChild visits.
Supported families and whanau
Issued a Green Paper on protecting our vulnerable children.
Established Whanau Ora to help whanau take control of their own futures.
Provided over 100,000 B4 School Checks to ensure children are ready and healthy to start school, up from just 3000 checks in 2008.
Reduced rates of smoking with 50 per cent more calls to Quitline and an 82 per cent increase in cessation support.
Progressed settlement of historic grievances
Made significant progress towards settling historic Treaty negotiations fairly and in full.
We’ve completed over 100 milestones in just three years.
Repealed the Foreshore and Seabed Act and provided an enduring solution, guaranteeing public access
and recognising Maori customary title and rights in the marine and coastal area.
More homes are warmer, healthier,  and drier
•  Over  135,000 homes are warmer, drier, and  healthier.
•  Over 29,000  homes  have been converted to  clean heat devices.
Helped families into housing
Launched the Gateway Housing scheme which allows home buyers to build or buy a property but to defer payment on the land.
Expanded papakainga housing through the Kainga Whenua programme.
Supported Maori language
$2 million to address whanau and community language development.
$4.5 million to help Maori families access te reo Maori over three years.
$1.2 million over three years to support iwi radio, improving access for our communities.
There is a growing consensus that a step-change in the Crown-iwi relationship is occurring as a result of National’s engagement with Maori, particularly at an iwi leaders’ level.
Supported iwi enterprise
Boosted investment in Maori economic development, helping create jobs.
Launched the Maori Economic Taskforce, to investigate enhancing Maori economic prosperity.
Promoted Maori tourism, such as Atamira: Maori in the City showcase.
Provided funding to establish the Maori Trustee as an independent sustainable entity.
Enacted reforms to deliver the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Settlement.
Working for Maori across  party lines
National has successfully worked with the Maori  Party to  fulfill undertakings  made  in our  Confidence and Supply  Agreement.
This includes:   Supporting the establishment and implementation of Whanau  Ora.
 Investing in education and health initiatives.
 Establishing the  Constitutional Advisory Panel.
 Repealed the Foreshore and Seabed Act.
 Reviewing  the Maori language strategy and sector.
 Progressing the Maori economic development  agenda.
What we will do next…
1. Further lift achievement in education
Good education is a game breaker.
It ensures equality of opportunity and better outcomes in life.
National will work with iwi/Maori to get better results for young Maori
and more skills and trades training to support emerging Maori enterprises.
Increase ECE participation among Maori families in regions where participation is low.
Improve literacy and numeracy among Maori students
and extend support for Maori students.
National Standards are helping identify children who are falling behind.
We will use the results to better target extra support for those children who need it
and lift achievement across our schools.
Offer 12,500 Youth Guarantee places from 2014.
We will provide more options to engage at risk 16-and 17-year olds so they stay in the education system.
Track students who leave school before 18 and ensure they are in some form of education, training, or work.
We don’t want to see students just drop out of the system.
Schools will be asked to report students who are leaving school and not going on to further training or employment so we can support them.
Build on the momentum of Ka Hikitia and work with iwi to achieve agreed participation and achievement targets for Maori students.
Continue to support kohanga reo and kura kaupapa in the provision of quality education and learning for Maori children.
2. Improve Maori health and wellbeing
Improving health and wellbeing is essential to ensuring Maori can fully participate in modern society.
That’s why we will ensure everyone has access to readily available and affordable health care.
Provide free after-hours care for children under six.
Extending the Zero GP Fees for Under Sixes scheme to after-hours care will make it easier for those families who need their child to see a GP or nurse outside of business hours.
Focus on implementing Whanau Ora.
Reform welfare to put a greater focus on supporting people into employment
and reducing the on-going human and social cost of long-term welfare dependency.
Work to reduce rheumatic fever and diabetes among high-risk groups and communities.
Insulate, by the end of 2013, every state house built before 1978 that can be practically insulated.
Promote long-term home ownership among Maori families and communities,
including working with iwi on improving housing supply and housing affordability.
What we will do next…(continued)
3. Support growth in Maori enterprise and assets
National will make a major effort to lift engagement by Maori and iwi in New Zealand’s productive economy.
We will work on increasing skills, training opportunities, and jobs.
We will also focus on growing Maori assets, enterprise, and tourism,
and raise productivity.
Protect the integrity of the Maori fisheries settlements under the Quota Management System.
Implement the aquaculture reforms through regional delivery of aquaculture settlement obligations.
Aquaculture is set to be a growth industry.
We will encourage Maori enterprise to make the most of the opportunities ahead.
Review the role of the Maori Land Court with a focus on the administration of title and a view to streamline and enhance support, record management and development opportunities for Maori landowners.
Explore the case for working with the Maori Trustee to, where appropriate, enable iwi trusts to manage trustee lands on behalf of beneficiaries.
We will roll out the first stage of ultra-fast broadband to businesses, schools, health centres and other priority users in 33 cities and towns around New Zealand.
By 2015, we’ll connect 97.7 per cent of schools and 99.9 per cent of students to ultrafast broadband with speeds of at least 100mbps.
4. Support Maori culture, language and identity
Recognise the relevance and contribution of Maori culture, language, and identity as an enabler of Maori success and a hallmark of New Zealand’s unique culture and heritage.
Build on Crown–iwi leaders engagement to focus on agreed actions and results in priority areas.
Work with iwi and relevant stakeholders to revise and implement the Maori language strategy with a focus on shared responsibility, achieving language targets, and improving sector performance.
Support Maori culture, language, and identity
while recognising the need to work with iwi/Maori to achieve greater alignment of priorities and coherency in our approach.
Investigate opportunities to grow career pathways in Maori performing arts
and support the growth in domestic and international markets for Maori art and performance.
Continue to support Maori broadcasting including iwi radio, Maori TV, and Te Mangai Paho.
5. Complete outstanding Treaty settlements
Continue to focus on completing historic Treaty settlements as a key driver of Maori economic and social independence.
Continue to build on the significant progress National has made to achieve fair and durable treaty settlements.
Enhance the Treaty settlement work programme by:
−  Adopting a whole-of-government approach, requiring Ministers and agencies to be proactively engaged in the negotiation process to achieve efficiencies, including earlier identification of potential issues and a more constructive approach to finding solutions.
−  Introduce greater efficiencies to the legislative process
which will enable the timely processing of settlement legislation.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Under  Labour:
 The government  signed  only 16 Deeds of Settlement  over nine years  towards settling historic grievances  once and for all, despite a  commitment to  do  better for iwi.
 In 2007/08 Labour upgraded just 5500 state  houses
–  National has  completed  50,000 upgrades to  state houses in just three years.
 Just  50,000 homes  were insulated in nine  years.
In just three years under  National  there  have been 165,000  home  insulation or  clean heating  upgrades.
 53 per cent  of Maori boys left school without  NCEA Level 2.
 From  2005 to 2008 Labour  doubled  spending on early childhood education, but  participation increased  by only one per  cent.
 Only 73 per  cent of children under two were  immunised.
We’ve lifted that to over 90 per  cent.
 PlunketLine was not funded  24/7  – we’ve fixed that.
 20 hours  early  childhood education  did not  extend  to include kohanga reo.
 Some cancer patients waited up to 15 weeks  for radiation treatment,  with some being  sent  to Australia –  we’ve reduced the wait  to just  four weeks.
 Violent crime increased 47  per cent.
Now,  Police figures show crime per person is  down in every district in New Zealand.
LOCAL  GOVERNMENT  Building a Stronger Economy
Building local growth
Good, effective local government is important.
It contributes to our plan to build a brighter future, grow a stronger economy,
and create real jobs with higher incomes.
It provides the essential local infrastructure our businesses and communities need to prosper.
National is encouraging an efficient local government sector that supports a growing economy and brings benefits to taxpayers, ratepayers, and communities.
We’re delivering the tools local government needs to provide timely and cost-effective infrastructure and local services.
We’re helping local authorities minimise rates increases and keep regulatory costs as low as possible.
And we’re rebuilding Canterbury so no one is left behind.
Unifying Auckland
National has overhauled Auckland’s local government structure and established one council for the region, substantially reducing red tape and bureaucracy.
As a result, we are starting to see more unified planning and better coordinated delivery of services.
Strong regional governance, integrated decision making, and greater community engagement is now becoming a reality in New Zealand’s biggest city and largest regional economy.
Related policies
• Resource Management
“National will encourage regional economic growth by working with councils across regions to eliminate barriers for firms and businesses to grow and expand.
We’ll also improve government direction around regulations and financial reporting,
and work with Canterbury councils to rebuild Canterbury.”
Key facts
•  Streamlined  and simplified the Resource Management  Act  to reduce delays, uncertainties,  and costs.
•  Allocated  $1  billion to repair leaky buildings  so homeowners can get  on with their lives.
•  Provided  $5.5 billion to  support Canterbury’s  local councils to rebuild our  second largest city.
•  Providing $265 million  to clean  up  our lakes  and rivers.
•  Implemented  practical air-quality standards.
•  Turned around woeful  performance at  Environment Canterbury.
•  Focusing local government  on supporting economic growth and job creation.
•  Supporting stronger regional co-operation.
National has…
Simplified and streamlined the Resource Management Act
Made 150 amendments to the RMA to reduce delays, uncertainties, and costs,
including removing consent requirements for minor activities such as tree trimming.
Established priority consenting through EPA for large projects that need faster consents.
Introduced spatial planning for city development.
Improved council consent processing
Incentivised councils to improve their performance in processing consents.
Appointed Commissioners to Environment Canterbury to turn around its abysmal consenting performance.
Supported building and infrastructure
Amended the Building Act, reducing compliance issues and time delays.
Passed the Local Government Borrowing Act to establish a Local Government Funding Agency to lower funding costs for infrastructure investment, saving councils an estimated $25 million a year.
Developed a practical solution for owners of leaky homes, alongside councils, and allocated an estimated $1 billion to repair homes.
Unified Auckland councils
Implemented the Royal Commission’s recommendations that eight councils become one,
with local representation provided through 21 local boards.
The new Auckland Council can now make decisions regionally, plan strategically, and act decisively in Auckland’s best interests.
Supported local government’s environmental responsibilities
Allocated $265 million to help clean up lakes and rivers polluted by poor historic management.
Developed National Policy Statements that give greater direction on renewable energy generation, fresh water management, and the coastal environment.
Extended the compliance timeframe for clean air standards to improve cost-effectiveness for councils and communities.
Empowered councils to manage freedom camping within their regions.
Simplified waste strategy to help local government prioritise recycling initiatives
and funded national projects such as the Love New Zealand recycling bins.
Provided $18.7 million to local councils from the Waste Minimisation Fund to fund projects that support resource recovery and recycling, and decrease waste to landfill.
Standing by  Canterbury
 Stood beside Canterbury’s  councils after the earthquakes  with an immediate and  practical Civil Defence response, on-going operational support,
and a  $5.5 billion  fund  to  help  rebuild  our second largest city.
 Set up  an alliance of expert  contractors to  work with CERA and the  Christchurch City Council to  manage the $2 billion repair and  rebuild of earthquake-damaged ground and  below-ground infrastructure such as  roads, water, wastewater,  and stormwater.
 Partnering  with the Christchurch City  Council’s Enable  Networks to bring ultra-fast  broadband to every home and business in  the city.
This will help Christchurch recover  and grow the Canterbury economy.
National’s results
Faster consent processing
•  Dramatic improvements in  resource consent  processing  by councils.
•  In 2007/08 just  29  per cent  of Environment  Canterbury’s consents  were being processed  on time.
Now 92  per cent  are.
More  funding for  public transport
•  Increased public transport  funding  by around  40 per cent to match growing public  transport patronage.
More homes  are warmer and  drier
•  More than  130,000 homes  are warmer, drier, and healthier under  our new  Warm Up New  Zealand: HeatSmart  scheme.
•  Over 29,000  homes  have been converted to  clean-heat devices.
Air quality best ever
•  New Zealand’s air quality levels in 2010 were  the cleanest  ever.
Better local government  in Auckland
•  Council services in Auckland  are  better  coordinated and  more  accountable  to rate  payers,  red tape has been cut, and  rate rises  have been kept in check.
What we will do next...
1. Focus local government on supporting economic growth and creating jobs
Identify and address barriers to real economic growth within and across our regions.
Encourage councils to report on how their plans align with the Government’s drivers for economic growth.
Support community-led reforms to improve long-term economic outcomes for ratepayers.
Continue the review into local government and implement key findings.
The Smarter Government, Strong Communities review is examining how modern local government can meet future challenges, through a strong relationship between central and local government.
We will carefully consider and act on practical recommendations of the review.
2. Support stronger regional cooperation
Promote greater interaction, collaboration, and planning between local councils and their chief executives within a region through regular Mayoral and Chief Executive Forums.
Secure more efficient service delivery through greater collaboration, shared services, and regional infrastructure investment.
Ratepayer concerns and regional economies traverse territorial boundaries.
It’s important that local authorities work together to report on and achieve regional outcomes.
Local government  restructuring
The Royal Commission on Auckland  Governance recommended Auckland’s  eight  councils be  unified into one  council.
National acted on that recommendation.
However,  National believes  future local government amalgamations  should be community-led, not  central government-led.
3. Improve central government direction around regulations and financial reporting
• Review compliance costs imposed on councils
and improve transparency in the local government budget-setting process.
As recommended by the Auditor-General, it is essential rates are spent in a measured, transparent, and accountable way.
National will improve the transparency, accountability and financial management of local government by encouraging a longer-term approach to financial decision making.
Put in place the recommendations of the Controller and Auditor-General’s paper on local government reporting.
This will help local authorities identify and work towards assessing their performance against five and 10-year benchmarks, and the overall effectiveness of their spending.
Define whether regulatory action is best taken at a national or local level based on what is most efficient and effective.
Decisions on which actions are best made locally or nationally need to be made on a principled basis.
Those that are more complex, require high levels of technical input, and do not vary significantly from one area to another are best regulated nationally.
• Continue reform of the Resource Management Act – including six-month time limits for decisions on regional-sized projects, and simplified planning processes – so councils and ratepayers have more certainty about issues that cross regional boundaries.
Government’s changes to streamline and simplify the RMA are working.
Thousands of homeowners and businesses are no longer suffering months of delays in processing resource consents.
See our Resource Management policy for details.
4. Rebuild Canterbury
• Work with Canterbury local councils through CERA to repair the region’s infrastructure and rebuild Canterbury.
There is a huge task ahead as we work to rebuild Christchurch and the region but we are making real progress.
We are continuing our work with reclassifying land.
CERA has sent out offers to thousands of red zone residents and more than 180,000 properties have now been green-zoned.
Rebuilding Canterbury is a massive job.
We need stable Government so the rebuild can proceed without unnecessary delay or interruption.
• Work with the people of Canterbury on the appropriate structure to replace the Commissioners appointed to Environment Canterbury.
National acted decisively to help fix long running problems with water management in Canterbury.
We will ensure the region makes the most of its outstanding water resources now and in the future.
5. Improve local road maintenance
• Use the Road Maintenance Taskforce to drive better value for money in road maintenance spending
Councils and the government spend a large amount on road maintenance every year and it’s important we get the most from this investment.
Some local councils and the New Zealand Transport Agency have made big improvements in how they procure road maintenance.
Others have been less successful.
We will use the taskforce to share the gains across local government and increase the return on every dollar spent on road maintenance.
Labour would take  New  Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Opposed improvements  to the RMA  including the requirement that  councils pay  for late consent processing.
 Neglected public transport, and allowed  our  rail system  to fail,  costing millions to tidy up.
 Set up the Royal  Commission on Auckland  and then opposed  the timely implementation of the Auckland  Council.
More  talk and little  action from Labour.
 Opposed the appointment of  Commissioners  to Environment  Canterbury after  allowing  it  to  run up consent delays and  languish for  19 years  with no  water plan.
 Opposed the fresh water gains and  consensus  which National worked  hard to  achieve  through  the Land and Water forum.
 Opposed the rebalancing of the air  quality  standards.
We can’t afford  another  dose of Labour.
INTERNAL  AFFAIRS  Building  Better Public Services
Building a safe, prosperous, and respected nation
National is committed to delivering better frontline public services to New Zealanders.
We want our public sector to be focused on the things that matter to New Zealanders, including providing services that are world class, cost effective, and customer-focused.
We want high-quality services that are modern, responsive, and professional so New Zealanders can rely on them.
And we want to reduce waste, ensuring that government administration is as efficient, streamlined and well-organised as possible.
Wide-ranging responsibility
The Department of Internal Affairs covers a wide range of areas, including administration of passports, regulation of gambling, censorship, the distribution of Lotteries funds, and the prevention of identity theft and spam email.
National wants to maximise the returns to the community from gambling
while minimising the harm caused.
We support the modernisation efforts of the New Zealand Fire Service and the National Rural Fire Authority.
Departments merged for efficiency
We have streamlined the department and given Internal Affairs responsibility for the National Library of New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, the Office for the Voluntary and Community Sector, and the Government Chief Information Officer.
Key  facts
•  Invested  $27.6  million  in developing  the    igovt  service.
•  High-tech passports  to improve border  security.
•  Provided  $9.5  million  funding for Rugby World Cup community events,  to  showcase the best of our regions to the world.
•  $8.2  million  from  a special Lotto draw for  Christchurch  Earthquake Appeal.
•  $12.6 million to  create  a Government Digital Archive  for the preservation of  important  electronic records.
•  $3 billion  raised by NZ Lotteries for  community funds since the first Lotto  draw  on 1 August 1987.
•  $2  million  savings a year from merging Archives New Zealand, the  National Library  and  Internal Affairs.
•  Internet  filters blocking the  worst child abuse sites.
Related policies
• Finance
National has…
Ensured more efficient public services
Merged Archives New Zealand and the National Library with the Department of Internal Affairs.
Reducing back-office costs will save taxpayers over $2 million a year.
Approved $52 million for the modernisation of the National Library, including a major redevelopment of the Wellington building, and improved online access.
Minimised harm from gambling and ensured the proceeds are distributed for all New Zealanders
Created the NZ 2011 Festival Fund which provided $9.5 million in lottery funding for 175 community events associated with the Rugby World Cup.
Directed NZ Lotteries to hold a special Lotto draw to raise money for Christchurch, which raised $8.2 million for the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.
Changed gambling regulations so gaming societies can now make multi-year grants.
This allows community groups more flexibility and certainty to plan for the future.
The Problem Gambling Levy will raise $55 million over three years from the proceeds of gambling to fund services and minimise the harm caused in communities by gambling addiction.
This will be used for frontline counselling, including dedicated services for Maori, Pacific and Asian communities.
Improved access to government information and services
Provided $12.6 million to create a government digital archive to preserve important electronic records which would otherwise be lost.
Invested $27.6 million into developing igovt service, which provides an easy and secure way for New Zealanders to verify their identity to government service providers via the internet.
This is a whole-of-government programme that will save taxpayer money by avoiding unnecessary duplication.
Other steps
Improved our border security by implementing high-tech passports with 50 new security features,
at the same price as the traditional passport.
This ensures New Zealanders have visa-free access to over 50 countries.
Implemented a voluntary filter for ISPs to block the worst child abuse sites, with 9.7 million attempts to access material blocked so far.
Provided $160,000 for a new study to evaluate options for the Waitangi Wharf in the Chatham Islands.
Our next steps
1. Maintain a whole-of-government approach
• Maintain a whole-of-government approach to reduce costs to taxpayers and provide for efficient administration across the Department of Internal Affairs.
Getting the best results from our public services is an important part of building stronger economic growth.
We are already saving $2 million a year from the merging of Archives New Zealand, the National Library and the Department of Internal Affairs.
2. Meet the needs of the modern fire service
We will monitor the relevant legislation and the levy-based Fire Service funding model to ensure they recognise the evolving role of the Fire Service.
The Fire Service has an increasingly important role in the prevention of fire through public education and awareness, as well as helping in road accidents and general emergencies.
Not merge rural and urban Fire Services, due to the differences in the type of fires they deal with.
Rural Fire Services face very different challenges, such as scrub and vegetation fires, whereas urban fire fighters deal mostly with fires in buildings and homes.
Continue to encourage amalgamations of Rural Fire Districts to ensure better use of resources.
We can benefit from taking a regional approach to fire management through economies of scale and pooling resources.
This is a voluntary process.
We will continue to encourage regions to consider it further.
3. Support Royal Commissions
Continue to provide high-quality support for the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy and the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure Caused by the Canterbury Earthquakes.
4. Minimise the harm from gambling
• Review how the Gambling Act 2003 is operating, particularly in regard to non-casino machines (pokies).
If strong evidence emerges that the Act is not working as intended to benefit the community and minimise harm, then we will consider changes.
5. Encourage investment in Auckland
• Support legal changes to allow SkyCity Casino in Auckland to build a convention centre,
at no cost to the taxpayer.
The proposed 3500 seat centre would create around 800 new jobs and inject an estimated $90 million a year of extra spending by international visitors.
Any changes to gambling legislation will be subject to a full public submission process and made in a highly-regulated environment.
Harm minimisation will be at the forefront
and change will only be accepted if it is to the overall benefit of New Zealanders.
IMMIGRATION  Building a  Stronger Economy
Attracting skills and investment
Immigration plays a critical part in National’s plan to build a brighter future.
Immigration helps to build a stronger economy and create jobs by encouraging innovation, deepening our links with international markets, and providing the skills and capital we need for growth.
Immigration is also helping to rebuild Canterbury by providing highly skilled experts.
Attracting skills and investment
Our immigration policy focuses on attracting the right mix of skills and investment to build a stronger economy.
We’re attracting investment capital and business know-how where it’s needed most.
We’re strengthening the quality of our multibillion dollar export-education sector.
We’re helping our horticulture and viticulture industries make the most of their potential.
And we’re providing our industries with the talented and skilled workers they need,
while making sure that New Zealanders remain first in line for jobs.
Key points
•  Focused on  attracting  immigrants who will bring the most economic benefits  to  New  Zealand  – skilled  workers, business people and investors, academics, entertainers, and students.
•  Enhanced the Recognised Seasonal Employer  scheme,
and cut compliance costs and red  tape.
•  600 highly skilled young people have been  given the opportunity to find jobs in New  Zealand through  our new Silver Fern Visa.
•  Turned around the poor  performance at  Immigration New Zealand,
to assist  the entry  of the skilled workers, investors,  students,  and tourists that our country needs.
•  Improved  the business migrant scheme to maximise investment and economic growth.
•  Continue to attract migrants with the right skills and capital to invest in  New Zealand.
•  Support Canterbury through the rebuild.
•  Get better outcomes for refugees coming to  New Zealand.
National has…
Targeted visas more effectively
 Improved  the  business migration  scheme to  attract more  capital,  and people with  commercial know-how, experience, and  global networks.
Supported export education through allowing short courses to be studied while on a work or visitor visa.
This expands the potential market for export education.
Made changes to the Entertainer’s Visa to provide more certainty for New Zealand’s growing film industry.
Introduced the Silver Fern Visa.
This gives employers greater access to skilled young migrants.
Increased the quality, accountability and value of students who enter New Zealand on a study visa,
and allowed the best students to stay on and contribute to our skilled workforce.
Improved the performance of Immigration New Zealand
Improved the quality and consistency of decisions made by Immigration New Zealand.
Focused on reducing the time it takes to make decisions and reducing the backlog of applications on hand.
Residence for religious workers
Provided a path to residency for religious workers, which better meets the needs of our religious communities.
Enhanced the RSE Scheme
Enhanced the Recognised  Seasonal Employer  (RSE)  scheme  for workers in the horticulture  and viticulture industries.
Our  results so far…
•  600 highly skilled young people have been  given the opportunity to find jobs in New  Zealand through  our new  Silver Fern visa.
•  Attracted over $700  million  in  potential foreign investment  thanks to  improvements  to  the business migration scheme.
This is  more than 10 times as much as under Labour.
•  Employer satisfaction with Immigration New  Zealand  has  increased from  70 per  cent  to  90 per  cent  and  overall client satisfaction  has  risen from 71 to 77  per  cent  over the  past two  years.
What we will do next…
1. Attract migrants with the right skills and capital to invest in New Zealand
Continue to attract more business migrants and investment capital.
We’ve already substantially increased potential investment capital through the business migration scheme and our focus is on growing this sector further.
Proactively locate and recruit migrants with the skills to grow the New Zealand economy.
Countries are competing worldwide to recruit people with talent and skills to expand and grow their economies.
We need a proactive approach to identify them and help them migrate here.
Costs will be met within existing baselines
as part of our on-going work to encourage productive migrants to New Zealand.
• Continue our pragmatic approach of reviewing and updating policy settings to ensure they are working for New Zealand.
New Zealand’s suite of immigration policies needs to enhance our ability to attract and retain skilled migrants.
2. Support Canterbury
Identify and facilitate the labour force needed for the Christchurch rebuild where New Zealanders are unavailable.
3. Get better outcomes for refugees coming to New Zealand
• Roll out a whole-of-government strategy that improves outcomes for refugees
and reduces state dependency.
Currently no single Government department has overall responsibility for meeting the needs of refugees.
A centralised strategy is needed to bring together all the support that refugees can rely on.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Mismanaged Immigration New Zealand to  the point the  only option was an Auditor  General’s  report and a complete overhaul of  the department.
 Would add more compliance costs and regulations that would place roadblocks in  the way  of employers.
 Ignored  the economic  benefits of  immigration.
HOUSING  Building  Better  Public  Services
Building better housing
Good housing is important for the health and wellbeing of our families and our communities.
When National came into office, many state houses were run down, in the wrong areas, not the right size, and not going to those families most in need.
National is reversing this situation.
We’re ensuring that state houses are located in areas of greatest need, and going to families who need them most,
for the duration of their need.
We’re also upgrading and insulating old houses,
and helping more families get into homes of their own.
We’re partnering with social housing providers through the Social Housing Unit.
This is providing cash injections, land provision, and the transfer of surplus housing stock to groups who have a great track record providing social housing, and who want to work with Government to build on that.
National’s aim is to ensure that all New Zealanders have a warm, dry, and healthy place to live.
“National will ensure that, by the end of 2013, every state house built before 1978 that can be practically insulated is insulated.”
Key points
•  1000 more state houses.
•  Completed  50,000  upgrades to  state housing, including  clean heating and  necessary  maintenance.
•  Created  2000 jobs  during the recession  through state housing upgrades.
•  Made more than  133,000  private  homes  warmer and drier through our  Warm Up New  Zealand: Heat Smart  scheme
•  Assisted  4400  first-home buyers to  get  finance.
•  Moved  400 tenants on for  vandalism, fraud,  and other  serious anti-social behavior,
and  replaced  them  with tenants  in genuine need.
National has…
Provided more affordable housing
Increased the overall state housing portfolio by more than 1000 homes.
Helped facilitate and grow social housing providers.
The newly-established Social Housing Unit will lead to even more social housing for New Zealanders.
Provided $40 million in Budget 2011 to facilitate the growth of social housing providers, which will help to increase the stock of affordable housing.
Put in place reviewable tenancies for state houses
Committed to provide state housing for those in need,
for the duration of that need.
Put in place reviewable tenancies for new state housing tenants.
Supported tenants who no longer needed state housing to find alternative accommodation, freeing up homes for those most in need.
Balanced the needs of landlords and tenants
Passed the Residential Tenancies Act to balance the needs of tenants to maintain secure and comfortable housing and the needs of landlords to be able to manage their rental properties well.
Passed the Unit Titles Act 2010 replacing the previous 1972 Act with a more flexible and relevant regime for apartment owners.
Repairing leaky homes
We’ve taken leadership and stepped up with a $1 billion financial assistance package to help owners of leaky homes get their houses fixed faster.
Helped more people into their own homes
Implemented an Options and Advice Service to help people look at a variety of housing options not just state housing.
Kept interest rates lower, and reduced income tax across the board to make home ownership the most affordable it’s been for a decade.
Increased the Welcome Home Loan cap allowing more first home buyers to access affordable finance.
Streamlined the Resource Management Act and building consenting to help first-home buyers through lower redevelopment and building costs.
Our successes so far
 Completed  more than 50,000 upgrades to  state houses, including insulation,  clean  heating, retrofits,  and essential maintenance.
 Invested an extra  $120 million  upgrading and  building state  housing as part of our  Jobs and  Growth  stimulus package.
This created  an estimated 2000 jobs during  the  recession.
 Insulated more than 133,000  privately-owned  homes  through  our  Warm Up  New Zealand:  Heat Smart  scheme.
 Helped over 4400  extra people buy their  own homes through changes to  the Welcome Home Loan cap.
 Moved 400 tenants on for  vandalism,  fraud,  and other  serious anti-social behavior,
and  replaced them with tenants  in genuine need.
What we will do next…
1. Provide warmer, drier homes
• Complete, by the end of 2013, the insulation of the 4600 remaining state houses built before 1978 – when insulation standards were introduced.
National will ensure that, by the end of 2013, every state house built before 1978 that can be practically insulated will be insulated.
Warmer, drier homes mean energy savings, lower power bills, and healthier communities.
Funding to achieve this ambitious promise will be allocated from existing Housing New Zealand’s baseline.
• Continue our $347 million Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart scheme to retrofit at least 188,500 privately owned homes.
A large number of homes have inadequate insulation and heating.
Alongside insulating all state houses, National is ensuring private homes are warmer and drier too.
2. Ensure that landlords and tenants are clear about the law
Allocate additional court sitting days in Auckland and Christchurch to address long tenancy tribunal waiting times.
We will work further to avoid delays across the country.
Introduce a suspensions policy so that a state house tenant evicted for illegal behaviour may not be eligible for another state house for up to one year.
We have a no-nonsense approach to tenant behaviour.
We will not hesitate to remove tenants for vandalism, fraud, or serious antisocial behaviour.
3.  Increase the supply of social housing through the more effective use of existing resources
• Work closely with social housing providers and Community Housing Aotearoa to grow the total amount of social housing available, in areas of most need.
We are working to use social housing support more effectively.
When National came into government, there was not enough housing stock in areas of high demand, too many houses were of the wrong size to meet requirements, and a large proportion of state housing was in poor and rundown condition.
Rapidly progress options for financial assistance to social housing providers through the Social Housing Unit.
This will include opportunities for land provision and surplus state house transfers.
Work with iwi on housing provision particularly on significant rural housing initiatives.
We are committed to increasing the supply of social and affordable housing in our main cities and towns as well as in rural areas.
With significant land holdings and an understanding of whanau needs, iwi are well placed to partner with the Government.
Give HNZC the flexibility to reconfigure their housing stock to increase the number of houses in areas of high demand for those most in need of a home.
It’s not fair that a single person might be living in a four-bedroom house, while a family of six waits in substandard accommodation.
Labour would take New Zealand  backwards
Labour would:
 Drive up rents by introducing  a capital gains  tax  and  hurt the most vulnerable low income tenants.
 Let the state housing stock fall into serious  decay focusing  only on a “more  state  houses” mantra while ignoring their quality.
 Abolish  reviewable tenancies, going back to a state-house-for-life policy.
Houses would  be occupied by those least in need while others  languish on  a  waiting list.
 Make Housing New Zealand  property  managers  focus on providing  intensive  social services,  when working  alongside  professional agencies is  much more sensible and safe.
 Not act for  owners  of leaky homes.
Labour  stood  by for nine years, saying it wasn’t  the government’s responsibility to  help  owners  of leaky homes.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
HEALTH:   PRIMARY  CARE   Building  Better Public Services
Better care closer to home
Primary care is the best way to deliver timely healthcare closer to home.
Research shows that health services with strong and vibrant primary care services are better for patients and reduce pressure on public hospital services.
Despite the worst economic conditions in decades, National is investing an extra $100 million in patient subsidies for GP visits.
Focusing on the frontline
National is bringing more health services closer to where patients live.
More family doctors are providing minor surgery
and more GPs can now refer patients directly for ultrasounds, MRI and CT scans.
Integrated Family Health Centres are up and running around the country and more are on the way.
GPs, nurses and pharmacists are working with other health professionals to provide one-stop-shops for patients.
More hospital services are being provided in the community.
Thanks to face-to-face consultations over the internet, more rural people in places such as the West Coast are seeing their GP or specialist without travelling long distances.
More patients with long-term conditions are managing their own health at home with electronic measuring devices linked to doctors’ clinics.
National will continue to bring together hospital and community health services to improve patient care, and deliver better, sooner, more convenient healthcare for all New Zealanders.
“National will extend free after hours care for children under six,
roll out a comprehensive after hours telephone health advice service with access to nurses, GPs, and pharmacists,
and support smarter home support services. ”
Key Points
More funding on the frontline
We’ve  increased  annual primary care  spending by  $100 million  in  extra  patient  subsidies  for GP visits.
We’ve also invested  $180 million  more  over  three years  in modern medicines,  including  59 new medicines  and expanded access to  68 medicines.
More  support for new mums
Fully-funded a 24-hour  PlunketLine.
More Plunket WellChild visits, particularly for first-time mums.
More doctors and  nurses
80 extra  medical school places over  the next two years.
50 extra GP training places  a year since  2009.
We’ve  included  rural GPs  in the Voluntary  Bonding Scheme.
National has…
Increased quality of primary care
Increased annual primary care spending by $100 million compared to 2008.
Increased annual home support services by $46 million since 2008.
More older people are getting support to remain in their homes for longer.
Provided an extra $130 million over four years in Budget 2011 for disability support services.
This includes $20 million of more flexible funding, enabling disabled people to choose how they want to live their lives.
Boosted funding for  medicines
National has boosted  medicines funding by $180  million  over three years.
This  includes:   New  treatments for advanced lung and kidney  cancers, and for cardiac and respiratory  problems.
 Wider access to medicines for  diabetes and  high cholesterol.
 12 month fully-funded  courses  of Herceptin  for Her-2 positive breast cancer sufferers, which the previous government would not  commit to  funding.
Provided more options for patients
Fully-funded PlunketLine 24 hours a day, seven days a week, giving new parents access to vital support any time of the day or night.
Made it easier for many people living in rural communities to access faster healthcare with new ultrafast broadband technology.
Boosted investment in local GPs and health centres
Increased subsidies for GP visits.
Expanded the number of children aged under six accessing GP clinics at zero cost.
Increased the number of GP training places.
Introduced voluntary bonding student loan write-offs for young GPs working in hard-to staff areas.
Worked with local doctors to support Integrated Family Health Centres – ‘one-stop shops’ that can include GP clinics, access to blood tests or x-rays, a physiotherapist, specialist assessments, minor surgery, and a pharmacy for prescriptions.
Supported the frontline
Established the Whanau Ora programme as a more efficient way of delivering important frontline health and social services.
Reduced the number of Primary Health Organisations from 81 to 32 to cut bureaucracy and complexity, and improve focus and delivery of services.
Our  results  so far
We’re making each health dollar go further with  a focus on  efficiency  and less bureaucracy.
More  GPs  in  training  and  clinics
•  GP training places  up  by nearly 50  per cent.
•  Student-loan write-offs  under  the Voluntary  Bonding Scheme for  graduate  GPs working in hard-to-staff areas.
•  More doctors now working in general practice.
24-hour PlunketLine
•  41,000 more calls were  made to PlunketLine  in 2010/11 –  after  National  funded it  to provide a 24-hour  7-day service  – compared  with 2007/08.
Better  local  health  services
•  Integrated Family Health Centres  are up and running and more are on the way.
•  Child immunisation  rates are at a record  high.
91 per cent  of two-year-olds are fully  immunised.
•  Thousands  more patients  are  getting faster  access to x-rays, ultrasounds, and  CT and  MRI  scans without having to see a hospital  specialist first.
•  An 11-clinic after-hours care network  is  up and running  in Auckland, providing better  care for 1.3 million people.
•  Better medicine monitoring  for  more patients through local pharmacies.
•  750 breast cancer sufferers  have  signed up  to receive a 12-month course of  Herceptin.
•  More convenient care for patients  is  available  at new community  renal-dialysis  centres  in  Kaitaia, Whakatane, Wairoa  and  North Shore.
Centres in  suburban Auckland  and Gisborne  are due to open shortly.
What we will do next…
The National-led Government has announced the policy below.
National will implement this policy if re-elected.
1.Extend free GP care for children under six to after-hours
• Work with local primary care networks to provide free after-hours GP visits to children under six.
Zero GP Fees for Under Sixes after-hours will make it easier for those families who need their child to see a GP or nurse outside of business hours.
This will also help reduce the increase in young children presenting at busy hospital emergency departments.
Most children under six in Greater Auckland now get free after-hours doctors’ visits.
This is because of a new city-wide after-hours network established by the District Health Boards (DHBs) in Auckland and local GPs in September.
We will extend Zero Fees for Under Sixes to after-hours throughout the country by working with DHBs, local primary care networks, and after-hours clinics.
Currently 87 per cent of under sixes are covered by the free GP visits daytime scheme.
Free after-hours care for children under six will cost an estimated $7 million a year.
This will be funded from within existing health budgets.
2. Boost telephone health advice
Roll out a comprehensive after-hours telephone advice service with access to nurses, GPs and pharmacists.
Investigate integrating this care with ambulance service paramedics.
Improving after-hours telephone triage services will reduce pressure on after-hours GP care and hospital emergency departments, and make after-hours care more accessible.
Evidence suggests that only a small proportion of people need to see a doctor overnight.
An effective after-hours telephone advice service can save patients a hospital visit and unnecessary waiting.
Patients calling the new after-hours helpline will be triaged by a nurse, and referred on if needed, for further telephone advice from a doctor or other health professional.
An ambulance will be called if required.
Such an after-hours general practice support line has operated for some time in Tasmania, and has recently been established elsewhere in Australia.
In Kapiti, Levin, and Rangiora, the government is funding three trials of paramedics treating patients in their homes as part of improved after-hours services.
These pilots will inform the roll-out of a more integrated service between ambulance and the after-hours telephone service.
The Healthline service will be incorporated into the new advice line.
The government will work with local primary care networks, ambulance providers, and others to set up this service which will be subject to open tender.
This extended after-hours health advice line will cost up to $1. 5 million a year,
and will be funded from within existing health budgets.
3. Support smarter home support services
• Continue smarter investment in home care for older people, including a stronger focus on home support after hospital discharge.
Internationally, more health services are expanding “hospital in the home” type services.
Research indicates that this leads to faster recovery and greater independence for older people.
In Canterbury, a specialist team works with older people to help them recover at home after they have been discharged from hospital.
Health professionals work with the patient’s GP to get them back to normal life.
Waikato DHB has put in place a rapid response/supported discharge team.
It offers intensive rehabilitation in the patient’s home for up to six weeks following hospital discharge or after attending the emergency department.
Such restorative home support is a major shift in home care.
It helps older people get recovery-focused care as long as they need it.
The University of Auckland, Counties-Manukau DHB, and Ngati Porou Hauora are using telecare equipment at home on a daily basis with patients who have long-term conditions.
This transmits results – such as weight and blood pressure – via the internet to be read by clinical teams.
We will support more of these intensive home-support services by providing an extra $3 million a year from the annual increase in the health budget alongside additional investment from DHB budgets.
• Continue growing Integrated Family Health Centres.
Integrated Family Health Centres (IFHC) are ‘one-stop shops’ that may include GPs (including those with specialist interests such as minor surgery), nurses, pharmacists, midwives, dentists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, community nurses, and visiting medical specialists working under one roof.
These centres can offer extended hours walk-in access, on-site radiology, laboratory collection, day surgical procedures and observation beds.
For example, the Midland Health Network has developed three leading edge IFHCs.
Patients are supported by a St John-trained call centre.
This provides advice for patients, and makes bookings both for face-to-face and telephone GP or nurse consultations.
Patients can also consult their GP by email.
Medical receptionists, practice nurses, and pharmacists have been trained to provide more support for patients as part of a team approach to care.
All of this means shorter waiting times and more efficient healthcare for patients.
We will provide financial incentives to encourage development of IFHCs and associated services.
We will also require DHBs to work with local primary care networks to provide more patients with faster access to important diagnostic tests without patients having to see a hospital specialist first – when this is clinically appropriate.
These changes will be funded from the annual increase in the health budget
and from within the existing health budget.
What we will do next... (continued)
• Invest in more opportunities for patient self-care, including better IT tools that enable people to take greater control of their own care.
People living in remote areas are now able to better manage their health conditions through information technology.
Renal patients in Northland can video conference with specialists at Whangarei Hospital from dedicated units in Kaitaia and Kawakawa.
People living in remote communities on the West Coast are now able to have long-distance consultations with doctors and hospital specialists thanks to ultrafast broadband technology.
And patients in some remote areas can now access technology that measures their vital signs every day and emails this data to their specialist or GP immediately, without the need to travel into town.
At the Midlands Integrated Family Health Centre, patients can take their own blood pressure and weight and enter these into their records – letting them take more control of their health.
• Encourage greater pharmacy-led care.
National will roll out, across the country, a recently-completed demonstration project where pharmacists took on a greater role in managing patients on the traditional blood-thinning drug Warfarin.
The trial ran in 15 community pharmacies around the country.
An independent evaluation of the project confirmed that management of Warfarin treatment by pharmacists is safe and convenient for patients with heart disease.
It is estimated this project could save $177 million over five years.
• Improve health literacy in the community.
Often it can be confusing for patients to navigate their way around the health service or to take control of their own healthcare.
Improving health literacy will provide patients with better and more understandable information about their illnesses,
and what they can do to support their own health.
National will encourage more of this kind of innovation around the country.
This will be funded from within the existing DHB and health budgets.
4. Boost mental health services
• Expand mental health services in primary care.
See National’s Mental Health policy for more details.
Labour would take New Zealand backwards
Labour:
 Means more bureaucracy, more committees,  and endless visions that never deliver, and  fewer  people  getting operations.
 Wasted millions of dollars  on needless  administration and bureaucracy.
 Drove doctors and nurses out of the country.
 Ignored the skill and experience of frontline  clinicians.
 Oversaw thousands of New Zealanders  missing out on modern, life-saving medicines.
 Failed to promote innovation in primary care  teams.
 Struggled  to improve key preventive care  such as  immunisation, heart-disease checks, and  diabetes screening  and support.
 Was focused on growing the  health bureaucracy,  not frontline services.
We’ve  made  Primary Health Organisations  more  efficient  – and reduced  their number  from  81 to 32  –  to ensure more focus on the      front  line.
We can’t afford another  dose  of Labour.
HEALTH:   PREVENTIVE HEALTHCARE  Building  Better Public Services
Better prevention and early intervention
Effective preventive healthcare plays an important part in preventing disease and giving Kiwis the best chance for a healthier life.
It also helps to improve the performance of our public health service.
In difficult economic times, National is investing heavily in disease prevention and health promotion.
Smart investment benefits more people and the health service in the longer term.
Health targets focusing on important areas
National has selected a discrete number of high impact, high return preventive-health targets – immunisations for under-twos, smoking, and heart disease/diabetes.
This was intentional.
Public health dollars had been spread too thinly, on too many projects over a decade, with very little health gain to show for it.
Results in our target areas have been immediate.
Child immunisation rates are at all-time highs.
More people are trying to quit smoking.
Heart disease risk assessments have increased.
Focus and accountability are achieving results.
Although we’ve seen great progress, there’s still more to do to improve frontline preventive health services and give Kiwis the best chance for a healthier life.
We’re investing in better immunisation,
targeting rheumatic fever,
providing more support for people to quit smoking,
insulating homes,
and improving support for new mums and babies.
“National will ensure that, by the end of 2014, 95 per cent of all eight month-old children are fully immunised with three scheduled vaccinations.
We’ll also roll out a nationwide rheumatic fever programme,
improve cancer screening,
and continue to make further gains tackling heart disease, smoking, and unhealthy weight./”
Key points
Child immunisation rates at all time high
A  record 91 per cent  of two-year-olds  are  fully immunised; up from             73 per cent.
More  progress on  tackling  smoking
We’ve  increased  tobacco tax  by 30  per  cent, and  calls to  Quitline  are  up  by half.
85 per cent  of patients in hospitals are  offered help  to quit smoking.
Use of smoking  cessation treatments, such as patches,  is  up 82  per  cent  in  just 18 months.
Better diabetes and cardiovascular services
Targeted improvement  in  the  detection, risk assessment,  and  management of these diseases  has seen many more eligible  patients risk-assessed  for  heart disease  and diabetes.
National has…
Supported child health
Boosted immunisation rates for all two-year olds to record levels.
Provided $12 million to help significantly reduce rheumatic fever in vulnerable communities.
Worked with industry to more than double ‘food advertising free zones’ during children’s TV.
Funded extensive school nutrition programmes including Fruit In Schools.
Boosted physical activity in schools through Kiwisport.
Provided more support for mums
Fully funded PlunketLine 24 hours-a-day, seven days a week.
Provided extra WellChild/Plunket Tamariki Ora maternity visits for mums – targeting firsttime mothers.
Invested in longer stays in birthing facilities for new mothers in need.
Funded early intervention services
Increased cardiovascular and diabetes screening and management.
Established a four-year bowel screening pilot, to help identify bowel disease early.
Committed $347 million to insulate 188,500 Kiwi homes and provide clean-heating devices to make homes warmer, healthier, and more energy efficient in our Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart scheme.
Tackled smoking
Increased quit-smoking support and encouraged more people to give up.
Raised the tobacco tax by 30 per cent.
Banned smoking in prisons.
Our results so far  –  better prevention
We’re making each health dollar go further with  a  focus on  efficiency  and less bureaucracy.
More children  getting a  healthy start
•  A record 91 per cent  of two year  olds are  fully immunised  - up from 73  per cent  three years ago.
•   100,000 B4 School Checks  completed  to ensure children are ready, and healthy, to  start school.
•  22,000 children  to benefit from National’s  focus on rheumatic  fever.
More  new  mums  getting  support
•  Three extra  WellChild visits for 18,000  mothers  – with a focus on first-time mums.
•  41,000 more calls were  made to PlunketLine  in 2010/11 –  after the government funded it  as a 24-hour service  – than in 2007/08.
More screening for  bowel cancer
•  130,000 people  are  in the  four-year bowel  screening pilot.
More  progress  on  quit  smoking
•  50 per cent  increase in calls  by smokers to  Quitline, and an  82  per cent  increase in  smoking cessation support.
More  homes are warmer and drier
•  More than  130,000 homes  are warmer, drier, and healthier under  our new  Warm Up New  Zealand: HeatSmart  scheme.
•  Over 29,000  homes  have been converted to  clean heat devices.
What we will do next…
1. Continue to support child health
• Introduce a new immunisation target.
By the end of 2014, 95 per cent of all eight-monthold children will be fully immunised with three scheduled vaccinations.
Now that we are on track to meet the national immunisation target for 95 per cent of two-year-olds being fully immunised by June 2012, it’s time to set a new goal.
Children are more likely to complete all immunisations if they begin early.
They are more likely to be enrolled with their GP and in regular contact with them, helping set healthy foundations for life.
National will ensure children are enrolled at birth with a GP or WellChild/Tamariki Ora provider.
Children are most vulnerable to infections like whopping cough and pneumococcal disease between the ages of 3 to18 months old.
That’s because immunity built up from their mother begins to reduce, and they’re unable to respond quickly to diseases.
Early vaccination helps a child’s immune system become more responsive and react quickly to infections.
Three sets of vaccinations are given at six weeks, three months and five months to protect children against polio, whooping cough, Hepatitis B, and pneumococcal disease.
• Roll out a $12 million nationwide rheumatic fever programme targeting vulnerable communities.
Rheumatic fever is an entirely preventable disease that can have serious consequences for children during childhood and throughout their lifetime.
For example, a simple sore throat can lead to permanent heart damage.
The problem is serious and, after years of inaction by the previous government, National is doing something about it.
In Budget 2011 we have funded a four-year programme to significantly reduce rates of this third-world disease in vulnerable communities.
• Ensure more children receive B4 school checks.
See our Maternity and Child Health policy
2. Build on our health targets
• Improve care further for eligible patients with diabetes and cardiovascular conditions.
National has lifted the number of people getting cardiovascular and diabetes services.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes are preventable diseases that, with better management, can greatly improve health outcomes of patients.
The recent ‘Diabetes Get Checked’ review showed the need for an improved programme.
Experts believe we can do better and we are supporting them to develop an alternative programme.
A CVD check at an eligible age has been shown to reduce heart disease and improve diabetes management.
This will be funded from within existing health budgets, including the $8 million per annum existing ‘Get Checked’ allocation.
• Further expand smoking prevention and reduction, including increased screening in primary care.
One of the best ways to discourage smoking is for a doctor or nurse to talk to a patient about their smoking.
Over the past two years the number of smokers in hospitals given advice and help to quit has risen from none to 85 per cent.
Now we want more GPs to offer similar advice to their patients.
National has increased tobacco tax by an unprecedented 30 per cent.
This has resulted in a 50 per cent jump in calls to Quitline, and increased uptake of smoking cessation treatments, such as patches – up 82 per cent in 18 months.
We also banned smoking in prisons.
Extra advice for patients will be funded from within existing health budgets.
3. Improve prostate health services
• Implement the recommendations of the Health Select Committee on Prostate Cancer Screening to improve services.
The Committee recommended the development of evidence-based information and resources for men, so they can make more informed decisions about prostate testing, and have fair access to good quality care.
There are no plans to introduce a national screening programme at this stage.
4.  Target unhealthy weight early
• Target the risk factors of unhealthy weight early, with expanded nutrition education through maternal and ante-natal support services.
In Budget 2011, National invested an extra $54 million into maternity services.
This includes extra WellChild visits for around 18,000 mothers, with a focus on first-time mums.
Research by the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Sir Peter Gluckman, points to the importance of maternal and ante-natal nutrition in the campaign against unhealthy weight.
National will improve the nutrition component of ante-natal education.
It’s important that expectant mums are informed about the effects their eating habits have on their unborn child.
Midwives already inform mums-to-be about how to eat right and we want to make sure ante-natal education also responds to their needs.
More nutrition education will be funded from the $6 million revamp of maternal and antenatal education announced in Budget 2011.
5. Bring the health service into the digital age
• Ensure there is one central electronic health record for every person by 2014.
Having one central place for your medical history could save your life.
We want health professionals to be able to access a single record about your history, no matter where you are
– but only with your permission.
This would mean information about medications, health conditions, allergies, immunisations and recent visits to the doctor would be in one place.
It would also mean that you would only have to tell your story once.
And there are benefits to the health sector.
One central record saves money and time,
and makes healthcare safer.
Establishing central electronic health records will be funded from the capital budget of DHBs.
• Complete the rollout of the digital upgrade of mammography screening.
70 per cent of women aged 50 to 69 are being screened for breast cancer.
The aim of the screening programme is to reduce the number of women who die from this common cancer by 30 per cent.
Better screening means cancers can be picked up earlier and treated sooner.
Digital mammography brings 21st century technology to DHBs, and better services for patients.
Benefits include a better screening process, clearer pictures, and faster results for the patient.
This will be funded by District Health Boards.
Labour would take New Zealand  backwards
Labour:
 Means more bureaucracy, more committees, and endless visions that don’t deliver.
 Promised in 2001 that  reducing the impact of  rheumatic fever was a priority.
They  did  nothing over  the following seven years in government and rheumatic fever  rates have increased.
 Failed to establish a bowel cancer pilot over  nine years, despite  saying it  was a priority.
 Allowed 27  per cent  of under  twos to miss out  on vital immunistaions  –  meaning more  children were  catching  preventative diseases  like whooping cough or  mumps.
 Cut funding for Plunketline in 2006, despite demand from parents.
National reinstated  and fully funded the 24-hour service.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
HEALTH:   MENTAL HEALTH   Building  Better Public Services
Supporting mental health
Good mental health is vital for a healthy life.
National understands that thousands of people and their families live with the daily burden of mental illness.
We have improved access to services through family doctors to help people cope with conditions such as depression.
We have improved alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment services.
National will continue supporting better mental health services for New Zealanders and their families.
Improving access to mental health services
In the 2011 Budget, the National-led Government committed an extra $160 million over the next four years to improve mental health services.
National is placing more emphasis on youth, alcohol treatment, and better access to mental health services.
GPs can now offer extended consultations, and there is more and improved support available, including more counseling and other psychological interventions.
Many offenders have mental health problems.
The health service is working closely with the Courts and the Corrections Department to reduce re-offending through better mental health services and support.
“National will provide $33 million over four years to expand specialist mental health services for young offenders to increase early intervention and help reduce reoffending.
We’ll improve early intervention for drug and alcohol treatment, and develop the Prime Minister’s Youth Mental Health Project. ”
Key points
•  Providing $160  million over  the next four  years to  improve  mental health services and  deliver them more effectively.
•  60 new beds in a methamphetamine residential treatment programme  in Auckland.
270 patients treated so far.
•  Dedicated eating disorder facilities  in  Auckland so young people and their families  don’t have to go  to Australia for treatment.
•  Mental health nursing  staff added  to  National’s  Voluntary  Bonding Scheme.
•  Established  the  Prime  Minister’s  Youth Mental  Health  Project.
•  Improving  AOD treatment  services for young  people.
National has…
Improved early intervention
Doubled funding for the National Depression Initiative to $5 million.
Improved AOD treatment services for young people, including funding 10 Community Specialist Youth Alcohol and Other Drug full time staff positions.
Provided $1. 75 million for a new computer based tool for adults to use at home to help them work through moderate mental health issues and substance abuse problems.
Supported youth living with mental illness
Provided $2 million to help 5,000 families address children’s behavioural, emotional, and mental health problems.
Established the Prime Minister’s Youth Mental Health Project to look at ways of addressing mental health issues.
Provided $6. 5 million for five new dedicated eating disorder beds at Starship Hospital and a new nine-bed residential service in Auckland.
Provided better access to more services
• Provided extra resources and support for early intervention in mental health services.
More electronic support
•  Visits to  www.depression. org. nz  – a website  that encourages people to  seek help  –  have  doubled.
•  96 per cent of GPs have access to electronic  support tools to help  them  better assess  depression, manage  patients, and make  referrals.
What we will do next...
1. Provide better support for youth
• Invest $33 million over four years in the development of youth specialist services.
This policy has been announced by the National-led Government.
National will implement it if re-elected to government.
Many young offenders have underlying mental health problems.
Better coordination between the courts and mental health services will increase early intervention and help address mental health and AOD issues, while reducing re-offending rates.
We will assign court liaison clinicians to all 63 Youth Courts,
provide dedicated youth forensic services in the regions,
and secure forensic youth beds.
Forensic beds will provide secure treatment for youth offenders.
This will be funded from the Mental Health Allocation in Budget 2011.
• Invest $2 million a year to deliver nationally consistent, enhanced, alcohol and other drug treatment services for youth.
Too many young people and their families are waiting too long to access specialised addiction services.
Our additional investment is expected to reach an extra 2000 young people and reduce the waiting time between referral and treatment.
National will shorten waiting times to three weeks for children and youth referrals (0-19 years) to Mental Health and Addiction Services.
Urgent cases will be seen even faster.
• Roll out brief intervention on alcohol use by participating GPs and Emergency Departments.
Research shows that a conversation, however brief, between a doctor and a patient can affect alcohol-related behaviour.
A project by ALAC and Whanganui PHO screened 43 per cent of patients about their alcohol use.
Of that group, 36 per cent had brief conversations with their doctor, or were referred to a specialist AOD service.
This sort of intervention can be very effective.
The two initiatives above will be part-funded out of the $10 million Drivers of Crime programme already announced and from DHB mental health budgets.
2. Better invest where it’s needed most
• Provide more resources to deliver better services to people with mental health issues, and focus on earlier intervention.
National has provided extra resources and help for patients through primary care clinics.
We now spend $23. 7 million a year for increased access to primary mental health services for people with mild to moderate needs.
We will continue to support people living with mental illness through better access to primary care treatment.
Resources will be funded within the Prime Minister’s Youth Mental Health Project, and the annual increase in mental health budgets.
3. Provide stronger leadership in mental health across government
Further develop the Prime Minister’s Youth Mental Health Project.
The Youth Mental Health Project is focused on improving provision of services for youth aged 13-19 with, or at risk of, mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
We will work across government departments for a coordinated approach.
Complete the review of the Mental Health Blueprint currently underway by the Mental Health Commission, and due in 2012.
The Mental Health Blueprint sets the current funding and service framework for mental health services in New Zealand.
It was established in the 1990s, and targets mental health services to the three per cent of the population with the most severe mental health conditions.
The Blueprint is widely regarded as out of date, and is currently being reviewed by the Mental Health Commissioner.
A new Blueprint for mental health services is expected in 2012.
National supports this work.
Labour would take New  Zealand backwards
Labour:   Allowed waiting times for key mental health  services  to increase.
 Talks about aspirational outcomes but have  no actual plan.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
HEALTH:  MATERNITY & CHILD HEALTH  Building  Better Public Services
Better maternity care and healthier children
Young New Zealanders need to get the very best start in life.
That begins with expectant parents getting access to quality maternity services.
And it continues with first-class health services throughout childhood.
National inherited a maternity service with chronic staff shortages.
Parents questioned its quality, safety, and access to care.
One District Health Board offered supermarket vouchers for young mums to leave the maternity unit within six hours of delivery.
Children weren’t receiving all the regular and necessary health checks to ensure they were meeting development milestones, and fewer were immunised against serious diseases like mumps, measles, or whooping cough.
More choice and better care
We’ve worked hard to ensure pregnant women have more choice in lead maternity carers.
We’ve improved continuity of care, provided the option of longer stays in maternity units, and better post-natal support.
We’ve made sure children receive better and more frequent health checks, vaccinations when they need them, and a solid foundation for a healthy life.
National will further improve the quality and safety of maternity care,
improve the health of pre-schoolers,
and further support healthier lifestyles at school to help ensure the next generation of New Zealanders gets the best start in life.
“National will ensure that, by the end of 2014, 95 per cent of all eight-month-old children are fully immunised with three scheduled vaccinations.
We will also bring local maternity professionals together to regularly review births,
expand the number of midwives in our voluntary bonding scheme,
and grow B4 school checks. ”
Key facts
Better maternity care
We’ve provided an extra $54  million  for maternity services.
This  includes  56,000 extra WellChild visits.
Improved child health
A record 91  per cent  of two-year olds are fully immunised,  up from 73  per cent  a few years ago.
We’ve  delivered  more  than 100,000 B4 School  Checks to ensure children are  ready, and healthy  when they  start school  –  a record  high.
Boosted the maternity workforce
Around 180 midwives  are currently  enrolled in the Voluntary  Bonding  Scheme.
We expect an extra  170  midwifery  graduates in  2011 compared to only 118 a few years earlier.
National has…
Boosted funding for maternity and child services
• Invested an extra $54. 5 million more into quality maternity services.
This includes:
−  $18.5 million to improve the safety and quality of services for mothers and babies, by bringing together all local maternity professionals for clinical reviews of all births.
−  $6 million to revamp information services for new parents.
−  $6.8 million to help vulnerable mothers access a fuller range of health and social services.
It will also assist midwives to make appropriate and timely referrals to other practitioners.
−  $2 million to establish a central maternity database that monitors pregnancy through the first three months of a baby’s life.
Provided an extra $9 million since 2008 for the Zero GP Fees for Under Sixes programme.
Allocated $12 million to reduce rheumatic fever, to benefit 22,000 children.
Provided better maternity care
Provided more support services for first-time mums including more Plunket, WellChild, and Tamariki Ora visits.
Fully funded PlunketLine for a 24-hour, seven-days service.
Improved child health
Provided more funding for the Zero GP Fees for Under Sixes programme, providing more affordable doctor visits for young children.
Delivered record rates of immunisation for under twos.
Delivered a record number of B4 school checks for four-year-olds to ensure they are fit, well, and ready to start school.
Continued funding school nutrition programmes, including Fruit In Schools, to encourage children to eat more fruit and adopt healthier lifestyles.
Worked with industry to more than double ‘food advertising free zones’ during children’s TV.
Boosted physical activity in schools through Kiwisport.
Boosted the health workforce
Increasing the number of midwives in hospitals, together with medical specialists on-site and on-call.
Put in place the Rural Midwifery Recruitment and Retention scheme.
Boosted the number of midwives through our Voluntary Bonding Scheme.
Our results so far
We’re  making each health dollar go further with a focus on efficiency and  less bureaucracy.
More support for young mums
•  More  WellChild visits for 18,000 mothers  – with a focus  on first-time mums.
24-hour PlunketLine
•  41,000 more calls were  made to PlunketLine  in 2010/11 –  after National  funded it to  provide a 24-hour 7-day service  – compared  with 2007/08.
Better child health
•  A record 91  per cent  of two-year-olds are  fully immunised  – up  from 73  per cent  three years ago.
•  More than 100,000 B4 School  Checks  to  ensure children are ready, and healthy, to  start school.
•  22,000 children  to benefit from National’s  focus on rheumatic  fever.
More maternity staff
•  More  midwives  working in the community or  in hospitals.
•  Around 180 extra midwives enrolled  in the Voluntary Bonding Scheme.
•  170 more midwifery graduates in 2011  than in  2008.
What we will do next…
1. Improve the health of our youngest and most vulnerable children
• Introduce a new immunisation target.
By the end of 2014, 95 per cent of all eight-month old children will be fully immunised with three scheduled vaccinations.
Now that we are on track to meet the national immunisation target for 95 per cent of two-year-olds being fully immunised by June 2012, it’s time to set a new goal.
Research shows children are more likely to complete all immunisations if they begin early.
It also shows they are more likely to be enrolled with their GP and in regular contact with them, helping set healthy foundations for life.
Children are most vulnerable to infections like whopping cough and pneumococcal disease between three and 18 months old.
That’s because immunity built up from their mother begins to reduce, and they’re unable to respond quickly to diseases.
Early vaccination helps a child’s immune system become more responsive and react quickly to infections.
Three sets of vaccinations are given at six weeks, three months and five months to protect children against polio, whooping cough, hepatitis B, and pneumococcal disease.
• Ensure all children are enrolled with a GP or WellChild/Tamariki Ora provider at birth.
We want to ensure every baby is given the chance for a healthy life by being enrolled at birth with a GP or WellChild/Tamariki Ora provider.
This will help support the new immunisation target.
Budget 2011 allocated funding to this programme.
• Work with primary care to extend the Zero Fees for Under Sixes scheme to after-hours care.
See our Better Care Closer to Home policy
• Roll out a $12 million nationwide rheumatic fever programme targeting vulnerable communities.
Rheumatic fever is an entirely preventable third-world disease that can have serious consequences for children during childhood and throughout their lifetime.
Many sufferers will need years of monthly antibiotic treatment and even cardiac surgery.
The rates of rheumatic fever in New Zealand are around 14 times higher than in any other OECD country.
National is determined to significantly reduce rheumatic fever through a $12 million programme – funded by Budget 2011 – that targets communities of high prevalence.
• Work to ensure even more four-year-olds receive a B4 school check, and have any potential health issues assessed and treated by a health professional or specialist.
These checks are an opportunity for a stocktake – to see exactly where a child is at, physically, emotionally, and socially.
Today around 80 per cent of four-year olds are being checked before heading off to school.
More than 100,000 children have had a B4 School Check since late 2008 compared with just 3,000 under the previous Government.
Children with eyesight problems are being identified and are seeing clearly for the first time.
Others are being helped to hear better, or to work through behavioural issues.
We will ensure more children get B4 school checks and receive the potentially life-changing help they need.
Extra B4 school checks will be funded within existing health budgets.
2. Further improve maternity services
• Work with midwives, doctors, and other health professionals to further improve the quality and safety of maternity care.
Budget 2011 funded $33 million for a series of maternity safety and quality initiatives.
We will continue working with maternity experts and new mothers to improve services.
This includes:
−  Bringing all local maternity professionals together for regular clinical reviews of all births.
−  Increasing the number of midwives in hospitals.
−  Better access to medical specialists on-site and on-call.
• Roll out improved ante-natal classes to respond to the needs of today’s parents.
Ante-natal classes haven’t really been updated since the 1960s.
We need to make sure the right information is being provided to meet the needs of today’s parents.
Building on advice from the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Sir Peter Gluckman, about the importance of maternal nutrition, we will also improve nutrition education for mothers during pregnancy and after delivery.
Budget 2011 allocated up to $6 million to revamp parent information services.
• Further grow the number of midwives enrolled in our Voluntary Bonding Scheme
and continue the Rural Recruitment and Retention scheme.
180 graduate midwives have enrolled in National’s Voluntary Bonding Scheme
and are providing midwifery services in areas around the country with high demand.
We’re working to grow this successful programme to provide more midwives where mums-to-be need them most.
We will also continue to support midwifery in rural areas with the Rural Recruitment and Retention Scheme.
In 2011, midwifery graduate numbers are projected to increase from 118 to 170.
From 2012 annual graduate midwife numbers are projected to stabilize between 195 and 220.
Growth in the number of midwives will be funded from within existing health budgets.
3. Encourage healthier lifestyles at school
• Continue education about healthy lifestyles through Kiwisport and other programmes.
We know that children are less active now than they were 20 years ago.
National has put extra funding towards giving more kids the opportunity to participate in sport and physical activity through the Kiwisport programme.
We will continue to support this important programme, and will investigate expanding the successful Project Energise.
This has reported reduced weight, waist measurements, and improved running ability in primary school children.
Funding for Kiwisport will come from within existing budgets and the annual increase in the health budget.
Labour would take New Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Means more bureaucracy, more committees, and endless visions that don’t deliver.
 Provided only 3000 B4 school checks compared to National’s 100,000 plus checks.
 Said in 2001 that reducing the impact  of  rheumatic fever was a priority.
They  did  nothing.
Instead  rheumatic fever rates increased.
 Allowed 27  per cent  of under  twos to miss out  on vital immunisations  –  meaning more  children were  catching  preventative diseases  like whooping cough or  mumps.
 Cut funding for PlunketLine in 2006, despite demand from parents.
National reinstated  and fully funded the 24-hour service.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
HEALTH:  DISABILITY  SERVICES  Building  Better Public Services
Supporting the disabled
One in five New Zealanders lives with a disability, and this number is expected to grow in coming years.
National wants people with disabilities to get the support and freedom they need to lead fulfilling lives.
We have put in place a number of initiatives to improve services for disabled people and their families.
Improving the lives of those living with disabilities
In just a few short years, we’ve given more people the choice about how to spend their support funding, and the freedom to live how they choose.
We’ve established a full-time Disability Rights Commissioner
and funded the Be. Accessible campaign, which promotes positive attitudes towards people with disabilities.
Improving support for disabled New Zealanders is an important part of our work to build a better, sooner, more convenient health service for all New Zealanders.
“National will continue rolling out support programmes that help disabled people live independently and have a voice in our communities.”
Key points
More funding
Put  $100 million  extra  into disability  services  since 2008.
A brighter future for disabled people
We will continue rolling out support  programmes that enable disabled people to live independently and  have a voice in  our communities.
Established the position of a full-time Disability Commissioner, within the  Human  Rights Commission, and  strengthened the Disability Commission overall.
National has…
Boosted funding
Put an extra $100 million into disability services since 2008.
Announced in Budget 2011 an extra $130 million over four years.
−  $8.5 million a year to provide more places in residential support services.
−  $2.5 million for equipment and modification services.
−  $2.8 million to help disabled people learn skills to assist independent living.
−  $2.5 million for assessment, treatment and rehabilitation services.
Expanded support
Provided $4 million for the Be. Accessible campaign encouraging positive attitudes towards disabled people.
Established a full-time Disability Commissioner.
Launched an innovative programme that gives disabled people and their families more choice to live the life they want.
Local Area Coordinators work alongside people with disabilities to help them use their individual budget to lead a better life.
Gave more than 1000 people access to personal budgets (or individualised funding) so they can choose what’s best for them.
Invested more in equipment and modification services for disabled people, dramatically reducing waiting lists.
What we will do next...
1. Encourage independence for disabled people
• Continue investing in disability services.
National has put an extra $100 million into disability services since 2008.
Our investment has provided more flexible services and reduced waiting lists for modifications and equipment.
We will continue to invest in disability services including an additional $117m to support increasing staff sleep-over rates to the minimum wage over the next three years.
This work was funded in Budget 2011 including risk reserves and by annual increased budget allocation.
• Continue to roll out the Local Area Coordinator programme to other regions if the pilot programme is successful and it benefits clients.
This new approach aims to give people with disabilities more control over which support they choose in order to lead the lives they want.
Right now, people with disabilities are often assessed and presented with a set package of personal and home support for a set number of hours – take it or leave it.
The Local Area Coordinator programme gives more flexibility to disabled people and their families, helping them lead the lives they want.
Local Area Coordinators support disabled people and their families to make choices in how best to meet their needs within the resources available to them.
This programme is based on similar models in Western Australia and Queensland.
It will be funded within existing health budgets.
• Focus on supporting what disabled people can do -rather than focusing on what they can't.
National has worked hard to give disabled people more say, and improve attitudes towards them.
We will continue our work in building positive attitudes through the Be.Accessible programme.
Further innovations in IT will also allow disabled people to better manage their health at home, e.g. through telecare.
People in some remote parts of the country are already managing their health conditions at home.
These services can be extended to disabled people and their families.
This work will be funded within existing health budgets.
• Roll out ‘Choice in Community Living’ in Auckland and Waikato.
This will give up to 150 people currently living in residential care the opportunity to live in the community with support.
This pilot will give people access to personal budgets which they can use to organise their own independent housing and living arrangements.
It will be funded within existing health budgets.
• Develop user friendly, ‘one-stop shop’ needs assessment agencies with disability, health, welfare, and housing services working together.
Bringing these vital services together will mean better, more efficient services for disabled people.
Rules and regulations across various government departments make it hard for many disabled people.
A smarter use of assessment services will free up administrative resources to improve choice for disabled people.
This work will be funded within existing health budgets.
Give more disabled people access to personal budgets or ‘individualised funding’.
More people have access to personal budgets, or individualised funding, under National, meaning they can choose how to spend their funding to best suit them.
We will continue this policy beyond the record 1000 people who currently access this funding.
We will also work with providers to support this expansion.
Further encourage people with disabilities to be involved with policy decision making.
Labour would take New  Zealand backwards
Labour:   Means more bureaucracy, more committees, endless visions  that never deliver, and fewer  people getting operations.
 Gave  fewer people a choice about how to  spend their  support funding.
 Refused to appoint a  full-time Disability  Commissioner, meaning a smaller voice for  disabled people.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
HEALTH:  WORKFORCE  Building  Better Public Services
Building a stronger health workforce
National is giving doctors, nurses, and other health professionals more say in our public health service.
We’re moving resources to the front line to focus on patients, not bureaucracy.
More doctors, more nurses
Even in the most challenging economic times, District Health Boards (DHBs) under National have employed 800 more doctors and 2000 more nurses.
When National came to office, the public health service was gripped by a workforce crisis.
We’ve begun to stem the tide of health professionals going overseas, with significantly more staff and the lowest vacancy and turnover rates in years.
We have introduced the popular Voluntary Bonding Scheme.
The Government writes off student debt or makes cash payments in return for health graduates agreeing to work in hard-to staff specialties or regions.
We are strengthening clinical leadership by giving doctors, nurses, and other health professionals more say in how care is provided.
We are also expanding the role of nurses, pharmacists, and other clinicians,
and providing more opportunities for clinicians to do research.
National is improving our health service without the distraction of massive restructuring.
We’re using healthcare dollars more efficiently
to provide more operations, faster treatment, and a better chance for a healthy life.
“National will further strengthen the health workforce.
We’ll expand the Voluntary Bonding Scheme,
provide another 80 medical training places,
and expand clinical networks to give doctors, nurses, and other health professionals a greater leadership role.”
Key facts
More  frontline  doctors and  nurses
More than 800 extra doctors and  2000 additional nurses are  working in our DHBs.
This means  more operations, faster treatment,  and a better chance for a healthier life.
Less back-office bureaucracy
There are 1,000 fewer  administration  positions  in our DHBs  and  at the  Health  Ministry.
Building our future health workforce
We’ve  funded  extra medical training places, more GP training places, and  rolled  out our  Voluntary Bonding Scheme  for  graduate doctors, nurses,  and  midwives working in hard-to-staff areas.
National has…
Focused on the frontline
Capped growth in the health bureaucracy, and focused on delivering frontline services.
Reduced the number of committees in the health sector by 100.
More staff, less bureaucracy
Hired more doctors and nurses.
Introduced Voluntary Bonding to help keep young New Zealanders at home.
Increased GP training places.
Reduced the number of Primary Health Organisations from 81 to 32.
Given doctors and nurses more say
A stronger focus on Clinical Leadership and Clinical Networks.
Established Health Workforce NZ to consolidate and lead health workforce planning.
Expanded the role of nurses and pharmacists – including restoring Enrolled Nursing.
Improved opportunities for clinicians to undertake research.
Our results  so far
More staff on the frontline
•  800 more doctors and 2000 more nurses  working in our DHBs.
•  GP training places  increased  by nearly 50 per cent.
•  There are 1000 fewer administration  positions  in our DHBs and  the Ministry  of Health.
•  Our Voluntary  Bonding Scheme has been taken up by more than 1800 medical, nursing,  and midwifery graduates working in  hard-to staff  specialties and areas.
What we will do next…
1. Focus on the front line, reduce back office bureaucracy
Continue to cap back-office administration, and focus resources on frontline services.
Moving resources from the back office to the front line means faster service and better treatment for patients.
We have freed up at least $30 million to further invest in our health system.
Over the next three years, we will continue working with clinicians to improve productivity and efficiency.
Expand the Voluntary Bonding Scheme to include more health professions and hard-to staff regions as needed.
The Voluntary Bonding Scheme means we have 1800 more health professionals in hard to-staff regions and specialities.
We will include medical radiation therapists and medical physicists in the scheme.
These professionals are crucial in delivering cancer treatment.
We will expand the scheme to other hard-to-staff specialties as needed.
This will cost up to $1 million each year.
Increase training places for medical school students to 200 extra places by 2013.
We have already added 120 places.
We will fund 80 further places to meet our target of 565 places at medical school by 2013, as already announced.
This will cost $4.5 million a year by 2014.
Further expand the role of nurses, pharmacists, and other health professionals.
We will give patients better access and more choices by expanding the role of pharmacists, nurses and other health professionals in areas such as prescribing, long-term conditions, and older person care.
This will cost up to $3 million a year.
These initiatives will be funded from the annual increase in the health budget.
2. Support rural healthcare
• Implement rural training initiatives to boost our rural workforce and improve rural general practice support.
We will build on successful rural initiatives already in place, such as the Rural Immersion Scheme, where health students train in rural communities.
We’re rolling out this scheme in the Whakatane and Gisborne regions.
We will also build on the Rural Origin Medical Preferential Entry Scheme, and the successful Rural Midwifery Recruitment and Retention Programme.
3. Expand clinical leadership
Advance regional clinical networks, led by doctors, nurses, and other health professionals in charge.
Clinical networks put health professionals in charge of designing and managing health services.
We will support and encourage clinicians and DHBs to develop more of these networks.
Establish a National Stroke Network and aim to have dedicated stroke units in each metropolitan and provincial hospital.
International research and Australian experience demonstrates that dedicated stroke units significantly improve patient outcomes.
We will require each DHB to establish a dedicated stroke unit in their hospital.
This will be funded from DHB budgets.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:
 Means more bureaucracy, more committees,  endless visions  that never  deliver, and fewer  Kiwis getting operations.
 Allowed  bureaucracy in DHBs and  the  Ministry  of Health  to grow  unchecked.
 Doubled the  health  budget, but  access to  vital operations  declined.
 Talked about meeting health workforce  demands, but  instead left the sector in crisis,  as our  talented young health professionals  fled our  shores to work overseas.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
FUTURE INVESTMENT  FUND  Building a Stronger Economy
Building savings and investment
National is increasing savings
and creating jobs built on exports and productive investment.
We’re getting on top of debt, and returning to surplus sooner.
We  will extend the successful  mixed-ownership  model  –  where the Government owns  most of  a company,  but offers a minority stake to investors  – to  four  state-owned energy companies,
and  reduce  the government’s stake in Air  New Zealand.
This will give  Kiwis  a chance to invest in  large  New Zealand companies.
The Future Investment Fund
The mixed ownership model will free up capital so the Government can invest more in public assets and new infrastructure without increasing borrowing from overseas.
National will establish the Future Investment Fund to receive all proceeds from the mixed ownership model – estimated to be $5 billion to $7 billion over three-to-five years from 2012.
The Future Investment Fund will invest in capital projects that help grow our economy and improve public services.
The first $1 billion in the Future Investment  Fund  will go towards building 21st  Century Schools so  that Kiwi children can get  the education they  need to  succeed.
See National’s 21st Century Schools policy for more details.
Key facts
Extend  mixed ownership  to four  state-owned energy companies  –  Mighty  River  Power, Meridian, Genesis, and Solid Energy
– but  retain  majority  government control.
Reduce the Government’s share  in  Air New Zealand
but retain  control.
The company  is already  operating under  mixed ownership.
Establish the Future Investment  Fund  to invest  the proceeds from the Mixed Ownership  Model
Invest in new public  assets:  Use the Future Investment  Fund to build  new  schools, hospitals, roads and rail, and  other public  assets
– without  borrowing more.
Our guarantees
Government  retains control:  The Government will keep  over 50%  of each company.
Priority for Kiwi investors:  New  Zealanders will be at the front of the  queue for shareholdings.
New  investment opportunities:  These  companies will provide  more  opportunities for  Kiwi investors.
Protection for consumers:  Industry  regulations will protect consumers.
National has…
Explored the mixed ownership model
Announced we were exploring extending the successful mixed-ownership model – where the government owns the majority stake in a company
and the remainder is owned by the private sector.
The best example of the mixed ownership model is Air New Zealand.
The government owns 75 per cent of the company, and the remainder is owned by investors, institutions, investment funds, and other companies.
Asked Treasury for advice on the merits and viability of:
−  Extending the mixed-ownership model to Mighty River Power, Meridian, Genesis, and Solid Energy,
with the Government retaining a majority stake in these companies.
−  Reducing the Government’s shareholding in Air New Zealand,
while maintaining a majority stake.
New Zealanders are expected to own at least 85 to 90 per cent of the companies, including the Government’s majority shareholding.
“The markets are going to be surprised by the degree of domestic demand for these assets because when the institutions think about generation, when they think about inflation hedge size and equity, this is just a natural asset.
And I can say as a fund manager we will definitely be repatriating money from those sorts of assets offshore to buy them onshore.”
–  Sam Stubbs, Chief Executive of Tower Investments
Investing in  our  future  Opportunities for Kiwi investors
The mixed  ownership  model will give Kiwis a  fantastic opportunity  to invest in this country’s  future.
It will provide something to invest in  other than housing or finance companies.
As a  result, we’ll have a stronger  stock market which  will help New Zealand grow faster.
Kiwis don’t want to  put  their future at  risk with a  switch back to the unaffordable and  big-spending ways of the past.
They want a strong and  growing economy that provides  more opportunities, better wages, and  the high-quality  public services they need.
That’s exactly what National will deliver.
Opportunities for government investment
The Government  owns around $245  billion of  assets on behalf of taxpayers.
These  investments  need  to be managed as effectively as possible.
Over  the next five years, the Government is  expected  to acquire a further  net  $22  billion  more of assets, so that  New Zealanders have the roads, public transport, electricity network, schools, hospitals, broadband, and other  infrastructure they need.
Mixed ownership is expected to free up  between $5  billion and  $7  billion over 3 to 5  years.
This money will  help  the Government invest in  new public assets without having to borrow  more from overseas  lenders and increase interest payments at a time when finances are  extremely tight.
What we will do next...
Extend the mixed-ownership model
1. Sell a partial stake in five state-owned companies, but retain majority control
• Extend the successful mixed-ownership model to four state-owned energy companies– Mighty River Power, Meridian, Genesis, and Solid Energy
– and ensure the government maintains at least 51% shareholding.
• Reduce the Government’s existing 75 per cent shareholding in Air New Zealand,
while keeping majority control.
Mixed ownership will mean savers have the opportunity to invest in Kiwi companies.
This will be an investment opportunity for savers looking to put their money in something other than housing or finance companies.
2. Give priority to Kiwi investors
• Ensure New Zealanders are at the front of the queue for shares.
We expect that Kiwis will own at least 85 to 90 per cent of each company – including the government’s majority shareholding.
We’re confident New Zealanders will choose to invest.
Funds available include:
−  More than $300 billion of investments, excluding private homes.
−  KiwiSaver providers have about $9 billion invested – due to double in 4 years.
−  New Zealand institutions have about $59 billion under management.
−  Crown financial institutions, including the Super Fund, ACC, and GSF, have almost $40 billion under management.
−  Iwi have more than $10 billion of assets.
3. Stagger share sales appropriately
• Offer shares in these five state-owned companies at appropriate times over three to five years, beginning in 2012.
Selling shares at sensible intervals will ensure maximum return for taxpayers.
4. Place a cap on shareholdings
• Set a maximum cap for non-government shareholders – likely to be 10 per cent.
This will ensure:
−  A wide spread of shareholders.
−  No single shareholder, other than the Government, can own a large proportion of the shares, limiting their influence on the company.
5. Drive better performance
• Focus on gaining better performance from taxpayer assets.
Mixed-ownership will:
−  Expose these companies to private-sector discipline and greater scrutiny.
−  Allow these companies to access capital and grow without being fully dependent on the Government.
6. Protect consumers
• Monitor competition in the markets that these companies operate in
The companies in the mixed ownership model will continue to operate under legislation that ensures competition in the marketplace.
National will monitor competition to ensure that regulations are working effectively to protect consumers.
What we will do next…
Establish the Future Investment Fund
1. Set up a new fund for investing in public infrastructure assets
Establish a new fund called the Future Investment Fund (FIF).
The Future Investment Fund will be a government-owned fund dedicated to building public infrastructure and funding other new capital projects over the next five budgets.
The fund will be managed by the Treasury.
Put all the proceeds raised from the mixed ownership model into the Future Investment Fund.
A minority stake in the five state-owned assets subject to the mixed ownership model will be sold at appropriate times over three to-five years starting from 2012.
Proceeds are expected to be in the range of $5 billion to $7 billion – about 3 per cent of the Crown’s total assets.
On their latest commercial valuations, selling down to 51% of each of the five companies would result in proceeds of $6. 5 billion.
The actual figure will depend on market conditions and on what proportion of the assets is ultimately sold.
The Fund will accumulate money as the Government sells some of its shares in the companies subject to the mixed ownership model.
2.  Use the Future Investment Fund to invest in public infrastructure assets
• Fund capital projects that help our economy grow and improve public services.
The FIF will invest in capital projects that have economic and social benefits for New Zealand which are greater than the cost of capital.
Possible capital projects include new or upgraded assets such as:
−  Hospitals.
−  Schools and other education infrastructure.
−  Rail and public transport development.
−   Public sector information  and  communications technology.
−  Infrastructure recovery from natural disasters.
• Allocate the first $1 billion from the FIF to build 21st Century Schools.
National has committed to investing the first $1 billion from the Future Investment Fund into:
−  Building new, modern schools.
−  Rejuvenating existing schools on the same site.
−  Building new, modern teaching areas in existing schools.
−  Wiring up many more schools with fibre, to take advantage of ultra-fast broadband.
For more details, see our 21st Century Schools policy.
Labour would take New Zealand  backwards
Labour:
 Would turn their  back on the successful  mixed-ownership model  –  even though they  set  it  up and applied it to Air New Zealand.
In July 2009,  Phil Goff  said "Air New Zealand  today, under a majority government  shareholding but with quite  competent  management, has done as well as any airline  across the world.
"   Would not give  New Zealanders the chance to  invest in  more  local companies.
 Would  continue its unaffordable and big  borrowing and spending ways of the past.
 Sold 100% of more  than $9 billion worth of  state assets between 1984 and 1990,  including Telecom and the Post  Office Bank.
National is not proposing full private  ownership.
We are extending the successful  mixed ownership model that’s  already  working for Air  New Zealand.
Labour would  stop New  Zealand  investing in  much-needed infrastructure  and social assets  such as schools, hospitals, and ultra-fast  broadband, or borrow more from overseas and owe our future.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
FOREIGN   AFFAIRS  Building a  Brighter Future
Engaging with Asia and the world
Under a National-led Government, New Zealand has pursued an independent and respected foreign policy contributing to global and regional stability.
Successful trade and economic arrangements are merely part of successful broader relationships.
A re-elected National-led Government would continue to pursue positive bilateral and regional relationships that provide a solid platform for trade
and, multilaterally, continue to lift our profile as a good international citizen.
Strengthening our relationships
Over the past three years we have given new impetus to New Zealand’s traditional relationships.
Steady progress has characterised relationships with close traditional partners like Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
The relationship with the United States has turned an important corner with the signing of the Wellington Declaration in November 2010.
The NZ/US relationship has been returned to a positive and solid condition.
We’re also building on our relationships with Asian countries as the architecture in the region evolves.
The Prime Minister has led bilateral missions to Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam, and India to strengthen our ties and expand our trade relationships.
“National will continue to strengthen relationships with our traditional and emerging partners,
further focus our aid efforts on the Pacific,
and seek a seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2015-16. ”
Key facts
•  Refocusing our aid efforts on the practical  problems holding back development in the Pacific.
•  Continuing to strengthen relationships with  our long-standing partners  –  Australia, the  United  States, the United Kingdom,            and Canada.
•  Boosting our emerging relationships  with  Asian countries and groups.
Sector  Ministers  will lead at least 28 high-level trade missions  to Asia over the next three  years.
•  Developing NZ Inc Strategies.
We’ve already  released the first Country Strategy for India.
•  Seeking a seat on the United Nations Security  Council for 2015-16.
Related policies
Trade
Defence
National has…
Strengthened our relationships
Reinvigorated traditional relationships and boosted emerging relationships.
Maintained strong momentum in the relationship with China – now our second largest trading relationship.
Boosted the relationship with the United States with the signing of the Wellington Declaration.
Reinvigorated the relationship with ASEAN,
culminating in the signing of the ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.
Made strong progress in relationships with long-standing friends such as Japan and Korea.
Started a new chapter in the relationship with Russia.
Lifted relationships with the Gulf States to a new level and opened a new embassy in Abu Dhabi.
Commenced the process for a new treatylevel partnership with the European Union.
Set the scene for a period of significant growth in connections with Latin America.
Focused on the Pacific
Put greater resources into our own Pacific neighbourhood.
Brought a new level of intensity to New Zealand’s leadership role within the region.
With Australia, New Zealand effectively underwrites the stability and security of our own region, the Pacific.
Successfully hosted the Pacific Forum Leaders’ meeting in Auckland in September 2011.
This places New Zealand well to provide constructive leadership in our year as Forum chair.
Re-integrated the Aid agency into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to permit development and diplomatic efforts to operate hand in glove.
New Zealand is too small a player to confuse our efforts.
Maintained our ‘honest player’ status
Maintained a respected position as a good international citizen with a strong, effective record on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
Earned ongoing respect for our even-handed and fair-minded position on Middle East issues – from all sides.
Maintained an effective voice in multi-lateral institutions.
Carried out peace-keeping work in 10 operations around the globe.
Developed the NZ Inc approach
Reviewed Government agency operations offshore to ensure we have a connected, cooperative ‘NZ Inc’ approach to our work overseas.
• Embarked on a programme to establish NZ Inc Country Strategies.
See our Trade policy for more details.
What we will do next...
1. Maintain an independent and bipartisan foreign policy
• Continue to maintain stability and consistency in foreign affairs to advance New Zealand’s long-term interests.
We have a brand of being a principled and fair-minded international citizen.
National takes that responsibility seriously and will protect and maintain it.
2. Enhance relationships with our partners
Keep up the momentum we have built over the past three years with our long-standing partners, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
Lead at least 28 high-level trade missions to Asian countries over the next three years to expand links.
3. Play a full part in the emerging Asia-Pacific regional architecture
• Continue to leverage New Zealand’s geographical advantage in the Asia Pacific.
National will ensure we are well positioned within regional diplomatic networks including APEC, the East Asia Summit, and other ASEAN-centred forums.
Our relationship with ASEAN, as the key regional broker on matters of diplomacy, security, and trade, will remain central to our diplomacy in the Asia Pacific.
4. Improve the effectiveness of our aid spend
• Bring a greater focus to the practical problems that hold back Pacific development.
Despite difficult economic times, our aid spend has risen steadily from $472m to $586m over the past three years.
Overheads are down
and more of our aid money is being spent on sustainable economic development in our own neighbourhood.
We will continue this progress and build partnerships and leverage more resources from other donors for the Pacific region.
5. Progress NZ Inc Strategies
• Progress Country strategies to strengthen our economic, political and security relationships with the United States, China, Gulf States, Australia, ASEAN, Latin America and the EU.
We have launched the NZ Inc Strategy for India, and will develop and expand this model to other key countries and regions.
6. Seek a seat on the UN Security Council
• Campaign hard to win New Zealand a seat on the United Nations Security Council for 2015-16.
It is 20 years since we were last on the Council.
The time is right again to bring the perspective of a small, independent, principled Asia-Pacific country to the table.
FISHERIES  &  AQUACULTURE   Building a  Stronger Economy
Building a world-leading sector
New Zealand has become a world leader in fisheries management.
National wants to ensure we preserve this reputation and build on our successes so far.
The fisheries and aquaculture sectors are set to be important parts of our export marketplace.
We will help aquaculture meet its ambitious goal of becoming a $1 billion industry by 2025.
We’re reducing red tape and encouraging productive investment in our fisheries to boost growth.
A sustainable fishery
We need to ensure our resources will be around for future generations to enjoy.
We will do this by ensuring a sustainable fishery, managing catch limits in balance with our economic opportunities.
Over the past three years, good management has seen the rebuilding of many vulnerable wild fish stocks including hoki, northern snapper, and northern kahawai.
Towards a $1 billion aquaculture industry
Aquaculture is moving into a new growth phase.
The National-led Government has implemented major reforms to cut through the red tape that stalled this industry for a decade.
We’re supporting marine farming to bring new jobs and valuable investment to our regions.
This is another great example of National’s plan to help businesses grow, boost our economy, and create jobs by streamlining consenting processes and cutting red-tape.
Key facts
•  Better  balancing our economic opportunities  with our environmental responsibilities in  fisheries  catch  allocation decisions.
•  Increased the number  of frontline fisheries  officers to  over 160, with  more than 230  honorary officers.
•  Established a new 300-hectare Coromandel  marine farming zone.
•  Provided record funding for recreational  fishing  research – $4  million  with distribution  decided by the sector.
•  Merged  the Ministries of  Fisheries & Agriculture and Forestry, which is expected  to  save more than  $40  million  over four years  from  2012/13.
•  Clamped  down  on illegal poaching, with  prosecutions  up  by over  25 per  cent since 2008.
•  We  want to achieve  better results  from  inshore fisheries for  all users.
•  Working  with local authorities to identify  suitable new areas for marine farming.
•  Streamlining  regulations  around  fresh water  aquaculture
and  help  identify  new species  for  marine farming.
National has…
Helped build a fishery we can be proud of
Deepened engagement with Pacific island nations on fisheries issues.
Established a 300-hectare Coromandel marine zone for finfish farming.
Increased the number of frontline fisheries officers to ensure compliance with catch sizes and limits on the water.
Improved the efficiency of governance
Merged the Ministry of Fisheries with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to create one organisation focused on primary industries.
Integrated the Ministry of Fisheries, Department of Conservation and commercial fishing resources to provide independent observer and research services.
Engaged directly at Ministerial level with recreational fishers on Marlborough cod, research spending, and charter boat reporting.
Supported aquaculture to grow
Funded an Aquaculture Unit to support the goal of becoming a $1 billion industry.
Enacted comprehensive legislative reform to facilitate aquaculture in our regions.
Building  a more sustainable  sector
Sound sustainable fishing policy  has  maintained  or  increased the recreational  and  commercial  catches of fisheries  such as  northern snapper and hoki, while improving stock health  overall.
This has  provided a welcome boost to jobs and  investment in regional economies and improved  the recreational fishing experience.
What we will do next…
1. Ensure sustainable fisheries
Set responsible catch limits that protect our valuable fish stocks.
Sustainable fishing is the only way we can protect our fisheries for future generations to enjoy.
Continue our unrelenting effort to combat poaching and illegal taking of high-value species, such as paua and crayfish.
We will work hard to protect our fisheries from poachers and those who are eroding our sustainability efforts.
Introduce practical improvements to the recreational fishing experience as advised by recreational fishers.
2. Support aquaculture towards its $1 billion goal
Streamline regulation around fresh water aquaculture.
Red tape has stalled aquaculture on land and at sea.
Improvements will also help enable the sector to reach its $1 billion target by 2025.
Aid the practical implementation of aquaculture reforms through a region-by region delivery of the aquaculture settlement, and help councils open new marine farming sites in practical areas.
Careful implementation of our aquaculture reforms is an important step to help the industry reach its $1 billion target by 2025.
Identify new higher-value species for marine farming, such as hapuku and kingfish.
Marine farming is an important part of New Zealand’s export business.
Currently only three species are extensively farmed, worth almost $300 million in exports per year.
We need to extend this to other high-performing fish species.
•  Help get greater economic gain from inshore fisheries within sustainable limits, with particular regard to seasonal market values and new species.
This may not require lifts in commercial allocations, but simply a smarter approach to when, and what, is harvested.
3. Ensure appropriate regulations for foreign fishing vessels.
A Ministerial inquiry into the operation of foreign charter fishing vessels catching within the New Zealand owned quota will report back in February next year.
National will take the findings of the inquiry into the use of foreign charter vessels and make any changes necessary to protect our reputation as one of the best-managed fisheries in the world.
Labour would take New Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Mired aquaculture in a mess  of red  tape.
 Has pledged to join forces  with the Greens  and remove the balance we have achieved  between environmental  responsibility and  economic opportunities in  what is now a world-leading sustainable fishery.
 Would  threaten the gains made over the last  three years, putting jobs, investment,  innovation and important recreational opportunities at risk.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
FINANCE  Building a Stronger Economy
Balancing the books sooner
National is on track to return the Government’s books to surplus by 2014/15 and start repaying debt.
That’s a stark contrast to the forecasts we inherited in 2008 – a ‘sea of red ink’, permanent deficits, and debt soaring out of control.
The Savings Working Group said returning the Government to surplus is the most important thing we can do to increase genuine national savings and reduce New Zealand’s longstanding reliance on foreign lenders.
National has taken a series of steps to get back to surplus and keep net Crown debt below 30 per cent of GDP.
This will help keep interest rates lower for longer, increase national savings, and avoid leaving a debt burden for future generations.
Building national savings
These steps are part of our wider programme to build national savings.
This includes:
The biggest tax reforms for 25 years, which reduced tax on savings.
Increasing minimum KiwiSaver contributions from employees and employers in 2013.
Establishing KiwiSaver auto-enrolment in 2014, subject to returning to surplus.
Resuming payments to the NZ Super Fund when the Government returns to surplus.
Providing more investment options for Kiwis through the mixed ownership model.
Key points
National is committed to:  •  Returning to surplus in 2014/15.
•  New operating  allowances  of no more than:   −  $800 million  in 2012/13.
−  $800 million  in 2013/14.
−  $1. 2  billion  in 2014/15.
•  This  new spending  will go to  health, education, and a few carefully-targeted  initiatives.
•  There will be no  new capital allowances until Budget 2017.
•  Capital spending on infrastructure and public  assets  will come from the Future Investment  Fund to  help  keep net Crown debt below 30  per cent  of GDP.
We are:  •  Balancing the books  sooner.
•  Better managing taxpayer assets.
•  Building genuine national savings.
•  Building a  tax system that rewards hard work  and savings.
Related policies
• Future Investment Fund
What Labour left us…
A sea of red ink
When Labour left office in 2008, the Treasury forecasts were drowning in red ink.
They showed permanent budget deficits and government debt soaring out of control.
Labour had the best of global economic times.
Yet, for a number of years, a debt-fuelled consumption boom papered over gaping cracks in the economy.
While the government sector boomed, the export sector went backwards.
Labour’s legacy    Government spending  was out of control,  growing 50 per cent  –  or $22 billion in  dollar  terms  –  in  Labour’s last five  years.
 The  Treasury  forecast  never-ending budget  deficits.
 Government debt was  growing out of control  and rising indefinitely  (see chart below).
 Stagnant  export growth  since 2005.
 In the year from March 2008 to March 2009  – before  National delivered  its first Budget  –  the economy  shrank 3. 5 per cent and 33,000  more people became unemployed.
National has…
Delivered a balanced plan over three years
National’s plan for a stronger economy
National has provided a balanced economic plan over three years to build a more competitive economy and back Kiwis to get out there and take on the world:
We’re balancing the books sooner by getting back to surplus in three years.
That means less debt and lower interest rates.
We’re creating incentives for people to work hard, save, and get ahead through tax and welfare changes.
We’re building better roads, broadband, and other infrastructure to help goods and services get to their markets faster.
We’re boosting science and innovation
and pushing for more trade agreements to help Kiwi businesses grow.
All of this means a more export focused economy
with more real jobs for young people.
It means New Zealanders can have better frontline services in health and education.
And it means we can help rebuild Christchurch.
One plan, three Budgets
We have delivered on our  plan over three Budgets:
Budget 2009
 Halted the rapid rise in government debt.
 Supported  the vulnerable.
 Set out a path to economic  recovery.
Budget 2010  Continued  this improvement, while making the largest  tax  reforms in 25 years.
 Cut  tax on savings and work.
 Increased tax on consumption and property  investment.
 Closed  loopholes and opportunities for  tax avoidance.
Budget 2011   Set out a faster  return to budget  surplus and  more control  of government debt, despite  meeting the considerable extra costs of the  Canterbury earthquakes.
 Took further steps to build  genuine national  savings, including increasing  private  contributions to KiwiSaver.
Our results  so far
Government finances are steadily improving, the economy is growing,
and this  is  already bearing fruit for  New Zealand families.
The Pre-Election  Economic  and Fiscal Update  issued on 25 October shows:
On track to surplus
•  The Budget deficit  reducing  significantly over  the next two years before we run a $1. 5  billion surplus in 2014/15.
•  Most other countries will still be in  deficit and  running up more debt.
Debt  under  control
•  We will limit  net government debt  to  less  than 30 per cent of gross domestic product  (GDP).
Rising wages
•  Over  the past three years, the after-tax average wage has gone up 18 per cent in total  - considerably higher  than inflation.
A growing  economy
•  Since our first  Budget in May 2009,  GDP  has  grown in every  quarter but  one.
More jobs
•  43,000 jobs  were created in the past year.
•  170,000 more new jobs are expected by  2016 than at the time of Budget 2011.
•  Unemployment will fall steadily to less than 5  per cent.
Lower interest rates
•  Interest  rates are at  45-year lows.
•  A family with a $200,000  floating mortgage is  paying about  $200 a week less in interest  payments than they would  have in 2008.
Genuine savings
•  Households  have  a positive savings rate  for  the first time in more than a decade.
•  The  balance  of payments deficit has more  than halved, overseas  debt  has fallen, and the  Government itself will be contributing directly  to national savings by  returning to  surplus.
•  New Zealand’s net foreign liabilities  – covering households, business, and  government  –  have fallen to 70  per cent  of GDP from 85  per cent two  years ago.
What we will do next…
1. Set a faster path back to surplus
The Government is on track to return to surplus by 2014/15 – when most other countries will still be in deficit.
We will keep net Crown debt below 30 per cent of GDP, before it starts falling.
We’re getting on top of Labour’s soaring spending.
We’re doing this while making KiwiSaver, Working for Families, interest-free student loans, and other large government programmes sustainable into the future.
National will:
• Limit new operating spending to no more than:
− $800 million in 2012/13.
− $800 million in 2013/14.
− $1.2 billion in 2014/15.
Direct this new spending to health, education, and a few carefully targeted initiatives.
Have no new capital allowances until Budget 2017.
Fund capital spending on infrastructure and public assets from the Future Investment Fund to help keep net Crown debt below 30 per cent of GDP.
Why this matters
Setting a faster path back to surplus is  critically  important.
•  It’s the most important thing the Government  can do  to  help build genuine national savings.
•  It  will help keep interest  rates lower for  longer.
Interest  rates are now at 45-year lows  – helped by  the Government being financially  responsible.
•  It  will avoid leaving a debt burden  for  future generations.
•  It  will keep  our debt  to foreigners down.
Surpluses, and lower debt, will help New  Zealand ride out future periods of global  turbulence.
2. Better manage taxpayers’ assets
National has improved the management of taxpayers’ large pool of assets.
We’ve published the first Investment Statement and National Infrastructure Plan.
These allow the Government to make more informed decisions about the funding and management of its assets.
The Crown’s assets currently total $245 billion.
Investing in more assets
The Government expects to accumulate a net $22 billion of extra assets in the five years to 2016, when its total assets are estimated to total $267 billion.
This reflects a combination of new investment from the Future Investment Fund and other revenue sources such as the National Land Transport Fund, as well as increases in the value of other investments.
Rather than borrow all of this money from foreign lenders, National sees benefits in changing the mix of those assets.
Establishing the Future Investment Fund
The mixed ownership model for five state owned companies, which is expected to raise $5 billion to $7 billion over three to five years, will free up money for reinvesting in priority assets.
Proceeds will go into the new Future Investment Fund, to buy new assets like schools and hospitals, without having to borrow.
The Future Investment Fund’s first priority will be to provide $1 billion for National’s 21st Century Schools programme to modernise and transform New Zealand schools.
Why this matters
We owe it to taxpayers to  manage their $245  billion of assets  effectively.
As we continue to increase  taxpayers’ assets, we need to  reduce our longstanding reliance on  foreign lenders.
The mixed  ownership  model is a win-win:
•  New Zealanders will have something to  invest,  in other than housing or finance companies.
•  We’ll free up  money to make bigger  investments in schools, hospitals and  broadband, without having to borrow  from  overseas lenders.
•  It is better that  dividends go to New  Zealanders than interest on extra  debt  is paid  to foreign lenders.
Our guarantees
National has made three very clear promises to  New Zealanders:
The Government will retain at least 51 per  cent  control  of these companies.
New Zealanders will be at the front  of the queue for  shares and we expect Kiwi  ownership to be around  85-90 per cent.
No one shareholder will be able to own  more than about 10 per cent.
See National’s policy on the  Future  Investment  Fund  for more  details.
3. Build genuine national savings
Setting a faster path to surplus and balancing the books by 2014/15 is one of several steps National is taking to build genuine national savings.
In Budget 2010, we introduced the largest tax reforms in 25 years – reducing taxes on work and savings, increasing taxes on consumption and property investment, and closing loopholes for tax avoidance.
National will:
Enhance KiwiSaver
Go ahead with KiwiSaver auto-enrolment in 2014/15 – subject to returning to budget surplus – where people in the workforce not already in the scheme will be signed up with the ability to opt out.
Increase the minimum KiwiSaver contribution for individuals to three per cent from two per cent from 1 April 2013.
This will also be the default rate for new members.
Increase the employer contribution rate to three per cent from two per cent from 1 April 2013.
Resume contributions to the NZ Super Fund
When the Government returns to sufficient budget surplus, and can contribute genuine savings rather than borrowing, National will resume contributions to the New Zealand Super Fund.
Why this matters
New Zealand’s longstanding reliance on foreign  debt is its  biggest  vulnerability.
Increasing genuine national savings will help build  a more  robust economy.
A larger  domestic  savings  pool will help create  jobs and higher incomes.
4. Keep building a better and fairer tax system
National is committed to a broad-based, low-rate tax system that raises enough revenue to meet the Government’s needs while encouraging savings, growth, and free enterprise.
The past three years have seen the biggest reform of the tax system in 25 years.
This has supported growth, jobs, and saving by lowering marginal income tax rates.
It’s also made the system fairer by closing loopholes and ensuring everyone pays their fair share.
Lower income tax
National has cut personal taxes across the board to reward hard work
and to put more money in the pockets of Kiwi families.
Lower company tax
We have cut the company tax rate to 28 per cent – lower than Australia.
We’ve also cut the tax rate for PIEs, including KiwiSaver funds, and most other savings vehicles.
These changes have been funded through a combination of the increase in GST, and higher taxes on property investment and multi-national companies.
Why this matters
Our tax changes  have  not  added to debt
and  have benefited all income groups.
Our emphasis on saving and investment  has helped increase household  savings and  make new companies  more competitive.
It is also  helping direct our  savings into more productive  investments.
Already we are seeing the benefits:  •  About three-quarters  of income earners are paying income tax at  17.5 per cent or less.
•  A family with two children that  receives  Working for Families now pays no net tax  until their income reaches  $50,000.
•  Wages  in the hand are continuing to  rise faster than  inflation.
•  Household  savings are increasing rapidly and  will be positive  this year for  the first time in  over a decade.
•  National Superannuation, which  is  linked to  after-tax wages,  has risen $166 a fortnight for  a married couple in  the  past three years.
This  is almost  a 19 per cent increase, or 8.5 per  cent  after  adjusting  for inflation.
•  Antiquated and bureaucratic  gift duty has gone.
This imposed compliance costs  of $70  million a year  for  almost zero revenue.
National is committed to a tax system  that  encourages  savings and investment, through low  and uniform  tax rates on broad bases,
that helps  make New Zealand more competitive and  support growth.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour  wants to take  New Zealand  backwards   with more borrowing,  more spending, more taxes and more costs on business  –  all of which  would  cost jobs and push up the cost  of living.
More borrowing
 Labour would need to borrow an extra $16 billion over  the next four years  to pay for its  promises.
 This is at a time when global markets are telling us that more debt is risky.
More spending
 Labour increased spending by $22 billion in its last five years in office.
 In Opposition, it has opposed every Government decision to restrain spending.
 Now it is promising expensive policies that do not stand up to scrutiny:
−   A $5000 tax-free threshold.
−   GST off fresh fruit and vegetables.
−   More paid parental leave.
−   More funding for early childhood education.
−   Borrowing billions more to invest in the NZ Super Fund.
More taxes
 A complex capital gains tax that’s full of  billion exemptions and  raises hardly any money in the first few years.
 A new top income tax rate of 39 cents.
More costs on business
 A capital gains tax on all New Zealand businesses and farms.
 An emissions trading scheme that would at least double costs  to business.
 A $15 an hour minimum wage that would cost jobs.
A 1970s industrial policy written and run by the unions.
A whopping 7 per cent tax on employment through compulsory Kiwisaver contribution.
 An irrigation tax on farmers.
 A reintroduction of regional fuel taxes.
ETHNIC  AFFAIRS  Building a  Brighter Future
Building a strong and inclusive nation
National is working hard to build a brighter future for all New Zealanders.
Our plan is to build a strong and inclusive nation
with incentives that reward hard work
and back our ability to take on the world and win.
New Zealand is an increasingly diverse country.
One New Zealander in four was born overseas.
Sixty per cent of our workforce growth comes from migrants.
Our ethnic and migrant communities are playing a bigger role in our society and our economy – helping us export more and creating more real jobs.
National is building better public services to cater to different cultures
in order to create a stronger New Zealand economy.
We are also improving the settling-in process for new migrants
and building strong ties between ethnic communities and New Zealanders.
Supporting  Christchurch
 Supported ethnic communities after the Christchurch earthquakes by:  −  Distributing multi-lingual information.
−  Extending the Language Line to  Christchurch City Council.
−  Holding public meetings on  the rebuild  with ethnic communities.
National has…
Boosted trade links
Established business forums connecting ethnic communities with businesses and promoting links with high-growth Asian economies.
Engaged with ethnic communities to help inform New Zealand’s Free Trade Agreement negotiations.
Tackled crime
Taken action against violence in ethnic families and communities.
Improved accessibility to the courts
Extended Language Line, a telephone-based interpreting service, to the Court system.
Supported targeted immigration
Introduced the Silver Fern Visa to give well trained young people from other countries the opportunity to search for skilled jobs here.
We’ve provided 300 places a year for recent graduates.
In 2010 and 2011, all places were filled in the first 30 minutes of the category becoming available.
Revamped the business migration scheme to bring in 10 times as much investment into New Zealand than was brought in during Labour’s last two years in government.
Introduced a new Religious Workers Visa.
This provides a pathway to residence for religious workers as well as the updated two-year temporary work visa.
Our  results so far…
Building a stronger economy
•  The economy has now grown in eight of the  past nine quarters.
•  63,000 new jobs have been  created in the  past  two years.
We expect  to  see another  150,000 jobs created between 2012          and 2016.
•  In the past  three years, after-tax  average  wages have increased  18  per cent  – around  twice the rate  of inflation.
•  Three quarters  of all New Zealanders  now pay a top rate of  income tax  at  no more than 17.5 per cent.
•  Floating mortgage rates have almost halved, providing hundreds  of  dollars a week for a  family with the average  mortgage.
Building a safer  New Zealand
•  Crime is down in every  Police district in  the  country.
Per capita crime rates are the lowest  they’ve been since 1982.
Building better public services
•  Improved quality and consistency of  decisions  made by Immigration New  Zealand  (INZ).
As  a result,  we’ve reduced the  time it takes for  INZ to make decisions and  also reduced the  backlog of applications.
•  Introduced changes to better target  Working  For Families to lower income earners who  need it the most.
•  Benefit payments have been linked to  price  rises, so vulnerable members of society are  not left behind.
•  Signed film co-production agreements with China, South Africa, and India.
What we will do next...
1. Work with our ethnic communities
Foster stronger connections between ethnic businesses and established Kiwi firms, to help build a stronger economy and make the most of our international connections.
Build on our programme of violence prevention within ethnic communities.
Work to ensure the Public Sector is responsive to the needs of ethnic communities.
This includes exploring how programmes already in place can be applied to ethnic communities and new migrants.
2. Better outcomes for refugees coming to New Zealand
• Roll out a whole-of-government strategy that improves outcomes for refugees
and reduces state dependency.
Currently no single government department has overall responsibility for meeting the needs of refugees.
A centralised strategy is needed to bring together all the support that is available for refugees in New Zealand.
3.  Promote New Zealand to international communities
Promote New Zealand as a study destination for international students,
and work to improve the experience of international students already in New Zealand.
4.  Recognise the role of ethnic New Zealanders
Involve ethnic communities in events of national significance and actively promote cultural events to the wider community.
ENVIRONMENT &   CLIMATE  CHANGE  Building a Brighter Future
Practical solutions, better protection
Our environment is a valuable resource that we must preserve and protect.
It’s a big part of our quality of life and it’s central to our international reputation, our primary sector, our growing tourism market, and our economy.
National believes sensible management of our resources can go hand-in-hand with faster economic growth and job creation.
A stronger economy can better provide the means to restore, maintain, and enhance our environment.
Improving our environment
In the past three years we have simplified resource management, improved air quality, helped minimise waste, and enhanced environmental governance.
We’ve put a plan in place to improve our rivers, lakes, and aquifers.
We’ve introduced a more balanced approach to climate change.
Our Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is helping New Zealand do its fair share to reduce emissions, protect our clean, green brand, and help transition to a low-carbon economy.
National will continue this work to improve the environment and build a cleaner, greener, brighter future for all New Zealanders.
Related policies
• Resource management
“National will introduce new environment reporting systems,
pass legislation to protect our Exclusive Economic Zone,
and clean up nationally-significant lakes, rivers, and aquifers.
We’ll also improve the ETS broadly in line with the recommendations of the 2011 review. ”
Key facts
•  More trees have been planted.
More renewable  power stations have been approved.
More homes  have been insulated.
•  New Zealand's air is the cleanest  on record.
•  Moderated  the ETS.
Put  in place  the Waste Minimisation Act.
Simplified and  streamlined  the RMA.
Set up the new Environmental  Protection Authority.
Put  in place  practical controls on freedom camping.
•  Adopted national  policy statements on  renewable energy, fresh water,  and coastal  management.
Passed new national regulations  on water  metering and contaminated  sites.
•  Funded Auckland  rail electrification
and  introduced incentives  for  electric car  technology.
•  Ranked best green performance in 2011 by  the Global Green Economy  Index.
National has…
Improved fresh water management
Embarked on our Fresh Start for Fresh Water programme.
Established the Land & Water Forum – made up of primary industry groups, environmental and recreational organisations, iwi, and other groups.
Adopted a National Policy Statement on Fresh Water Management.
Improved monitoring of compliance with water consents, and doubled penalties for non-compliance.
Passed regulations for metering 98 per cent of water takes.
Provided $265 million to clean up iconic waterways, such as Lake Taupo, the Rotorua Lakes, and the Waikato River.
Put in place practical controls on freedom camping.
Improved waste management
Implemented the Waste Minimisation Act.
Provided contestable funding to focus on collecting and recycling harmful waste.
Introduced a waste levy to provide better financial incentives to reduce waste and support smart waste recycling initiatives.
Provided $20 million for waste minimisation projects – helping communities and businesses to reduce waste.
Allowed for a flexible and efficient approach, through special legislation, to the waste generated by the Christchurch earthquakes.
Improved air quality
Launched Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart, a nationwide scheme to insulate and/ or provide clean heating for 188,500 homes.
Upgraded state houses with clean heating devices and insulation.
Introduced a new National Environmental Standard for air quality, which set pragmatic timeframes for improving air quality throughout New Zealand.
Improved environmental governance
Set up an advisory group on green growth, clean technology and a lower-carbon economy.
Removed regulatory functions from the Environment Ministry and focused it on policy advice and the implementation of our environmental programme.
Established the new Environmental Protection Authority to:
−  Better manage the Government’s regulatory responsibilities.
−  Consent major projects of national significance.
• Tackled the dysfunctional regional council in Canterbury:
−  Completed a resource plan after 18 years.
−  Dramatically improved RMA compliance.
−  Adopted a clean-up plan for Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere.
−  Advanced work on the Canterbury Water Management Strategy.
Improved resource management
Simplified and streamlined the RMA to reduce delays, uncertainties, and costs.
Established priority consenting for projects of national significance.
For more details, see our Resource Management policy.
Cleaned up contaminated sites
Provided $15.2 million to clean up New Zealand’s most contaminated sites such as the Tui Mine at Te Aroha.
Set a national environment standard for contaminated soil.
Improved management of our seas
Launched a new National Policy Statement on Coastal Policy.
Introduced legislation to properly manage New Zealand’s vast Exclusive Economic Zone.
Ensured New  Zealand is  doing  its  fair  share  on climate change
 Reduced New Zealand's emissions.
We’re  now on track to comfortably meet our  Kyoto obligations for 2008-12.
 Amended  Labour’s  ETS  to strike  a better  balance between New Zealand's  environmental and economic interests.
We:  −   Halved the costs  to households.
−   Reduced the impact  on agriculture and  small businesses.
−   Are encouraging  renewable energy  and  tree planting,
 Completed the first  ETS review.
 Adopted a National Policy Statement on  Renewable Electricity Generation.
 Set emissions  targets for 2020 and 2050.
 Established the Global Research Alliance on  Agricultural Greenhouse Gases and  provided  $45 million in funding.
The  Alliance now has  scientists in 36  member countries working to  tackle greenhouse gas emissions
and increase food production.
 Provided $50 million over  10 years to  set up  the New Zealand  Agricultural Greenhouse  Gas Research Centre, to investigate  practical ways to reduce greenhouse emissions from  domestic farming.
Our results  so far
More renewable electricity
•  In the  March 2011  quarter, 79 per cent  of electricity came from renewable sources  –  the highest  rate in 12 years.
•  1340 MW of new  renewable electricity  generation – a record  – has been consented  in the first year of the ETS.
This is five times  the average annual renewables consented in the previous decade.
No new fossil-fuelled  plants have been sought  or  consented.
More  homes are warmer and drier
•  Nearly 130,000 homes are  warmer, drier, and  healthier under our  Warm  Up New Zealand:  Heat  Smart  scheme.
•  Over 29,000  homes  have been converted to  clean heat devices.
More toxic chemicals cleaned up
•  $15.2 million  for the Tui Mine cleanup.
More tree planting
•  Record levels  of deforestation between 2005  and 2008 of 30,000ha  have been reversed.
•  There has been  more trees planted  than felled  in each year we’ve been in office:
Emissions  are  down
•  Net emissions have fallen  for  the first time since 1990  due to gains in forestry and  renewable electricity.
What we will do next…
1. Advance our Fresh Start for Fresh Water  programme
Water is our most plentiful  natural resource.
It gives  us a competitive advantage  over  our trading partners, particularly  in our primary  and tourism industries.
 Clean  up nationally significant lakes, rivers, and  aquifers, working with stakeholders and local authorities.
This is part of our Budget 2011  Fresh Start for  Fresh Water  programme to assist  councils  with  historic pollution problems.
We've reprioritised funding  of $15 million  over  two years and already allocated $6.1 million to Te Waihora/Lake  Ellesmere.
Total funding for  water clean-ups will be  $265 million.
 Advance the Land  &  Water Forum work  to set  limits on water quality and  minimum flows.
The National-led Government has asked  the  Land  &  Water Forum to  report back to  Government by May 2012  on methods, tools,  and governance arrangements for setting limits  for water quality and quantity.
 Strengthen monitoring and  compliance of resource  consents  by regional councils to  ensure greater consistency in performance.
Regional councils are doing  better with their  consent performance.
But there needs to be more consistency to ensure breaches in consent  conditions are dealt  with properly and fairly.
2. Introduce new environment reporting systems
Pass a new Environment Reporting Bill.
Under this new legislation, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment will independently report every five years on:
− Water and air quality.
− Coast and ocean management.
− Waste management.
− Native plants and animals.
New Zealand is the only OECD country not currently required to produce independent state of the environment reports.
• Apply consistent measuring tools to the environment that create benchmarks and allow trends and progress to be clearly identified.
Measurement of water quality around New Zealand is inconsistent.
It requires central government guidance to make sure benchmarks are being met.
We will improve these tools and systems to give a clearer picture and help inform Government decisions around funding priorities.
• Rank rivers and lakes from cleanest to dirtiest in a national database against national standards, using scientific data.
Currently, data and records vary throughout, and between, regions.
There is no way to tell which rivers are the most polluted.
Ranking will enable government, councils, and communities to identify the most polluted rivers and prioritise resources for clean-ups.
3.  Improve environmental management of our oceans
Pass Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) legislation, which has already been introduced to Parliament, by 1 July 2012.
This legislation will set environmental standards for all commercial activities within our EEZ.
Make the new Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) responsible for consenting, monitoring, and enforcing activities that impact on the EEZ, such as petroleum exploration, seabed mining, deepwater aquaculture, and marine energy development.
As the environmental regulator, the EPA will have authority for enforcement of the EEZ legislation.
Introduce regulations to support new EEZ legislation.
Regulations will reinforce National's commitment to world’s best practise to protect the environment.
Robust legislation and regulation is crucial to getting proper rules in place to better manage our ocean resources within the EEZ, and ensure environmental safeguards are in place.
Pass new Marine Reserves legislation
Approving marine reserves is a controversial and fractured process.
National will streamline the process and align it more with the board-of-inquiry model.
This is used successfully by the EPA to decide consenting for projects of national significance.
We will also extend into the EEZ the Marine Reserve legislation and the purposes for which reserves can be created.
4. Improve management of waste and contaminated sites
• Put in place the new National Environment Standard on contaminated sites.
New Zealand has thousands of contaminated sites.
We will carry out an independent review into extending the National Environment Standard (NES) to also protect environmental values.
The NES provides clear rules to manage public health risks.
• Create a new national register of significant contaminated sites.
We will implement an information management software system for regional councils.
This will document contaminated sites and form a register of national priority contaminated sites.
Set up a nationwide TV take-back programme to recycle old televisions in 2012 – prior to the digital switchover.
Following a pilot study with a national retailer, we will integrate the collection and recycling of televisions through major retail outlets and nationwide recycling depots.
Continue to work with industry on improving management of electronic waste,
working closely with Australia.
We need to find a permanent solution to ewaste issues, and recycling 80,000 tonnes of electronic waste, all year round.
We will work with Australia to progress a product stewardship scheme and provide a permanent solution for e-waste.
Tackling climate  change and reducing emissions
Domestic policy
The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is the most important – but not only – policy tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help New Zealand transition to a low carbon economy.
The 2011 Review recommended improvements and refinements in the ETS.
National acknowledges the financial pressure households and businesses face with the ongoing global financial crisis.
We intend to slow the phasing in of the ETS.
We recognise the Government's finances are under pressure and our changes to the ETS will be fiscally neutral.
National will:
Extend the transitional implementation phase for the electricity, industrial, and transport sectors.
The 2011 ETS Review Panel recommended moving to full obligation in three equal steps between I January 2013 and 1 January 2015.
It is National’s intention to implement this recommendation.
Maintain a fixed price option until at least 2015.
The 2011 ETS Review Panel recommended maintaining the fixed price option but increasing it at $5 per tonne each year until 2015.
National will maintain the fixed-price option unchanged at $25 per tonne until 2015.
•  Introduce offsetting for pre-1990 forest land owners from 1 January 2013.
National believes it is important to maintain land-use flexibility for pre-1990 forest land.
We will introduce offsetting on 1 January 2013 regardless of the lack of international agreement.
It makes sound scientific sense that, all else being equal, planting a tree is more important than where it is planted.
•  Review the second tranche of compensation for pre-1990 forest land owners faced with a loss of value because of restricted land use in light of the introduction of offsetting.
The allocation to pre-1990 forest land owners was made in recognition of the land value lost as a result of introducing the ETS.
The introduction of offsetting will allow land owners to change land use, as long as they provide an equivalent level of carbon sequestration by replanting on another site.
•  Review the 1 January 2015 legislated entry of agricultural emissions into the ETS in 2014.
The agriculture sector is liable to surrender units for agricultural greenhouse gas emissions from 1 January 2015.
National will review this in 2014.
We will not impose a liability unless there are practical technologies to reduce emissions, and our trading partners have made further progress with their climate change policies to reduce emissions.
Tackling climate  change  and  reducing emissions
Domestic policy (continued)
Explore the 2011 Review Panel recommendations on providing the option of an averaging approach to carbon credits for post1989 forest owners.
National believes that adopting averaging will encourage small scale post-1989 forestry by removing the harvest liability while providing an up-front cash flow.
Advance trans-Tasman discussions on linking the New Zealand and Australian carbon markets for the post-2015 period.
The future of our ETS relies upon access to international markets for carbon credits.
Australia is our closest trading partner and it makes sense for us to establish a trans-Tasman carbon market.
Work with Local Government New Zealand on ETS exemptions for small, unused landfills.
It is important to ensure there is a benefit from imposing a cost on the economy.
National is not convinced that a blanket policy for landfills meets that criteria.
Work with the refrigeration industry on the lowest-cost method of including synthetic gases in the ETS
alongside existing ozone protection regulations.
While the ETS is the most efficient way to introduce an economy-wide price on carbon, we need to be satisfied that its application is fair, reasonable, and cost-effective when there are other price signal options available.
International policy
Support the development of a comprehensive international agreement to succeed Kyoto.
This should seek to reduce emissions
in a balanced and fair way that recognises all significant emitters need to be part of the solution.
Climate change is a global issue.
Unless all major emitting nations participate in tackling it, we are unlikely to achieve the reductions in emissions needed.
Continue to negotiate a set of international rules that recognise the unique aspects of our plantation-forestry businesses.
National believes there should be a set of international rules governing land use, changes to land use, and forestry that recognises our extensive plantation-forestry sector.
Advocate for international acceptance of more flexible land-use rules where this can achieve greater economic returns with no detrimental environmental outcomes.
The punitive rules around land-use change for pre-1990 plantation forests need to be amended in any future international agreement.
Advocate for an international agreement that requires all major emitters to reduce their emission levels over time.
National sees no point in any future international agreement that does not include a commitment from major emitting countries to reduce their business-as-usual emissions levels.
We’ve made our 2020 target conditional on this.
Tackling climate  change  and  reducing emissions
•  Support development of the Cancun Accord as the basis for ongoing global action.
The Cancun Accord established a robust framework for achieving international agreement on climate change action.
National supports the progress made and the focus on an agreed measuring, reporting, and verification protocol leading to future mitigation targets.
Complementary measures
Put in place the recommendations of the Advisory Group on Green Growth Initiatives.
National will carefully consider the Advisory Group’s recommendations – particularly those relating to the transition of small and medium sized businesses to a low carbon economy.
Improve commercial building stock.
We will explore opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint of existing commercial buildings and encourage developers to consider the commercial benefits of investing in green building technologies.
Encourage the adoption of electric car technologies.
In 2010, National introduced an exemption from road user charges for full electric cars until 2013.
We will extend this exemption until 2020 to encourage the uptake of this low-emission technology.
Labour would take New Zealand  backwards
Labour  in government:
 Oversaw  a 23  per cent  increase in carbon emissions.
 Allowed 30,000 hectares of forest  to  be cut  down in  its last three years  in government.
 Insulated only 50,000 homes in  nine  years.
 Converted only 800 homes  to clean heating, and installed less  than 2000 solar hot water panels in nine long  years.
 Had no plan for e-waste, or reducing waste to landfills.
 Delivered little reform over  nine years,  other  than a plan of inaction on water, which led to  shortages and further  deterioration of water quality.
 Ignored the economic impact of  its  ETS on our  export  industries, particularly  agriculture.
 Set an impractical goal of carbon neutrality.
 Funded  seismic  surveys for  oil in the EEZ with  no environmental protection legislation.
 Delayed signing an international agreement  on  oil spill liability from 2001 and gave legislation the  lowest priority  before the 2008 election.
Our environment  – and New  Zealand  –  can’t  afford  another dose of Labour
ENERGY  &   RESOURCES  Building a Stronger Economy
Building New Zealand’s energy potential
New Zealand has an abundance of natural resources – hydro, geothermal, wind, oil, gas, and minerals.
This gives us a range of energy options.
National is making the most of these to secure our energy supply,
build a stronger economy,
create higher-paid jobs,
and raise living standards for all New Zealanders.
Our vision for New Zealand’s energy future is a balanced portfolio of renewable and nonrenewable energy use.
We will make the most of our energy potential in a safe and environmentally-responsible way.
Developing our resources while protecting our environment
In our first term, National improved security and efficiency in New Zealand’s electricity supply.
We’ve brought ballooning price rises under control.
We’re making homes warmer and drier.
And we’re supporting renewables to meet our target of 90 per cent renewable electricity by 2025.
We’ve also started work on developing our untapped gas, oil, and mineral resources
– while better protecting our environment.
National will put world-class environmental management legislation and regulations in place to protect our Exclusive Economic Zone.
We will develop our offshore petroleum resources responsibly,
create higher-paid jobs,
and build a stronger economy for all New Zealanders.
“National will encourage oil, gas, and mineral exploration with a competitive new system for processing permits,
while better protecting our seas with new Exclusive Economic Zone legislation.
We’ll also retrofit a further 50,000 homes through the Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart scheme. ”
Key facts
•  Over  130,000 homes  so far  are warmer,  drier, and healthier  thanks to  our  Warm Up  New Zealand: Heat Smart  scheme.
•  Investing  $3. 9  billion  to  upgrade the    National Grid.
•  Renewable electricity generation has increased  from 65  per cent in 2008  to 79  per cent in  2011.
We’re on the way  to our 90  per cent target.
•  693 MW  of new electricity generation built  and 2303  MW consented.
•  New Zealand is  set to earn  more than $3  billion in royalties from oil and gas.
Related policies
Environment
Economic Development
National has…
Ensured security of electricity supply and encouraged competition
Established the independent Electricity Authority to promote competition, efficiency, and reliable supply of electricity markets.
Encouraged energy consumers to compare and switch electricity and gas suppliers, and put tools in place to help this to happen.
Ensured that if Kiwis are asked to save power during a national conservation campaign, power companies will have to pay consumers $10 per week, per household.
Committed $3.9 billion through Transpower to upgrade the National Electricity Grid.
This includes:
−  The North Island Grid Upgrade, and the North Auckland & Northland Gird Upgrade.
−  The Interisland HVDC Link Project including the Cook Strait Cable.
−  Investigating the South Island Grid Upgrade – potentially worth more than $100 million.
Encouraged renewable energy
Committed to a renewable electricity target of 90 per cent by 2025.
Amended the Resource Management Act to consent renewable energy projects more efficiently.
Developed a National Policy Statement on Renewable Electricity Generation.
This provides clearer rules that encourage investment in renewable energy, and requires RMA decision-makers to take benefits into account when making decisions.
Gave a clear price signal and competitive advantage to renewable energy sources through the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Promoted energy efficiency
Committed $347 million to insulate 188,500 Kiwi homes making them warmer, healthier, and more energy efficient in our Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart scheme.
Launched the Energising Business programme.
This is helping around 180 companies increase profitability and their competitive advantage by encouraging them to invest in energy efficiency.
Boosted oil and gas exploration
Rolled out a major seismic data acquisition programme to increase the knowledge of petroleum basins in our territorial waters.
Made seismic data freely available to companies looking to invest in exploration and development of New Zealand’s oil and gas resources.
Replaced the Crown Minerals group, responsible for managing the Government’s petroleum and minerals estate, with New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals – a new, larger unit with a stronger commercial focus.
Protected our seas
Launched a new National Policy Statement on Coastal Policy to better manage coastal hazard risks.
Introduced the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill.
This will properly manage the adverse environmental effects of activities such as oil and gas exploration in our vast Exclusive Economic Zone
Established a High Hazards Unit in the Department of Labour with four inspectors specifically for the petroleum industry.
Our  results  so far
Warmer,  drier,  healthier  homes
•  Over  130,000 homes are warmer, drier, and  healthier under our  new  Warm Up New  Zealand: HeatSmart  scheme.
•  Over 29,000  homes have had  clean heat  devices  installed.
Highest level of renewable electricity  in  a  decade
•  74 per cent  of electricity generated from  renewable sources in 2010, and  79  per cent  in the first  six months of this year.
•  New Zealand’s proportion  of renewable electricity  is the second-highest in the OECD.
•  New wind and geothermal generation, along  with  a strong year for hydro generation, saw  greenhouse gas emissions in 2010 from  electricity generation decline 11  per cent  from 2009  – to the lowest level since 2000.
More competition  in  the  electricity  market
New Zealanders are increasing competition in  the electricity market  by switching  between  retailers  in record  numbers.
The www.WhatsMyNumber.org.nz  website gives  householders an estimate of how much they  could save by  switching retailers.
•  The website has been viewed by over  400,000 unique visitors.
•  More than 40,000 consumers on average  switch each month.
•  We’ve halved the time  it  takes  to switch.
Reined in power  price increases
More  oil and gas
•  Petroleum is now our  fourth-largest export  earner at  $2. 1 billion in  2010.
The industry  employs over 7,000 people.
What we will do next…
1. Work to make homes warmer, drier, and healthier
Upgrade a further 50,000 homes with insulation and/or clean heating devices.
We will complete the remaining home retrofits funded through the $347 million Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart scheme.
Encourage more home insulation.
Work to encourage third-party participation in funding and special home-insulation projects so more families can have warmer, drier, healthier homes.
Ensure that, by the end of 2013, every state house built before 1978 that can be practically insulated, is insulated.
See our Housing policy for more details.
2. Encourage further competition among electricity retailers
• Continue to promote competition in the electricity market.
Encouraging consumers to switch electricity retailers helps to keep price increases as low as possible.
3. Boost oil, gas, and mineral extraction
Complete the review of the Crown Minerals Act.
The Act is over 20 years old and the review will focus on updating and aligning the Act with the Government’s economic agenda.
Introduce a competitive new system for how permits are processed for oil and gas exploration.
This will:
Give the Government more control over safety and environmental practices.
Allow permits to be processed more efficiently.
Allow community groups to take part in more structured dialogue in areas open to exploration.
Our petroleum estate is under-explored.
An independent valuation has put a value of $8 billion to $12 billion on potential future royalties from oil and gas production.
Making New Zealand a destination for more exploration has the potential to contribute billions to our economy, and create higher value jobs.
Our new approach will focus on areas of greatest potential,
emphasise safety,
and allow more transparent engagement with local communities, industry, and iwi.
• Examine ways to make it easier for exploration companies to establish operations in New Zealand.
One example is the extension, through to 2014, of the 183-day tax exemption for seismic vessels and exploration rigs.
Without the extension, non-resident offshore rig operators and seismic vessels tend to stay for a period of less than 183 days, even if further exploration is desirable.
4. Better protect our seas
Pass Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) legislation, which has already been introduced to Parliament, by 1 July 2012.
Make the new Environmental Protection Authority responsible for consenting, monitoring, and enforcing activities that impact on the EEZ environment, such as petroleum exploration, seabed mining, deepwater aquaculture and marine energy development.
Introduce regulations to support new EEZ legislation.
Regulations will supplement the EEZ legislation and reinforce National's commitment to world’s best practice to protect the environment.
Robust legislation and regulation is crucial to get proper rules in place to better manage our offshore resources,
and better protect our seas and wildlife within the EEZ.
5. Upgrade the National Grid
Continue with our programme to upgrade the National Grid and ensure security of electricity supply.
Complete:
−  The $824 million upgrade up of the North Island Grid – due for completion in 2012.
−  The $473 million North Auckland and Northland Grid Upgrade Project – due in 2013.
−  The $672 million Interisland HVDC link project including the upgrade of the Cook Strait Cable – due in 2014.
• Start work on the South Island Grid Upgrade
– if the project meets the business case.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Under Labour:   Power prices went up  72  per cent in nine  years.
Under National they’ve gone up  a modest  13 per cent.
 Renewable electricity generation was just  65 per cent (2008).
 Unrealistic  policies on renewable energy  ignored  the fact that around half of the  energy New Zealand currently consumes is  from oil and gas.
We can’t just  turn off that  tap in  our journey to a lower carbon  economy.
 No real action was taken to  regulate  offshore oil,  gas, and mineral extraction or  protect our seas.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
EMPLOYMENT  RELATIONS  Building a stronger  economy
Building flexibility and creating jobs
A flexible and fair labour market is critical for building a stronger and more competitive economy and creating jobs.
It helps increase wages
and encourage innovation.
National will continue to improve employment law.
We want to give businesses the confidence to take on new staff,
help resolve workplace disputes more quickly,
and provide more choices for workers.
We also want to protect the rights of employees
while encouraging businesses,
and to grow the New Zealand economy.
Bringing balance to labour market rules
Over the past three years, National has brought a better balance to labour market rules.
We have introduced the voluntary 90-day trial period for new employees, and improved the Holidays Act.
We’ve streamlined the personal grievance system.
We’ve repeatedly raised the minimum wage
to protect our most vulnerable workers.
And we’ve kept the Hobbit movies in New Zealand.
National will continue to improve the flexible rules that govern our labour market to help build a stronger economy and create more jobs.
Key points
•  Established  a voluntary  90-day trial period  for  new employees.
This created 13,000 jobs in  small businesses, according to the  New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, before we extended it to all employers.
•  Increased  flexibility  in the Holidays Act.
•  Reformed the personal grievance system  to  reduce  delays, costs, and vexatious claims.
•  Raised the minimum  wage every year  since  coming into office.
•  Kept the Hobbit  movies  here
and  saved  thousands of high-value  jobs.
•  Will introduce  a ‘starting-out’  wage to lower  the barriers  to work for  our  youngest  workers  who are  being  priced  out of the job  market.
•  Will extend flexible working arrangements to  all employees.
•  Will improve  collective bargaining to  reduce  bureaucracy  and costs.
•  Will review constructive dismissal.
National has…
Established a 90-day trial period for new employees
Introduced the voluntary 90-day trial period for new employees in small businesses.
Expanded the 90-day trial period to all businesses following its successful implementation.
Increased flexibility in the Holidays Act
Introduced the right for employees to trade their fourth week of holidays for cash.
Tidied up the calculation of relevant daily pay.
Provided flexibility around public holidays so employers and employees can agree to transfer observance to another working day.
Introduced tougher penalties for employers who don’t comply with the Holidays Act.
Allowed employers to seek proof of sickness or injury.
Reformed the personal grievance system
Granted the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) more discretion to filter out vexatious or frivolous claims early on, and penalised behaviour that delays the ERA making a ruling.
Required unions to gain an employer’s permission before entering a workplace.
Such permission cannot be unreasonably withheld.
Further improved employment law
Clarified the law relating to communication between employers and employees during collective bargaining.
Provided certainty over the distinction between employee and contractor in the film industry, to secure the Hobbit movies and our film industry’s future.
Raised the minimum wage
Increased the minimum wage every year.
We’ve taken a careful and balanced approach that has helped prevent workers being priced out of the market.
Implemented adventure tourism regulations
Put in place regulatory requirements for health and safety in the adventure tourism sector.
Established a new High Hazards Unit
Boosted the resources of the Department of Labour to attract and retain highly-skilled inspectors for the petroleum production and mining industries.
Allocated an extra $1.5 million a year to fund the unit, which will include three inspectors and a chief inspector for each industry along with three further research and support staff.
National’s results
Created jobs
•  Created 13,000 jobs in  small businesses  thanks  to  the 90-day trial  period,  according to  research by  New Zealand Institute of  Economic Research.
This  research did  not include the extension of the 90-day trial period to all businesses on  1 October 2010.
Kept the Hobbit here
•  Ensured the Hobbit movies  are made in New  Zealand, preserving thousands  of jobs and  our  reputation as a hub for the  valuable film  industry.
This will be worth  up to  $1.5 billion  for our  economy, according to  ANZ-National economists.
Increased the minimum wage
•  Continued  to increase the  minimum wage  each year
in a way that is balanced and fair.
Reformed the personal grievance system
•  96% of all employment  mediations  resolved  without escalation to  the Employment  Relations Authority  or the Employment Court.
What we will do next...
1. Introduce a Starting-Out Wage
Establish a new Starting-Out Wage set at 80 per cent of the minimum wage.
Make the Starting-Out Wage available for:
16-and 17-year-olds in their first six months of work with a new employer.
This is an extension of the existing New Entrant’s Wage, which is set at 80 per cent of the minimum wage.
The New Entrant’s Wage is currently available for 16-or 17-year-olds in their first three months or 200 hours of employment,
so long as they are not supervising or training other workers.
We are making the Starting-Out Wage available until the 16-or 17-year-old has worked for six months with the same employer.
If they change employers, they are eligible for the Starting-Out Wage again, until they have worked six months with the new employer.
ii.  18-and 19-year-olds who have come directly off a designated benefit (including the Independent Youth Benefit), having been on that benefit continuously for more than six months before starting work.
This is another change to the existing New Entrant’s Wage.
These 18-and 19-year-olds will be eligible for the Starting-Out Wage for the first six months of their employment, or until they turn 20 (whichever comes first).
The Starting-Out Wage will not apply if they are supervising or training other workers.
Once they have completed six months of continuous work with a single employer they must be paid at least the full Adult Minimum Wage, even if they change employers while still under 20.
iii.  16-to 19-year-olds in training in a recognised industry training course involving at least 40 credits a year.
This is a change to the minimum training wage.
The minimum training wage is available to people who are required by their employment agreements to undertake recognised industry training involving at least 60 credits a year.
The minimum training wage is not age specific.
We are reducing the requirement from 60 credits to 40 credits for 16-to 19-year-olds.
Helping young people into  jobs
Department of Labour research suggests that  abolishing the  Youth  Wage in 2008 has seen up  to 9000 jobs disappear for  16- and 17- year-olds.
The Starting-Out  Wage  will help our youngest  and most inexperienced  workers  get  a foot on the employment ladder.
Just  as the voluntary 90-day  trial period is  providing thousands of  job  opportunities for  inexperienced workers, the  Starting-Out  Wage  will help young people who  would otherwise be locked  out of a job.
For  many, it will provide  an opportunity to  gain  skills, earn money, and get  the valuable work experience  they need to compete in the open labour  market and get work.
It will also  encourage employers  to give a young worker a  job, where they would have been unwilling to  hire them on the Adult  Minimum  Wage.
2. Extend flexible working arrangements
Allow flexible working agreements without invoking a formal process.
Extend the right to request flexible work arrangements to all employees.
Remove the six-month period before an employee has the right to request a flexible working arrangement.
Remove the limits on the number of requests an employee may make for flexible working arrangements over a 12-month period.
Promote the benefits of flexible working arrangements and flexible workplaces more widely to employees and employers.
Flexible working arrangements are good for workers, good for businesses, and good for overall productivity.
They allow people to work when it best suits them, and around arrangements they have made for childcare and their other caring responsibilities.
Many workplaces already have flexible working arrangements, either formally or informally.
But at the moment, the formal request mechanism applies only to those with caring responsibilities.
National will extend the right to request flexible working hours to all workers, and raise the profile of flexible working arrangements.
We want to see more workers and employers benefiting from flexible working arrangements.
3. Improve collective bargaining
• Remove the ‘requirement to conclude’ collective bargaining.
The Employment Relations Act originally required collective bargaining to simply be done in good faith.
This was later changed by Labour to insist that once started, a collective agreement must be reached unless there are genuine reasons not to.
The change has led to protracted negotiations in instances where agreement clearly isn't going to be reached.
In many cases this has resulted in workplace disruption and the deterioration of relationships between employers and unions.
We will return the Act to its original form, retaining the requirement to bargain in good faith,
while removing the requirement to conclude a collective agreement.
It is in the best interests of unions and employers to settle negotiations quickly and fairly, and avoid workplace disruption and strike action.
• Remove the requirement that non-union members are employed under a collective agreement for their first 30-days.
Employers are currently forced to offer the terms of the Collective Employment Agreement for the first 30 days, regardless of whether the employee wishes to become a union member or not.
Being unable to agree to lesser terms in some areas, in return for a higher base salary for example, means that this can have the effect of lowering base salaries.
In the majority of instances, particularly in the private sector, employees immediately shift to Individual Employment Agreements (IEA) once the 30 days are up.
However, having already started work, their negotiating position is weakened.
Removing the 30 days requirement will enable employees to agree to the exact terms and conditions they want from the outset through either negotiating individually or by joining the collective and becoming a union member.
The choice will be the employee's.
• Allow employers to opt out of negotiations for a multi-employer collective agreement.
We want employers to be able to opt out of multi-employer collective bargaining when they begin, rather than force them to enter into negotiations with their employees, their competitors, and their competitors’ employees.
Employers should be able to decide whether a multi-employer collective agreement is the right option for them.
Enabling them to opt out of the negotiations before they begin will allow them to save their resources at the outset should they already consider they are not best served by this form of agreement.
• Apply partial pay reductions for partial strikes or situations of low-level industrial action.
Currently, employees can engage in partial strike action, such as refusing to answer email or do any paper work, while continuing to receive full pay.
This action can go on for years and distorts the balance of power in negotiations.
Allowing partial pay reductions for partial strikes will even this balance and create a fairer bargaining environment.
4. Review constructive dismissal
• Take a close look at how allegations of constructive dismissal can be better managed.
Constructive dismissal is the term used when employers are not directly fired, but where the work environment is such that they are effectively forced out of their job.
Constructive dismissal can be a difficult charge to defend even where the allegation is unfounded.
There is evidence that it is often used inappropriately in employment disputes.
National will look at ways to make sure that people who have been hounded from their job retain access to justice,
while ensuring that constructive dismissal is used less often as an allegation of last resort.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour would:
 Remove the successful  90-day trial period.
13,000 jobs  were created when the 90-day trial period came in  for small businesses.
Opportunities like these would be lost.
 Choke  the economy by reinstating 1970s  national awards and create  a bureaucracy  to  centrally fix wages  – a step  back in time  by more than 30  years, and a recipe for strikes  and industrial action.
In times  like  these, the last thing  we need is  an economy controlled  by a small cadre of  union leaders.
 Put 6000 low-paid workers out of  a  job  with an unaffordable minimum wage.
The Department  of Labour calculates  that a $15  minimum wage would harm small businesses
and put 6,000 low-paid workers  out of a  job.
 Change the law that kept the Hobbit films  here.
Labour  would  kill off  New Zealand’s  film industry on the whim of the  unions.
National’s balanced Employment Relations Policy is helping build a flexible economy
that creates higher-paid jobs
, encourages innovation,
and  provides opportunities for  people to get ahead.
Labour would throw that all away to secure support of the unions.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
EDUCATION  IN SCHOOLS  Building Better Public Services
Lifting achievement
High-quality education is vitally important.
It provides the opportunity for any child from any background to get ahead and make the most of their lives.
It’s also an essential requirement for a skilled, creative, and productive workforce, which is a key to growing a stronger economy.
New Zealand’s top students are some of the best in the world.
However, one student in five leaves school without the skills they need to succeed in a modern economy.
Too many young people remain heading for a life of unskilled work or welfare dependency.
Too many of these are Maori and Pasifika, or from poorer homes.
National is working hard to turn this poor performance around.
Schooling for the 21st Century
Modern teaching has changed and our schooling needs to be flexible enough to support this.
The National Curriculum and our new National Standards are helping teachers focus on the education outcomes that children will need in the 21st Century.
Strengthening accountability
Parents invest heavily in their children’s education, both in cost and emotionally.
We need to make sure they are getting a return on their investment.
National will strengthen accountability and performance measurement so that parents and students are getting the most from their schools, and the education system is helping lift student achievement.
“National will focus on improving performance in the schooling system
to ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed./”
Key facts
•  Opened 18 new schools and built 400 new  school buildings.
•  Will invest an extra $1 billion  from the Future  Investment Fund  in modernising schools.
•  Employed 1600  more teachers.
•  Implemented National Standards in  reading, writing, and  maths in  primary and  intermediate schools.
•  50 education  experts and  $36 million  to help  children falling behind.
•  12,500  Youth Guarantee  places by 2014.
•  Opening  21 Trades  Academies  to  help  keep  students  engaged  in education for longer.
•  $51 million extra funding for pupils in  special education.
Related policies
Early Childhood Education
21st Century Schools
Skills Training
Tertiary Education
National has …
Introduced National Standards
Introduced National Standards in primary and intermediate schools.
These are signposts showing what children in Years 1-8 should be able to achieve in reading, writing, and maths, and by when.
They help identify where some children may be struggling with their school work and where extra help is needed.
Required schools to report to parents on their children’s progress towards National Standards in plain language.
Provided $36 million to fund new intervention programmes for students who are identified as falling behind.
Case study:  National Standards  in action
A  decile 4 full primary school in the  South  Island  had a charter that  included a reading target.
As  they worked  towards the target,  the school  identified  a significant number of six-year-olds  not meeting the National Standard  in reading.
As a  result, the school was identified as  suitable to participate in an accelerated learning programme for literacy.
After  staff training,  the  school engaged with  parents about  the programme through face-toface discussions and a letter  that identified the  students’ current  reading level in relation to  the  National Standard.
The accelerated learning programme was  put in place  and all children made  significant  improvements in their reading.
The Principal said that  they  could “not believe the rate of acceleration over the term.
The  students are now engaged and loving reading. ”
Boosted special education
Provided $51 million for special education, creating additional places and support for 2100 pupils in special education.
Confronted bullying
Invested $60 million to help stop bullying in schools, encouraging good behaviour and training teachers in more effective classroom management.
Tackled truancy
Doubled penalties for parents of truant children.
Doubled funding to tackle truancy, so schools can:
−  Use electronic attendance registers.
−  Put in place a text message-based Early Notification System.
−  Reduce the time it takes to get non-enrolled students back into school.
Our  results so far
More students continuing in school
•  Retention rates have increased.
More pupils  enrolled in our  schools are staying until their  17th  birthdays.
Lifted achievement in schools
Engaged 50 experts to work with schools and teachers to help raise the bar in education.
Focused teacher support on helping teachers and principals lift student achievement.
Set NCEA Level 2, or the equivalent, as the minimum benchmark for every school leaver.
Changed the Education Review Office’s reporting cycles so 258 high-performing schools can have fewer reviews, and under-performing schools are worked with more intensively.
Our results so far
Better school reports
•  Last year  80 per cent of families received an  end-of-year  report  that referred directly to  National Standards.
Most of these included a  pupil’s next learning steps and information  about  the ways families and  whanau  can help  support learning at home.
Higher  achievement in schools
•  More school leavers are achieving university  entrance standard,  which allows  them to go  into tertiary study at degree level.
Established the Youth Guarantee
Created the Youth Guarantee which helps keep 16-and 17-year olds engaged in learning, by allowing them to study towards school-level qualifications, free of charge, at polytechs, wananga, and private training institutions.
Established Trades Academies
• Created eight Trades Academies to provide trade and technology training for 16-and 17year-olds with no fees.
Thirteen more are due to open in 2012.
Trades Academy students are enrolled at school but may study at another site, for example at a workplace or polytech, on some or all days throughout the term.
Provided more education opportunities
• Established 19 Service Academies.
These are military-style training programmes involving the Defence Force.
They are available at schools for Years 12 and 13 students as part of the Government's Youth Opportunities package.
Our results so far
Rolling out the Youth Guarantee
•  Established  2500 Youth Guarantee places.
Opened trades and service academies
•  Opened eight  Trades Academies, providing trades and technology programmes for over  800  secondary school  students, with another  13 to open next  year.
•  Created 19 Service Academies.
National has…(continued)
Supported vocational training
Increased the number of technology and trades teachers.
Established Trades Academies to give students more options so they stay in school longer.
Created new vocational pathways, making sure students have the skills to get a job when they leave school.
Boosted funding for school buildings and infrastructure
Invested over $1.7 billion on school property since 2008.
Brought forward funding for school building upgrades during the economic recession to provide an essential stimulus to the economy.
Upgraded school ICT facilities
• Provided $130 million to upgrade the wiring in schools, so they can make the most of ultra-fast broadband.
Our results so far
Upgraded schools and infrastructure
•  Completed more than  500  major building modernisation projects.
•  Upgraded  schools through our  Jobs and Growth programme.
Since the start of 2009 this created:  −  270 new classrooms and gyms.
−  139 non-teaching spaces such as halls,  libraries and administration  blocks.
−  An extra 2000 jobs.
•  Opened 18 new mainstream and specialist  schools, with another four under  construction.
•  Set up three teen parent units to help young  mothers stay at school  and engaged in education.
Ultra-fast broadband in schools
•  Upgraded the wiring in a  third  of  all schools,  and we’re rolling the programme out across  the country.
•  We will connect 97. 7 per cent of schools and  99. 9 per cent of students  to fibre with speeds  of at least 100mbps by 2015, with the remaining 60 most remote schools  connected by  point-to-point  wireless or  satellite connections.
No schools will miss  out,
giving New Zealand one of the most  connected education networks anywhere in  the world.
What we will do next…
1. Support National Standards
• Continue to bed-in National Standards.
2012 is the third year of a three-year implementation period for National Standards.
We’ve seen great progress so far and National is determined to ensure all schools are implementing National Standards, providing parents with plain-language school reports on their child’s progress and ensuring those struggling with their school work are getting the extra help they need.
• Use National Standards data to better target support for schools and pupils.
National Standards are helping to identify children who are falling behind.
We will use the results from National Standards to better target extra support for the children who need it and lift achievement across our schools.
The data from National Standards will show areas where schools need more support, possibly in literacy or numeracy, or work with Maori or Pasifika students.
We will use Student Achievement Function Practitioners to intensively work with these schools to provide them with the support they need.
We will encourage schools to work together in clusters so they can learn from each other about the activities which are getting effective results for their students.
• Target professional development and support for teachers where National Standards show support and the development of best practice is most needed to improve education outcomes for children.
The Government invests $51 million a year on professional development for teachers.
We will target this support for teachers and schools in areas where data from National Standards show they need the most support.
Budget 2011 provides $16.7 million to support moderation and resources for teachers using National Standards, and to set up school cluster networks to share best practice for the implementation of Standards.
• Expand the number of experts to work with schools to lift student achievement.
National wants to make sure schools have the help they need to improve results for all their students.
Information from National Standards and how students are progressing each year in reading, writing, and maths will be used to target support for students who need it most.
Fifty expert practitioners are providing intensive support for schools as needed.
We will increase this as demand grows.
Costs will be covered within current spending.
• Provide clear information for parents by requiring schools to:
−  Publish annual plans, provisional targets, and achievements by 28 February each year.
−  Provide a template of clear school reports as part of school annual plans.
When schools are clear about what they want to achieve, and when they communicate this effectively with their communities, everyone – teachers, parents, and children – has a better idea of the progress expected.
They also have clear targets they can measure their own achievements, and the achievements of their school, against.
2. Strengthen accountability and performance measurement
Lift student achievement
To lift student achievement, we need  to focus  on those things we know are important and  improve how we use the resources we have.
National will:
 Ensure  teachers and  principals have the  skills  they need to effectively lead learning for every student,
particularly for those currently underserved  by the system.
 Make  effective use of data,  and sharing knowledge about what works.
 Make  better use of our accountability system, with transparent reporting of system performance.
 Ensure  current resourcing models are focused on  delivering better results  for students.
 Build strong and informed connections  achievement  between families and schools.
Use performance  information to drive improvements in student achievement
To achieve better outcomes for  students, data  about student achievement and system performance has to be used more effectively to drive improvements in student achievement .
We need better ways of identifying those things that work, sharing that knowledge across the schooling sector, and determining how those programmes might be supported.
To maximize educational performance and outcomes, we need to be able to assess school performance from the year that a student arrives at school to the year they leave.
This will allow us to measure the value a school is adding to a student’s education and target resources where they will do the most to lift achievement.
We need to make better use of the performance information we have available.
National will:
 Focus on building the capability of teachers, principals and boards to use data to inform teaching practice.
 Improve the use of data by education agencies to support investment and accountability processes.
 Use the Network for Learning as a technological platform to support collection and dissemination of data and knowledge.
National will make secondary school performance information available to parents, so they are informed about their child’s learning environment.
Strengthen accountability for student achievement
Schools and education agencies should be accountable to parents and taxpayers for student achievement.
Our current accountability system for schools is good, but is not being used as well as it could be.
That’s why National will strengthen our current model.  National will:
 Clarify  our expectations of schools.
 Provide  improved support for Boards  of  Trustees at the governance level.
 Have education agencies actively engaging when schools are identified as potentially failing students.
 Improve reporting of system-level performance, including investigating school level reporting.
We’ll also shift  the resourcing model, so it incentivises performance.
3. Enhance teacher competency
We know effective teaching has the biggest impact on results for students.
This is why we want to have a high-performing teacher workforce.
To support this, National will:
Improve the quality of initial teacher education, including a move to a post graduate qualification and minimum undergrad entry requirements, as well as a formal assessment of a 'disposition to teach'.
Have more effective teacher and principal appraisal.
Review, reform, and strengthen the Teachers Council so it can provide leadership of the sector as a whole.
Strengthen educational leadership in schools.
We’ll include a requirement to complete a pre-principalship qualification.
Develop a more effective career structure for teachers.
Strengthen processes for competency where this is not able to be addressed by professional development.
4. Develop our education workforce
• Attract highly-qualified graduates into teaching by supporting programmes that provide intensive training and fast-tracking.
We consistently struggle to attract highly qualified teachers with specialist skills into low-decile areas.
National has set aside $200,000 for 20 scholarships to attract highly-skilled graduates to those areas.
• Ensure capable school leadership by requiring selection and training of new principals.
High-quality school leadership is one of the keys to higher-performing schools.
We will establish a ‘gateway’ programme to determine who our future school leaders should be, and we’ll require new principals to undertake on-going training and mentoring.
Support  vocational  training
 Establish a new category of specialist teacher, which will allow experts in particular areas, notably trades, to be employed by schools to deliver specialised courses.
We will make it easier for schools to  employ  people  with specialist skills  who may  not be  a registered teacher,  but  who  can  undergo basic teacher training.
That training may be on-the-job training.
This will allow schools to provide similar courses to polytechnics and provide consistency of teaching between secondary and tertiary education.
 Make it easier for local schools, tertiary education providers, and local business to work together and set up a trade or service academy.
The current funding system limits the ability of schools to fund students on a per pupil basis, so they can participate in a Trades or Service Academy.
We will make the system more flexible to improve the transition between secondary and tertiary education.
 Track students who leave school before 18 and make sure they are in some form of education  or training.
Schools  will be asked  to  report students who  are leaving school and not going onto further  training or employment,  so we can  support  them  and  ensure they  don’t  end up  on welfare.
What we will do next…(continued)
6. Build more schools for the 21st Century
• Invest $1 billion to further modernise and transform our schools.
Over the next five years, we will:
−  Build new, modern schools.
−  Rejuvenate existing schools on the same site.
−  Build new, modern teaching areas in existing schools.
−  Wire up many more schools with fibre, to take advantage of ultra-fast broadband.
Our world is constantly changing.
That’s why it's important to provide our students with modern schools where they can use the latest technology.
We need to have schools which reflect the needs of the 21st Century and provide modern learning environments, preparing students for the future.
7. Get better value from school property
Revise school property management so we get the best facilities more efficiently.
Continue to investigate Public-Private-Partnerships as a way to build new school property and buildings.
Review the Integration Act, particularly with regard to school buildings and property.
Further develop the National Infrastructure Plan to promote better management of school property.
School property is worth $10 billion, and in 2010/11 the Government will spend $450 million on school maintenance.
National will ensure this money is invested wisely, to maximise the quality of school facilities and its effectiveness for schools and pupils.
8. Develop  the  national IT  school network
 Establish  the national Network for Learning  (N4L).
The N4L  is a virtual network that will allow all schools and students in New Zealand to  use  ultra-fast broadband, connect to each other,  and access the very latest in teaching and  learning resources online.
The Network for  Learning will:  −  Drive 21st Century technology-based learning throughout the school system.
−  Ensure the school  system keeps  pace with  global developments.
−  Provide all schools with cost-effective access to  the latest teaching and learning  resources.
The N4L will help schools  work  together and  share their knowledge for the benefit of their  pupils.
For example, a specialist teacher in  Auckland could teach a class with students in Invercargill and Gisborne.
The N4L will break down barriers  of distance and time, and ensure all students have access  to the very best resources.
It will allow the  latest  teaching resources to  be made available  to teachers via the network.
The N4L is designed  to enable learning in ways that suit individual students’  skills, strengths, interests, and needs,
and which  recognise their identity, culture,  and language.
With  reliable and fast access to  Internet  content and  services over the N4L,  teaching and learning will no longer be constrained by  physical location, timetables, and  the learning  pace of peers.
9. Create more flexible learning environments
Open 13 more Trades Academies.
Open eight new Service Academies in 2012.
Expand the Youth Guarantee to 12,500 places by 2014.
We’re providing more options so that at-risk 16-and 17-year old students stay engaged in learning for longer.
10. Develop better education options for teen parents
Work to remove barriers by establishing teen parent units in centres of high need and ensuring there are links between schools and accessible early childhood care.
11. Tackle truancy and bullying
• Implement enhanced truancy services.
Regular attendance at school is a key indicator of educational success.
This year we have piloted a new long-term approach bringing together local truancy agencies and social services to better manage student attendance.
The pilot programme will be rolled out to a national truancy service from 2012.
• Legislate to ensure schools maintain a safe environment for students.
We are increasingly seeing drugs and weapons brought onto school grounds.
We will give schools and Police the ability to search for and seize drugs and weapons.
12. Support Canterbury
Rebuilding Canterbury is a top priority for  National.
We supported the people of  Canterbury  in the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes and we are committed to getting  greater Christchurch back on its feet over  the coming months and years.
National:  •  Ensured all  schools were up and  running eight  weeks after  the February earthquake.
•  Double-funded  students who moved out  of Christchurch for 2011.
That is, we funded the Christchurch school  they no longer attended  and also funded the  school  outside of  Christchurch they did attend.
•  Created new exemptions so  that  Christchurch students would not  unfairly  miss out  on NCEA qualifications.
National will rebuild the Canterbury  school  network
 Ensure schools make the most of their  facilities and resources, and  they  collaborate  rather than compete with each other.
 Ensure there is a range of education provision
so  parents can continue to  have choice about  what type of school they send their children to.
Schools in Christchurch will become  part of the most advanced  schooling network in New  Zealand with facilities  that  support education in  the 21st Century.
13. Support rural education
• Actively encourage rural schools to work together to make better use of resources and get better results for students.
We will promote the shared governance model, and use Student Achievement Practitioners to facilitate cooperation.
Small schools can sometimes struggle to access the expertise and experience readily available in larger centres.
• Review requirements for school swimming pools so low-use pools are not so expensive to maintain.
Rigid health and safety guidelines for maintaining school pools require small rural school pools to meet the same standards as high-use public pools in urban areas.
Such requirements are often too onerous for smaller rural schools, where pools are used less often by fewer people, forcing them to be shut down.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Is more interested in pandering to its union backers  than focusing on children’s learning.
 Ignores the one-in-five children missing out  on a  decent education just as it did  when it  was in government.
 Is confused.
They say they  will  abolish  National Standards, taking away the accountability of  schools to  parents and the  taxpayer, and seeing no improvement to  children’s performance.
At the same time,  Labour  says they will keep  National Standards  for  all the schools  who  support lifting student  achievement and involving parents in  their  child’s education.
 Has no aspirations for  improving education  outcomes.
It  cannot see the benefits of a  highly-performing education system for New  Zealand or the economy.
 Labour’s only solution to help 15- to  19-year olds get better  results was to lift the  school  leaving age.
It  did  nothing to engage them in  learning or offer alternative  solutions.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT  Building a Stronger  Economy
Building a more competitive economy
A competitive economy trading successfully with the world is the best way to build sustainable economic growth that creates jobs and grows incomes.
National’s approach to economic development recognises that competitive and growing businesses create new jobs.
We’re working across different industries to remove obstacles to investment, and to provide the right underlying conditions for growth, so our businesses can prosper, trade profitably, and grow.
Our approach focuses on three priority areas:
Building modern productive infrastructure
This improves communication and flows of goods and services.
It unclogs the arteries of growth, supports jobs and helps get goods to market faster.
Cutting red tape and building better regulation
Good regulation balances the need to cut red tape,
with the need to ensure community safety
and environmental protection.
Building industries, innovation, and trade
A smart, modern economy has thriving industries built on a base of science and innovation,
and has strong trade links with key markets.
This economic development approach relies, in turn, on sound government finances,
macroeconomic stability,
tax and welfare systems that have the right incentives,
an efficient public sector,
and a world-class education system.
These fundamentals are covered in other National policies.
“National is building a competitive economy by focusing on infrastructure, better regulation, innovation, and trade.
We will invest $60 million over four years in a series of competitive National Science Challenges, to find innovative solutions to some of the most fundamental issues New Zealand faces. ”
Key points
Building  modern productive infrastructure
Boosting  investment  in quality  infrastructure to  lift  productivity and  unlock economic potential.
Rolling out  ultra-fast  broadband,  upgrading the National Grid, investing in  rail, and fast-tracking Roads of National Significance  to support growth.
Cutting red tape  and building better regulation
Reviewed and  overhauled the RMA, employment law, the ETS, and  electricity and building regulations.
Turned around  ACC and reducing  levies.
Restored  investor  confidence  in  capital markets.
Building  industries, innovation,  and trade
Refocused  CRIs  to ensure they connect  better with business
and invested  an  extra  $234  million for  new, business facing science and innovation initiatives.
Related policies
Economic Development Action Plan
Finance • Skills (to be released)
National’s plan
Most industries in the economy ultimately either sell to, or compete with, businesses in other parts of the world.
Where our economy is competitive, it grows.
Where it is not, it stagnates.
The need for competitiveness extends even to those parts of the economy that are solely focused on the domestic market, such as the electricity industry or ACC.
These need to be as efficient as possible, because they impose costs on a wide range of businesses.
National’s plan for economic development is about building a more competitive economy – creating the right conditions so businesses have the confidence to invest, expand, and create more higher-paying jobs.
The Government’s role is to ensure that:
The proper infrastructure – including roads, rail, telecommunications, and the electricity grid – is in place to allow industries to grow and trade.
Government regulation strikes the right balance between ensuring safety
and environmental protection on one hand,
and on the other hand allowing important development and investment to occur.
Industries can draw on a well established base of science and innovation to create new products and new processes,
and can have confidence that the important challenges facing New Zealand are being addressed.
New Zealand has well-established trading links with other countries and is making the most of those links.
Labour’s legacy
Deep recession and job losses
In 2008  National inherited an economy that had  lost a lot of its international competitiveness, and  was  overly  reliant on consumption, debt,  and  a reckless growth in  government spending.
 A debt-fuelled consumption boom papered  over gaping cracks in the economy.
 While the  government sector  boomed, the export  sector went backwards.
 In the year from March 2008 to March 2009 –  before National delivered its first  Budget  – the economy  shrank 3. 5 per cent  and 33,000 more people became  unemployed.
Getting back on track
Over the past three years, National has been rebalancing the economy so it can again be competitive.
At the same time, we’ve managed the economy through the worst of the global financial crisis, the recession, and the Canterbury earthquakes.
Our economic development agenda is already starting to deliver results and National will build on this over the next three years.
Growth and jobs
•  The economy has grown in eight of the past nine quarters.
•  63,000 jobs were created in the past two years.
•  170,000 more new jobs are expected by 2016 than at the time of Budget 2011.
•  Unemployment is forecast to  fall steadily to less than five  per cent.
National has…
Invested in modern, productive infrastructure
Modern, productive infrastructure is vitally important for a growing economy.
Our infrastructure programme is creating thousands of local jobs and work for local businesses.
This has supported the economy through the worst of the global crisis and will help it grow in years to come.
Boosted infrastructure
Tackled New Zealand’s infrastructure deficit by increasing investment, setting clear priorities, and improving the regulatory environment.
Established the National Infrastructure Unit and produced the first two National Infrastructure Plans.
Rolling out faster broadband
Committed $1.35 billion to roll out ultra-fast broadband, with priority users such as schools, hospitals, and 90 per cent of businesses covered by the end of 2015.
Committed $300 million for high-speed rural broadband.
Upgraded the National Grid
Investing $3.9 billion through Transpower to upgrade the National Grid to ensure security of electricity supply.
Invested in road and rail
Investing $12. 2 billion in state highways over 10 years – more than $1 billion a year.
Fast-tracking seven Roads of National Significance.
Committing $750 million to the $4. 6 billion KiwiRail turnaround plan.
This will ensure the future of rail by allowing it to be competitive with other forms of transport on major long haul routes.
Lifting investment in public transport, including $1.6 billion to upgrade and electrify Auckland commuter rail and $485 million to upgrade Wellington commuter rail.
Invested in health and education
Funded capital expenditure of $1.75 billion by District Health Boards over the past three years.
Invested an average of $570 million per year since 2008 on school property.
This compares to an average of $370 million under Labour.
Upgraded housing
Committed $347 million to insulate 188,500 homes – making them warmer, healthier, and more energy efficient in our Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart scheme.
Enabled more private sector investment
• Set a nine-month time limit for consenting projects of national significance.
This has meant, for example, that Contact Energy’s $1 billion Tauhara II geothermal power station near Taupo was consented in only eight months.
Related policies
Broadband
Transport
Auckland Transport
Energy
National has… (continued)
Cut red tape and improved regulations
Better regulation and less red tape are essential in helping New Zealand become more internationally competitive and a more attractive place to live and do business.
Good regulation helps ensure we can live safer lives, get treated fairly, and protect and manage our environment, and it also helps us have a competitive and efficient economy.
Regulation is especially important for the internationally traded sectors.
Poor quality regulation is a competitive disadvantage, which hampers growth and costs jobs.
Simplified the Resource Management Act
Set a nine-month time limit for consenting projects of national significance.
Major projects such as the Waterview Connection and Contact Energy’s new geothermal station have been consented in record time.
Removed frivolous, vexatious, and anticompetitive objections that can add thousands of dollars to consent applications.
Required councils to provide a discount for late processing of resource consents.
Improved employment law
Created 13,000 new jobs in small businesses
with voluntary 90-day trials for new employees, which have been extended to all businesses.
Reformed the personal grievance system to reduce delays, costs, and vexatious claims.
Established the Productivity Commission
Set up the Productivity Commission, with its first two investigations being into housing affordability and international freight services.
Reined in power price increases
Reformed the electricity sector to improve competition, constrain price increases, and increase security of supply.
This followed electricity prices increasing 72 per cent in Labour’s term in office.
Made it easier for electricity customers to change their supplier and encouraged them to do so.
Moderated the Emissions Trading Scheme
Halved the costs for businesses and households compared to Labour’s scheme, and met our commitment to reduce emissions without unduly harming the economy.
Got ACC back in the black
Turned around ACC’s financial performance and reducing levies next year for wage and salary earners by 17 per cent, and for employers and the self-employed by 22 per cent.
Cut transport costs
Modernised and simplified road user charges this will reduce compliance costs for transport operators and ultimately cut costs for businesses and exporters.
Cancelled Labour’s Auckland regional fuel tax, and deferred the planned tax increase of 1. 5 cents a litre while economic conditions remain tight.
Allowed heavy vehicles to operate outside the current weight limit on specified routes – this is delivering real gains for both the economy and the travelling public.
Improved  investor confidence
When National  took office, investors’ confidence in the financial sector had been badly damaged by  the collapse of finance companies.
More than $6 billion was lost under Labour’s  watch.
National believes it is vital for  New Zealand  businesses that people can save and  invest with confidence.
National has:   Comprehensively overhauled regulation of the  local savings and investment markets.
 Improved regulation of financial advisors, overhauled securities  law, and placed insurance companies and other deposit-takers under  prudential supervision by  the Reserve Bank.
 Established a new ‘super regulator’,  the Financial Markets Authority, to  enforce  securities, financial reporting,  and company  laws  as they apply to financial services and  securities markets.
 Required financial service providers, including financial advisers, to  be  registered, meet certain  training requirements, and  belong to an  approved dispute resolution scheme.
 Required debt issuers, including finance companies dealing with  moratoria, to give  investors tailored disclosure documents.
 Improved the governance of KiwiSaver  schemes.
Related policies
Resource Management
Employment Relations
Environment
Commerce
Accident Compensation
National has… (continued)
Supported industries, innovation, and trade
A smart, innovative economy with well-developed trading links is key to creating higher-paying jobs and raising living standards.
Promoted primary sector growth
Established the Primary Growth Partnership to promote innovation on and off the farm, matched dollar-for-dollar by industry.
This has invested close to half a billion dollars so far.
Established and provided $21 million support for a food innovation network, including regional hubs in Manukau, Waikato, Palmerston North, and Canterbury.
Set up the Centre for Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research to promote technologies that reduce emissions, and improve on-farm efficiency and productivity
Reformed the legislation governing aquaculture development, to help it become a $1 billion contributor to the economy.
Promoted growth in high-tech
Established technology development grants to encourage knowledge-intensive firms to undertake stretching R&D projects.
Set up a national health innovation hub.
Promoted energy and resources
Built up knowledge about New Zealand’s petroleum basins through significant investment in seismic data acquisition.
Supported tourism and film
Provided extra funding for marketing New Zealand as a destination for high value visitors.
Secured the filming of The Hobbit in New Zealand,
and ensured equitable and attractive employment prospects for film workers and film companies.
Focused on trade
Set an ambitious trade agenda as a driver of economic growth.
Built trade relationships, with a focus on Asia and the Pacific, where more than 70 per cent of our trade is concentrated.
Signed free trade agreements with Malaysia, Hong Kong, and ASEAN.
Have had a 50 per cent increase in trade with China over the past three years.
New Zealand and China are committed to doubling two-way trade by 2015.
Better supported export businesses
NZTE is now focused on key companies and sectors that have real growth potential and where the agency’s support can make a difference.
Boosted venture capital
Provided an additional $40 million underwrite for the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund.
What we will do next…
National will continue our focus on building a more competitive economy, through investments in infrastructure, better regulations, and a smart, innovative business sector that is well-connected with the world and making the most of our trade links.
The opportunities  ahead
We are a food-producing country in a world  demanding more food.
Our trade is increasingly  shifting towards Asia –  the  most vibrant economic  region in the world.
A growing middle class in  China, India,  and across the  continent is tuning in to the goods and services we  can supply.
But we need to get out and seize that future, because no-one owes  New Zealand a living.
We have to earn it.
That’s why it is  so important to  create a more competitive  economy,  where we  sell more of what the world wants to buy.
In a second term, National will continue to:
Roll out our programme of infrastructure investment including ultra-fast broadband, roads, rail, the electricity grid, and our investment in modernising and transforming New Zealand schools.
These are all projects that will span a number of years.
Remove roadblocks to investment across different industries, and keep down costs for business, so firms have the confidence to expand and take on staff.
Invest in science and innovation, including developing an advanced technology institute and establishing National Science Challenges.
Progress the free trade negotiations already underway, and make the most of our existing agreements
Establish the Future Investment Fund
• Establish the Future Investment Fund to receive the proceeds from the mixed ownership model – estimated to be $5 billion to $7 billion over three to five years from 2012.
The Future Investment Fund will invest in priority capital projects that help grow our economy and improve public services.
There will be a high bar for projects to be funded out of the Future Investment Fund – they will have to deliver substantial social or economic dividends for New Zealanders.
Invest in 21st Century Schools
The first $1 billion from the Future Investment Fund will go towards building 21st Century Schools so Kiwi children can get the education they need to succeed.
Invest in water storage and distribution
$400 million from the Fund will be invested on a commercial basis in a new Crown Water Investment Company that will co-invest in projects that boost the productivity of farms, protect against droughts and reduce water flow uncertainty.
Establish an advanced technology institute
Up to $80 million has been earmarked from the Fund for areas like new buildings and equipment to support transforming Industrial Research Limited into an advanced technology institute with up to 700 staff.
What we will do next…(continued)
Establish National Science Challenges
• Invest $60 million over the next four years in a series of competitive National Science Challenges, to find innovative solutions to some of the most fundamental issues New Zealand faces in its future development.
The National-led Government has already piloted this approach in the area of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture.
The Government set out the overarching challenge – how can we reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture while sustaining our vitally important agricultural production?
A committee of experts translated this challenge into scientific questions, and there has been a competitive process under which a range of innovative proposals have been put forward for a share of the $16 million research funding on offer this year.
National intends to use this approach in other areas where science can address some of the most important longer-term challenges to New Zealand’s development.
• Fund between four and eight National Science Challenges across a range of areas.
These will be proposed by the new Minister of Science and Innovation, after consultation with industry stakeholders and the science community, including the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor.
What could be a National Science  Challenge?
Examples of the strategic questions that might be suitable for National Science Challenges  include:
An environmentally-sustainable primary sector
•  How can  New Zealand intensify its primary  industries in an environmentally sustainable way  – increasing production while at the  same time protecting the environment and in particular  the  quality of our water?
Cost-effective and sustainable energy production
•  What new and cost-effective technologies  can be developed for sustainable energy  production  –  for example through use of biomass or advanced geothermal technologies?
A new generation of high-value foods
•  How  can New  Zealand produce a new  generation of high-value foods  –  for example,  foods and food-derived products  that have  demonstrated health benefits, designed for  the growing Asian market?
Further policies
Build, modern productive infrastructure
Develop key regional roading projects that enhance regional economic growth.
Evaluate four new Roads of National Significance for development.
Investigate Clifford Bay as a new sea freight terminal.
Connect schools to a dedicated, nationwide, online Network for Learning, so they can make the best use of modern technology and teaching.
Retrofit a further 50,000 homes under the Warm-up New Zealand: HeatSmart scheme.
Cut red tape and build better regulation
Introduce a ‘starting-out’ wage to lower the barriers to work for our youngest workers who are being priced out of the job market.
Improve collective bargaining to reduce bureaucracy and costs.
Grant the right to request Flexible Workplace Arrangements to all employees.
Introduce a six-month statutory time limit on the consenting of medium-sized projects.
Simplify the planning process between resource management, transport, and local government.
Slow the phasing into the Emissions Trading Scheme of the electricity, industrial, and transport sectors,
in a fiscally-neutral way,
and review the 2015 entry of agricultural emissions.
Introduce choice to the ACC Work Account
while retaining ACC in the market.
Build industries innovation and trade
Introduce a competitive new system for processing permits for oil and gas exploration.
Negotiate new free trade agreements with India, the Gulf States, the Trans Pacific Partnership, Korea, Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.
Develop individual NZ Inc country strategies to grow our exports with key markets.
Further reform government purchasing of goods and services.
Provide more support for innovative companies to develop products in conjunction with District Health Boards.
For a more comprehensive list, see National’s Economic Development Action Plan.
Labour would take New Zealand backwards
Labour  would take the New Zealand economy backwards with  more borrowing, more spending,  more taxes and more costs  on business  – all of  which would cost jobs and  push up  the cost of   living.
That is completely the wrong recipe for   building a more competitive international economy.
More  borrowing
 Labour would need to borrow an extra $15.6 billion more over the next four years to pay for its promises.
 This at a time when nervous global markets are telling us that more debt is risky.
More spending
 Labour increased spending by $22 billion in the last five years it was in office.
 In Opposition, it has opposed every National decision to restrain spending.
 Now it is promising expensive policies that do not stand up to scrutiny:
−  A costly  tax-free threshold
−  Spending (and borrowing) hundreds  of millions  of dollars to  pay Working for Families to beneficiaries
−  GST off fresh fruit and vegetables
− More paid parental leave
−  Reinstating soaring spending on early childhood education
−  Borrowing billions more to invest in the NZ Super Fund.
More taxes
A complex capital gains tax that’s full of exemptions and raises hardly any money in the first few years.
A new top tax rate of 39 cents.
More costs on business
 A capital gains tax on all businesses.
 A more than doubling of employer KiwiSaver costs.
 Irrigation taxes.
 A minimum wage increase that would cost thousands of jobs.
 Accelerated ETS tax on the farming sector.
 Cancellation of the 90-day trial period.
 A return to 1970s industrial relations policies.
 A wind-back of National’s ACC changes, meaning higher ACC levies.
 Extra transport charges.
 Lifting interest rates by borrowing an additional $15.6 billion over  four years.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT   ACTION PLAN  Building a Stronger Economy
120 key actions that underpin National’s plan to build a stronger, more competitive New Zealand economy.
Building modern  productive infrastructure
Future Investment Fund
Future Investment Fund: Use the proceeds of mixed ownership – $5 to $7 billion – to invest in capital projects that grow our economy and improve public services.
Roads
More investment: Invest $12 billion over the next 10 years in new state highways and $1.8 billion in new local roads.
Roads of National Significance: Fast-track work on seven RONS, to reduce congestion, improve safety and support economic growth.
Regional projects: Speed up construction on important regional projects, such as the Rimutaka Hill Upgrade and Kopu Bridge replacement.
Regional networks: Develop key regional roading projects that enhance economic growth and improve the resilience of key inter-regional freight routes.
New RONS: Evaluate four new RONS for development, following the final completion of Victoria Park, Tauranga Eastern Link, and Waterview.
Rail
KiwiRail Turnaround Plan: Commit $750 million to the $4.6 billion plan, to improve the rail freight network and help rail become commercially viable.
Commuter rail: Invest $1.6 billion to upgrade and electrify Auckland commuter rail and $485 million to upgrade Wellington commuter rail, alongside local councils.
Clifford Bay Terminal: Investigate the use of Clifford Bay in Marlborough as a new sea freight terminal to improve links between the North and South Islands.
Broadband and communications
Ultra-fast Broadband: Invest $1.35 billion in public-private partnerships to roll out ultra-fast broadband to 33 towns and cities, with priority users including schools, hospitals and 90 per cent of businesses covered within four years.
Rural Broadband Initiative:  Invest  $300 million to  roll out much faster  broadband  using wireless, ADSL, and fibre  to  rural areas around New Zealand, by 2015.
Digital switchover:  Accelerate the television switchover to release 4G wireless  spectrum  to enhance mobile phone and broadband services.
Network for Learning:   Connect schools to  a dedicated, nationwide,  online network so  they can make the best use of modern technology and teaching.
Electricity network
National Grid:  Invest $3. 9 billion through Transpower  to upgrade the National Grid  and ensure security of electricity supply.
Housing
Warm Up  New Zealand: Heat Smart:  Upgrade  188,500  homes with insulation and/or clean heating devices.
Upgrade state houses:  Ensure that,  by the end of 2013,  every  state house built  before 1978 that can be insulated,  is insulated.
Schools and hospitals
Health facilities: Fund  $1.75  billion of capital expenditure by District Health  Boards  over three y ears.
21st Century Schools:  Build  new schools and  modernise existing buildings, including $1 billion through the Future Investment Fund.
Rebuilding Canterbury
Earthquake Recovery Fund:  Use $5. 5 billion for the  Government's share of  rebuilding essential local infrastructure  and  repairing  Crown-owned  assets.
Temporary stadium:  Underwrite  a temporary 17,000  seat stadium  to ensure Cantabrians can enjoy the benefits of major sporting  events.
Cutting red tape and building better regulation
Resource management
Priority consents: Set a nine-month time limit for consenting projects of  national  significance through the Environmental Protection Agency.
Streamlining the RMA: Remove frivolous, vexatious, and anti-competitive objections  that can add thousands  of dollars  to consent applications.
Faster  decisions: Require councils to provide a discount  for late processing of  resource consents, up  to a  maximum  of 50 per  cent.
Six-month processing: Introduce a six-month statutory time limit on the consenting  of medium-sized projects.
Natural hazards: Better address  the risks posed  by natural hazards  in the RMA.
Fresh water:  Progress the Land  &  Water Forum’s recommendations to improve  freshwater management, quality, and allocation.
Simpler plans: Simplify the planning process between resource management,  transport, and local government.
Employment law
90-day trial: Introduce voluntary 90-day trial  periods  for new  employees  to encourage businesses to take on new  staff.
Personal grievance reform:  Reform the personal grievance system  to reduce delays,  costs, and vexatious claims.
Holidays reform: Give employees  the choice to trade one of their four weeks'  annual leave for cash.
Keep  The Hobbit: Clarify the status of independent contractors in the film industry
and  secure the filming of The Hobbit  in New  Zealand.
Starting-out wage: Establish a new wage to lower the barriers  to  work for our  youngest workers,  who are  being priced out of the job  market.
Collective bargaining: Improve the collective bargaining  process to reduce bureaucracy and costs.
Constructive dismissal: Review how allegations  of constructive dismissal can be  better managed.
Flexible  Working  Arrangements: Grant  the right to request  FWAs  to all employees,
and allow employers to  agree  without having to go through a formal process.
Electricity reforms
Less red tape: Lift  the previous government's ban on incandescent light bulbs and  new thermal power stations.
More competition:  Transfer  assets between  state-owned  generators to  increase  competition.
More competition:  Encourage electricity customers to  switch suppliers by improving  the rules and introducing  the What's  My Number?  campaign.
Hedge market: Require all major electricity generators  to put in place an accessible  electricity  hedge market.
Consumer compensation: Require generators/retailers to compensate consumers in  the event of conservation campaigns or  dry-year power cuts.
Less bureaucracy:  Abolish the Electricity Commission and replace it with a slimmed down Electricity Authority.
Accident compensation
A solvent ACC: Turn  around ACC's financial performance so it  runs  surpluses and  reduces  its unfunded liabilities.
Experience ratings:  Introduce experience rating and  no-claim bonuses for employers  and the self-employed.
Employee levies:  Reduce  levies  on 1 April 2012 for  wage and  salary earners by      17 per cent  –  or  $170 a year for  someone on the average wage.
Employer  levies: Reduce  levies on 1 April  2012 for  employers and  the self employed by  22%  – or  $1120 a year for  an average small  business  with seven staff.
More competition:  Introduce  choice to the ACC Work  Account
while retaining  ACC in the market.
More choice:  Explore choice in ACC  Motor Vehicles and Earners  Accounts.
Telecommunications
Mobile termination:  Regulate termination rates to improve competition and  reduce  prices for  mobile phone users.
More competition:  Pass  the Telecomunications  Services Obligations, Broadband, and other  matters Act to provide for UFB, RBI and the structural separation of  Telecom to encourage  more  competition.
Productivity Commission
Establish  a Productivity Commission and determine its  first topics of investigation  –  housing  affordability and international freight  services.
Industrial safety
Mining and petroleum: Establish a High Hazards Unit specifically  for the petroleum  and mining industries, and allocate  $1.5 million a year to fund  it.
Fishing boats: Conduct a Ministerial inquiry into the operation of foreign charter  fishing vessels catching within the New Zealand-owned quota.
Building and construction
MultiProof consents:  Fast-track building consents for standard, multiple-use building designs.
DIY:  Make building law changes to allow  more do-it-yourself building,  and  to  make  a  broader  range of minor  and low-risk building work consent-free
Leaky Homes:  Develop a $1 billion financial package to help  owners  of leaky homes  get their homes fixed.
Better accountability: Pass legislation to improve consumer protections, reduce  compliance costs, and improve accountabilities in the building sector.
Capital markets
Financial Markets Authority: Establish a new 'super  regulator' to enforce securities,  financial reporting, and company laws  for financial services and securities markets.
Financial service providers:  Require providers and financial advisors to be registered, meet training requirements, and  belong  to  a  dispute resolution scheme.
Investment fund and  KiwiSaver governance: Introduce a licensing and  monitoring regime for corporate trustees and improve the governance of KiwiSaver  schemes.
Securities law: Overhaul securities law to improve financial market conduct and  investor confidence in New  Zealand’s financial markets.
Transport
Road user charges: Modernise and simplify the road user charges  system, to  reduce  compliance costs for transport operators.
Fuel tax: Cancel Labour's Auckland regional tax  (9.5  cents a litre for petrol), and defer  planned fuel tax  rise of 1.5 cents  a litre while economic conditions  are  tight.
Heavy vehicles: Allow heavy vehicles to operate on  specified routes to benefit the economy and the travelling public.
SmartGate:  Introduce SmartGate at Auckland, Wellington,  and Christchurch  airports  to allow trans-Tasman passengers  to clear customs  much faster.
Aviation levies: Reduce international Aviation Security passenger levies from  $15  to $8, and  domestic levies by  nearly $1.
Transport licensing: Review  and simplify land transport legislation, including the  LTMA, PTMA, and transport licencing regulations.
Emissions Trading Scheme
Reduce costs:  Halve  the costs for businesses and  households  of Labour's ETS  to  reduce emissions without undue harm  to  our economy.
Gradual implementation:  Slow the phasing-in of the electricity, industrial, and  transport  sectors,
in a fiscally neutral way.
Agriculture: Review the 1 January 2015 legislated entry  date for  bringing agricultural  emissions  into the scheme.
Offsetting: Introduce offsetting for pre-1990 forest land  owners and review the  second tranche of compensation.
Commerce
Consumer law:  Bring consumer law up-to-date with modern trading practices  such  as Internet transactions and  telephone and credit card  sales.
Food safety: Pass  legislation to substantially  reform  the  regulatory regime  for the safety and suitability of food.
Anti-competitive behaviour:  Introduce criminal sanctions to deter  hard-core cartel behaviour, such as price-fixing and bid-rigging.
NZ companies: Require  all  New Zealand companies to have either  one resident  director or a local agent.
Loan sharks: Bring in tougher consumer credit laws to  target loan sharks and  protect unwary consumers.
Red tape
Unnecessary legislation: Remove 176 unnecessary regulations from the law books  and repeal 31 obsolete or  redundant Acts.
Compliance costs: Amend 13 Acts to reduce compliance costs and  the regulatory  burden on business.
Building  industries,  innovation,  and trade
Primary sector
Primary Growth Partnership: Set up a government/industry partnership to  jointly  invest  almost $500m in research and innovation in the primary and food  sectors.
Food  Innovation Network: Set up a  food  innovation network, including regional hubs in Manukau, Waikato, Palmerston North, and Canterbury.
Centre for Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research: Establish a centre  to promote  technologies that reduce emissions,
and improve farm  efficiency and productivity.
Global Research Alliance: Establish a  global alliance on agricultural emissions, to  focus efforts  on lifting  food production,
while limiting greenhouse gases.
Aquaculture:  Reform legislation  for aquaculture  to  promote investment, reduce costs and uncertainty, and help it become a $1 billion  contributor  to  the  economy.
Water storage and  distribution: Invest, on a commercial basis, up to $400  million  from the Future Investment  Fund  into irrigation and water  storage development.
Energy
Promotion:  Build up knowledge about New Zealand's  petroleum basins through significant investment in a seismic data acquisition programme,
and increase  promotion of  New Zealand  as a destination for oil and  gas exploration.
EEZ  protection: Pass  new  legislation and  regulations to  better  manage the  environmental effects of activities and protect our Exclusive Economic Zone.
Permits: Introduce a competitive  new  system for processing permits for  oil and gas  exploration.
High-tech sectors
Technology development grants: Establish grants  to encourage knowledge-intensive  firms to undertake stretching R&D projects.
Technology  transfer vouchers: New vouchers  to give  businesses that lack research and development capability  access to public research facilities and  scientists.
National health innovation  hub:  Provide more support for innovative companies  to  develop products in conjunction with  District Health Boards.
Advanced  technology  institute:  Transform  IRL  into an advanced  technology  institute to work with the high-tech manufacturing  and  services sector.
Science and innovation
Prevent waste: Remove Labour's expensive and ineffective R&D Tax Credit.
More funding:  Boost funding for science through CRIs,  the PBRF, the Marsden Fund,  the Health Research Council, and $234 million  more for business innovation.
Super  computers:  Invest in a network  of high-performance super computers to  keep researchers at the cutting edge of science, and make a $16 million capital injection in the Kiwi Advanced  Research and Education Network.
CRIs: Reform Crown Research Institutes to ensure they  connect better with  business.
Science leadership:  Establish the position of the Prime  Minister's Chief Science Advisor,  and the Prime Minister's Science Prizes.
National science challenges:  Invest  $60  million in a series of national challenges, to  find innovative solutions  to some of the most fundamental issues  NZ  faces.
Trade
Complete FTAs:  Sign  free-trade agreements with Malaysia, Hong Kong,        and ASEAN.
New FTAs: Negotiate  new free-trade agreements with India, the Gulf States, the Trans-Pacific Partnership  (including the US, Peru, Singapore,  and Vietnam), Korea, Russia, Belarus,  and Kazakhstan.
Export development:  Focus  NZTE on key companies and sectors  that  have real  export and growth  potential.
Export  guarantees:  Provide $200 million  more  in  trade guarantees  to increase opportunities for exporters,
and develop a trade single window for importers and exporters.
NZ Inc:  Develop individual New Zealand Inc country strategies to grow our  exports with key markets.
Tourism
More funding:  Provide  extra  tourism marketing funding for  marketing New Zealand  as  a destination  for high-value visitors.
International Convention Centre:  Negotiate  with SkyCity to build an international convention centre in Auckland  to boost  tourism, create  jobs, and put New Zealand  on the map as a business events destination.
Air service agreements:  Negotiate  agreements  with key  Asian and South American markets to boost tourism and trade.
New Zealand Cycle  Trail: Develop a  series  of 18 Great  Rides around  the country  to attract tourists and  support  regional economies.
International education
Education New Zealand: Establish a new Crown Agency for  international education  and invest an additional $10 million a year for  promotion.
Other economic development
Government procurement:  Reform government  purchasing  of supplies  such as  vehicles and IT hardware  – the  first four joint-procurement projects  alone are  expected  to save around $115 million over  the next five years.
Venture capital: Provide  an  additional $40 million to  underwrite the New Zealand  Venture Investment Fund.
Major events:  Boost funding to increase the  number and quality of major events in  New Zealand.
Funds domiciling: Change  tax rules to  make it  easier for  overseas firms to domicile  their funds  here.
SOEs: Improve accountability and reporting by State-Owned Enterprises  to the  government  and to the public to drive better performance.
Building a skilled workforce
Industry and vocational training
Value for money: Get better results from taxpayer investment in industry training by introducing new operational rules to weed out non-existent 'phantom' trainees.
Industry training review: Ensure the industry training system structure is designed to encourage good outcomes for employers and trainees.
ITO mergers: Simplify the vocational training system and gain efficiencies by encouraging ITOs to merge.
Vocational pathways: Simplify vocational training pathways by reducing competing qualifications at Levels 1 to 6, and setting up trades vocation pathways in schools.
Youth training
Youth Guarantee: Provide more skills training options for 16-and 17-year-olds, with the fees-free Youth Guarantee programme, and trades and service academies.
Job Ops: Support young people on benefits into training and jobs with employer subsidies through the Skills for Growth and Job Ops with training programmes.
Adult literacy and numeracy
Adult courses: Quadruple the number  of adult  students gaining  literacy and  numeracy learning in their foundation courses.
Workplace training: Improve workplace literacy and numeracy by embedding literacy and numeracy in all funded Level 1 and 2 foundation learning.
Rebuilding Canterbury
Training for the rebuild: Provide up to 4500 places for construction-related training in Canterbury and around the country.
EARLY CHILDHOOD  EDUCATION  Building Better Public Services
Supporting early childhood education
Early childhood education (ECE) plays a valuable role in a child’s development.
It is one of the greatest investments we can make in the future of New Zealand children.
That’s why National has increased spending on early childhood education by 40 per cent since 2008.
Today, we spend $1.4 billion on early childhood education, the most ever.
That’s almost as much as we spend on the entire Police force.
We have made changes so ECE funding can be spread more equitably and we can get more children participating,
while working to raise the quality of provision where necessary.
We also needed to ensure ECE costs were sustainable for the future.
Boosting participation
To ensure children are getting the best possible start, National has focused on increasing participation in early childhood education.
We will have a special focus on improving participation among at-risk communities where attendance is low.
Encouraging diversity and choice
We also believe in a diverse early childhood education sector.
National extended 20 hours ECE to playcentres and kohanga reo.
We will continue to support a diverse ECE sector
that gives parents choice over the type of service they would like to send their children to.
“National will set a target of 98 per cent of new entrants in school having participated in early childhood education, to be met by 2015. ”
Key facts
•  ECE spending  has  increased  by 40 per cent  since 2008.
•  $1.4  billion  in total government spending on early childhood education in 2010/11, the  most ever.
•  20 hours ECE extended  to playcentres, kohanga reo, and five-year-olds.
•  $90 million funding provided for 3500 extra  places in at-risk communities  where ECE participation is low.
Related policies
Education in Schools
21st Century Schools
National has …
Increased participation
Provided $90 million to fund 3500 new ECE places for children in at-risk communities where participation is low.
Developed new strategies, such as supported play-groups and play days in local communities, to increase participation in hard-to-reach areas.
Promoted parent choice
Extended 20 hours ECE to playcentres, kohanga reo, and five-year-olds.
Maintained a diverse ECE sector
which provides choice for parents.
Increased ECE funding
Increased funding for early childhood education by $550 million, or 40 per cent, since 2008.
Set 80 per cent qualified staff as the target in teacher-led early childhood education centres by the end of 2012.
Qualified ECE staff
We changed funding incentives from 100 per  cent to 80 per cent qualified staff so we could  control spiralling and unsustainable costs.
Eighty per cent  qualified staff allows ECE centres  to employ other  staff such as  parents,  grandparents,  nurses or other carers.
Currently only  two-thirds  of teacher-led ECE  centres have 80 per cent qualified staff.
National’s  priority is  to increase the number of centres into  the 80 per cent qualified-teacher bracket.
Requiring centres to  employ  only qualified  teachers would force over 1000 centres to close because there aren’t enough qualified teachers.
Reviewed ECE spending and value for money
Established the ECE Taskforce.
Considering innovative ideas to support children’s learning for Maori, Pasifika, and children from low-income families.
Supporting Canterbury
• Provided $3. million in emergency funding to Canterbury ECE services to help them keep operating after the earthquakes.
Our  results  so far…
More  participation
•  600 more children in ECE  in at-risk  communities, on our  way to  3500  more places.
•  Participation increased by 1. 3%  from  2008 to  2011,  from the number of children reporting  prior participation in  ECE when starting  school.
More funding,  but  costs under control
•  $1.4 billion total spending  in 2010/11, the  most ever.
•  Annual ECE funding  per child is $7600, more  than for  a  primary school pupil  or for  a secondary school  pupil.
What we will do next...
1. Increase participation further
• Set a target of 98 per cent of new entrants in school having participated in early childhood education, to be met by 2015.
We want to see as many three-and four year-olds as possible regularly attending early childhood education.
However, we have areas of low participation, especially among Maori and Pasifika children.
To ensure children get the best start in school we will actively work to lift participation rates.
In Budget 2011, National announced we would set up an early learning information system, allowing us to track how many children are attending ECE and for how long.
This data will allow us to focus our efforts on areas where it is needed most.
2. Bring back mobile ECE services
• Bring back mobile ECE services by changing the regulations so rural areas can more easily access ECE.
Mobile services are valuable for pre-school children in rural areas where there are often no other options available to parents.
The current regulations have forced many mobile ECE providers out of business.
Cumbersome bureaucracy is preventing children in remote rural areas from accessing any ECE.
We will change the regulations so rural areas can more easily access ECE services and allow mobile ECE services back into remote rural areas.
3. Retain 20 hours ECE and fee controls
Thousands of New Zealand families  rely on 20  hours ECE for their  children.
We’ll maintain  20  hours ECE funding and the  current fee controls  for 20 hours ECE.
4. Help parents make informed choices
• Make available interactive web tools, providing good information about local ECE services.
Parents deserve straight-forward information about the ECE services in their area.
The Early Childhood Education Taskforce identified parents have little ability to make quality decisions about which local ECE service is best for them and tend to rely on social networks rather than making informed choices.
We will help parents by providing more information about services, allowing parents to compare ECE services in their area.
5. Ensure ECE funding is fair and sustainable
Work to develop a funding model that is flexible and reduces bureaucracy,
while retaining the universal 20 hours early childhood education programme.
The current system is too complex and costly to administer, both for ECE service providers and the Government.
Maintain a diverse range of ECE services.
National is ensuring that New Zealand families have a choice of ECE services.
Maintain funding for playcentres and kohanga reo.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:
 Almost trebled  early childhood education spending, but  participation increased by  only  one per cent  over nine years.
National has  increased participation  by more than that  in  just three years.
 Neglected participation  rates in vulnerable  communities.
In some  areas, one  in every  four  children  starting school had not  received  any early childhood education.
 Wants to  borrow even more in order to  increase funding  for  ECE,  but has no plan on how to increase  participation rates  or value  for taxpayer  dollars.
 Refused to expand  20 hours ECE to kohanga reo and playcentres.
 Refused to include five-year-olds in  20 hours  early  childhood education.
 Does not support parents playing any  meaningful role in ECE, insisting they are not  qualified to look after children.
 Is putting the interests of teacher unions  ahead of the education of young children.
Labour’s policy of having only  qualified  teachers in every  ECE centre would  force over 1000 ECE centres to close simply  because there  aren’t enough qualified  teachers.
This would  deny  thousands of children any early childhood education at all.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
DEFENCE  Building a Brighter Future
Protecting New Zealand
Our Defence Force is vital to help protect New Zealand's people and territory, conduct and lead missions with key allies in the South Pacific, and enable New Zealand to become a stronger partner in regional and international security.
National has given the Defence Force direction and a long-term strategy – something desperately needed after nine years without any government leadership.
National has…
Completed the Defence Review, released our Defence White Paper, and given the Defence Force a clear strategic way forward.
Ensured the Defence Force is ready and available to help and assist New Zealanders in times of need.
The Defence Force has played a big part in Canterbury’s earthquake recovery, the Pike River Mine disaster, and supporting our Pacific neighbours after the Samoan tsunami and Tongan ferry disaster.
Supported our service men and women overseas, especially in Afghanistan, Timor Leste, and the Solomons.
Strengthened our relationships with friends and partners, especially Australia, the United States, and South-East Asia.
Ensured our soldiers have the equipment they need when they need it
and sorted out procurement problems we inherited.
Held the Defence budget steady.
We are reinvesting savings into frontline capabilities.
Produced a Defence Capability Plan to shape our Defence Force over the next decade.
The  Defence White Paper
The first  Defence  White Paper  since 1997 provides a  blueprint of the strategic and defence  challenges New Zealand  may face  over the next  25 years.
The White Paper  sets out how  we will  enhance our  forces so  they  can perform the tasks  expected of them  in years ahead.
It is about using modern technology to give the  entire Defence Force a long-term  plan, and ensure  our  men and women in uniform are equipped to meet all the challenges they face.
Key aspects of the White Paper
•  Boosting  our core defence responsibility for  our  country and  broader Exclusive Economic Zone.
•  Reprioritising resources from the back office to the front  line, and enhancing  overall frontline operations.
•  Working with Australia to  meet  the security  needs of our South Pacific friends and neighbours.
•  Ensuring  we have  relevant and interoperable  defence capabilities  to work with like-minded  nations  in South East Asia.
•  Guaranteeing  New Zealand  has  highly-trained  and capable niche force elements that can make a real contribution when called on to  help  with  wider  global military operations.
What we will do next…
Defence policy is a long-term commitment.
National is giving our Defence Force some certainty about their future and we’re preparing them to meet the challenges they may face.
The Defence Capability Plan
The Capability Plan provides a framework for making good decisions  around future purchases.
It also recognises the importance of all New Zealand Defence Force tasks, from joint operations to disaster  relief.
Implement the White Paper and Defence Capability Plan initiatives
• Integrate existing units and assets into a Joint Amphibious Task Force at the core of the Defence Force by 2015.
The Task Force will see existing frontline operational and support units from across the three armed services work together as one.
Individual components will be deployable, or they will be able to integrate with other nations and with civil capabilities.
• Increase the effectiveness of training for our RNZAF pilots, with advanced pilot training and new advanced trainer King Air B200s aircraft.
This will allow our pilots to properly train for the demanding tasks of military flying in combat situations.
New training aircraft will have the same high tech instruments and systems as our new helicopters and upgraded Hercules and Orions.
Replace the Army’s ageing truck fleet.
The Unimogs have given good service, but are mostly over 20 years old.
We will purchase modern trucks that meet current military standards.
This will include armour kits where appropriate.
Upgrade and replace individual weapons.
This includes:
−  Upgrading the Steyr rifles with new sighting systems and other equipment.
−  Securing new light machine guns, sniper rifles, large calibre rifles for long range combat, pistols, shotguns and grenade launchers.
−  Obtaining high-tech day and night sights for all relevant weapons.
• Replace the HMNZS ‘Endeavour’, which carries supplies and fuel for other RNZ Navy ships.
The ‘Endeavour’ was delivered in the 1980s.
She has given sterling service, but does not meet maritime regulations due to take effect in 2015.
A new ship will provide effective replenishment for our current ships, and also help support naval helicopters.
• Change the Defence Act 1990, to allow efficiency reforms in defence bureaucracy.
The current Defence Act needs modifying to ensure that the three services of the Defence Force are able to work properly together.
We will also allow the Chief of Defence Force to introduce efficiencies
that will free up money for the front line.
These policies will be accommodated within baseline spending, or by reprioritising existing spending where required.
Support local industry
• Ensure local industry benefits from the delivery of new and upgraded equipment, as well as maintaining our current stock of defence equipment.
The Government already works closely with a number of New Zealand companies and there will be more opportunities for industry, particularly in infrastructure and information technology projects, as a result of our defence plans.
Play our part in Afghanistan
New Zealand is playing its part in stabilising Afghanistan and ensuring it does not once again become a haven for global terrorists to operate from.
The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission is a United Nations-sanctioned action to protect the international community.
National will keep to the announced timetable to withdraw our Provincial Reconstruction Team from Bamyan province by 2014.
The mission of the PRT to provide a secure environment for development to occur has been vital in stabilising Bamyan.
It has made sure that Bamyan was one of the first provinces where responsibility for security was handed back to Afghan Government control.
The PRT's presence until 2014 will ensure that the Afghan Government has the support it needs to successfully transition the province.
The work of the New Zealand SAS in Kabul has also been vital to ensuring the local Afghan security forces are up to the task of looking after their own security.
Their excellent work has been repeatedly recognised by our ISAF partners.
The SAS is due to return to New Zealand in March 2012.
Labour would take New Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Had nine years  to provide coherent Defence  policy.
They did not release a  single  White Paper, and instead  made  policy in an ad hoc  way  without overall direction or a long-term  plan.
The previous  Defence White Paper  was  delivered  by  National when last  in office.
 Made a  number  of expensive and complicated  procurement decisions  that  were  plagued with  problems,  resulting in budget blow-outs and  long delays in delivery.
 Mismanaged  critical upgrades  to the Orion  and Hercules, leaving our Air Force vulnerable  and without  the equipment  necessary to fulfil  its  role and  support the  Army  and Navy.
 Promised to sell the Skyhawk and Aermacchis, but in nine years never  sold  one, leaving National to clean up another mess.
National has turned around the problems within the Defence Force and given  it a long-term strategy to work towards.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
CONSERVATION  Building a  Brighter Future
Protecting our natural environment
Our natural environment is a valuable resource that we need to preserve and protect.
National’s sound management of our natural landscapes and our focus on balancing our environmental responsibilities with our economic opportunities is helping to build a stronger economy and create jobs, through more tourism and increased primary production.
National is making the most of our great outdoors so that New Zealanders and visitors can enjoy our natural environment.
Public conservation land and oceans provide New Zealanders with economic, environmental, and recreational opportunities.
Access to these underpins our way of life.
Getting the most from our conservation estate
Our conservation estate covers more than eight million hectares of land, including 34 marine reserves and six marine mammal sanctuaries.
Conservation is about preserving and protecting our natural resources now, and for the future, so that we can all appreciate and enjoy the benefits and beauty that the great outdoors has to offer.
National has…
Boosted the  conservation estate
 Announced nine new  marine reserves.
 Added 12,400 hectares in 14 areas to Schedule  Four, our  most  valuable  conservation land.
 19,000 hectares of land protected  in  the QEII  National Trust and Nga Whenua Rahui.
 Working towards a new Kauri National Park  in Northland’s Waipoua Forest.
 Opened 10 new  DOC camping grounds.
Better protected  our great outdoors
 New  freedom  camping laws to  protect our  outdoor lifestyle.
 195km of new  cycle  trails being developed  on Conservation land.
 New  Coastal Policy Statement giving district  councils clearer guidance on protecting and  managing our coastline.
 140 experts working  on the response to the  Rena disaster, including ornithologists  and  vets  with experience in  treating oiled birds.
Protected  our native species
 Funded new self-resetting traps to  better  protect our  native species from pests.
 More community involvement in  species  recovery programmes.
 Created a hunting advisor  position at DOC
and  worked with United Future to  introduce the Game Animal Council Bill to recognise  the status  of hunters and allow management  of herds on conservation land.
What we will do next…
1. Better protect our native species
Create a Biodiversity Forum to work towards the aspirational goal of a pest-free New Zealand.
The Biodiversity Forum will develop a long-term pest control strategy and identify immediate priorities to achieve our goal.
Review New Zealand’s threatened species management framework.
Rules currently in place to protect species under threat are out-dated and fragmented.
National will bring them up to date.
Complete testing for self-resetting traps and fund research for 1080 alternatives, using the latest technology to protect native species.
We’re using new technology and involving communities for effective pest control.
Introduce harsher penalties for  smuggling  protected  species.
 Update the penalty regime  for smuggling protected species.
National will send a clear message to  smugglers that New Zealand native  species  are off limits.
 Lift the maximum penalty to three years  in prison.
This will prevent foreign  smugglers from  being allowed back into New Zealand after release.
 Double the maximum fine to $200,000.
Pass revised Marine Reserves legislation to protect marine biodiversity.
National will update the Marine Reserves Act 1971 to extend the purpose of marine reserves, to allow them beyond the territorial sea, and to improve the way they are created.
2. Strengthen conservation
Progress the creation of a new Kauri National Park in the Waipoua Forest.
This will include the great Tane Mahuta and will be Northland’s first National Park.
Progress the National Policy Statement on Biodiversity to help guide council planning and provide a strategic national direction.
A National Policy Statement on Biodiversity will give clear direction to councils about how to better protect and develop biodiversity.
Provide up to 200 places for 10-14 year olds to attend ‘conservation camp’.
We want to help inspire future conservationists and get young people excited and involved in conservation from an early age.
Support DOC’s new business unit to establish more public-private business conservation partnerships.
There are many conservation partnerships already enjoying great success.
National wants to extend this work to provide an extra boost for conservation projects.
• Continue to encourage conservation on private land and progress tax benefits to encourage more conservation work, including pest control, on private land.
Neither our native species nor exotic pests recognise the boundaries between private and public land.
We want to encourage and incentivise private conservation work.
3. Clean up after the Rena disaster
• Continue working with local government, iwi, relevant organisations, and volunteers to clean up our beaches and coastline, and to preserve local native species and wildlife.
The government has 140 experts working on the Rena disaster, including veterinarians and ornithologists with experience in the capture and treatment of oiled birds.
4. Support outdoor recreation
Rename Conservation Boards as Conservation and Recreation Boards.
To better recognise the place of outdoor recreation in conservation.
Restrict heli-hunting on the DOC estate.
We will establish a clear code of practice for heli-hunting to address unsporting practices such as herding and hazing.
Continue to work with hunters as important stakeholders in the outdoor environment.
The outdoor recreation sector is an important stakeholder.
National wants to continue working more closely with outdoor groups to further conservation values and outcomes.
Address the issue of non-resident fishing licences.
Following a public submission process that closed October 2011, the government will soon announce whether overseas anglers will be asked to contribute more than New Zealand residents for fishing licences.
COMMUNITY  &  VOLUNTARY SECTOR  Building a  Brighter Future
Building strong communities
National values the contribution our communities and the voluntary sector make.
The work they do makes New Zealand a better place.
We believe community and voluntary groups are often best-placed to know how they can make a real difference in our communities.
Events such as the Canterbury earthquakes bring home to us all the importance of communities in pitching in, helping out, and supporting each other, every day, and in times of crisis.
That’s why National wants to give these groups the freedom to care for and help their communities, without unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy.
Key facts
•  The World Giving Index, compiled by  Britain’s Charities Aid Foundation, rated New  Zealanders the most generous people in the  world (equal with  Australia).
•  More than two in every three New  Zealanders  does unpaid work outside their  own households.
•  More than a quarter of all New Zealanders  do unpaid work for  non-profit organisations.
•  More than 5000 volunteers contributed to  making the Rugby World  Cup  a success.
National has …
Supported the community and voluntary sector
Introduced the High Trust Model, simplifying funding and contracting to allow community groups to spend more time giving to their communities and less time dealing with red tape.
Launched the VolunteerNet website to help connect volunteers with event volunteering opportunities.
Supported the social service sector
Developed the Contract Mapping government website, so people can see exactly what social services central government is funding in their community.
Transformed the way government contracts with social service providers.
We’re shifting the focus from more than just providing places to getting real outcomes and results.
Launched six cross-sector initiatives focusing multiple agencies towards improving outcomes for young people.
The Ministries of Social Development, Justice, Education, and Health, and the New Zealand Police are working together to trial different ways of delivering social services.
The Social Sector Trials focus on improving outcomes for young people aged 12 to 18 by:
−  Reducing truancy rates.
−  Reducing offending by young people.
−  Reducing levels of alcohol and other drug use by young people.
−  Increasing the number of young people in education, training and employment.
Established and then extended the Community Response Fund, a contestable fund targeted at social service organisations affected by the impact of the global recession.
The  Community  Response Fund
•  In 2009 National launched the Community  Response Fund to assist community social service groups cope with the effects of the  global recession.
•  Since 2009  the fund  has  made 1125 grants  totaling $55 million to  social service organisations  throughout New Zealand.
•  In 2011 we extended the Community  Response Fund for another  year and  provided  $25 million in additional funding.
Provided $1.5 million in Budget 2011 to support community-led developments to find solutions to social needs within their own communities.
Increased transparency through publishing all social services contracts online, so taxpayers can see where their money is being spent.
We will roll this out further to incorporate funding from across more government agencies and to provide more local area information on demographics, services available, and crime rates.
What we will do next
1. Support community groups and volunteers
Continue to acknowledge and celebrate the hard work of volunteers and community groups.
Help community organisations work together to streamline back-office functions so organisations can concentrate on what matters most: helping their communities.
Work with the volunteering sector to develop more professional management of volunteers.
2. Help develop alternate sources of funding
• Investigate more innovative ways to help community organisations attract funding.
Labour would take  New  Zealand  backwards
Labour:
 Believes it knows better than local communities about how money should be  spent to improve community wellbeing.
 Burdened  community organisations  with so  much bureaucratic paperwork, precious  resources were wasted in the back office which could have been spent on          frontline services.
 Would bog the sector  down in more red  tape and unnecessary bureaucracy.
We can’t afford another dose of Labour.
COMMERCE  Building a Stronger Economy
Encouraging savings and investment
Strong capital markets provide a vital source of finance to help our businesses grow and create jobs.
They are central to improving the financial well-being of all New Zealanders
National is moving the economy towards savings and productive investment, and away from borrowing and spending.
We’re determined to ensure investors have confidence to invest
and that capital markets can broaden and deepen their base and appeal, and be free to innovate.
Rebuilding confidence in our financial sector
When National came into government, investor confidence in the financial sector had been rocked by the collapse of finance companies.
More than $6 billion was lost on Labour’s watch.
In the midst of the global financial crisis, National stepped up to restore investor confidence.
We’re now working on a once-in-a-generation opportunity to modernise our securities law.
This will further improve confidence in our capital markets, and encourage people to move away from investing in relatively unproductive things – like housing and property investment – and towards investments that provide capital for businesses to grow, create jobs, and build a stronger economy.
“National will introduce and pass tougher consumer credit laws announced by the National-led Government, in order to target loan sharks and protect unwary consumers. ”
Key facts
•  Restored  confidence in the finance sector.
•  Established the one-stop-shop Financial Markets Authority
with a sharper focus on  enforcing the law.
•  Tightened  oversight of  those working in the  financial markets.
This includes  financial advisors, trustees,  and auditors.
•  Removed  barriers to trans-Tasman business.
•  Major  re-write  of 33-year-old  securities law  leading to  the introduction of the Financial Markets  Conduct Bill.
•  Improving  financial literacy.
•  Cracking down  on “loan sharks”.
•  Combating  anti-competitive  behavior,  such as  price-fixing.
National has…
Restored confidence in the system
Established the new Financial Markets Authority (FMA), creating a single regulator
with a sharper focus on monitoring and enforcing securities law.
Required all financial service providers, including financial advisors, to be registered and to belong to a dispute resolution scheme.
Put in place the financial advisor regime to encourage public confidence in the industry.
Passed the Securities (Disclosure) Amendment Bill as a first step to make it easier for businesses to raise capital,
while ensuring timely and accurate disclosure of information to prospective investors.
Established a licensing scheme for auditors to improve the quality of audits.
Introduced licensing for trustees to improve the quality of supervision they provide.
Required debt issuers, including finance companies dealing with moratoria, to give tailored disclosure documents to investors.
Improved governance of KiwiSaver by requiring schemes to have a designated manager, and by providing regulation-making power for the Government to impose reporting requirements on KiwiSaver issuers.
Passed the Settlement Systems, Futures, and Emissions Units Bill, to help develop new exchanges and settlement systems.
Pursued a Single Economic Market with Australia
Signed a revised Memorandum of Understanding to coordinate business law between our two countries, recognising the August 2009 agreement.
Passed the Trans-Tasman Proceedings Bill to standardise civil court processes with a trans-Tasman element.
Harmonised financial reporting standards for listed issuers.
Introduced cross-appointments between the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the New Zealand Commerce Commission.
Started the process to allow the mutual recognition of auditors and financial advisors so people in these occupations can work across the Tasman.
Started developing a single examination process for patents, to reduce costs for applicants, as well as improve examination quality and service standards.
Made other improvements
Passed legislation establishing a workable regime to combat copyright infringements via internet file sharing,
replacing the more draconian regime introduced by Labour.
Overseen regulation of monopolies (electricity, gas, airports) to ensure fair pricing.
Refreshed the membership of the Commerce Commission.
Introduced legislation to regulate insolvency practitioners.
Shifted responsibility for the Retirement Commissioner from Social Development to Commerce.
Convened a financial summit to bring together 250 people from community groups, budgeting services, NGOs, banks, financial regulators, and credit companies to look at ways of tackling irresponsible lending.
What we will do next…
1. Further reform securities law to restore confidence in financial markets
• Pass the Financial Markets Conduct Bill.
Key proposals include:
−  Replacing the requirement for issuers to prepare a prospectus and investment statement with a requirement to prepare a single product disclosure statement tailored to retail investors.
−  Introducing penalties of up to $1 million for individuals and $5 million for companies if they make misleading statements in product disclosure statements and advertisements.
−  Increasing the maximum period for prohibition of a person from managing a company from five years to 10 years, and allowing the High Court to impose orders for an indefinite period.
−  Establishing licensing regimes for fund managers, independent trustees of workplace superannuation schemes, derivatives dealers, and peer-to-peer lenders.
−  Giving the Financial Markets Authority a role in promoting financial literacy.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to modernise our securities law to make sure it keeps pace with evolving forms and conditions in the market.
The new law will give greater clarity and confidence to investors and encourage more investment in our capital markets.
This will help build businesses and create higher-paid jobs.
2. Criminalise anti-competitive behaviour conduct
Pass the Commerce (Cartels and Other Matters) Amendment Bill.
Provide further disincentives for anticompetitive behavior, by introducing a bill that criminalises anti-competitive conduct.
Provide certainty for companies contemplating joint ventures and cooperation that they are not breaching the law by introducing a new clearance regime.
Align the consequences for anti-competitive behaviour with those in Australia – taking another step towards a single economic market.
Australia has recently introduced cartel criminalisation.
Everyone suffers from anti-competitive or cartel behaviour in the end.
Increasing costs of production affect the competitiveness of companies in domestic and international markets, while consumers have to pay higher prices.
Cartels harm consumers by raising prices and reducing the competitiveness of firms.
3.   Improve company registration
Tighten the rules for company directors and company registration – including expanded powers for the Registrar of Companies.
Require all New Zealand companies to have either one resident director or a local agent.
New Zealand is regularly at, or near the top, of international league tables for the ease of starting and running a business.
However, there is a risk our company registration system – which is among the most user-friendly and least bureaucratic in the world – is being used by some criminal organisations to set up companies that may be involved in illegal or unethical activities.
These changes will help to strengthen the company registration process against criminal activity from offshore,
while maintaining our reputation as a great place to start a company and do business.
4.   Improve financial literacy and tackle “loan sharks”
Introduce and pass tougher consumer credit laws announced by the National-led Government, in order to target loan sharks and protect unwary consumers.
Work to increase the knowledge and skills of potential investors.
Continue working with the public and private sectors to identify further steps to improve investor literacy.
Improve public understanding of incurring debt, particularly through marginal lenders or “loan sharks”.
Current gaps in the law governing consumer finance allow unscrupulous lenders to take advantage of vulnerable customers.
This has to stop.
National is working to significantly strengthen responsible lending requirements.
Labour would take New Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Was  very  slow  to react as  more than $6  billion was lost  from failing finance companies  on its  watch.
 Passed just  one  piece of legislation in  the two  years  they had to  respond after  the  first  finance company  collapsed.
National has since had to fix the problems in this area.
 Still has  no commerce policy, apart from  going soft on  the theft of copyright material from the internet.
We can’t afford another  dose  of Labour.
BUILDING  AND  CONSTRUCTION  Building  a Stronger Economy
Growing a prosperous building sector
The building and construction sector makes up four per cent of the economy and employs one in every 12 workers.
A healthy sector is vital to a stronger economy that creates real jobs, lifts incomes, and raises living standards.
When National came to office, building and construction was drowning in red tape.
Nothing had been done in nine years for the many thousands of owners of leaky homes.
Build it right the first time
National has cut red tape and developed programmes
to lift skills in the building sector
and raise productivity.
This has restored confidence, increased the performance of businesses, and delivered real benefits to the New Zealand economy.
We’ve stepped up with a $1 billion financial package to help owners of leaky homes get their homes fixed faster.
And we are standing behind Canterbury in the recovery from the devastating earthquakes.
National supports a dynamic building and housing market that delivers good quality, affordable homes and buildings, and contributes to strong communities and a prosperous economy.
We will continue reforms to cut red tape in the building sector,
reduce costs,
and increase consumer protection.
This will help the sector thrive, create jobs, and grow the economy.
Key facts
National is delivering:
•  A cost-effective regulatory environment that  ensures  public safety and good quality, affordable homes and buildings.
•  A market that delivers a range of houses and  buildings, at  prices and  standards accessible  to all New Zealanders.
•  A productive and innovative building and  housing sector that  has the right  information,  skills, systems,  and technology to  do  the job  well and deliver good quality, affordable  homes and buildings.
•  People taking part  with confidence in the  building and housing market,  and resolving  disputes in timely and cost-effective ways.
Fixing leaky homes faster
•  More than 200 owners of leaky homes have already qualified for $23  million in assistance  under National’s  financial assistance package.
Better builders
•  More than 14,000 Licensed Building Practitioners by March next  year.
Related policy
• Housing
National has…
Improved the sector
Delivered a more efficient and productive building sector that stands behind the quality of its work.
Committed around $88 million to bolstering the sector's performance over the next year.
Taken action on leaky homes
Passed the Weathertight Homes Resolution Services (Financial Assistance Package) Bill in our first term back in Government.
Changed the Unit Titles Act to ensure apartment dwellers can access the financial assistance package if 75 per cent of the residents agree this is what they want.
Allowed more DIY
Made building law changes to allow home owners to do more do-it-yourself building.
A broader range of minor and low-risk building work is now consent-free.
Provided one-stop timber treatment
Simplified timber treatment down to a single class of H1. 2 for almost all enclosed timber framing.
Previously there were as many as four different classes of timber, including untreated timber, used to frame a house.
That was complex, costly, and lead to mistakes on site.
Improved our builder qualifications
• Established the Licensed Building Practitioners Scheme.
From 1 March, all restricted building work will have to be carried out or supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner.
In the long term, licensing will lower costs from reduced re-work and repairs.
Gains in quality will benefit everyone from owners to occupants.
Practitioners will benefit, too.
Supported  Canterbury
We're determined  to  uncover the reasons for  the collapse of specific buildings that caused  such  significant loss of life in  the  22 February  Christchurch earthquake.
The Department of Building and Housing's  technical investigation into these  buildings is  drawing on local and international expertise.
It  will deliver a rigorous analysis of building performance in earthquakes.
The investigation will aid the  on-going  Royal Commission of Inquiry and  ensure New  Zealand's building standards are  sufficiently  robust for the future.
Our results so far
Leaky homes getting fixed
• More than 200 owners of leaky homes have already qualified for $23 million in assistance under National's financial assistance package.
$18 million is from the Government and $5  million from local councils.
Licensing our builders
•  We now have 10,000 Licensed  Building Practitioners and we’re well  on track to reach our  target of 14,100 by 1 March 2012.
•  A surge in licensing in Canterbury means the sector is in a better position for the rebuilding needed  after the earthquakes.
Cutting red tape without cutting corners
•  Our policies,  such as the expansion of MultiProof regulations introduced last cut red tape and cost, without cutting corners.
•  MultiProof  originally allowed volume builders  to obtain fast-tracked building consents for  standard single-building designs just once  instead of several times.
•  Now buildings with several joined units, such as motels or townhouses, are eligible for  MultiProof approval.
•  $1350 average cost saving on the consent  process.
•  Temporary accommodation for Christchurch  has been fast-tracked by using MultiProof approved designs.
Consents are up
•    Figures released by Statistics New Zealand  shows National's policies are working.  In August 2011:
−  Total residential consent values  rose $10  million (2.1  per cent) compared with  August 2010.
−  1330 new dwellings were authorised, up 11 per cent compared with  the same month last year.
Helping Canterbury rebuild
Three new categories for residential foundation design have been developed.
These will be required for repairing and rebuilding homes in Canterbury following the earthquakes.
They apply to the flat land in the residential green zone in Canterbury.
They will allow homeowners with damaged properties in the residential green zone to get on with repairing or rebuilding their homes with greater  confidence.
What we will do next...
Continue major reforms
National will continue to cut red tape and costs in the building sector
and increase consumer protection.
1. Introduce clearer accountability
• Pass Building Amendment Bill (No 3).
This includes four key changes:
−  Clearer accountability for building practitioners, building consent authorities, and consumers to make sure work complies with the Building Code.
−  A new building consent system that is risk based.
This means the amount of checking and inspection is related to the risk and complexity of the work, and the skills and capability of the people doing the work.
−  A Code of Ethics for Licensed Building Practitioners to encourage professional behaviour.
−  An owner-builder exemption from the restricted building work rules, expected to come into effect in March 2012.
These changes will see clearer accountability in the sector and simplify the consenting process, enabling more homes to be built faster.
Those working in the sector will be encouraged to improve their skills and capability, to build right first time, and to increase efficiency and productivity.
2.  Protect consumers
• Increase consumer protection with the Building Amendment Bill No 4.
This includes:
−  Mandatory written contracts for all building work over $20,000.
−  Disclosure requirements for building contractors about their skills, qualifications, licensing status, and track record.
−  Rules making principal building contractors fix defects in their work within 12 months.
−  Increase penalties for failing to comply with building consent requirements.
We're setting the scene for an efficient and effective building and construction sector that stands behind the quality of its work.
These changes will help consumers hold building practitioners to account.
3. Ensure fairness in the case of liability
• Carefully consider recommendations from the Law Commission’s Review into the rules of joint and several liability.
Current rules increase building consent authorities’ exposure to losses where building work is subsequently found to be defective.
There is a need to ensure we have a proportional liability system that assesses fairness to the building sector, consumers, and homeowners.
The Law Commission will provide a broader review of the issue which will inform any future decisions.
4. Lift productivity in the sector
• Support the Productivity Partnership between the Government and the construction industry.
The Productivity Partnership with industry aims to lift productivity in the sector by 20 per cent by 2020.
This would add about $3 billion to GDP, create jobs, and help to build a stronger economy.
5. Support building and construction
•  Deliver a more efficient and productive building and construction sector.
The National-led Government has committed $88 million to bolster the sector's performance.
$54 million is being used to help owners of leaky homes to access the Weathertight Homes Financial Assistance Package.
One of the keys to improving quality and lifting the overall performance of the building and construction sector is the registration and licensing of practitioners.
It is critical to demonstrate professional skills and behaviour.
We are investing $10 million to implement and maintain registration and licensing schemes for building practitioners and electrical workers.
$16 million will go towards delivering a cost effective regulatory environment for the sector.
This includes the establishment of a nationally-consistent building consent system and providing more information and advice.
This funding is included in Budget 2011 baselines.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Initially dismissed the leaky homes problem as  a beat-up.
 For nine years said  this  was not  its problem  and it was not going to offer a solution.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
BROADCASTING  Building Better Public Services
Setting the foundations for the future
National is funding great television content and good New Zealand stories, accessible to the public on a variety of platforms.
We’re committed to quality public broadcasting content,
but we want to ensure our investment returns the best results for New Zealanders.
Funding the best programmes
We believe content is best provided through NZ On Air’s contestable funding processes, which promotes competition
allowing the best possible content to make it to the screen.
Sustainable public broadcasting
Under National a clear direction has been set for Television New Zealand.
The dual mandate that Labour imposed has been removed, allowing TVNZ to focus on being a successful television company
screening quality programmes.
Radio New Zealand has been placed on a sustainable footing for delivering quality services with the available funding.
Going digital
National is committed to the smooth transition to digital television by 2013.
Digital technology offers viewers better pictures, better quality sound, and better coverage.
Key facts
•  Increased the  funding  available for contestably  funded local television, including $15  million  to produce  quality Kiwi TV programmes  that New Zealanders have watched in large  numbers such as  Billy, Bliss  and  Tangiwai: a  love story.
•  Invested  $5.5 million extending the high definition TV  signal to  10 regional centres.
•  We’ve  allowed TVNZ  to focus on its role as  a state-owned commercial broadcaster that  screens  quality  content.
•  The switchover to free-to-air  digital television  will be completed by the end of 2013, starting with Hawke’s  Bay and the West  Coast in September 2012.
Related policies
• Arts, culture and heritage
National has…
Maintained funding for New Zealand content and our state-owned broadcasters
Removed Television New Zealand’s unworkable dual mandate.
This enables TVNZ to focus on its role as a state-owned commercial broadcaster that screens quality programmes.
Redirected TVNZ charter funding to the NZ On Air Platinum Fund, increasing contestable funding for television programmes by $15 million.
Maintained funding for Radio New Zealand in a tight fiscal environment.
Provided more than $81 million of contestable funding in the past year through NZ On Air for locally made television – including Country Calendar, North, and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Teenagers.
Helping New Zealand reach the digital future
Advanced the date for the digital switchover of television and laid out a clear plan for the transition to a digital environment by 2013.
Established an $850,000 assistance package to help regional broadcasters move from analogue to digital.
Invested $5.5 million extending the high definition (HD) broadcasting signal to 10 regions.
We’re bringing forward the benefits of digital and high definition television to viewers as well as the wider economy.
What we will do next…
1. Support public broadcasting
Continue to support quality public-television broadcasting
through the competitive NZ On Air model.
Funding programmes rather than broadcasters ensures money is spent transparently
and on quality Kiwi content.
Retain public ownership of TVNZ.
The state broadcaster now has the flexibility it needs to effectively pursue commercial objectives, and to continue its transition from a traditional broadcaster to a multi-platform digital media company with diverse income streams and services.
Maintain funding for Radio New Zealand.
Like all other state-funded agencies and departments, Radio New Zealand has to live within its budget and provide a sustainable funding plan for the coming years.
It is delivering on that plan and producing the quality news and programming that it is known for.
2. Switch television to digital
• Manage the move to digital television.
In the biggest change to television broadcasting since the introduction of colour, we have laid a path for the smooth transition from the old analogue system to high-definition digital broadcasting through the digital switchover.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:    Would  see public money  spent on  backroom bureaucracy and  overheads rather  than content.
 Will disrupt  the current  settled broadcasting  environment, creating  uncertainty for  broadcasters and the public alike.
 Will continue to insert itself into the  operations  of TVNZ,  interfering in their  commercial activities and undermining their  success as a commercial media company.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
BROADBAND & COMMUNICATIONS  Building a Stronger Economy
Transforming New Zealand’s future
National is building broadband infrastructure that will help transform New Zealand’s future, promote greater innovation, create more jobs with higher incomes, and grow our economy.
We will make sure our broadband speeds are among the fastest in the developed world.
We will continue rolling out ultra-fast broadband and rural broadband, and free-up 4G wireless frequencies to turbo-charge mobile broadband.
Our plan for faster broadband
National has embarked on one of the most ambitious communications projects possible – rolling out ultra-fast “fibre to the home” to 75 per cent of homes and businesses, and vastly improving broadband infrastructure and connection speeds in rural areas.
Through Crown Fibre Holdings, we have set up four public-private partnerships for the ultra-fast broadband initiative.
We have also established another for our rural broadband initiative.
These partnerships provide a cost-effective build price for taxpayers
and will deliver competitive wholesale prices for consumers,
while using the expertise of established companies in the sector.
We have also improved regulations to encourage competition.
To take part in the ultrafast broadband initiative, Telecom will split into two companies – Telecom and Chorus – with Chorus owning the infrastructure.
This will create a level playing field for all telecommunications retailers and encourage innovation and price competition.
“National will deliver ultra-fast fibre to the home within eight years, and faster rural broadband within four years, with hospitals, 98 per cent of schools, and 90 per cent of urban businesses able to connect up to fibre by the end of 2015. ”
Key facts
•  $1.5 billion for nationwide ultra-fast  broadband with speeds over 100 Mbps.
•  Ultra-fast broadband to 75% of  people  where  they live, work, and  study  by  the end  of  2019.
•  $300 million  for  our rural broadband  initiative.
•  97.7 per cent of schools and 99.9 per cent of students  to get  ultra-fast broadband  by 2015.
•  60 remaining remote schools to be  connected by  wireless  or satellite  by 2015.
•  Over 6000  health premises  to access  ultrafast broadband.
•  Schools, hospitals and  90 per  cent of  businesses  covered by  2015.
National has…
Begun the rollout of ultra-fast broadband
Committed $1.5 billion.
Established Crown Fibre Holdings, completed competitive tenders for ultra-fast broadband (UFB), selected four build partners, and started the roll-out of fibre.
Launched the Rural Broadband Initiative
Committed $300 million.
Set up and tendered the roll out of our Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI), to vastly improve broadband speeds in rural areas.
Supported faster broadband
Set up a new Telecommunications Development Levy to fund rural broadband, emergency services, and other Telecommunications Service Obligations (TSO).
Passed the TSO, Broadband, and Other Matters Act to provide the regulatory regime for UFB and RBI, and to allow for the structural separation of Telecom.
Set up a range of initiatives to help with the cost-effective roll-out of fibre to the home,
and developed a five-point action plan to encourage fibre uptake.
Prepared schools for broadband
Upgraded cabling in one-third of schools, so they are ready for ultra-fast broadband.
Improved mobile performance
Committed to switching over television from analogue to digital by 2013, to free up the 4G spectrum for mobile operators.
Regulated mobile termination rates to encourage more competition among mobile phone companies.
• Worked with Australian authorities to set up an investigation into trans-Tasman mobile roaming rates.
Improved 111
Set up a Memorandum of Understanding to improve the governance of the 111 emergency phone service.
Set up a comprehensive review on 111 services in the new telecommunications environment.
Protected cyber security
• Prepared and launched the New Zealand Cyber Security Strategy to improve New Zealand’s protection against cyber threats.
Our  results  so far
•  Set up the framework for the ultra-fast  broadband network  and the  successful rollout of  the  Rural Broadband  Initiative.
•  Ensured a very competitive  pricing framework to encourage uptake by businesses and  consumers.
•  Finalised deployment plans  and started  rollout in key locations around  the country.
We have moved forward in a number of related  areas  to  ensure New Zealand has a vibrant,  competitive telecommunications sector.
Attention is  now turning  to making  the most of  the uptake and taking advantage of all the  benefits ultra-fast connectivity brings.
What we will do next…
1. Roll out ultra-fast broadband
Roll out the first stage of ultra-fast broadband to businesses, schools, health centres and other priority users in 33 cities and towns around New Zealand.
2. Roll out our Rural Broadband Initiative
Roll out the bulk of our Rural Broadband Initiative and deliver much faster broadband speeds to most of rural New Zealand, using fixed wireless, ADSL, and fibre technologies.
3. Make the most of faster broadband
Connect 97.7 per cent of schools and 99.9 per cent of students to fibre with speeds of at least 100mbps by 2015, with the remaining 60 most remote schools connected by point to-point wireless or satellite connections.
Put in place a five-point action plan to realise the economic, social, and productivity benefits of much faster broadband, with a focus on E-education, E-health, Egovernment, E-business, and E-development.
Develop an online Network for Learning across all schools to maximise the benefits of ultra-fast broadband for the education sector.
4. Turbocharge mobile broadband
Complete the switchover from analogue to digital television by November 2013, and free up the 700MHz frequency band for much faster 4G mobile broadband services.
Plan for the release of 4G spectrum to the market as soon as it is available, to maximise the benefits of 4G mobile broadband.
5. Improve New Zealand’s cyber security
• Continue the development of the National Cyber Security Centre and the implementation of the New Zealand cyber security plan, to protect critical infrastructure and services and counter the threats of cyber-intrusions.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Has criticised and opposed  every  stage  of the work  done to proceed with the ultra-fast  broadband initiative.
 Has  committed to changing  the legislation  again and re-starting  the programme, which  would add  years of uncertainty and  delay,  and  very large extra costs for taxpayers.
 Was  very  slow at improving  telecommunications  in government, taking seven years  to deliver any progress at all, and  failing over nine years to regulate mobile  phone termination rates.
 Would condemn rural communities  to  remain on dial-up and other slow internet  connections.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
We have a once-in-a-lifetime  chance to achieve world-leading telecommunications services.
Labour  would squander that chance.
LAW & ORDER:  BAIL  Building a Safer New Zealand
Strengthening our bail laws
New Zealanders deserve to feel safe in their homes and their communities.
National’s goal is to not only prevent and reduce crime,
but also to reduce the impact of crime when it does occur by improving the responsiveness of the criminal justice system.
That means continuing to promote policies that hold offenders to account
and putting victims at the heart of the criminal justice system.
Protecting the public
National recognises that a person charged with a crime has the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty, and has the right not to be arbitrarily detained.
However, these rights – and the use of bail – must be balanced against the safety of the public.
When an alleged offender has a high risk of committing a serious crime if they are released on bail, or are likely to breach their bail conditions, National believes they should be denied bail.
In such cases, the public should be protected and offenders should be kept behind bars until they are tried.
That’s why National has reversed changes Labour made to bail laws in 2007 which made bail easier to get, and that’s why we are continuing to strengthen bail laws to further protect the public.
Important note  Bail – the current situation
In most cases, if the prosecution opposes bail  then it must  prove that the defendant poses a  risk of absconding, interfering with witnesses or  evidence, or offending on bail.
In these cases,  the burden of proof lies with the prosecution.
A reverse burden of proof
The current Bail Act imposes a  reverse burden of proof on defendants charged with a specified  serious sexual or  violent offence,  when they  have a previous conviction for  one of those  offences.
A reverse  burden of proof means that, in order to be granted  bail,  the defendant has to  demonstrate that they do not pose a  risk  to the  public or to their trial.
This  makes it harder, in marginal cases, for  those  defendants to get bail, and  more likely that  they  will be held in custody  on  remand until their trial.
National has…
 Amended the Bail  Act  to reverse changes  made by Labour, who  restricted the test for  remand in custody  and  made it easier for  offenders to  get bail.
 Completed  a wider  review  of bail laws,  including public consultation.
 Amended  the Bail Act to ensure that  when  someone is arrested for domestic violence,  more explicit bail conditions can be imposed  to  protect children.
 Reduced unnecessary  delay  by making it  easier  for courts to proceed with a case when a bailed defendant doesn’t  turn up  to court.
 Enabled the  courts to impose bail conditions  to ensure that defendants are well  prepared for  their next court hearing,  avoiding  unnecessary delays.
What we will do next...
The National-led Government has announced the following changes to bail laws.
National will put these changes in place if we are re-elected to government.
1. Target defendants arrested for the worst crimes and those at highest risk of offending on bail.
Reverse the burden of proof in bail decisions for those charged with serious class A drug offences, such as manufacturing or dealing P.
More than a third of defendants arrested for serious Class A drug offences offend while on bail.
Reverse the burden of proof in bail decisions for defendants charged with murder.
Murder is the most serious offence in New Zealand law, but it is currently subject to the same test for bail as other, less serious offences.
We will change this to reflect the seriousness of the charge.
Expand the list of violent and sexual offences that result in a defendant being subject to a reverse burden of proof if they have a prior history of such offending.
The current list of specified offences has not been reviewed since the Bail Act was enacted.
It does not reflect the risk posed by defendants charged with other serious violent and sexual offences who have a history of serious offending.
2. Strengthen bail for young defendants
• Make defendants aged 17 to 19 years old subject to the standard (adult) tests for bail if they have previously served a prison sentence.
This removes the strong presumption in favour of bail that currently applies.
The presumption in favour of bail is intended to prevent young defendants from being held in custody for their own safety and to prevent them from being exposed to more hardened criminals.
This rationale does not apply to young offenders who have already been in prison.
In fact, young defendants who have already served a prison sentence are much more likely to offend while on bail.
Allow the court to detain defendants under 17 years of age who significantly or repetitively breach their bail conditions.
Unless a defendant under 17 makes a particularly serious breach of their bail conditions, there is currently little that the Police can do to immediately act on that breach.
Enable the Police to uplift young defendants found in breach of court-imposed curfews, and return them to their homes or to a place where they will comply with the curfew.
This change gives the Police another tool to ensure young offenders comply with their bail conditions.
3. Improve the integrity of the bail system
Make it clear in legislation that bail will not be granted in return for information.
Public safety and a fair trial must be the primary concern when deciding to grant or oppose bail.
Bail should not be used as a bargaining chip in return for information from the criminal underworld.
Increase the penalty for failing to answer Police bail to up to three months in prison, on top of the current fine of up to $1,000.
This change brings the penalty in line with that for failing to answer court bail.
Reduce the number of situations where a defendant is “bailable as of right”.
Some defendants are bailable as of right if they don’t have a significant history of offending and are accused of certain offences.
However, some of these offences can cause serious harm to others.
Put the electronically monitored bail regime into law to ensure that it is administered consistently.
Since 2006, electronically monitored bail has been imposed under a general power of the court to impose bail conditions.
This risks inconsistent practice developing across courts, both in how electronically monitored bail is imposed and how it is managed by the Police.
Parliament needs to put the regime into legislation to ensure consistency of practice across the justice system.
Bail policy -Financial implications
The Government's decision to tighten bail decisions for some types of defendants will result in some increase in costs.
For example, imposing a reverse burden of proof on those charged with murder, class A drug offences, and some serious violent and sexual offences may mean that more of these defendants are remanded in custody, rather than released on bail.
Many factors affect a court's decision to release a defendant on bail or remand them in prison, so it is difficult to precisely predict the impact of the tighter bail laws.
However, the changes to bail will mean some additional costs for legal aid, as well as costs resulting from more defendants spending time in prison pending trial.
It is estimated the extra cost could be up to $4.5 million per year.
This will be covered by existing budgets and no new money is needed to fund the changes.
Labour would take New Zealand backwards
Labour:   Did nothing as the number  of defendants  who failed  to  answer bail increased by 155%  under their  watch.
 Softened the test for bail in 2007.
After  Labour’s change,  the courts  had to find  that  there was  “a real and  significant risk”  that a  defendant might abscond, interfere with  witnesses or evidence,  or  offend before they  denied bail, rather than the  previous test of just  “a risk”.
 Made these changes as  part  of legislation  designed to  “arrest the sharp increase in the prison population”, rather than being  motivated by public safety.
 Have not released any policy on bail.
We can’t afford another  dose of Labour.
AUCKLAND   TRANSPORT  Building a  Stronger Economy
Building better transport infrastructure
Building better transport infrastructure in Auckland is vital to transform the region’s future, and create more jobs with higher incomes.
Auckland is our largest city and our gateway to the world.
National is making the movement of goods, services, and people in and around Auckland easier.
We are investing in new transport projects,
and boosting funding for public transport as patronage increases.
Easing traffic bottlenecks and improving commuter rail
Auckland’s future economic growth relies on continuing investment in road and rail.
We’re investing more than $1 billion each year on major road and rail projects across the region.
We’re easing bottlenecks.
We’ve increased the capacity of state highways and commuter rail.
Our greater investment will boost economic growth and productivity over the next four or five years, and achieve a step-change in the ease with which Aucklanders can get around their city.
National has established a new category of state highway project, Roads of National Significance.
Three of the seven roads are in the Auckland region – Victoria Park Tunnel, the Western Ring Route, and Puhoi to Wellsford.
By improving access to the CBD, the airport, the port, and our regional economies, we will make it easier for Aucklanders to get to work and easier for Auckland’s products to get to market.
Key facts
•  Boosted funding for state highways and fast-tracked  construction  on two of the Roads of  National Significance in the  region  – the Victoria Park Tunnel  and  the  Western Ring  Route.
•  Completed train station upgrades and  double-tracking of the Western Line, and  started the $500 million upgrade and  electrification of Auckland’s  rail network.
•  Provided $590 million in loan and grant  funding to Auckland Transport so they can purchase 50 per cent more electric trains.
•  Cancelled Labour’s Auckland regional fuel tax.
•  Opened  big motorway  projects  early:  −  Manukau Harbour Crossing.
−  State Highway 20 to State  Highway 1 link.
−  Hobsonville  Motorway.
−  Victoria Park Tunnel.
•  Reduced  traffic congestion  at  key motorway bottlenecks on the  Northern and  Southern Motorways,  and  the  Western Ring Route.
•  Increased patronage on public transport.
•  We will begin  construction on  the  Waterview connection and complete the Western Ring Route.
National has…
Cancelled Labour’s fuel tax
Cancelled the Auckland regional fuel tax that would have seen motorists pay 9.5 cents a litre more for their petrol.
Boosted the state highway network
Boosted spending around the country on new state highway construction by more than $1 billion over three years.
Accelerated roading projects in the region to support jobs,
help construction companies through the recession,
and aid Auckland’s economic growth in the recovery.
Fast-tracked work on three Roads of National Significance in Auckland:
− The Victoria Park Tunnel.
− The Western Ring Route.
− Puhoi to Wellsford.
Redesigned the Waterview Connection to provide three-lanes in each direction
while saving more than $1 billion.
Consented the Waterview project – New Zealand’s largest and most complex roading project ever – in less than one year.
Upgraded public transport
Boosted funding for public transport services in response to growing demand.
Committed $500 million to electrify Auckland’s commuter rail system, and another $590 million in loan and grant funding for new electric trains.
Started to build the Manukau branch line and station.
Our  results  so far
Improved Auckland’s roads
•  Congestion  is down 10 per  cent  during  the morning peak on key  motorway  bottlenecks, due to  early completion of several projects.
•  Completed state  highway projects ahead of  schedule including:  −  The second  Manukau Harbour  Crossing.
−  The SH1 to SH20 link.
−  The additional capacity between  Greenlane and Newmarket.
•  Completed the $340 million Victoria Park Tunnel, a key choke point in central Auckland.
•  Completed  the Hobsonville Motorway on  the Western Ring  Route.
Upgraded  the  commuter rail network
•  Completed the  $600 million  double-tracking of the western line  and  upgrade of stations at New Lynn, Grafton, Newmarket, Morningside, and Onehunga.
•  Increased public transport patronage.
What we will do next…
1. Finish what we are building now
Complete the current round of Auckland transport projects and achieve a step-change in the ease with which Aucklanders can get around their city.
Ensure the timely construction of New Zealand’s biggest ever roading project – the Waterview Connection – and associated State Highway 16 widening, starting this summer.
Complete the Newmarket Viaduct next year.
Work with KiwiRail to ensure the on-time completion of the electrification of Auckland’s commuter rail network.
Work with Auckland Transport to ensure Auckland’s new electric trains arrive on schedule, staring in 2013.
Build additional lanes on State Highway 1 – between Manukau and Papakura, and Constellation and Greville Roads – to ease the merge between the Western Ring Route and the North-South Highway.
2. Prepare for further investment
National already has a track record of delivering promptly on Auckland transport projects.
Beyond current projects, National will commit to further investment in Auckland transport where proposed projects are proven to reduce congestion and encourage economic growth.
• Work alongside Auckland Council and other stakeholders to evaluate further projects, such as the proposed CBD rail link and the third harbour crossing, against the following criteria:
−  The benefits of the project compared to the costs of building it.
−  The contribution the project will make to reducing congestion.
−  That all options for achieving transport gains in an area are properly considered.
−  That the proposed funding of the project is fair and equitable to the different types of transport users.
Transport  in Auckland’s CBD
One of the transport tasks in Auckland is maintaining good transport links in the central city as it grows over the next 30 years.
The challenge is to make appropriate investments at the right time that deliver good results
without weighing too heavily on taxpayers and ratepayers.
Two of the biggest proposed  projects  – the CBD rail link and the third harbour crossing currently  have  ratios  of benefits to  costs  of well below  one.
In the case of the proposed $2.4 billion CBD rail link, independent Treasury analysis suggests that for  every $1 you would get  only 30 or 40  cents  back in economic benefits.
Considerably more work is therefore needed before a case for investment can be made.
National will:   Work with the Auckland Council to results complete a comprehensive CBD multi-modal  access study.
This will clearly evaluate all the options for improving transport  access  to the central city using  different modes., including buses, trains,  trams, ferries,  and walking and cycling.
We will use the results of that study to further develop the investment case for specific projects, such as  the CBD rail link.
Labour would take New Zealand backwards
Labour:   Would  reverse hypothecation of fuel  taxes.
This could  see the money you pay at the  pump being  diverted to non-transport related  projects.
 Would abandon motorway  improvements in  Auckland.
Gridlock would  increase.
 Believes Auckland  road users  should pay a regional fuel tax of 9.5 cents a litre.
 Signed  off on an expensive and  illogical design  for the Waterview  Connection that  would  have  required  the Government to borrow  $500 million  but  would have delivered  only a two-lane  road each way.
 Would  cancel the Puhoi to Wellsford  motorway extension between Auckland and  Northland.
Auckland  can’t afford  Labour’s  poorly  thought  out transport  plans.
ARTS,  CULTURE  AND  HERITAGE
Building a Brighter Future
Supporting our culture
Our arts and culture sector puts New Zealand on the international stage, whether through our film industry, the highly-regarded NZSO, or award-winning authors.
The sector plays a big part in New Zealand’s way of life and National’s plan to grow businesses, create jobs, and build a stronger economy.
Despite the tight economic times of the past three years, the arts are in great shape.
We will continue to focus on getting better value from the Government’s investment
to support innovation and encourage jobs in the sector.
Key facts
•  Cultural industries contribute  over  $8 billion  to the New Zealand economy.
•  Seven per  cent of our workforce is employed  in the arts  sector.
•  Every year, 83  per  cent of New Zealanders  attend  some form of arts event.
•  Culture and heritage are major  marketing points for tourism.
•  More than one in four international tourists  attend  our museums and many more visit our  art galleries, historic buildings,  or attend Maori cultural performances.
National has…
Supported the arts
Increased support for Creative New Zealand and for galleries and museums, to help the arts survive in tough economic times.
Increased Lotteries payments to the arts.
Formed the Cultural Philanthropy Taskforce to boost charitable giving to arts, culture, and heritage organisations.
Commissioned Sir Peter Jackson to review the New Zealand Film Commission, and put in place a range of his recommendations.
Introduced legislation reducing bureaucracy at the Historic Places Trust and Arts Council.
Given $3 million to the Historic Places Trust for critical, overdue repairs and maintenance to heritage sites and buildings.
Increased the visibility of the arts
Retained The Hobbit films in New Zealand.
Introduced a pilot of the music programme El Sistema – to bring classical music to young people in South Auckland.
Signed film co-production agreements with China, South Africa, and India.
Changed the qualifying threshold for the Screen Production Incentive Fund so more NZ feature films can be produced.
Launched the NZ Film Library to promote local films to large international audiences.
What we will do next…
1. Provide strong support for the arts
Continue to support the creative sector, and work to further boost cultural philanthropy and provide better incentives for giving to the arts.
As the arts continue to increase in importance, we will ensure incentives exist to encourage individuals and private enterprise to support this vibrant sector.
Review the Large Budget Screen Production Grant and the Screen Production Incentive Fund to ensure top-quality film production.
The film industry in New Zealand is a valuable contributor to our economy.
We want to make sure we have the right incentives in place to support and grow the industry,
rewarding innovation
and creating more real jobs.
Explore expanding the El Sistema programme to new areas.
Like team sports, involvement in an orchestra helps the development of organisation, cooperation, interdependence, commitment and trust.
This programme has been very successful and we will explore rolling it out to other parts of the country.
Continue to put in place recommendations from Sir Peter Jackson’s review of the New Zealand Film Commission.
The film industry has been one of New Zealand’s highest profile successes of the past 15 years.
We will continue to give the industry the support it needs to keep up momentum and build on its success.
2. Honour our history
Develop a more strategic whole-of government approach to commemorations.
Commemorating New Zealand’s history is an important part of recognising our cultural heritage.
We need a coordinated approach so up-coming anniversaries, such as the First World War centenary, are marked appropriately.
See our Veterans Affairs policy for more details.
Complete the development of Memorial Park for the centenary of the First World War.
Wellington’s Memorial Park will be the centrepiece of New Zealand’s commemorations for the centenary of the First World War, beginning in 2014.
The Government committed funding in Budget 2010 to ensure Memorial Park is worthy of the people it commemorates and the sacrifices they made.
3. Improve governance for the sector
Introduce better co-ordination between service museums,
and investigate the potential for a national military museum.
Encourage greater regional cultural tourism by exploring the ability of Te Papa to support shared operations with regional and local museums and galleries.
Negotiate further international film coproduction agreements.
Film co-production agreements give filmmakers opportunities in other countries, and bring new film projects here.
New Zealand currently has 11 bilateral film coproduction arrangements in force.
Labour would take  New Zealand  backwards
Labour:   Would cripple  our film industry by  repealing the legislation National passed to ensure  blockbuster movies  – such as  The Hobbit  –  stay in  New Zealand.
 Used  the arts for  political advantage; we’ve tackled the hard issues of much-needed  reform.
 Favours top-heavy arts bureaucracy and back-office staff at  the expense of  artists and  performers working on the front line of the  arts.
ACCIDENT   COMPENSATION  Building  Better Public Services
Building safer workplaces
National is improving the frontline public services that families rely on.
We will ensure all New Zealanders continue to have access to an efficient and comprehensive 24/7, fully-funded, no-fault accident insurance scheme.
Turning around a legacy of losses
Before the 2008 election, National made it clear that would drive better performance and greater efficiency from ACC.
This took on more urgency when the true state of ACC’s finances became clear.
National inherited two years of ACC losses totalling $7.2 billion.
Since then, we’ve focused on securing a stable future for ACC, accident victims, and levy payers.
We have worked hard to improve rehabilitation.
An early return to work is a priority for most ACC clients.
Reducing accidents is another priority and we are making good progress.
Introducing choice
Looking ahead, National will introduce choice in the Work Account
while retaining ACC in the market.
This will help ensure efficiency and the lowest cost for levy payers.
“National will continue to drive further efficiencies in ACC
and encourage rehabilitation.
We will introduce choice to the ACC Work Account
while retaining ACC in the market,
and investigate introducing choice in the Motor Vehicle and Earners’ accounts.”
Key facts
•  Turned around massive losses  of $7.2 billion  over  two years to  get ACC back into  a steady surplus.
•  Increased the focus on rehabilitation.
•  Introduced experience rating and no-claim  bonuses for employers and  the self-employed,  increasing incentives for  safer  workplaces.
•  Reducing  ACC levies by  $170 a year  from      1 April 2012 for someone on the         average wage.
•  Reducing ACC levies by  $1120 a year for  the average small business with  seven employees.
National has…
Turned around ACC’s massive losses
Turned massive losses into steady surpluses.
Reversed unfunded entitlement extensions introduced by Labour in 2008.
Reduced long-term liabilities.
Improved rehabilitation
Implemented programmes such as Better@Work to improve rehabilitation rates.
Encouraged safer workplaces
Introduced experience rating and no-claim bonuses for employers and the self-employed to increase incentives for safer workplaces.
Improved the integrity of ACC
Made dispute resolution independent of ACC.
Removed the right of criminals to receive compensation when injured while committing a crime.
Fewer accidents for  accredited  employers
Employers in the Accredited Employer Programme have 12  per cent  fewer accidents and 15 per cent lower costs for treatment, rehabilitation, and compensation.
ACC is  back  in surplus
•  We have reduced the gap  between long term liabilities and assets by  $2.5 billion in  the  2009/10 year and we anticipate a similar  reduction in 2010/11.
•  Increased ACC solvency from  just 46  per  cent  in 2008/09 to 81 per cent  forecast in 2011/12.
•  1000 people  a  year have come off long-term  claims.
Long-term claims were  previously  increasing by 700  a  year.
What we will do next…
National will ensure ACC continues to seek greater operational efficiency
and better rehabilitation rates.
We believe the best way to ensure an efficient, enduring, and low cost 24/7 no-fault insurance scheme is to give levy payers a choice of provider where that is practical.
1. Drive further efficiency and encourage rehabilitation
• Continue to focus ACC on greater operational efficiency
and better rehabilitation rates.
We want to ensure that ACC remains a sustainable 24/7 accident insurance scheme.
To achieve this, it’s critical that ACC costs are contained and that rehabilitation rates improve.
2. Save levy payers millions
• Reduce ACC levies on 1 April 2012 by 17 per cent for workers and 23 per cent for employers.
This will:
−  Save households $340 million a year, or $170 a year for someone on the average wage.
−  Save businesses $247 million a year, or $1120 for an average business with seven employees.
−  Save taxpayers $133 million in 2012/13 and a total of $624 million over four years.
3.   Introduce choice to the Work Account
Expand the Accredited Employers Programme (AEP) from 1 April 2012.
This will enable ACC to offer a greater range of risk-sharing products to more businesses.
Allowing employers to share risk will help encourage safer workplaces, fewer accidents, and higher productivity.
Allow employers and the self-employed choice, either by letting private insurers provide re-insurance to AEP participants or by allowing private insurers to compete with ACC in the Work Account.
We will:
−  Keep ACC in the market as an insurer.
−  Ensure the criteria for cover and level of entitlements are maintained.
−  Establish an independent clearing house to handle ACC-related claims and minimise compliance costs for the health sector.
−  Introduce prudential requirements specific to the accident insurance industry under the Insurance (Prudential Supervision) Act.
National believes in choice.
We think employers and the self-employed should have the option of choosing which company provides workplace accident insurance.
4.  Explore choice in other ACC accounts
• Look at the feasibility of introducing choice into the Motor Vehicle and Earners’ accounts.
ACC must keep evolving to meet the needs of New Zealanders while maintaining equity in levy payments.
As accounts become fully solvent there may be further opportunities to allow levy payers a choice of provider.
National will explore these opportunities.
Labour would take New Zealand  backwards
Under  Labour:
 ACC made losses of  $7.2  billion in two years.
 Extra  entitlements were introduced  without  being funded.
 ACC effectively  became a social welfare/health provider outside  its  legislation, at great cost  to levy-payers.
 Rehabilitation  rates dropped and costs blew out in all areas.
 Costs of claims  increased by 57 per cent in four years.
 ACC’s  long-term liabilities  increased by $15 billion.
 Levy setting was divorced from the reality of  ACC’s burgeoning  costs.
We can’t afford to repeat  the dose again.
National has made great progress  putting ACC on a sound financial footing, improving rehabilitation, and reducing levies.
Labour would  throw all of that away.
Labour  can’t be trusted with ACC.
Thank you for your welcome and for the work you have done over the last three years to bring us to this important meeting.
2011 is the most important election we have faced in our lifetimes.
NZ First believes that we can regain our former glory of being the world's leader in economic and social performance for its people.
November 26 decides whether the future of New Zealand belongs to the few - the favoured and special interests?
Or will our next Parliament serve the collective interest of all New Zealanders?
NZ First's stand is this - every citizen of this country is entitled to a fair go.
If you look back over the past three years it is crystal clear why our enemies spent such time and money to get us out of Parliament.
We have always opposed special treatment for special interests.
Let other political parties stand for special interests at the expense of the many but that has never been our position.
Let other parties resemble a rugby ball.
You never know which way they will bounce next.
This party for 18 years has stood for people.
No ifs, buts or maybe's.
We started out with fifteen founding principles
- the same number that makes up a world champion rugby team.
The principles have not changed, for they are sound, and now other political parties all of a sudden claim them as theirs.
Who would have believed that Labour - which sold so many state assets - would grab our policy of keeping them!
Or National - keeping the pension age at 65 when all their background sentiment has been to attack it.
They are saying that because they are scared of NZ First.
Or both the old parties who rejected compulsory savings 14 years ago now saying they are partially for it.
Or National who squeezed out after hours doctor visits for under sixes, in this eleventh hour, now saying they are for it.
NZ First believes that the welfare of all the people of New Zealand should come first.
It's in our name.
That means the young, the old, the workers, farmers, small businesses, professionals and everybody else should have a fair go - a fair share.
We know of the hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders who are now forgotten
The people who don't get a fair go.
Mr Key went to South Auckland before the last election and promised the people there a better life.
Did it happen? No!
What did they actually do?
Well, they increased the tax people pay on their food, their clothing, their petrol, their doctors' bills.
Increased the tax on everything people need to live.
And then at the same time They gave the rich people big tax cuts.
For the National Party bosses and their mates it was worth thousands of dollars a week.
They threw a few dollars at the pensioners.
But price increases have gone through the roof, so the crumbs have all gone, and any savings are being swallowed up as well.
It is simply not fair!
The special interests have been grabbing more and more of the profits made from the efforts of the New Zealand people.
The fat cats are making a killing.
Most of the profits are going to foreign owners or tax dodgers here at home.
The rich list's wealth last year went up by a massive 20%.
CEO's who used to get 30 times the average wage are now getting 100 times, or more, that wage.
Which CEO's performance justifies that?
We stand for a fair tax system, where everyone pays a fair share.
So we are going to rewrite and simplify NZ's mangle of tax laws so that they are understandable, unavoidable, and fair.
Everyone will pay their fair taxes.
That means:
- Less personal tax
- Less company tax
- Less GST at 12.5 not 15%
- Removing double tax on savings
- Removing GST on rates
- Removing secondary tax
Over 90% will be better off.
It is not fair for a young person, with two jobs, stacking supermarket shelves all night to pay secondary tax while a very rich person with millions pays no tax.
It's not fair that you pay tax on savings interest less than the inflation rate and then get slammed with tax on top of that.
So inflation above 4%, interest less than 4% on which you pay 33% tax.
Are you going forward or back?
GST on rates is a tax on a tax, that's intellectual fraud, and we're going to abolish it.
The multi-millionaires must pay their share.
Warren Buffet and Sam Morgan, (Trade Me), believe that and so do we.
And we will make sure they do!
There's been a lot of unfair cost cutting over the past three years.
Like elderly getting home help hours slashed by district health boards - health boards doing the government's dirty work.
But when it comes to the government's mates in collapsed finance companies the sky's the limit.
The bill for the taxpayer from the South Canterbury collapse fiasco will be $1 billion.
Some made a fortune, because they got very high interest rates backed by a government guarantee.
The government guaranteed South Canterbury Finance, placed no cap on further fund raising activity, so they had a field day and raised a further $800 million, and on Friday Mr English said, you were going to pay for it.
Mr Key, English, Joyce, these economic geniuses were all "asleep at the wheel"
At the same time other finance companies went to the wall and thousands of senior citizens lost billions of life savings.
It was simply not fair.
It's not a Fair Go
New Zealand First has always stood for equal treatment of all citizens.
In 2004 NZ First concerned with the threat to public ownership of the foreshore and seabed, came up with a solution, after consulting Coastal Maori, confirming Crown ownership for all of us.
That meant that the people of New Zealand, all the people, were the rightful owners.
At the same time we made sure the traditional customary rights of Maori were guaranteed.
Coastal Maori supported our solution publicly.
Mr Key and National changed that in an act of political stupidity.
Much of the foreshore and seabed can now be privatised, in the interest of a select few who will make money out of it.
We've been betrayed - all of us - whatever our race.
At no stage did Maori ever believe they owned the foreshore and seabed.
Land and sea were never the same for Maori
It was and is a source of food, a way of transport and a place of recreation.
We all should have right of access and freedom to enjoy our coastline.
It is also rich in resources that should be shared.
Ordinary Maori want Housing, Health, Education
and a job with First World wages.
Come to think of it, that is what we all want.
What European, Polynesian, Indian, Chinese, Asian people all want.
NZ First understands that.
With Crown ownership of the Foreshore and Seabed you were guaranteed a fair deal.
Now, you are guaranteed nothing.
And worst of all - all sorts of deals can be done over the foreshore and seabed behind closed doors in Parliament.
Under John Key and National you now have two flags.
The old one and Hone's one.
Under John Key and National you now have a UN declaration that says that some New Zealander's rights override the rest of New Zealander's rights.
Under John Key and National you have a behind the scenes Constitutional Committee drafting a new Constitution with the Treaty of Waitangi as it's cornerstone.
The greatest Maori politician Ngata would think this an absurdity.
And yet no one, not Mr Key, not National, has ever asked you
Secret deals can, and are being done, between people whose only thought is for their own special interests - and their pockets.
You have no say.
It's not a fair go.
Let's ask a few basic questions:
How will New Zealanders own their own country given the rate at which our prime assets and land is falling into foreign ownership?
How will we have a manufacturing sector left if we conclude any more so called free trade agreements that undermine our industry?
How will we be more prosperous when our export base struggles with a grossly overvalued exchange rate?
And how will our young people have work and prosperous futures if we do not deal with these issues?
Because in all these areas New Zealand First has specific policies to address the fundamental problems we face.
And unless we do address them the long decline of New Zealand's standard of living relative to other comparable countries will continue.
We say New Zealanders deserve better.
Policies should pass three simple but clear tests: Do they put the interests of New Zealand first?
Do they unite us as a nation?
Do they make us a stronger society and economy?
Right now another secret deal that is being done behind closed doors is the Trans Pacific Partnership.
This is a free trade arrangement around the Pacific involving New Zealand and the United States.
Some of the leaked reports of the concessions we are making are alarming.
If Mr Key did not take pharmaceuticals off the table, so they are part of the negotiations
New Zealand First has no argument with the United States.
We have no quarrel with the American people.
In fact because of us we are closer than in a quarter of a century
But we will not accept that American drug companies and other American commercial interests can rip us off and tell us what to do.
It's not a Fair Go and we won't let it happen.
Trade deals should benefit all parties.
Not just the wide boys of Wall St.
Every day, we are swamped in bad news about an economic crisis somewhere around the globe.
Countries are going broke.
Capitalism has been turned upside down.
People are coming to realize that some bankers, finance traders, currency speculators, futures traders, derivative marketers are a bunch of crooks.
The rot started in America where the financial wheeler dealers lent mortgage money to people who could not possibly afford to repay it.
They knew that.
But they bundled up these shonky mortgages and traded them as gilt edged securities with Triple A ratings.
The criminals who dreamed up these schemes made a fortune.
Then these deals collapsed like a deck of cards.
All around the world - except in a few countries - they got caught up in a bubble of speculation.
The bubble burst and governments have been bailing out the banks.
Whole economies are being kept afloat by governments printing money and pouring it into the system.
And the crooks who started it all are back creaming it!
They live like leeches on ordinary people.
Is this a Fair Go?
Is this want you want?
In New Zealand we are seriously affected by the speculators and the traders that make up this mythical thing called "the market".
Their wheeling and dealing has the Kiwi dollar bouncing up and down, higher and higher.
That is a nightmare for our exporters in the engine room of our economy.
The exporters create our real wealth.
We have a plan to help them.
New Zealand First will keep our currency pegged to that of our main trading partners.
That way the exporters will be able to expand, increase exports and create new jobs, new wealth for the Family New Zealand
We will stop the sale of state owned assets, and the control of our power stations and the lakes and rivers that feed them.
Will stop the sale of our prime farmland to foreign interests.
It is obscene that a former National prime minister fronts a communist owned company that's gobbling up New Zealand companies and assets.
Compare that to this statement of principle:
"I believe in New Zealanders owning their own industry, all industry, wherever practicable...
This country is growing up, and I want it to see it owned and controlled by New Zealanders in every possible sphere.
There is, of course, also an economic reason - the bleeding away of overseas funds and the paying of tribute to people overseas....
I, for one, want to see New Zealand mature, to grow up in its own sense, have its own soul, develop its own character, and have control of its own destiny in all spheres of the economy.......
This is my simple faith".
Who said that?
"Kiwi Keith Holyoake said that.
What would he think of his party now?
And it's just as obscene to see Don Brash, another failed National leader, take over the rotting carcass of ACT in a desperate attempt to twist and distort the democratic process.
New Zealand First upholds democracy.
The right to choose a government belongs to the people - not the politicians.
And it doesn't belong to the special interests behind political parties.
Here are just some of our policies:
1)    More trade training for our young people
2)    We will help pay the wages for apprentices using dole money and an employer top up
3)    We will help students pay their loans as long as they qualify and stay here
4)    And we'll throw out fictitious national standards in early education opposed by 90% of the teachers
We will crank up KiwiSaver
and use the money to buy back assets
We will seriously shake up the Overseas Investment Office so they learn the difference between genuine overseas investment and a foreign corporate raid that creates no wealth and no new employment.
We'll have ONE LAW FOR ALL.
Which means:
- We all own our foreshore and seabed
- We fly one flag
- We have one court system
- We follow one set of laws
- We have one social welfare system
- A NZ health system
- A NZ education system
We will rebuild our failing economy with
- Export plans to treble returns
- Savings plans for economic freedom
- NZ currency for NZ not Wall ST
- Tax breaks for real wealth creators
- Real research and development incentives
- Rewards for the nation's builders
And remember the SuperGold Card?
With discounts and free transport?
And super back to 66%
That card will become even more valuable
With your doctor's bills and your power bills.
With some government charges like motor re-licensing.
And we're not falling for Super at 67 starting four elections from now.
When last we had the power we brought in 1000 extra front line police, and 235 in the office to back them up.
We funded the Maori Wardens so they could play a real role in law and order.
These two changes made a dramatic difference to crime.
Yet National is trying to take all the credit.
Over the last three years there's been a voice missing in our democracy.
It is the voice of the people.
People are waking up.
Do not be discouraged by tricky opinion polls and media experts.
The opinion polls have never shown our true level of support.
They are all over the place and anyone who believes them needs their head examined.
Over 95,000 people voted for NZ First in 2008, more than three parliamentary parties got all together.
Over 95,000, despite the most vicious character assassination and lies seen in any campaign this country has ever witnessed.
And the people who fed and led these lies didn't even believe it themselves.
They were paid to say it.
A group even agreed on TV "Well if he is not guilty he's still a hypocrite"
Over 95,000 stayed loyal.
And you know that with your help we can more than double that on November 26.
And when the people have spoken, and only then, and when we have consulted you we'll talk about coalitions and cross benches.
It's called democracy, people power.
It's not about pre-election back room deals.
So get out and share your support with others and get out and Party Vote for New Zealand First on Election Day.
The hope of our country waits on you.
Years from now when young people ask you 'what did you do about our country when the economy hit the wall?'
You won't have to splutter and change the subject.
NO.  You will proudly say 'when the call came I answered it.
I rejected failure and I made a stand for success.
We stand for the welfare of all the people, and not just the few.
We believe NZ can be great again.
We always have
Put New Zealand First and vote New Zealand First
For a Fair Go
Whānau Ora: restoring the essence of who we are -putting the vibrant traditions of our people at the heart of our whānau
Te Tiriti o Waitangi: we want to face our past with courage, so we can build our future together
Kāwanatanga: We want a government that values accountability and serving the people;
we want a public service that understands the aspirations of whānau, hapū and iwi
Whānau-ora: restoring the essence of who we are; putting the vibrant traditions from our people at the heart of our whānau
Whānau Ora begins with you.
Whānau is the heart of our people, it is the foundation on which our country thrives.
It is about reaffirming a sense of self-belief.
It encompasses:
  Manaakitanga: acknowledging the mana of others as having equal or greater importance than one’s own, through the expression of aroha, hospitality, generosity and mutual respect.
  Rangatiratanga: weaving the people together with humility, leadership by example, generosity, diplomacy and knowledge of benefit to the people.
  Whanaungatanga: underpins the social organisation of whānau, hapū and iwi.
The rights and reciprocal obligations consistent with being part of a collective.
  Kotahitanga: the principle of unity of purpose and direction.
  Wairuatanga: a spiritual existence alongside the physical; expressed through the intimate connection of the people to our maunga, awa, moana and marae, and to tūpuna and atua.
  Mana Whenua: turangawaewae and ūkaipō, the places where you belong, where you count, and where you can contribute.
  Kaitiakitanga: the spiritual and cultural guardianship of Te Ao Mārama; our responsibility to care for our environment.
  Mana Tūpuna / Whakapapa: is the bridge which links us to our ancestors, which defines our heritage, gives us the stories which define our place in the world.
   Te  Reo  Rangatira: Te reo Māori  is  the  medium through  which  Māori  explain the world.
  Pūkengatanga: repository of higher learning and scholarship.
  Whirinakitanga: depending on one another; trusting each other.
  Whakapono: belief in yourself.
  Tūmanako: the ethos of hope.
Our Whānau - Doing for Themselves
Whānau Ora is about caring for our own; taking collective responsibility for the wellbeing of the group.
Relying on our own resources,
reminding ourselves of our histories as hunters, gatherers, growers.
Our marae coming to life; believing in our way of doing things.
Every opportunity should be afforded to support whānau, hapū and iwi in their own growth and development.
Whānau Ora has been described by our Pasifika whanaunga as ‘restoring the role of the village’.
It is a concept which speaks to other cultures.
 Whānau Ora will be  rolled out  across  government  with  a  separate  appropriation in each  financial year.
He taonga te tamaiti: All our children will be embraced; protected and treasured by our whānau; whānau, hapū and iwi need to reclaim their tamariki to ensure the care of tamariki is safe.
We will enact the recommendations from the 1989 review of Matua Whāngai.
We will review the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act for progress made since Puao-te-ata-tū
Māku Rā Pea: Every Māori organisation will be asked to give two of our young people a job.
Based on current projections of 5843 Māori organisations, this will provide 11686 rangatahi with employment.
To help facilitate this goal, Te Puni Kōkiri will be reoriented towards an employment drive,
and a focus on Whānau Ora.
Quality of Care: We will resource formal and informal caregivers to enable whānau members to stay in their own homes, especially older people and disabled persons to be supported to live in their homes as much as possible.
Whānau should feel safe and secure and should be able to live with dignity.
Marae CBD – Marae as the hub of our whānau
Marae CBD will utilise existing structures to maximise the inherent potential each marae currently holds
including enhancing tourism opportunities
and employment training.
We will build the capacity of marae as an iconic resource.
 Whaia  te  mātauranga  kia  puta  ai ki  te  ao mārama:   We will  encourage marae-based  learning and initiatives  to  promote  whānau  literacy.
We will resource iwi capacity to be engaged in student achievement – as a provider and an advisor in teacher professional development
and in teacher recruitment strategies including iwi bonding schemes – ie. iwi will provide students for teacher training.
We will promote marae-based health clinics as preferred sites of wellbeing and service delivery to support whānau.
We will help to repair and upgrade marae as crucial self-sufficient infrastructure for civil emergencies.
Each marae should be a self-sufficient community hub supported by ultrafast broadband and with potential for increasing kaupapa Māori business.
Marae sports / papa tākaro: We will work with the Māori Sports Federation to enable marae to be a community sports and physical activity hub.
We will extend the Marae accessibility project to enable full participation on marae by whānau with impairments by addressing physical, environmental and social barriers created by poorly formed attitudes.
We will invest in digital hubs to be established in communities and rural marae.
Ahi Kaa
We support whānau by trusting in their own locally developed solutions for sustainable livelihoods.
We will support vibrant whānau, drawing on their potential to advance both wealth creation and alleviate poverty.
We will invest in the rourou economy, a model of reciprocal and collective development based on food security.
We will grow our economy through expanding maara kai so that we produce our own food, develop our own sustainability and live healthily.
Tao kai is the ethic which puts care of the people and the earth above all else.
We will support a Māori Sector Strategy to develop a centralised technology capability amongst iwi, connecting information gathered by Tūhono, Māori Land Court, Māori Television, iwi radio, Māori Trustee, with whānau, hapū, iwi, marae.
Review He Whaipaanga Hou and other restorative justice models, including Project Mauriora – to re-learn and develop our own response to challenges.
Every whānau will be knowledgeable on financial matters to better understand and be in control of their finances.
Whenua
Nearly 80% of Māori land is under-utilised.
Ensure protection of Māori land title as a taonga
and create better utilisation to unlock the economic potential.
Eliminate the debt of collective ownership through local government ratings.
We will hold hui with  iwi,  tribal trusts,  whānau trusts,  Māori trustee,  and social lending organizations  to  identify lands  and resources  to  grow  food for overseas  and local markets;
at  the same time initiating new  employment.
We encourage  the return  to  iwi trading  of specialist  kai  including organic food production.
We will  encourage whānau back to  their whenua with  a  grant  per Ahu Whenua and Whenua Tōpu lands  trust  to  investigate ways  to  generate revenue  or create jobs  from their land.
Investigate establishing a Māori Monetary Fund; using the pooled funds of iwi, land trusts and incorporations so that Māori landowners can access finance for development.
We will strengthen the governance capability of the identified shareholders of that land through access to Māori Land Court trustee training.
Mā te whānau te reo e whakaora
We seek to drive the revitalisation strategy for te reo rangatira while also ensuring better co-ordination of the range of language initiatives currently existing.
We will keep our paepae warm; encouraging our whānau to learn at home.
We seek to re-establish te reo in homes by working with iwi to lead the revitalisation strategy.
Rūnanga-a-Reo will be established in nine regions to plan programmes, expenditure and evaluation for whānau, hapū and iwi based language.
We will establish the Heikoko fund to boost the number of te reo speakers.
We will establish a Minister for Māori language with powers to determine all matters pertaining to te reo.
We will  establish  a Board,  Te Matawai,  for te reo  Māori with  operational,  policy and funding responsibility.
The Board shall  comprise  language  experts  representing  the seven dialectal  regions.
We will recognise the unique status of kohanga reo, kura kaupapa Māori, wānanga and Māori medium initiatives through their own statutory legislation.
This could then be linked to te reo in the homes being revitalised through encouraging the parents in assisting their children in their learning and drawing on the knowledge and expertise of kuia and koroua.
Te reo Māori will be compulsorily available in schools by 2015.
Iwi Investment in Ourselves
We will establish an investment initiative in which payment is linked to improved social outcomes achieved by the group.
Iwi investors implement  a programme of  actions  on a payment-by-results  basis in a model based  on Social  Impact  Investment.
If  they  meet  their targets,  the iwi investors will receive  a financial return from Government.
If  they  do  not,  investors  will not  get  all their funding back.
The model can be  used  for early intervention e.g.  literacy skills; preschool readiness; recidivism, or employment  for our most  vulnerable.
Champion social lending,  by bringing together iwi with  the philanthropic  sector and social lenders,
and with  Government  support  to  create a collaborative network to  help communities  take  responsibility,
create real work
and free up  resources  for whānau development.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi: We want to face our past with courage, so we can build our future together
We  want to  engage  in a serious discussion about  the  future  of this country.
Te Tiriti o  Waitangi is  our starting point.
Te Tiriti states the  conditions under which  iwi/hapū  and  the  Crown agreed to  co-operate in a unified  nation.
The  need  for co-operation between iwi/hapū  and the  Crown, and between  iwi/hapū  and other New  Zealanders,  is  just  as strong today.
The  undertakings of Te  Tiriti  o Waitangi were  farsighted,  and  continue  to  tell us  how to  build an  orderly, prosperous and  united New  Zealand.
We will encourage active involvement and participation in the Constitutional Review we advanced in the 2008-2011 Parliament.
For us Te Tiriti o Waitangi remains a covenant of utmost meaning.
Only if it is honoured will mana be restored,
and whānau able to participate fully and willingly in the nation.
For the Crown, Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the founding document of our nation.
The stakes are high.
The survival of our people drives us forward.
Our six key priorities are:
All legislation measured against te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Ensure appropriate resources for hapū and iwi to test the Takutai Moana Act.
All Māori to be automatically entered on to the Māori roll
with an option to transfer to the general roll.
Increase claimant funding in treaty settlements.
Lead the Government’s response to WAI 262.
Treaty settlement and treaty justice.
All legislation measured against Te Tiriti o Waitangi
All policy provided to Cabinet and all bills tabled in the House must be able to demonstrate the impact of the policy on whānau
and the Treaty partnership.
Only from this can be derived a model of justice which gives fair weight to the rights and needs of all peoples.
We will establish, as an Officer of Parliament, a Parliamentary Commissioner for the Treaty to proactively review and monitor progress of Treaty Settlements, as well as the performance of the Office of Treaty Settlements (OTS) and the Crown’s commitment to the Treaty.
Require an Annual Report to Parliament on progress on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to facilitate the right of Māori to preserve, evolve and transform their ways of life.
We will introduce a requirement for Government departments and Crown entities to report annually on outcomes for Māori
We will monitor outcomes from the Constitutional Review to ensure it gives effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
People who have knowledge of their history are much more likely to benefit from our increasingly diverse nation.
Treaty studies will be taught in all schools, from Year 7 on, starting in 2014.
We want schools to teach local iwi history; civic and heritage studies, including a history of the Pacific.
Ensure appropriate resources for hapū and iwi to test the Takutai Moana Act
We will ensure proper funding for Takutai Moana cases.
Representation in a democracy is not only a basic human right, but it is also necessary if we want to make sure our nation moves forward together.
The Māori seats  will stay
until such  time Māori freely  choose, via a mana  whenua referendum,  otherwise.
By the 2014 election, all Māori to be automatically entered on to the Māori roll at the age of 18
with the option to transfer to the General Roll.
We will also extend the provision in the Census to identify tribally to the electoral roll, where tribal affiliation is also stated.
We will amend section 45 of the Electoral Act to be consistent with section 35 of that Act, meaning that no Māori electoral district shall be situated partially in the North Island and partially in the South Island.
Whānau, hapū  and iwi will lead  the response to  the Waitangi Tribunal Report’s  on WAI  262 (Ko Aotearoa Tēnei)  with  our full support.
We will encourage our people to  engage in the discussion of  implementing the findings.
Treaty Settlements and Treaty Justice
Treaty Justice is necessary if we want to grow an inclusive economy.
Much can be done to increase the speed of Treaty settlements.
We also believe that justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done:
We will increase claimant funding.
Promote rangatira-to-rangatira negotiation.
Maintain kotahitanga in and between iwi and hapū as well as with the Crown by promoting kanohi-ki-te-kanohi discussions.
The Waitangi Tribunal has played an important role in the delivery of justice and reconciliation.
To ensure sustainability we will review the Tribunal’s funding to ensure it is fully-funded for the work it does.
OTS to be well resourced to operate an efficient claims process.
We seek to quicken the pace of settlement by supporting more cognate bills (to consider bills concurrently).
We do not support asset sales.
If privatisation of state owned assets occurs it must be managed in a manner that is consistent with Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The Māori Party will support iwi who wish to invest into state owned assets
as a means of retaining New Zealand ownership.
We will insert a Treaty clause into the overseas investment legislation,
to give iwi first right of refusal.
We will introduce a stronger Treaty clause into all Free Trade Agreements.
Kāwanatanga: we want a Government that values accountability and serving the people;
we want a public service that understands the aspirations of whānau, hapū and iwi
The  Māori  Party’s role  in Parliament  is  to  be the  most powerful  advocates  for our whānau  –  to  carry  your voice.
We  want  a  Government  that  understands the  spirit  of service  enshrined  in its  own legislation.
We  want  chief executives and senior  leaders who  will  advance Māori  aspirations with us
and  work with us to  create  employment,
stop  hunger and homelessness,
ensure all our children  have access  to  a great  education
and ensure  all our whānau have access  to  quality health services.
We want  a Government  to  focus on  our potential to  do for  ourselves.
We will monitor cultural competency in all agencies to ensure the quality of services,
and equity of access and outcomes to bring out well-being.
Chief executives will be required to report six monthly on how they are progressing positive outcomes for whānau.
Cultural competency will be an employment standard in justice, health, education and social services.
We will call for an immediate plan from the Treasury and State Services Commission, seeking advice on: A result area for whānau that is measurable and for which we can hold chief executives to account.
We want to implement a devolved service approach, with minimum compliance.
We want services that are visible and responsive and organised around whānau.
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Treaty will be required to report annually to Parliament on the status of whānau and monitor state sector progress to improving outcomes for whānau.
We want advice on a co-ordinated approach for low employment locations.
We want innovation driving our services not risk management.
Whānau are tax-payers too – we want value for our money as well.
Kia piki te ora o te whānau
We will apply the capability approach to public policy so that whānau have adequate income to enjoy the lives they value
and whānau are supported to develop their potential.
We will introduce a Cross-Government Accord (a ‘wellbeing framework’) to keep whānau free from all forms of violence; including physical, economic, sexual and racist
including prevention of elder abuse and neglect.
We seek to end whānau poverty by 2020.
We will establish a $16 minimum wage.
Extend the Tax Credit for all low income families.
Enact an annual power rebate for low-income whānau;
installation of low cost heating and insulating 10,000 low-income homes per year including rental properties.
Inequality impact statement to be written into all new legislation
including the likely impact on our children.
Universal well child services to all children under 6.
Review of vision and hearing testing as universal tests.
Introduce legislation to encourage commercial banks to help meet the needs of borrowers in all sections of their communities (the Community Reinvestment Bill).
Broadcasting and Spectrum
Broadcasting is important to us.
Our stories matter.
We will maintain the current level of funding to Te Māngai Pāho and Māori Television.
We require broadcasters to increase Māori content in peak times;
increase programming that aims to educate our nation
and all broadcasters on national broadcasting to be Māori language proficient.
We will develop rangatahi Māori radio programming.
We seek recognition that the spectrum is a taonga.
We will negotiate 33% (15MHz) of 4G Spectrum (700MHz Band) and future allocations for Māori.
Business
Business success has a key role in generating desirable social impacts in community wealth and wellbeing.
We will support ethical business by placing value on longer-term business thinking including shareholders.
Increase volume of ‘better by design’ programmes (NZTE) available for iwi and Māori to access.
Cultural Heritage
Cultural tourism strikes the balance between the economic benefits
and protecting people, culture, landscapes.
We will establish Peace Week, from 31 October to 5 November; to honour the heroism and the peacemaking heritage established at Parihaka.
We will reintroduce a Private Members Bill to give official endorsement to Matariki and Puanga events.
We will seek sustainable funding and support for Māori cultural events, perfoming arts and tourism opportunities to showcase Māori to the world.
Digital technology
There is a digital renaissance that Māori can and should take a lead role in ensuring current and future generations have access to digital content and supporting technologies.
Work with computer manufacturers to assist with national rollout of Computers in Homes.
Review the 2008 Digital Strategy to ensure it is meeting the requirements of our digital environment
including responding to those with special needs.
Expand employment  opportunities  in the information,  computer and telecommunications  technology sector through  Ngā Pū Waea (rural and  ultrafast  broadband),
including  Māori  cadetship  in the digital creative sector.
Invest in opportunities to migrate Māori educational content into the digital environment (te reo versions of digital publications and books re-versioned in a Māori framework).
All citizens with access to email will have the option of receiving their mail from government departments via email.
Those who opt for this, will receive a government subsidy on their internet connection bill.
Disability
We will advance the ‘Be Accessible’ initiative and the New Zealand Disability Strategy to achieve a fully inclusive society.
We will establish a national Māori advocacy service.
We will extend individualised funding; and promote the Circle of Friends to enable disabled persons to live the life they wish.
Establish an annual Disability Employment Summit.
We will investigate post-school options to ensure this first generation of children who have experienced mainstreaming can continue to succeed.
We will individualise the resource for Day Services so that families can plan better to meet the needs.
Economic Development
Because iwi are major contributors to the economy, and owners of large natural resources, we support their investments in geothermal and water power plants.
We want to also profile their successes, and support growth with academically based training programmes.
We will produce a Māori Economic Strategy to address the drivers that underpin investment in iwi/Māori.
We will grow iwi/Māori participation in the economy by looking at:
Growth models (Genuine Progress Index).
Iwi Infrastructure/ Māori Economic Consortiums.
Māori Investment Capital Funds/ Māori Bank.
Māori Trademark and Intellectual property protection.
Māori/Iwi Economic Sector Infrastructure.
Māori representation on NZ Trade and Enterprise.
We will initiate Government joint ventures with industry to buy deep sea fish processors and boats
to avoid bringing in foreign contractors
and achieve at least 5000 local jobs.
We will encourage businesses to set up public/private partnerships where small/rural communities could benefit from industry;
the businesses could receive tax incentives for creating jobs in low income/high unemployment areas.
Education
Ensure early childhood education as the foundation to our future is affordable, available and responsive and includes initiatives such as PAFT, HIPPY, PAUSE, PAUA, kōhanga reo and whānau led centres.
Initiate nationwide discussion about compulsory early childhood education.
Encourage schools to engage with families to improve educational outcomes for young people – by increasing community literacy programmes, such as Reading Together; and working with families to improve their skills and qualifications.
We place a high priority on the rollout of literacy and numeracy strategies for deciles 1-3 schools;
and require that all children within the education system can read, write and count to their age.
We will advocate for a culturally inclusive curriculum
and open up ways where iwi, hapū can have direct input into local curriculum documents.
Implement financial literacy as a core component of the New Zealand curriculum from year 7 and 8.
We will investigate pastoral care models to ensure the appropriate support of Māori students in education.
Guaranteed mana whenua representation on the boards of all state schools.
We will review priorities based on an evaluation of progress achieved under Ka Hikitia.
Review progress of the recommendations in the 1996 Smith report on Māori boarding schools, including reviewing the impact of scholarships.
Nō  te hapori,  mo  te hapori,  i te hapori:   We will promote inter-generational  / whānau  engagement  in learning
and participation in work, community life and civil society.
Tāpapa Mātauranga
We will take a values and virtues approach to schooling, expecting excellence and achievement for all students.
We will promote the concept of self-managing schools which focus on whānau achievement and success.
We will support:
Roadshows to promote educational pathways in areas where Māori are under-represented -ie health science academies (Te Kura Pūtaiao Hauora) or science camps.
Arts and performance institutes to nurture our creative potential; or sports academies to grow our talent.
Initiatives to advance Māori academic leadership and scholarship excellence.
Diversify the current service academy model to include trade skills, culinary arts, medical, horticultural and agricultural studies.
Education – Teacher Professional Development
Embed nationwide implementation of Tātaiako: (cultural competence framework) by 2015.
We will promote a three year recruitment drive for 200 Māori to enter into the teaching profession,
especially those who are competent in te reo Māori.
This will involve a bonding scheme where a scholarship will be paid in return for years of service.
We will establish a multi-site Māori language teacher training centre
and a centre for Māori educational excellence in teaching and leadership.
Education – Tertiary
To ensure that all people have the chance to pursue tertiary education, we will introduce a fee reduction policy to reduce fees to a nominal level over time.
We will also increase access to student allowances, by reintroducing a universal student allowance – which will be set at the level of the unemployment benefit.
Student debt repayments should only start when you start earning 1.5 times the average wage.
There will be a five year grace period for repayments after graduation.
Student loans will remain interest free.
We will ensure Māori course and qualification completion is a  criterion for performance link  funding.
We will advocate for increased Māori representation on tertiary governance bodies, including mana whenua and Māori student representation.
Section 159G of the Education Act, which guides the operation of the Tertiary Education Commission, will be amended to refer to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Employment and training
We believe  we must  invest  in employment  opportunities  for  all  school-leavers  as  a strategic  investment  for the  nation.
Extend Community Max-Māori trade training- cadetships and apprenticeships across growth areas.
We will establish work based training incentives within public sector and local government (‘job-taster’ programmes) -rotation amongst different companies.
We will announce a short term subsidy to business owners who create new jobs for the unemployed; take on trainees; or instigate career pathways.
This will be aligned with a social marketing campaign to encourage employers to give a young person or a low-skilled person a chance of work.
We will establish incentives for innovative employment opportunities such as a steel-framed housing pilot; or enterprise workshops (tourism).
Strengthen the Careers Services to help whānau better understand NCEA and become whānau decision-makers on careers information;
and establish a Whānau Recruitment and Employment Agency.
We will reinstate the Training Incentive Allowance to support sole parents into work.
We will support investment in Teen Parent Units.
Encourage employers to develop part-time and flexible healthy working arrangements and subsidise childcare, to support whānau to benefit from quality time with their children as a vital ingredient in whānau ora and in doing so, addressing ‘time poverty’ as a cause of stress.
Promote collaborative arrangements between WINZ, iwi and education providers for training opportunities.
Work  and Income will  be  required to  publish  all  benefit  registers  each  and every month.
The benefit  registers will be  available  by age,  ethnicity,  gender  and location with  targets  negotiated  with  the Responsible Minister.
Wherever possible WINZ  will contract  with  iwi and whānau
to  assist  with  reducing  unemployment-
and to  provide opportunities  to  devolve functions  for whānau  cooperatives  to  tender  for contracts.
Energy
Government must invest in energy infrastructure and increase renewables in preparation for an oil-less world.
Increasing grid efficiency and reducing energy use, more efficient water pipelines, sewerage systems, wind farms, and the rail system will also generate employment and training opportunities (labouring, manufacturing).
Implement a renewable energy strategy to address our reliance on fossil fuels;
to be developed in consultation with iwi;
and which establishes a cross-party inquiry to investigate our response to the peak oil crisis.
We support a moratorium on off-shore drilling to enable full consultation, particularly with mana whenua, on the appropriate mechanisms to ensure any adverse economic, environmental, social and cultural risks are managed.
We will implement the Crown Minerals (Effective and Meaningful Engagement with Iwi, Hapū, and Whānau) Amendment Bill to ensure full consultation and negotiation with mana whenua / mana moana before any mining contracts are let.
Environment
We believe in the efficient use of water, energy conservation and the need for sustainable environmental management.
We are concerned about water management; restoration of water quality; and environmentally sustainable land use that does not degrade our water systems.
Develop iwi environmental monitoring and evaluation on the quality of water in our rivers, lakes, seas and rural water supplies to homes and marae; and develop options for improving the water quality as a result.
We will ensure that iwi, as Treaty partners, are involved in the governance, management and decision-making on freshwater within their rohe.
Expand the mandate of the Environmental Protection Authority to include crown minerals and freshwater.
Transfer the role of kaitiaki back from the Department of Conservation to mana whenua.
Retain and resource the Enviroschools / Kura Taiao.
We will subsidise organisations to undertake environmental impact assessments to support businesses becoming more environmental friendly.
Foreign Affairs
We support immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan.
We seek to bring the activity associated with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples permanently to Aotearoa.
Health
We want our whānau to be the best that they can be and to be supported by an equitable, sustainable health system.
We want to accelerate clinical and service integration;
and achieve more of a focus on targets which enable public reporting.
Prioritise oral health including instigating an annual oral health check for low income families.
Continue to address the increases in diseases of poverty such as rheumatic fever and meningitis.
Establish youth wellbeing centres
in consultation with rangatahi.
Bariatric surgery for at least 1000 more people each year to address obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
Review the Health Act to ensure implementation of rongoa Māori.
Investigate a co-management model for Māori statutory representatives on DHBs to increase their influence.
New DHB representatives to be appointed by Minister responsible for Māori Health.
Establish a health workforce project for pay parity to retain Māori nurses in iwi providers.
Investment in development pathways for the non-regulated workforce (community health workers).
Refocus Māori Provider development to focus on outcomes in areas where services need to grow.
We will review the work conditions, pay and training opportunities for those working in the elderly, disability and home care sector
Housing
We need to strengthen whānau capacity to identify housing solutions;
improve agency capability to respond,
and address homelessness, overcrowding and substandard housing.
Devolve state housing to Māori and Pasifika community groups for whānau to purchase their own homes, including a rent-to-own scheme.
Assessments for housing need of rentals undertaken by Housing NZ to be inclusive of whānau, e.g. accounting for health, social, cultural and economic wellbeing.
We will promote the Lifemark design as a quality standard to ensure houses are accessible, usable and easy to adapt as people’s needs change over time.
Direct the Social Housing Unit to respond to the Auditor General’s report into better utilisation of Māori land to support whānau initiatives into housing; including building on Māori land in multiple ownership.
We will better match support available including a review of Kāinga Whenua loans and Māori Demonstration Partnership funds, to assist more Māori into affordable housing on their own land.
Review adequacy of the accommodation supplement.
Encourage whānau designed housing.
Immigration
To compete globally it is important that new citizens share our understanding of history.
All new citizens to complete a course in the history of Te Tiriti o Waitangi as part of receiving citizenship.
Justice
The Māori Party will push for a review into the entire justice system.
We seek to restructure the Justice system upon the basis of the Treaty of Waitangi and the foundation of partnership.
A justice system that encompasses te ao Māori, tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori —principles and practices of Māori justice.
We will.
 Throw  out  the three-strikes  legislation.
 Extend  Whare Oranga  Ake to  every prison service.
 Initiate Computers  in Cells  to  foster literacy and numeracy.
Support whānau-focused alcohol and drug, addiction, recovery and restoration services; including in prisons.
Reintroduce preferred lawyer status—legal aid.
Review protocols around police use of guns and tasers.
Develop a criminal justice strategy with emphasis on a community justice strategy and justice reinvestment.
Introduce legislation to ensure that assets maintained by white collar criminals are able to be used to pay outstanding debts to investors.
Disestablish the Independent Police Conduct Authority
It is important that the public has trust and confidence in New Zealand Police.
The Independent Police Conduct Authority will be disestablished.
Its functions will be transferred to the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Agree on fair, appropriate compensation for the women who appeared before the Commission of Inquiry into Police Misconduct so all women are empowered to call Police when they need help.
Establish an Anti-Corruption Commission
Transparency International (NZ)  has  observed that  “The  numerous agencies in government responsible for  minimising corruption represent a  problem....
There should be fewer, more centralised,  controlling agencies.”
We agree with them.
It  worries  us  that  no  agency has  any  obligation to  report  misconduct or serious  misconduct  incidents; and that  we have  no  reliable independent  measure of  corruption  or inter agency co-ordination  where incidents  arise.
The Commission itself will conduct investigations, and report to Parliament annually.
It is possible that the Anti-Corruption Commission may absorb investigative functions of the State Services Commission; Serious Fraud Office, Judicial Conduct Commissioner and Conduct Panel and the Parliamentary Privileges Select committee.
Local Government
Major structural change in local government is needed to successfully engage Māori and secure their full confidence, trust, faith and participation in decision-making.
This includes restructuring for greater power-sharing with Māori.
Amend  the Local Government  and Resource Management  Acts  to  require robust  and accountable  work practices  by local government  when working with  mana whenua.
Establishing mana whenua statutory boards at local government.
Introduce the RMA National Policy Statement on Māori participation, including iwi/Māori management committees and treaty representation.
Amend Local Government Act 2002 to ensure no district, city or regional council can charge the public to take books out from their public libraries.
Rangatahi
Over half of the Maori population (53%) is under 25 years of age; one in four is under ten years.
Investing in young people is essential if we are committed to investing in our future.
The Investing in Young People initiative will place a greater focus on the preferences of young New Zealanders.
We will establish internships, voluntary work and other vocational development including specialised programmes run jointly by employers and schools.
Each school-leaver will be mentored by Work Brokers, to enable them to graduate with a plan which prepares them for employment including possible career opportunities and tertiary study options.
We will  focus  on sectors with  the  biggest  skills shortages:  healthcare,  infrastructure,  finance and  green  energy,
recognising  that  green  energy developments  will open up  jobs  that  don’t  exist  now.
We will establish youth councils with statutory advisory roles in city and regional councils;
and initiate a national summit for rangatahi.
We will investigate the establishment of rangatahi rangatira – Māori youth leadership ‘colleges’ to better inform Government policy.
Research and Development
Successfully aligning investments in science and innovation with Māori business potentially will lead to 150,000 additional jobs per year in the New Zealand economy by 2060; and an additional $12b pa in GDP from the Māori economy.
Establish a priority investment  fund for Māori  Research  and Development.
We will promote collaboration between Māori entrepreneurs, scientists  and innovators  to  improve opportunities,  jobs  and incomes.
Create and resource a real and virtual incubation hub for hapū and iwi to test the economic viability of new ideas on the local and global market and to mentor researchers.
Social Development
Establish a Ministry of Families inclusive of children, young people and whānau.
The new Ministry will include functions from the Families Commission, the Children’s Commission- Family and Community Services, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Child, Youth and Family and the Office for Senior Citizens.
The new Ministry’s focus will be on the care and protection of children
and the prevention of family violence and sexual violence.
We will support the delivery of frontline services to whānau to restore safety and wellbeing
while still maintaining zero tolerance for violence.
We will review the Domestic Violence Act 1995.
Social Hazards
Our commitment to strong, healthy families means:
Alcohol taxation; minimum pricing and advertising are the most powerful tools to reduce alcohol harm.
We seek to reduce hazardous alcohol intake, by removing alcohol from supermarkets and dairies.
No outlets will be allowed to sell alcohol within 5km of schools.
There will be increased community involvement in decision-making.
We support an increase in raising the age of purchase (online and offline) from 18 years to 20.
Enact the Gambling (gambling harm reduction) amendment bill to provide local communities with more power to determine where pokie machines may be sited, and in how the proceeds can be distributed.
Introduce plain packaging and advance the tobacco control strategy for Aotearoa to be smokefree by 2025.
Introduce an Inquiry to shut down loan sharks.
Sport and Recreation
Establish a National Māori Sports Federation: Te Tira Rangaranga ā Rēhia
with funding to assist Māori sports achievers at a national level and support Māori sporting codes to be self-sustaining.
We will invest in the funding of youth co-ordinators and sports coaches to enable a wider range of afterschool activities for school aged children.
Support funding for Māori women’s rugby
and advocacy for the Māori All Blacks for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Promote water safety skills including community swimming pools, increasing accessibility.
State Services; Treasury and DPMC
Increase the pool of experienced Māori directors to provide better outcomes by requiring and reporting on Māori and Pacific representation on Crown Company Boards, State Owned Enterprises, Crown Entities, Crown Research Institutes and District Health Boards.
TPK to provide training opportunities / governance.
We will increase representation of Māori women and rangatahi Māori across all state sector appointments.
Develop strategies to bring levels of salary for women to the same levels as their male counterparts for similar work.
Superannuation
The Māori Party has always advocated lowering the age of entitlement to New Zealand superannuation to 60 years for groups whose life expectancy is lower than average.
A lower entitlement age will allow more equitable uptake of New Zealand superannuation for all citizens.
All those who reach a certain asset threshold will be mean-tested.
Taxation
No tax on the first $25,000 earned.
Incentivise small businesses to grow, by reducing unnecessary compliance.
All food will be exempt from GST knowing that GST hits low income people disproportionately.
Remove tax from prescription medicines
and investigate the viability of green prescriptions.
Implement  financial transaction tax which  curbs  the ability of  speculators to  make tax-free profits  from  short-term  investments  in our financial markets.
The tax would  also  raise  significant  government  revenue.
Transport
We will reduce transport disadvantage, by shifting the focus of private car use to one where public transport, walking and cycling are core.
We want to rebuild neighbourhoods,
focus on community safety
and be connected to our environment.
Improving urban design and broadband, so that people are less likely to have to travel, or can walk or cycle.
Ko te reo te mauri o te Mana Māori!
   Nā Tā Hemi Henare
Te Reo Rangatira, Te Reo Māori is the first language of Aotearoa.
The Waitangi Tribunal found that Te Reo is a taonga and as such is guaranteed the protection of the Crown.
The Wai 262 Report, however, shows how government’s Māori Language Strategy  has failed  – while more Māori and non-Māori know more Māori words and phrases, there is a dwindling pool of fluent speakers.
But Te Reo Māori is much more than a language of communication, it contains within it the fields of Māori philosophy and knowledge that is at the heart of Māori culture, heritage and wellbeing.
  All Te Reo Māori initiatives have struggled to achieve their goals because of the heavy cultural and financial limitations forced on them by the government agencies they report to.
Numbers of Te Kohanga Reo dropped from 850 to 460 after the movement was shifted from Te Puni Kōkiri to the Ministry of Education.
  The Labour government put a cap on the number of Ngā Kura Kaupapa that could be opened shutting off parents ongoing access to Te Reo after Kohanga.
The number of Wānanga was capped at three by government once Wānanga had shown that they could attract huge numbers of Māori (and later non-Māori) into tertiary education.
  Most Māori PTE’s that grew from MACCESS have closed due to limitations put on them by NZQA and funding cuts by TEC.
The majority of the funding spent on Te Reo Māori at the moment, is not in Kohanga, kura, immersion classrooms or Māori broadcasting, it is spent in mainstream classrooms.
Ministry of Education research shows that little is retained two years after the learner leaves school. 
Recommendations:
Establish an independent Te Reo Māori Authority
elected by Māori voters at general elections.
The Authority will be responsible for the protection of Te Reo Māori and Matauranga Māori.
All funding that currently is spent by government through its agencies will now be allocated by the Authority – this includes that now spent by Education, Te Puni Kōkiri, Te Māngai Pāho, Taura Whiti i te Reo Māori.
Following an review and audit of current provision The Authority will set its policies for Te Reo Māori and Matauranga Māori and fund accordingly
The Authority will develop the curriculum it believes will develop learners who will fully realise their potential from a baseline of cultural knowledge and practice.
Ngā Kohanga Reo, Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori, Ngā Wānanga and all Te Reo Māori providers will be funded by The Authority rather than the Ministry of Education and The Tertiary Education Commission
The Authority will approve the curriculum for Te Reo Māori and Matauranga Māori that is followed at all levels in mainstream early childhood, schools, high schools and tertiary and will fund these activities.
The Authority will evaluate the Te Reo and Matauranga Māori outcomes it is purchasing through all medium – education, broadcasting, promotional, community, whānau and īwi and adjust its funding to achieve the best outcomes.
Lead research on language acquisition to develop initiatives to accelerate learners ability to speak Te Reo and practice Matauranga Māori.
The Authority is responsible for achieving a nation in which 100% of all New Zealanders can hold a conversation in Te Reo Māori by 2040
DRAFT Treaty Settlements Policy
The purpose of the Treaty settlements system is to justly settle Crown breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
  A suite of policy changes is needed to ensure claims lodged under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 are settled more justly.
Mana Party policy priorities are to:
Remove the 2014 deadline for lodging historical claims with the Waitangi Tribunal to better enable iwi with such claims to properly research and state their cases.
Increase resourcing of the Waitangi Tribunal so that it is better able to hear and expedite the settlement of claims in a fair and timely manner.
Expand the jurisdiction of the Waitangi Tribunal to make binding recommendations in certain cases.
Increase the value of settlements to iwi by introducing a graduated system of settlement rather than a one-off settlement package.
  This would replace the current “full-and-final” settlement system and would enable the Crown to justly settle claims over time.
Establish an independent Treaty of Waitangi Commission,
where the Commissioner is elected by Māori voters at general elections.
  A key role of the Commission would be to oversee the recommendations of the Waitangi Tribunal and the negotiations of the Office of Treaty Settlements to better protect the rights of iwi claimants.
Prioritise the return of Crown owned lands including those held by State Owned Enterprises where there are proven claims over those lands in keeping with the maxim “Me riro whenua atu, me hoki whenua mai”.
Ensure that the texts of He Whakaputanga o Ngā Rangatiratanga o Niu Tireni and Te Tiriti o Waitangi are the reference points in settlement dealings between iwi and the Crown, and not the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Abolish Crown appointment of brokers and facilitators to effect settlements, and ensure iwi have the capacity to select their own leaders and appoint their own advisers without Crown interference.
Begin a process to settle the way in which political and legal power is structured in Aotearoa New Zealand.
  Settlement must include meaningful constitutional transformation.
Health Policy
A key focus of the Mana Party is to improve the standard of living of low income whānau in terms of housing, income, and employment.
  An adequate level of housing,
a liveable income,
and a job with good work conditions where people are in charge of their lives, are key determinants for whānau health and wellbeing.
  Working to bring about higher standards of living are critical to addressing the health issues that Māori currently face, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, respiratory conditions like asthma and emphysema, and rheumatic fever (rheumatic heart disease).
Other contributing factors are smoking, alcohol, poor diet,
and the lack of access to non-discriminatory, quality health care.
  The public health system needs to be more comprehensive and include oral, visual, and aural health care.
  The significantly greater tax take from the “Hone Heke tax” would fund expanded health services and new initiatives.
Mana Party policy priorities are to:
Eradicate third world diseases from New Zealand.
Support the development of a high quality public health system which is free and accessible for all New Zealanders.
Reduce accessibility to tobacco products and ban tobacco advertising, with a goal to ban the importation, manufacture and sale of tobacco in New Zealand.
In the medium term we see cigarettes provided from pharmacies on prescription.
Ban the advertising of alcohol.
  As with tobacco, the idea is to target alcohol companies to reduce the harmful effects of alcohol consumption.
Introduce restrictions on the advertising of unhealthy kai, including that of fast food chains, to children and young people,
and to more strongly regulate what goes into processed foods and beverages.
Remove GST from all food (and everything else)
but introduce a tax on fast foods and soft drinks.
Provide healthy meals for all children at school.
Introduce free after-hours medical care for children under 16 years and for senior citizens.
Eliminate institutional discrimination in the health system through greater ethnicity-based auditing, a more effective governance system, the expansion of Māori health provision, and health workforce development to address racism in health care workers and systems.
Introduce plain language information for users of health services to improve health literacy.
Include health care services for teeth, eyes and ears within the subsidised primary health care system.
Develop a paramedic training programme for areas where health services are scarce.
Support the Pharmac model of affordable medicine and protect it from drug company cartels through unfair trade agreements.
Levy private health providers to contribute to the public health system where they transfer patients to maintain private profitability.
Provide free family planning and contraceptive advice.
Provide for a community veto on pokie venues, liquor outlets, loan sharks and fast food companies in local neighbourhoods.
Provide free dental care as an integral part of the health system.
Livelihoods Policy
The wellbeing of individuals and whānau depends on a decent and secure livelhood so people can live in dignity.
  Some workers are not well supported at work and do not receive an adequate living wage for their work.
  Unemployment is on the rise again,
and Māori unemployment continues to be nearly three times that of non-Māori.
Youth are particularly affected by unemployment.
Māori resources are not used to benefit Māori small businesses or workers; the trickle-down approach of Treaty settlements has not worked. 
The crises of climate change, peak oil, and food security mean that we have to prepare now for the post-carbon (post-oil) world by recovering traditional approaches to sustainable livelihoods and discovering new strategies.
To maintain current jobs and create new, better quality jobs, especially for young people,
requires investing in and developing new, sustainable economic development and employment initiatives.
MANA policy priorities are to:
Pursue measures to provide full employment (with full employment the unemployment benefit would not be needed).
Immediately increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour (1 April 2012) and raise it to two-thirds of the average wage (1 April 2013).
  We oppose the call to reintroduce a lower minimum wage for youth.
Ensure no-one leaves school without moving to employment or training.
Develop an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable economic development programme with national and regional development strategies.
Support changes to employment relations laws that give workers greater bargaining power to negotiate wages and conditions with their employers, and oppose changes that reduce the bargaining power of workers and unions.
Introduce a requirement for all State-Owned Enterprises and Māori corporate entities to prioritise the employment of New Zealand residents or face significant financial penalties.
Incentivise the processing of New Zealand resources in New Zealand so the value-added component benefits the country.
Introduce a scheme to create new community service jobs for those currently unemployed.
This would involve work in schools, hospitals, retirement villages, kuia/koroua flats, and community organisations.
  Workers would be paid the minimum wage instead of a benefit,
and workplace adult literacy and numeracy learning would be provided where required.
Increase government investment in pāpākainga and other community housing construction projects in areas where there are shortages of low cost rental housing,
significantly boosting employment in the construction industry.
  (Investment in environmentally sustainable housing is of particular interest as it is more labour-intensive, having the potential to create greater levels of employment)
Support the creation of quality apprenticeship schemes that can train young people in trades training, without the burden of high tertiary education fees.
Economic Justice
The rising cost of living means that more people are struggling to make ends meet and provide a decent standard of living for their whānau.
  The rising cost of kai, petrol, electricity, and rents have contributed to this, as well as the recent increase to GST.
Small increases in the minimum wage and the small tax cuts to low income earners have not been enough to meet these rising costs.
  Official reports show that the gap between high and low income earners in Aotearoa continues to grow, and it is estimated that 170,000 children live in poverty.
Many whānau have borrowed to make up the falling real value of wages over the last 25 years, meaning that low income whānau have become easy bait for loan sharks.
  Recent changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) also mean that whānau will pay much more than their fair share towards the cost of reducing global warming/climate change from 2012.
  More cuts to essential public services such as health and education will be made to cover the costs of bailouts and other corporate welfare, making low income whānau even less well off.
Mana Party policy priorities are to:
Abolish GST
Significantly increase the tax take by introducing a tax on financial speculation, called the “Hone Heke tax” (chopping down GST and income tax), which will be designed using examples of similar taxes introduced overseas.
Initially it will be used to replace the annual $15 billion collected by GST.
Immediately increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour (by 1 April 2012) and peg it at two-thirds of the average wage (1 April 2013).
Mana opposes the call to reintroduce a lower minimum wage for youth aged 16-17 years.
Support changes to employment relations laws that give workers greater bargaining power to negotiate wages and conditions with their employers, and oppose changes that reduce the bargaining power of workers and unions.
Increase benefit incomes to a living income, including extending the in-work tax credit to the children of beneficiary parents.
Abandon the market-based provision of essential services such as electricity and water in favour of non-profit and sustainable provision of those services.
Regulate loan sharks
and restrict banks’ profit margins on loans, credit cards, and mortgages.
Reduce the tax paid by low income earners by not taxing the first $27,000 earned
and introduce a more progressive tax scale where the wealthy accept the responsibility to pay the largest share of the tax income.
Introduce a capital gains tax on all but the family home and Maori land.
Collating all sources of income, including from shares, bonds and investments, to be taxed at an individual’s personal tax rate.
Reintroduce inheritance tax to be paid on a progressive scale for inheritances valued at over $500,000.
Regulate family trusts and other tax avoidance devices.
Close corporate tax loopholes to make sure that all businesses, especially transnational companies, pay their full share of tax.
NOTE:
Mana’s economic justice policy will put a lot more money in the pockets of low-income New Zealanders.
A person working 40 hours a week on the minimum wage ($13) earns $520 and after tax of they take home $447.
Mana will increase this worker’s spending power by $132 per week. ($72 from making the first $27,000 tax free and approx $60 from abolishing GST)
This $132 comes BEFORE the increase in the minimum wage.
Spending power each week (worker on min. wage working 40 hour per week)
Under National/Act/Maori Party government   $447
Under Labour (GST off fresh fruit and vegetables and first $5000 tax free)    An extra $16 per week
Under Mana (Abolish GST and the first $27,000 tax free)    An extra $132per week
Education Policy
A 100% free, high quality education system is the best investment a country can make in its own future.
Not only is Education not free, it is failing Māori and it is failing the poor.
It is time for an overhaul.
The qualifications gap between the rich and the poor and between Māori and non-Māori must be closed
to give every school leaver similar opportunities to get jobs or to get into higher education.
Learners from poor communities  get much fewer qualifications than those from the more well off areas.
  And Māori get much fewer qualifications than non Māori whatever the neighbourhood, rich or poor.
This matters because this is what school leavers are judged on for their first few jobs or to get into most tertiary level courses
The gap begins early with younger Māori and younger low income mothers giving birth with fewer resources and skills to give their children the best start.
It continues at preschool where Māori and low income families are less likely to access early childhood education at all.
When they do access it, they are limited by the costs and by availability whether in state, community or privately owned ECE.
The gap is locked in at primary and secondary schools.
Children are force fed through a system built to turn field hands into factory workers.
This system is out of date for today’s young and for the fast paced multimedia multitasking world they live in.
For those fortunate learners who make it to tertiary, they are then up against huge costs.
Mana believes that it is inhumane to saddle young people with a huge student debt before they have even started their working life.
Mana would put some of the takings from the Hone Heke tax to ensuring free, accessible , high quality education services across the entire sector from preschools through to tertiary.
This includes free tertiary education for all.
Early Childhood
Intensive support for those parents who need it for the first three years of the babies life.
Ensure quality standards and equal funding for all early childhood centres.
Ensure families in low and middle income areas have access to free, quality ECE
Streamline processes for parents to establish new community owned and state owned ECE
Te Reo Authority to set curriculum for, fund and audit Te Reo and Matauranga Māori outcomes in all ECE’s
Schooling
Review of current way education is delivered to find better ways of engaging learners so they are best prepared for their world.
This will include research showing what works for Māori, Pacifika and children of the poor.
Support the principle of free state and community owned schools.
Cancel public  private partnership contracts for schools
Build schools into Taiāo Hauora centres with free dental, healthcare and social support.
Includes free breakfasts and lunch for all children
– starting with children in low income areas,
community gardens for all schools,
working on the environmental issues in their area
and every school to have easy access to a swimming pool.
Build schools as community centres  – with home – school literacy partnerships,
restoration of community education,
development of trades training and other tertiary courses available.
Create more community-based jobs in schools.
Abolish National Standards and replace with information that lets parents know how well their children are doing compared to other children, nationally, without the bad effects of the current direction.
Te Reo Authority to set curriculum for, fund and audit Te Reo and Matauranga Māori outcomes in all schools
Tertiary
Reduce and then end all tertiary education fees over time.
  In the meantime there should be no further interest on student loans
Provide students with community-based jobs to help them complete their courses and reduce their debt
Provide graduates with incentives to work in areas where there is an identified need
Māori providers of tertiary education to be funded as a Treaty partnership responsibility of the Crown
Phase out funding for PTEs,
but review and audit crown owned tertiary institutes to ensure they pick up the gaps left behind (i.e. ensure ongoing access for students)
Environment & Energy Policy
Mana believes that the health and happiness of the people of Aotearoa is inextricably linked to the wellbeing of Papatuanuku.
Māori practices of Kaitiakitanga have a key role to play in moving to adopting environmental, economic and social practices that are consistent with this view.
Successive governments have failed to recognise that Papatuanuku has limited resources that need to be used respectfully.
Economic growth has been put ahead of the environment, resulting in lands, air, coastal areas and waterways becoming degraded.
The global environmental crisis of climate change and peak oil urgently requires us to develop more sustainable modes of living and to prepare for the post carbon (post oil) world that is coming.
Climate change cannot be successfully addressed without acknowledging that it is caused by the capitalist economic system which requires perpetual economic growth no matter what the cost.
A more equitable distribution of resources both locally and internationally is critical to changing how people interact with the earth, deal with climate change and protect the environment.
Mana rejects so called market solutions to climate change and environmental degradation.
  Such attempts conceal the causes of the problems and open up new mechanisms for profiteering by the rich elites at the expense of the environment, the poor and the vulnerable.
We will repeal the present Emission Trading Scheme.
Mana proposes to replace it with policies and regulations that will lead to a genuine reduction in carbon emissions
in a fair and just way.
Mana believes the Precautionary Principle should be applied to the introduction of all new technology.
This means that if an action or policy might cause harm to people or the environment, those who are taking the action or implementing the policy must prove that it is harmless, unless there is already scientific consensus to this effect.
At an international level Mana supports the People’s Agreement On Climate Change And The Rights Of Mother Earth, The Indigenous People’s Declaration: ‘Mother Earth Can Live Without Us, But We Can’t Live Without Her’, and the Universal Declaration Of The Rights Of Mother Earth, which came out of the World Peoples Conference on Climate Change & the Rights of Mother Earth held in Cochabamba, Bolivia in April 2010.
Policy priorities for Mana are:
Give hapu and iwi decision making powers equal to government and local government in developing environmental policies relating to biodiversity, prospecting, the management of coastal areas and RMA plans so they can exercise Kaitiakitanga over lands, coastal areas and waterways.
  Action Section 33 of the RMA which allows local authorities to hand over functions, powers and duties to iwi.
Resource hapu and iwi to carry out the above
Ban fracking
Ban deep sea oil exploration and drilling.
Ban the growing and experimentation of GE and GM crops.
Establish a body to assess the social and environmental impacts of new technologies like nanotechnology, geoengineering and synthetic biology.
This body will apply the precautionary principle when assessing these technologies.
Mana will also support the establishment of an international agency to carry out this work.
Support research into bioremediation of toxic materials using nature’s own microorganisms.
Promote and resource organic food production including hua parakore foods
and extend current funding for the establishment of maara kai by whanau, marae and communities.
Develop a land transition plan which will include regulation of farming practices to reduce environmental damage,
improve the quality of waterways,
increase localised food self-sufficiency
and reduce dependency on export agricultural production.
Protect New Zealanders’ rights to save heritage seeds and exchange food.
Develop alternative food production, ownership and distribution methods to free New Zealanders from the clutches of international food companies and local supermarket chains.
Work towards a coal free Aotearoa within 20 years
with just transition to other work for workers employed in coal mining.
An affordable and comprehensive public transport system will be a priority.
The main cities will directly own and control their own public transport systems
and be subsidised to charge a one dollar a day fare which will bring about significant reductions in private car use.
A rural network of affordable public transport will be established.
Invest in the development of widespread, small scale sustainable energy generation such as solar, wind and micro-hydro by households and communities.
Invest in the research and development of clean energy systems.
Stop the privatisation of energy companies.
Our energy companies should be used as frontline organisations for the development and introduction of renewable energy technology
that will be publicly owned and used for the public good.
Encourage and fund the regeneration of native forests.
Ban the use of 1080 and invest in alternative methods (and employment opportunities) to control pest and rodents.
Establish a container deposit scheme which will require collection of a deposit when the container is bought (eg soft drink, juice, milk, water, alcohol) –when container is returned, the deposit is refunded.
Require manufacturers and importers to take responsibility for the entire life cycle of their products.
Funding for bio security will be at a level that will enable the highest possible standards in marine and land bio security.
Avoid the use of toxic chemicals wherever possible
and strictly regulate for environmental impact, responsible use, collection and storage
and health and safety for workers where their use is unavoidable.
There are many opportunities for job creation within the area of nurturing and restoring our physical environment
and beginning to transition to a world where climate change and resource depletion will have an ever increasing impact on our people and on our physical environment.  (click here to view our Livelihoods policy).
Housing Policy
A decent home is a necessary foundation for families to flourish.
  Too many individuals and whanau live in inadequate, substandard, overcrowded or unsafe accommodation.
Mana believes that everyone has a right to secure, healthy housing, whether they live in cities or rural districts.
Māori suffer disproportionately from inadequate housing, and continue to experience discrimination both in accessing decent accommodation and in the ability to borrow capital to build on Maori land.
  It is time that Aotearoa abided by treaties like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples, with the state guaranteeing provision of adequate shelter for all.
Homelessness is a much bigger issue in Aotearoa today than many people realise.
  Much more needs to be done to ensure that housing is available where and when people need it,  through secure, affordable rentals
and through improved access to loans for those who aspire to home ownership.
All new housing should conform to high standards of energy efficiency and sustainable construction and design standards.
Mana policy priorities are to:
Acknowledge the reality of homelessness in Aotearoa by making it a duty of Government to ensure every individual and family is housed, in secure, safe and affordable accommodation.
Develop a national housing strategy based on quality research which identifies true levels of homelessness and substandard living arrangements.
Build 20,000 more state houses within the next two years.
  This will start to deal with the current crisis in housing availability for low income people,
and will also create jobs and training opportunities.
Maintain income related rents at no more than 25% of income for state, local government and community and iwi social housing.
Introduce a ‘warrant of fitness’ for all rental housing, to ensure no accommodation is let without basic standards being met, including sanitation, insulation, warmth, fire safety and the removal of any toxic materials.
Provide adequate ongoing funding for emergency housing, women’s refuges and supported housing for those with particular health and social needs – in every district.
Increase funding and other support for tenants’ protection groups.
Introduce a major pāpākainga housing programme,
which works to overcome in sensitive, practical ways the many current barriers to building housing on Maori communally owned land.
Extend the range of options for assistance with home purchase for low and middle income earners.
Increase Government support for third sector housing providers – whanau, hapu and iwi, community and church based organisations who work to provide quality social housing (rental and owned) in local areas.
  Support the development of indigenous housing models,
as well as sweat equity, shared equity, eco housing, cooperative housing and other innovative forms of home ownership.
Maintain and increase rural housing improvement programmes which enable whanau to bring their homes up to decent health and safety standards.
Government to assist with the establishment of  a community owned banking network, either as a new entity or as a non-profit stand alone part of Kiwibank, with functions including:
Assisting with housing loans for papakainga and other tangata whenua
and community based social housing initiatives
Providing capital for the development of other community enterprises which support job creation, and the meeting of social, cultural and environmental needs.
Enabling genuine community ownership through democratically elected, accountable shareholder directors.
Increase funding and support for environmentally sustainable and low cost, low tech building trades training programmes.
Establish the right of people to remain in or return to their home rohe without penalty from the state;
increase Government support for rural districts, including through greater assistance with public transport, sewerage, water, wastewater, waste, roading and other infrastructure.
Social Wellbeing Policy
In Aotearoa today, one in five children are growing up in poverty.
  Wages are low, much work is precarious, and benefits are paid at levels too low to enable people to survive with dignity.
  Unemployment remains high,
 and impacts disproportionately on Māori and young people.
Mana believes that every adult has a right to a decent job, or to training and education that will enable them to get a  job.
  Investment in full employment and other sustainable livelihoods,
and creating an enabling environment for iwi and community economic development
are critical to breaking cycles of unemployment and poverty.
Anyone who is unable to support themselves because they are out of work, sick, injured, disabled, elderly, or a sole parent deserves support from a compassionate welfare system. 
The current system is far too complicated.
It wastes huge amounts of taxpayers’ money on administration,
and does not provide even minimal adequate support for most people on benefits.
  All too often people coming to Work and Income are treated with disregard and contempt.
At the same time social harms like violence, abuse and neglect, problem drinking and gambling and other deeply rooted social and health issues impact significantly on many individuals, families and their wider whanau.
Mana believes that all children deserve the best possible chance in life,
and that adults and children alike have the right to live free from violence, neglect and abuse. 
The Government has a role in helping to deal with these problems,
as do whanau,  hapū and iwi, and church, community, union and other voluntary organisations.
Everyone deserves access to quality, culturally appropriate social services whether delivered by the state or by non government organisations. 
The non government sector – community groups and roopu Māori – has the capacity to achieve far more than is currently possible, should the State choose to provide an enabling rather than paternalistic environment in which these organisations can flourish.
Social policy and social development should be set within the framework of the provisions of Te Tiriti o Waitangi,
the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.
Welfare
Make full employment a top priority of government.
Provide a one-off hardship grant of $1,000 for every person aged 18 and over who is on an income of $30,000 or less, whether they are on a benefit or in paid work.
  To be paid by Christmas 2011, to enable people to address immediate needs.
Work towards implementing a Universal Tax Credit/Universal Basic Income where everyone in Aotearoa aged 18 and over would receive a minimum, liveable, tax free income after which progressive tax would kick in.
  This would eliminate the huge costs involved in administering the current shame and blame Work & Income system,
end poverty traps,
and assist in creating a far more equal society.
Redirect some accommodation supplement funds to enable many more beneficiaries and other low income earners to rent from state, iwi and community owned housing providers on an income related basis,
or participate in rent-to-buy initiatives,
rather than continuing to provide subsidies to private landlords.
Lift benefits to at least pre 1991 equivalent levels – National slashed benefits in 1991, and these cuts have never been restored.
Index benefits to a fixed, adequate percentage of the average wage, as happens currently with superannuation.
Extend the In Work tax credit to the children of beneficiary parents.
  This would immediately lift incomes for beneficiary families.
Reinstate the Training Incentive Allowance for people on the DPB (Domestic Purposes Benefit) so they can access all levels of tertiary education.
Maintain national superannuation as a universal payment for everyone aged 65 and over.
Throw out the current social security law which is complex and out of date, and write new law based on making the welfare system simple
and fair,
based on the principles of manaakitanga.
Radically change the culture of Work & Income so that people coming in for assistance are treated with respect, granted their full entitlements,
and so that staff are trained and supported to work sensitively with people from a diverse range of backgrounds.
First steps will include:
Removing review of decisions from the Benefit Review Committees to a far more independent body.
Creating an independent social security ombudsman to deal with complaints against Work & Income staff who humiliate or mistreat people.
Implement a social marketing campaign to begin to undo the negative stereotyping of beneficiaries.
Provide stable, ongoing funding for community based beneficiary and ACC advocacy groups throughout the country.
Children
Support a framework of universal health & wellbeing screening for all babies and children.
  One possible model is Te Ara Tukutuku Ngā Whanaungtanga o Ngā Tamariki, as presented by former Children’s Commissioner Cindy Kiro in 2008.
End child poverty (see welfare, employment & cost of living policies).
Recognise that the work of raising children is as important as paid work;
extend paid parental leave for up to one year;
and support quality early childhood and out of school education (see education policy).
Increase funding and other support for children with disabilities and their families and whanau.
Ensure that the needs and rights of tamariki and rangatahi are reflected in all policy that may affect them, and where possible, involve children and young people in planning and decision making.
Ensure quality mental health services for children and young people are adequately funded and available in all parts of the country.
Family Violence
Promote in every way practicable a culture of non-violence in the home, school and communities.
Resource and support parenting education in schools,
and increase funding for quality parent and family support programmes in the community.
Provide stable, sufficient funding for women’s refuge, rape crisis, men’s stopping violence groups and other organisations working to support those affected by family violence.
Provide free counseling and well subsidised legal support for those affected by family and sexual violence.
CYFS   (Child, Youth and Family)
Improve the quality and accountability of CYFS services throughout the country, including in rural and provincial rohe.
Ensure adequate training and support for staff.
Develop an organisational culture which respects and understands the children, families, whanau and communities served by CYFS.
Set up an independent review and appeals system for those who have complaints about CYFS.
Adoption – Discard the Adoption Act 1955.
Replace and update it with new legislation which takes into account many factors, including whāngai adoption,
and an understanding that overall, the welfare and rights of children should be paramount.
Gambling
Pokie machines are an extremely harmful and deliberately addictive form of gambling.
  Therefore Mana seeks to:
Abolish pokie machines from local communities
and allow a community veto on pokies in casinos.
Remove the distribution of pokie profits from the gaming charities, and allocate funding through established, publicly accountable mechanisms such as COGS or Internal Affairs Lotteries committees.
Prohibit smoking in all gambling venues.
End gambling advertising in all media.
Ensure that organisations which deal with the harms created by problem gambling are adequately resourced out of its proceeds.
Alcohol
The misuse and abuse of alcohol takes a high health, social and economic toll on individuals, families and communities.
  Mana therefore seeks to:
Give communities a veto over whether and where liquor outlets are established.
End alcohol advertising on radio and TV
and replace sponsorship of cultural and spots events by alcohol companies with government funding.
Strengthen liquor legislation to reduce teenage drinking.
Increase alcohol taxes,
and use the income generated to help fund adequate, quality alcohol and drug addiction services across the country.
Tangata Whenua, Community & Voluntary Sector
Ensure Government departments understand and recognise the key role  this sector plays in enhancing social, cultural, environmental, and economic wellbeing.
Review the Charities Act 2005.
Ensure that organisations which play an advocacy role are not denied charitable status.
If a group carries out political advocacy in accordance with its kaupapa, this should not be used as a reason for refusing it Government or charitable funding.
 Improve access to grants and loan funding
and facilitate an enabling legal environment for the development of community enterprises;  consumer, worker and housing cooperatives; ethical, community-run finance and banking initiatives; and alternative barter and currency schemes. 
Support the establishment of a community owned banking network (see Housing policy for more detail).
Work to ensure Government understands and respects the worth of voluntary work in the community, on the marae, and in the home,
 including the right of tangata whenua to determine what ‘voluntary’ and ‘community sector’ means to them.
Mana Industrial Relations policy – key points
Posted on November 25, 2011 by admin in Policy, Press Releases
Key points:
Promote industry wide pay scales which take wages out of the competition between companies.
Comment: Security is an excellent example of the failure of the free market to protect and increase workers wages.
Security officers typically are either on or close to the minimum wage and undercutting on pay and conditions is rife in the competition between companies.
Anyone can set up a security company from a car boot and undermine rates at companies paying above the minimum.
It’s been a race to the bottom with workers the big losers.
Security guards have to work 60-70 hours per week to get a livable wage.
At Darien Rush many security guards employed for the work cup were paid under the minimum wage.
How? Because they weren’t paid for signing in, getting uniformed and attending briefings – just when deployed.
They could typically be there for seven or eight hours but paid for just five hours at the minimum wage.
Provide for the right to strike for workers to enforce their contact and on any significant political, economic, cultural, international or environmental issues.
Comment: Workers need the right to enforce their contract and to take action on any issue which affects their lives or their communities.
Strengthen the requirement that a work week should, wherever possible, be no more than 40 hours worked over 5 days.
All work in excess of 40 hours a week or 8 hours in a day be paid at time and a half.
All casual employment to have a 25% loading on the hourly rate for the job to cover holiday and other entitlements and the absence of job security.
Comment: Working hours in New Zealand are getting longer and many workers have lost their work/life balance.
We already work longer than most countries (average 53 hours per week) to make up for low wage rates.
Compulsory overtime rates would help protect workers’ hours and give higher pay when they do work extra hours.
10 days sick leave
Comment: The current five days is pathetic as any worker with children will tell you.
10 should be the legislated minimum.
Matariki as a public holiday
Comment: Why not?
MANA POLICY STATEMENT
Industrial Relations
MANA believes that a satisfying job with good work conditions and decent pay is essential for the wellbeing of individuals and whanau.
For many years now, the workers who produce the wealth of this country have had their standard of living and relative wages reduced year after year under both National and Labour Governments.
Maori, Pasifika and migrant peoples are disproportionately in low paid, part time and other precarious forms of employment.
Along with young people generally, they are also more likely to be unemployed or underemployed.
MANA supports the efforts of workers everywhere to join and build unions which can represent their interests collectively in the struggle for decent wages and conditions.
MANA also recognises that at a time when large transnational corporations use their money and power to shift production and jobs across borders at will, workers in Aotearoa deserve the ability to work across borders with fellow workers overseas to take action in industrial disputes involving multinationals.
MANA Industrial Relations policy priorities include:
Immediately increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 1 April 2012, and peg it to two thirds of the average wage each year from 1 April 2013.
All young workers 16 and over are entitled to a minimum wage at the same rate as adults.
Strengthen employment relations legislation to improve the ability of workers and unions to bargain collectively with employers.
Ensure that workers who receive the benefit of a collective agreement without belonging to the union which negotiated the agreement, are required to pay at least the equivalent of the union fee back to the union in recompense for the advantage gained.
Remove workers’ pay from competition between companies in the same industry through industry-wide pay scales and conditions of employment in industries where unions are present.
To encourage industry-wide bargaining employers should be obliged to meet and appoint a joint bargaining team to meet with the union within 30 days of initiation of bargaining.
If employers refuse to conclude a collective agreement in bargaining the union to have the right to have outstanding matters determined by an arbitration body.
Impose significant penalties on employers who discourage workers from joining unions.
Immediately abolish the 90 day trial period for new employees.
Provide for the right to strike for workers to enforce their contact and on any significant political, economic, cultural and environmental issues.
Legalise industrial action taken by workers here in support of workers employed by the same transnational company overseas.
(An example of this could be workers for Fisher and Paykel in New Zealand taking action in support of Fisher and Paykel employees in Thailand).
Provide a small pool of Government funding to support developing stronger relationships and mutual information and education between workers who share the same employer in Aotearoa and overseas.
Support pay and employment equity;
the extension of paid parental leave to at least one year;
and oppose any further liberalisation of shop trading hours.
Increase funding for employment and union education and information,
including for Maori, Pasifika and migrant workers in their own languages, and in culturally appropriate ways.
MANA is committed to job creation with work that is socially, economically and environmentally useful in our communities.
All workers on job creation schemes are entitled to wages which are at a minimum equivalent to fulltime, minimum wage, with the right to join a trade union.
Support for maintaining the public provision of services including in education, health, welfare, housing and prisons.
We oppose all privatisation of public services.
Where state services are contracted out to community and tangata whenua organisations, funding should be at a level to ensure workers have pay and conditions no worse than those offered within the state sector.
Legislate for a statutory minimum 10 days sick leave.
Legislate for a minimum redundancy payment of six weeks pay for the first year of employment and two weeks pay for each subsequent year of employment.
Mondayise all public holidays
Everyone working on a public holiday be entitled to time and a half for the hours worked and a day in lieu.
Strengthen the requirement that a work week should, wherever possible, be no more than 40 hours worked over 5 days.
All work in excess of 40 hours a week or 8 hours in a day be paid at time and a half.
All casual employment to have a 25% loading on the hourly rate for the job to cover holiday and other entitlements and the absence of job security.
Add Matariki as a statutory public holiday under the Holidays Act.
Foreign policy
Mana believes that the relationships between Aotearoa New Zealand and other peoples and countries must be shaped by our ethics of solidarity and manaakitanga and our vision for a just future,
not by the interests of major powers and their corporations, as happens now.
 Foreign corporations control too much of our country, making them rich at the expense of our jobs, natural resources, public assets and our sovereignty.
New Zealand governments send troops fight the super-powers’ wars in other countries but fail to condemn abuses of human rights, especially of indigenous peoples, elsewhere.
Free trade and investment treaties are treated as sacred, while te Tiriti and international rights of indigenous peoples remain unenforceable.
Mana stands for an ethical foreign policy that includes:
Foreign Policy
Making New Zealand’s support for the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples unconditional
Withdrawing of New Zealand military personnel all countries where they are engaged in combat or supporting roles for externally instigated wars
Terminating all current negotiations for free trade and investment agreements, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.
Exploring alternative models for international collaboration based on the economics of solidarity, starting with the South Pacific
Working with indigenous peoples to develop alternative constitutional arrangements that recognise and protect indigenous sovereignty
Requiring any foreign investment to satisfy a Tiriti impact assessment and approval from mana whenua
Implementing a ‘hone heke’ tax on financial transactions to restrict speculation on the New Zealand dollar that makes investors rich while destabilizing the New Zealand economy
Community Economic Development & Small Business
Mana is focused on lifting the poor, the powerless and dispossessed out of poverty and unemployment and into fulfilling lives and livelihoods as quickly as possible.
A key part of achieving this is through job creation initiatives in the state and community sectors,
the development of grassroots tangata whenua and community enterprise initiatives,
and through providing greater support for low income people seeking to enter self employment, small business and cooperative ventures.
Our economic vision is centred on the sustainability of Papatuanuku and on generating wellbeing for current and future generations.
  The triple crises of climate change, peak oil, and food security call for policy solutions that will increase our independence from an oil-based economy and improve our ability to provide for ourselves
Within this context there are many and new opportunities for Maori, community and small businesses in the sustainable production of goods and services such as food, transport,  energy, creative arts and design, broadcasting, the revitalisation and promotion of te reo Maori, and socially and environmentally nurturing projects.
  However, such ventures often need substantial backing from government, local government and intermediary iwi and community agencies if they are to get started, and remain viable.
Mana will:
Develop an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable economic development programme which encompasses national and regional development strategies.
Restore a community economic development function to Government, lost when the Community Employment Group was disbanded in 2005.
Improve access to grants and loan funding
and facilitate an enabling legal environment for the development of community enterprises; consumer, producer, worker and housing cooperatives; ethical, community-run finance and banking initiatives; and alternative barter and currency schemes.
Ensure Government backing for the establishment of a community owned banking network, either as a new entity or as a non-profit stand alone part of Kiwibank, with functions including:
Assisting with housing loans for papakainga and other tangata whenua and community based social housing initiatives.
Providing capital for the development of other community enterprises
which support job creation,
and the meeting of social, cultural and environmental needs.
Enabling genuine community ownership through democratically elected, accountable shareholder directors. 
Establish a Small Business Development Network through which whanau and individuals wanting to develop small businesses can attend business development courses, receive assistance in putting together viable business plans, receive ongoing mentoring and receive assistance with applications to a small business start up fund administered through the Network.
Restore much wider access to the Enterprise Allowance subsidy provided through Work & Income,
and ensure that applicants for  the Allowance have access to quality support through those roopu which are part of the Small Business Development Network.
MANA will invest in:
Organic food production including hua parakore foods
and extend current funding for the establishment of maara kai by whanau, marae and communities.
Development of a land transition plan which will include regulation of farming practices to reduce environmental damage,
improve the quality of waterways,
increase localised food self-sufficiency
and reduce dependency on export agricultural production.
Development of a comprehensive public transport system in cities, towns, and rural areas.
Development of widespread, small scale sustainable energy generation such as solar, wind and micro-hydro by households and communities.
Development of clean energy systems.
The regeneration of native forests.
Development of a national biofuels programme for land, including Maori land that is unsuitable for growing food.
Maori businesses will be supported through much greater investment in:
Building sustainable Maori businesses
through both start-up and bridging funding for 3-5 years,
and through the provision of quality business and financial mentoring.
National Maori business coordination
and infrastructure development.
Development (and possible broader application) of the Toi Iho Maori Trademark of Quality and Authenticity.
Overall framework for enterprise & economic development – Mana supports:
Changing the legal framework under which all businesses operate to make sustainability and ethics paramount in business decision making.
Developing procurement policies that favour local products and services for government, local government and state owned enterprises.
The withdrawal of New Zealand from free trade agreements that favour multinationals over local production or prevent support for locally owned businesses.
Establishing a fund to assist small businesses become medium or larger businesses
 providing they are kept in New Zealand ownership
and meet ethical and environmental sustainability standards.
Providing Enough for Every Child to Thrive
Green Party election priority
Cleaner Environment Fairer Society Smarter Economy
Introduction2Summary6 Situation7 Solution10 Benefits15
Introduction
Ensuring that every child in New Zealand has enough to thrive is one of the biggest moral and economic challenges of our times.
One in four New Zealand children now live below the poverty line.
This is a situation inherited, and tolerated, by successive governments since the economic reforms of the 1980s and 1990s saw child poverty in New Zealand double within a few short years.
Six years of the current Government has failed to bring any meaningful relief to these children as National follows the same economic path that created our poverty problem in the first place.
Under National, 35,000 more children are living in severe poverty.
National's inaction over child poverty stands in stark contrast to its decision to find $4 billion to cut the taxes of the wealthiest 10 percent of New Zealanders.
But it doesn't have to be this way.
Governments make choices and set their priorities.
By putting children first, and choosing to ensure every child has enough to thrive, New Zealand can design its economy to work for everyone, not just a few.
By eradicating child poverty we can unleash the potential of thousands of our children, save billions in avoidable social and health costs and, most importantly, send a message to all our children that they matter.
1.  The plan
The Green Party has a plan to tackle child poverty at its source and to loosen poverty's hold on our children.
We will lift the incomes of the poorest families by increasing child-based payments to children in beneficiary families.
We'll mitigate the impact of poverty by providing, on site at school, the health and welfare services that children need to prevent the symptoms of poverty getting in the way of their learning.
We'll help low income working families by dramatically reducing the costs associated with work by providing free after school care at low decile schools,
and extending the 20 hours Early Childhood Education (ECE) subsidy to two year olds.
To fund these measures, we will be asking for a bigger contribution from those who can afford it.
For decades now we have allowed our tax system to increasingly work in favour of the best-off.
We need to turn that around, and ensure we have a fairer tax system that reduces inequality
and generates income support for those who need it most - vulnerable children.
National’s inaction over child poverty stands in stark contrast to its decision to find $4 billion to cut the taxes of the wealthiest 10 percent of New Zealanders - Metiria Turei, Green Party Co-leader
Of course, income isn't the only thing that our children need; love, care, good role models and high ambitions all matter.
But when parents can't afford to give their children a healthy meal every day, or send them to school with proper shoes or a raincoat, the damage done is obvious.
We know from international studies that raising family incomes measurably improves a child's life chances, and will dramatically cut the $6-8 billion cost that child poverty imposes on New Zealand every year.
Supporting these children is an investment in our collective future.
We can unleash the potential of thousands of our children - Metiria Turei, Green Party Co-leader
Summary
The Green Party will:1. Create a new top tax rate of 40 percent above $140,000, and measures to make it harder for people to avoid paying their fair share of tax, generating close to $1 billion a year.
Invest that revenue to fund: 2. A new Children's Credit that will give an extra $60 a week to families currently missing out, at a cost of $400 million a year.
3.  A non-discriminatory Parental Tax Credit of $220 a week in the first weeks of life for the poorest children, costing $29. 4 million a year.
4.  A $500 million per year investment in children's health and education to reduce the harm caused by poverty.
Situation
Poverty in New Zealand
In New Zealand today, there are up to 260,000 children in poverty, that is living in families with less than 60 percent of the median income.
These households have to get by on less than $530 a week, if they are single parents, or $830 a week if they are a couple with two children.
Sixty percent of poor children live in households that rely on income from benefits, yet benefit levels were slashed in 1991, and have never been restored let alone indexed to wages.
In real terms, the sole parent benefit is now 17 percent lower than it was in the 1980s.
As a result, families who rely upon benefits have fallen further and further behind the rest of society.
Wages, meanwhile, have barely increased in recent decades in real terms, as workers have received a dwindling share of national income.
Half of all the children in poverty now have a parent in some kind of paid work.
The result is that many parents have to line up at foodbanks and welfare agencies; face bleak choices such as whether to heat the house or pay for a child's medicine; go to a loan shark when the washing machine breaks down; and can't afford to maintain their cars or go themselves to the doctor when sick.
The consequences for our children in these homes are serious.
One child in four is in a household that lacks enough income for basic things like being able to heat their house, own a decent pair of shoes or buy fresh fruit and vegetables.
Cold, damp and overcrowded homes lead to skyrocketing rates of third world diseases like rheumatic fever.
When it comes to education, the stress of poverty, frequent changes of address in search of better housing, a lack of books and extra-curricular earning opportunities, and shortage of quiet spaces for study all mean children struggle to achieve their potential at school.
This creates the perverse situation where the best route out of poverty - education - is blocked by the symptoms of poverty itself.
These issues long-term consequences.
Children who grow up poor have lower school results, and as adults, have worse health and less income than children from wealthier households.
And they have an economic effect: the cost of child poverty is estimated at between $6 billion and $8 billion a year.
While these issues affect all children, certain groups are disproportionately affected.
Maori and Pacific Island children are twice as likely as Pakeha children to be in poverty.
The same is true for the children of parents who have a disability.
Meanwhile 80 percent of the children in households on income tested benefits are poor .
One stark piece of evidence about the impact of poverty on the welfare of children is evidence that children who live in the most deprived communities are 28 times as likely as the least deprived to suffer from rheumatic fever.
Rheumatic fever is a disease of poverty caused, largely, by living in overcrowded and unhealthy homes.
While it is easy to blame low-income families for their struggles, we know in fact there is nothing inherent in poorer families that makes them less likely to spend their money on their children, or less capable of budgeting than others.
Researchers tell us that families living in poverty "are remarkably resilient and possess strong coping skills".
They are just as likely as wealthier families to set aside money for food or make a shopping list before going to the supermarket.
The problem is not an inability to budget; it is that they simply do not have enough income.
Tax in New Zealand
New Zealand's tax system has become increasingly weighted in favour of the best of.
Since the mid 1980s, the top tax rate has been halved from 66 percent to 33 percent, making it the fourth-lowest in the developed world.
National's most recent tax cuts are costing over $1 billion a year, $400 million of which went to the top 10 percent of earners.
On top of that, we have no inheritance tax, no gift tax, no death duties, and no general capital gains tax to tax wealth.
At the bottom, in contrast, there is no tax-free threshold for people on low incomes - unlike, for example, Australia, where the first AUS$18,200 of income is tax-free.
On top of that, New Zealand is one of the only OECD countries where GST is levied on all domestic purchases at a fat rate including food.
Solution
The Green Party's plan to ensure every child has enough to thrive has four key planks.
1.  A new top tax rate of 40 percent above $140,000
The Green Party will introduce a new top income tax rate of 40 percent affecting every dollar earned above $140,000.
This will impact 3 percent of all taxpayers
and raise approximately $500 million a year.
We will also raise the trust tax rate to 40 percent to harmonise with the new top tax rate and limit the amount of tax avoidance that can occur through trusts.
This will raise an additional $620 million a year.
The Green Party will also increase levels of tax enforcement and compliance.
For every dollar Inland Revenue spends on tax enforcement, six dollars is returned.
We will redirect the more than $1 billion a year this will raise into measures that will directly alleviate the causes of child poverty in New Zealand.
After all, it's only fair that those who earn more, progressively pay more.
This is what countries with low rates of child poverty do.
2.  A new Children's Credit giving an extra $60 a week to the most vulnerable families.
It is now acknowledged that the design of the country's flagship income support programme, Working for Families, discriminates against the poorest children.
In particular, a payment known as the In-Work Tax Credit (IWTC), worth $60 per family per week, and more for extra children, is available only to parents who work more than 20 hours each or 30 hours a week between them.
This ignores the fact that the children of non-working or part-time working families are just as much in need of support, and that other activities, such as child-rearing, are in themselves an equally valuable form of work.
It also creates the perverse situation where a family suffers a double blow when they lose a job, or are injured at work: Not only do they lose their wages, they lose their IWTC too.
Some 130,000-150,000 low and middle income families are currently denied this much-needed income.
To address this unfairness, to provide more income to those who need it most, and to simplify the tax credit system, the Green Party will roll the IWTC into the main payment to low-income families, the Family Tax Credit (FTC), to create our Children's Credit.
This will provide an extra $60 a week, or $3,000 a year, to the poorest households - money that parents can spend on clothes, heating and school supplies their children need.
This is the quickest, simplest and most cost-effective way to reduce child poverty
- and one that has majority public support. 25
For households currently receiving both the IWTC and the FTC, there will be no change to how much they receive, though they'll all be better off in the future as we move to prevent further erosion to Working for Families payments.
3.  Providing the Parental Tax Credit to newborns regardless of parental employment status
All babies deserve to have their needs met, especially in the first few weeks of their lives when they are most vulnerable.
However, children born to beneficiary parents are denied a payment called the Parental Tax Credit, soon to be worth $220 a week for 10 weeks, a total of $2,200.
This payment provides support to parents who don't qualify for Paid Parental Leave.
It's designed to alleviate family stress and provide for necessities like food for breastfeeding mothers, and nappies, in the first weeks of a child's life.
The Green Party wants all babies to have a healthy start to life and will extend this payment to the 13,000 new-borns whose parents are reliant on a benefit or student allowance.
4.  Investing $500 million per year in children's health and education to reduce the harm of poverty
In New Zealand poverty has a stronger impact on a child's education than it does in other developed nations.
An international survey by the OECD showed that while other countries are doing better at mitigating the impact of poverty on education, in New Zealand the chances of a child from a low income family doing well at school has reduced under National.
It's clear that as well as reducing poverty at its source, schools need better support to mitigate the impact that hunger, illnesses and a lack of resources has on our children's ability to learn.
School Hubs; ensuring education is a route out of poverty.
In Government the Green Party will establish schools in lower income areas as community hubs, where the health, social and welfare needs of children, and their families can be met on-site, where the children are, at school.
We will do this by providing four new core services at every decile 1 to 4 primary and intermediate school.
We will also build new early childhood education/community centres onsite at decile 1 to 4 schools where there is a need.
The four core services are:1.  A dedicated School Hub Coordinator in each school to recruit adult and community educators, early childhood, social and health services and explore other opportunities to develop a unique hub in conjunction with the school and its community.
2.   Free after school and holiday care programmes for every child at decile 1 to 4 schools, and we will expand access to Out of School Care and Recreation (OSCAR) low income subsidies to children at decile 5-10 schools.
3.  A national school lunch fund to fund a nutritious lunch for those who need it at all decile 1 to 4 primary and intermediate schools, and available to other schools based on need.
4.  Dedicated school nurses in decile 1-4 schools to deliver primary health care to children and their families in the school environment where they are known and trusted.
Support for working families by increasing ECE subsidies
In Government the Green Party will extend the 20 hours funding to include two-year-olds, providing immediate financial relief to the families of the 40,000 two-year-olds currently enrolled in ECE, and providing better options for families who can't afford high quality ECE.
Under this plan, parents of two-year-olds could be up to $95 a week better off.
New Zealand has some of the most expensive early childhood care and education in the developed world.
According to a 2010 OECD study New Zealand working families pay 28 percent of their net income on childcare - the fourth highest relative costs in the OECD.
Reducing those costs is a direct way of improving incomes for many families.
Improving the quality of ECE to provide a better route out of poverty
The Green Party in Government will improve the quality of ECE by providing $32 million restore funding to services with 100 percent qualified staff.
We would also commit to a long term strategy of lifting teacher qualifications,
hold a ministerial review into ECE funding including a review of staff ratios,
and focus on expanding not-for-profit public education.
New Zealand research shows that children who attend good quality ECE are better prepared for school, and go on to achieve higher academic results which in turn increase their chances of having a good job and ultimately a happier life.
Free healthcare for teens
Our $29 million plan will improve the health of young people aged 13 to 17, by making GP visits and medicines free for this group.
The package includes: $21 million a year to extend free GP visits to the 290,000 teenagers aged 13-17 and abolish their prescription charges; and a further $8 million a year to help GPs deal with the extra workload from making visits free for 13-17 year olds.
The Green Party is committed to providing free healthcare for all young New Zealanders from birth until early adulthood.
One in four teenagers report not going to the doctor when they need to and cost is a common barrier.
By removing a barrier to healthcare, we will reduce hospital admissions, help prevent unwanted pregnancies, and give teenagers the support they need to help them navigate young adulthood.
Benefits
Benefits of raised Income
The most immediate benefit of the Green Party's policies will be to lift the incomes of the poorest 130,000-150,000 families by $60 a week.
The Children's Credit, worth over $3,000 a year more to families who currently miss out on the In Work Tax Credit, will significantly ease the strain on those families and give their children a better start in life.
Income matters.
There is a significant volume of evidence that increasing the incomes of poorer households leads to better outcomes for their children, particularly if the income boost comes in the earliest years.
Increasing household incomes at the level we propose has been proven to boost educational attainment by as much as a year's worth of study and reduce the chances of someone having committed a minor crime by up to one fifth.
Recent research from the London School of Economics showed that giving families an extra $2000 boosts a child's school performance just as much as spending an extra $2000 on schools - while also providing all the other benefits of increased income, such as access to better food, better housing, etc.
Increased spending on low-income households will also help cut the $6-8 billion annual cost of child poverty in the long-run.
National's suggestions that paying families more will do nothing to alleviate the symptoms of poverty because families will waste the money, or be incentivised to have more children have no basis in fact.
Providing more generous support to newborns, regardless of their parents' status, will be a major boost for households containing around 13,000 newborns.
More generous support in the early years of life is supported by all the advice and research evidence provided to the government both by its own advisers and by external experts.
Our plans for free after school care and an extension to 20 hours for two-year-olds will have direct impacts on the amount of money working families bring home.
In the case of ECE, the subsidy could see families better of by up to $95 a week, if their children are in full time care, and free after school care, could also save families more than $60 a child per week.
Benefits of mitigating poverty through education
Our plan will loosen the brake that poverty puts on a child's education.
Social and home factors, account for about 80 percent of the impacts on a child's achievement at school.
By ensuring children are healthy and ready to learn, and have good quality ECE experiences we can expect to see lasting positive impacts on a child's ability to reach their potential.
By providing lunch for 24,000 primary school aged children who are regularly hungry at school, it, and a nurse on-site, we'd ensure that children were healthy and ready to learn.
By ensuring children in low income communities get access to primary health care at school, we could make a serious dent in the 10,000 avoidable hospital admissions each year that are associated with poverty.
By taking parents on their children's educational journey with them, we not only improve the child's chances at an education, but can give their parents an opportunity to improve their own education.
Free after school care will give poorer children an opportunity to get involved in sports and cultural and music activities, and the space to do homework.
Research shows lack of exposure to these opportunities holds children back
By providing holiday opportunities for low income children over summer, we could prevent the summer holiday slip, which sees children in deprived families falling behind over the summer holidays due to a lack of exposure to opportunities to maintain their learning'
The costs
The base cost of the Children's Credit will be $3,120 a year more to 130,000-150,000 families who have 1-3 children .
On top of this, we will make an allowance for 10,000 of those families having more than three children and thus being eligible for a further $15 per week per child, as with the current In-Work Tax Credit.
This leads to a further $15 million in costs, for a total of $400 million.
Extending the Parental Tax Credit to beneficiary families will cost an additional $29. 5 million a year, assuming it is claimed for 13,000 more children every year and is paid at the proposed new rate of $220 a week for 10 weeks.
Other costs are outlined below.
More details on each can be found here:1.  20 hours ECE for 2 year olds: www.greens.org.nz/kidsthriving
2.  Healthy teens: www.greens.org.nz/healthyfutures
3.  Schools at the heart hubs policy: https://home.greens.org. nz/sites/default/fles/schools_at_the_heart_1. pdf
Green
It's About Time: Green Transport
Green Party election priority
Cleaner Environment Fairer Society Smarter Economy
Introduction 3  Summary 5  Situation 6  Solution 8
Introduction
The Green Party will make getting to places easier, without costing the earth.
For more than half a century, New Zealand governments have planned only for cars at the expense of everything else.
Now we are vulnerable to rising oil prices and our cities are congested, expensive to get around and increasingly polluted.
National's answer is to spend even more on unnecessary and expensive motorways, and is borrowing to pay for them.
These motorways have poor economic benefits because they are only used by a tiny percentage of vehicles each day.
They won't make it easier for most Kiwis to get to work or school, or reduce the cost of moving freight.
The Green Party has a different vision - a smarter, greener transport plan that will benefit everyone - so New Zealand can catch up with the rest of the developed world.
We will invest in modern trains and buses, and build safe, separated paths for people who want to walk and cycle to work, school or to the shops.
The result will be quicker, cheaper and greener transport that gives people more choice, and moves more freight on rail or by sea.
Our regions will benefit from an increased focus on road maintenance, safety upgrades, and investment in rail freight and coastal shipping.
Our plan is practical, achievable, and affordable within current budget constraints.
It will deliver more for less.
Auckland is a priority because it is our largest and fastest growing city, and it rightly aspires to a modern public transport system.
National is delaying critical projects, like the City Rail Link.
The Green Party is committed to making the Congestion Free Network, including the City Rail Link, a reality by 2020.
The Green Party Transport Plan will give people what they want: vibrant, greener cities, where public transport is fast, clean and affordable, and where kids can walk and cycle to school safely. Dr Russel Norman
Summary
1.  A bus or train every few minutes.
By investing in an integrated network of trains and buses with dedicated rights of way, we can make it easy to get around our largest cities without a car.
2.  Unlocking Auckland to become a vibrant city where public transport is fast, clean and affordable, and where cycling for adults and kids is safe.