The government has unveiled its action plan for the next three months, giving itself a mark of 35 out of 36 for its April through June efforts.
The second-quarter plan followed the government's initial 100-day agenda, which Prime Minister Christopher Luxon boasted about having completed - but RNZ's closer analysis revealed the completion of 15 of the 49 actions was up for debate.
The second plan's 36-point list covered the three months of April, May and June - with a concrete deadline of Sunday the 30th June.
Luxon, speaking to media after this week's Cabinet meeting, said the second quarter plan had been completed successfully, with 35 out of 36 actions completed and "the remaining target well on the way to delivery".
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The incomplete item was to "take decisions to disestablish Te Pūkenga and consult on a proposed replacement model", with a note explaining that decisions had been taken and consultation was due to begin "shortly".
The government marked three items as complete, but with the details "yet to be announced". These included:
- Take decisions to implement the Going for Housing Growth plan while making the MDRS optional for councils
- Take decisions on measures to increase investment in renewable electricity generation.
- Take action to develop standardised assessment and regular reporting to parents.
"We ticked off 49 actions in our 100-Day Plan and we have continued to build on that momentum. I want Kiwis to know that we have no plans to slow down," he said.
He also announced the plan for the next three months, again saying it "will have a strong focus on making Kiwis safer and restoring law and order".
"This includes passing four laws that will crack down on criminal activity and support offenders to turn their lives around," he said, highlighting laws the government was aiming to pass.
These included banning gang patches in public, restricting gang members from associating with each other, bolstering firearm seizure powers, increasing rehab access for remand prisoners, and "improve efficiency in the courts and increase access to justice".
"New Zealand has become a country in which it's too hard to get things done, so it is vital that we take steps to make it easier to deliver long term projects."
He also specifically highlighted the introduction of its military-style academies for young offenders, and the introduction of a Young Serious Offender category.
However, the government is facing criticism over that approach after official information revealed the volunteer-based course that served as its blueprint had led Defence Force staff to suffer serious mental illness including several cases of suicidal ideation.
The Defence Force had also warned the government to stop comparing the two programmes, saying they were "not comparable" due to several major differences and continuing to do so could lead to public misunderstanding about the Defence Force's involvement in the new scheme.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell has since said this did not mean the LSV programme was not successful, and brushed off suggestions the boot camps would be even harder on NZDF personnel considering participants would be there by order of the court.
Action plan for July, August, September
Rebuild the economy and ease the cost of living
- 1. Pass the second Local Water Done Well Bill requiring councils to deliver plans for financially sustainable water services, replacing the previous Government's Three Waters regime.
- 2. Take Cabinet decisions on a framework for city and regional deals.
- 3. Sign the new speed limit rule to reverse the previous government's blanket speed limit reductions.
- 4. Take Cabinet decisions on legislation to support time-of-use charging to reduce congestion.
- 5. Introduce legislation to eliminate barriers to overseas building products being used in New Zealand.
- 6. Release the draft of the second Emissions Reduction Plan.
- 7. Take Cabinet decisions to establish a new National Infrastructure Agency.
- 8. Take Cabinet decisions on the scope of RMA and National Direction amendments to unlock development in infrastructure, housing, and primary industries, and drive a more efficient and effective resource management system.
- 9. Take Cabinet decisions on work programme to replace the RMA with a system premised on the enjoyment of property rights.
- 10. Take Cabinet decisions on the final design of the Government's one-stop shop consenting and permitting scheme, incorporating sensible changes suggested through the select committee process.
- 11. Pass the Resource Management (Extended Duration of Coastal Permits for Marine Farms) Amendment Bill into law to provide certainty to New Zealand's aquaculture industry.
- 12. Open the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund for applications to help reduce New Zealand's longstanding infrastructure deficit.
- 13. Begin public consultation on reform of the Holidays Act.
- 14. Take Cabinet decisions on legislative amendments to clarify the employment status of contractors.
- 15. Initiate the second regulatory sector review to identify and remove unnecessary red tape.
- 16. Take Cabinet decisions on new regulations to remove the GE ban and enable the safe use of gene technology in agriculture, health science and other sectors.
- 17. Gazette amendments to the National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land to specified infrastructure and farming activities on highly productive land.
- 18. Take Cabinet decisions to amend requirements for farmers in certain areas to have certified Freshwater Farm Plans.
- 19. Begin consultation on changes to improve the efficiency and fairness of goods fees and border processing levies.
Restore law and order
- 20. Launch a military-style academy pilot for serious and persistent young offenders.
- 21. Introduce legislation to toughen sentencing rules to ensure real consequences for crime.
- 22. Pass the Gangs Legislation Amendment Bill to give Police more tools to crack down on gangs.
- 23. Pass the Firearms Prohibition Orders Legislation Amendment Bill to provide Police with stronger powers to get guns out of the hands of criminals.
- 24. Pass the Corrections Amendment Bill to increase access to effective rehabilitation for prisoners on remand.
- 25. Introduce legislation to enable roadside testing for drug driving.
- 26. Pass the Courts (Remote Participation) Amendment Bill to improve efficiency in the courts and increase access to justice.
- 27. Take Cabinet decisions on proposed improvements to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism regime to ensure it is both workable and effective.
Deliver better public services
- 28. Publish reporting on the Government's nine priority targets for the public service.
- 29. Publish an updated health workforce plan to address staffing needs across the health system.
- 30. Take Cabinet decisions on the programme business case, including cost-benefit analysis, for a proposed third medical school at Waikato University.
- 31. Release initial plan for progressing health targets, including faster cancer treatment, shorter wait times, and improved immunisation for children.
- 32. Open applications for new and converting charter schools.
- 33. Introduce second phase of initiatives to lift school attendance.
- 34. Release draft of the new Year 0-13 English and Maths curriculum learning areas and begin targeted testing with teachers.
- 35. Finalise the model for new Structured Literacy interventions for struggling readers (to replace Reading Recovery from Term 1 2025).
- 36. Take Cabinet decisions in response to the findings of the Ministerial Inquiry into School Property.
- 37. Introduce legislation to tighten controls on youth vaping.
- 38. Begin rollout of community Job Coaches to support 18-24-year-old Jobseekers to get off welfare and into work.
- 39. Finalise design of a Jobseeker Benefit Traffic Light System to strengthen jobseeker obligations and consequences for non-compliance.
- 40. Finalise the framework to ensure the independence of a standalone Children's Commissioner and strengthen the oversight of Oranga Tamariki.
