The CEO PM sets out his second quarter targets

Tuesday, 2 April 2024

Christopher Luxon will today continue his CEO-style premiership, releasing a promised second quarter action plan for the Government.

Entitled the “Coalition Government’s Action Plan for New Zealand - 1 April-30 June 2024,” the plan runs through 36 “action points” the Government will take over the next three months.

The quarter has now also been aligned with the financial year and the Government says the focus is primarily on “rebuilding the economy and easing the cost of living”.

The plan is similar to the Government’s initial 100-day plan which had a series of self-imposed targets.

“It's just making sure that as we go through the gates of implementation of different decisions that we're taking, that we're actually consciously working, moving forward, as I keep saying,” Luxon said

Luxon has leaned on his previous CEO experience about how he plans to get results out of people. He previously told The Post about how he summoned the top 50 public sector leaders in for a pep talk, sending them away with reading material.

In an interview with The Post on Monday, he said that while some of the bits on the list were self-explanatory - such as legislating for tax relief - others were about taking decisions and continuing his “chunking it down” approach to reform.

“We're actually still learning you can chunk those down into bite size bits and actually still digest it so that each quarter you actually are moving forward on that agenda.

Luxon also defended his managerial style - which has come under criticism and ridicule from Labour - on the ground that the Government is making decisions and following through with promises.

“Sometimes what I've observed from governments is there's a lovely conversation that takes place at a very esoteric and high level, and they just keep having the conversation and no one actually… grounds it back to Earth.

“What's the next step that we need to make a decision on what now and keep the show moving forward?”

The list is a mixture of new legislation to be introduced, some more repealing and promises to take decisions in regard to key issues.

The Government’s tax relief, which has been the subject of recent debate, is number two on the list, “Legislate for personal income tax relief”. It is joined by other promises such as introducing legislation to improve the rental market, finalising policy to keeping agriculture out of the emissions trading scheme, redoing the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act regime and establishing a Regional Infrastructure Fund.

Luxon also said that while some things take time and need both consultation and careful deliberation, he expects his ministers to bring this list home by June 30.

“We really want the ministers to deliver on this agenda, and, you know, there would have to be a pretty good reason as to why it hasn't been delivered,” he said.

Luxon said he intended to keep up the frenetic speed at which the Government operated during its first hundred days.

“In terms of pace, you know, we've got to keep going. I mean, we've got a big turnaround job to do.

Luxon also came back to the basic point he has been making since coming into office: focusing on three key areas and making changes within that.

“Just like our 100-Day Plan, this next action plan is focused on three key areas to make life better for Kiwis: 1. rebuilding the economy and easing the cost of living 2. restoring law and order, and 3. delivering better public services,” Luxon writes in his statement accompanying the quarterly plan.

“Having a clear plan with specific actions and timeframes for delivery creates momentum and drives focus,’ he said.

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Coalition Government’s Action Plan for New Zealand

Rebuild the economy and ease the cost of living

1. Deliver a budget that reduces wasteful spending while investing in frontline services like health, education and Police.

2. Legislate for personal income tax relief.

3. Legislate to introduce the FamilyBoost childcare tax credit.

4. Finalise the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport, freezing fuel tax until the end of 2026 and delivering significant investment for transport.

5. Take decisions to implement the Going for Housing Growth plan while making the MDRS optional for councils.

6. Respond to the independent review of Kāinga Ora’s financial situation, procurement, and asset management.

7. Introduce legislation to improve the rental market.

8. Release draft plan to ease restrictions on building materials from overseas for public consultation.

9. Take decisions on measures to increase investment in renewable electricity generation.

10. Introduce legislation to amend the RMA to clarify application of National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management in relation to individual consents for freshwater and to extend marine farm consent.

11. Introduce legislation to suspend the requirement on councils to identify and adopt new Significant Natural Areas.

12. Finalise policy to keep agriculture out of the ETS.

13. Commence an independent review of the methane science and targets for consistency with no additional warming from agricultural methane emissions.

14. Reform the CCCFA regime to improve access to credit for home buyers.

15. Initiate the first regulatory sector review.

16. Take decisions on the scope of the extension to the Covid-19 inquiry.

17. Take decisions on reform of the Holidays Act

18. Raise the energy New Zealand brings to key relationships through international engagements, focussing on our traditional partners, the Pacific, and South East and South Asia.

19. Take decisions on the removal of the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration.

20. Commission a study into New Zealand’s fuel security, including investigating the feasibility of reopening the Marsden Point Oil Refinery.

21. Establish a Regional Infrastructure Fund.

Restore law and order

22. Progress legislation to improve rehabilitation, reintegration and safety outcomes in the corrections system, including by extending eligibility to offence-based rehabilitation programmes to remand prisoners.

23. Take decisions to restore Three Strikes.

24. Launch a review of the firearms registry.

25. Take decisions on establishing a Youth Serious Offender Category and making Youth Military Academies a standalone sentencing option for the Youth Court.

Deliver better public services

26. Set targets for improving public service outcomes.

27. Take decisions on the rollout of structured literacy for year 1-3 students, including a phonics check.

28. Take action to strengthen teacher training, including refocusing Professional Learning and Development for teachers on numeracy, literacy and assessment.

29. Take action to develop standardised assessment and regular reporting to parents.

30. Introduce legislation to reintroduce charter schools.

31. Launch an Attendance Action Plan and introduce the first phase of initiatives to lift school attendance.

32. Take decisions to disestablish Te Pūkenga and consult on a proposed replacement model. 33. Issue a new Government Policy Statement on Health, setting the government’s priorities for the health system for the next three years.

34. Take decisions to streamline the Medsafe approval process.

35. Take decisions to tighten controls on youth vaping.

36. Take decisions on the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act.