Message from PM Luxon

Brian from Mount Roskill

Yesterday marks one year since the National-led Government took office and immediately got to work on reducing the cost of living, restoring law and order and delivering better health and education.

The achievements we’ve made in just one year are thanks to the resilience and determination of everyday New Zealanders.

There’s a lot more work to do, and I know many Kiwis are still doing it tough. But we have made real progress to ensure that Kiwis keep more of their hard-earned money, feel safer in their communities, can access life-changing medicines and treatments, grow their businesses, can benefit from critical infrastructure, and to help our kids achieve at school. Here are just some of the highlights from our first year in Government:

• Inflation has dropped to 2.2%, bringing relief from mortgages

• 83% of New Zealanders have received tax relief, putting more money in their back pockets

• Wages are growing faster than inflation, putting more money into Kiwis’ budgets

• 40,000 families have received FamilyBoost childcare payments to help reduce their childcare costs

• Delivered a 30% increase in Police foot patrols and a 60% decrease in ram raids

• Invested $604m in Pharmac to deliver up to 26 new cancer treatments

• Slashed the regulations holding back farmers

• Progressed the Fast Track Approvals regime to get stuff built, fast

• Led eight trade missions, delivered three trade agreements and resolved 16 barriers to trade because more Kiwi products on shelves overseas means higher incomes

• Cracked down on gangs and banned gang patches in public

• Progressed our plan for tougher sentences for serious criminals

• Banned cell phones in classrooms

• Required an hour of reading, writing and maths a day for our students

• Put in place structured literacy and maths from Term 1 next year so kids can grow the skills they need to succeed

• Invested $16.7b into health and set ambitious targets for shorter waits in the emergency department and for surgery.

My Government was elected on a promise to improve the lives of New Zealanders in the areas that matter most to them. We’re making good progress and I’m committed to keeping our promise with bold action that delivers positive results for all New Zealanders.

Thank you,

Christopher
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