The substantive, the easy, and the redundant: How the Government’s 100-day plan is going

ANALYSIS: It’s no surprise that the bulk of the items on the Government’s 100-day plan are about undoing what the previous Government did. Of the others, many were ticked off after ministers merely asked officials for advice, some were more or less redundant, and others were reasonably substantive. Senior journalist Derek Cheng tracks the Government’s progress as the finish line lands today.

The more substantive

By December 1, 2023, lodge a reservation against adopting amendments to WHO health regulations to allow the Government to consider these against a “national interest test”: A concession from National to New Zealand First and done in November - even though a national interest test is already standard practice.

Begin work to crack down on serious youth offending: Boot camps will begin in the middle of this year and be run by Oranga Tamariki, the Government announced this week.

Establish a priority one category on the social housing waitlist to move families out of emergency housing into permanent homes more quickly: The Government announced a Priority One category this week for families with dependent children in emergency housing for at least 12 weeks. The criteria of those getting into emergency housing will also be reviewed, while the scrutiny of those already there will ramp up.

Introduce legislation to ban gang patches, stop gang members gathering in public, and stop known gang offenders from communicating with one another: A bill to enable these had its first reading under urgency on Thursday.

Give police greater powers to search gang members for firearms and make gang membership an aggravating factor at sentencing: A bill to widen the scope of existing Firearms Prohibition Orders was introduced on Tuesday. Making gang membership an aggravating factor at sentencing, regardless of whether it is relevant to the crime, is part of a bill that had its first reading on Thursday.

Stop taxpayer funding for section 27 cultural reports: A bill to enable this passed its final stages this week.

Introduce legislation to extend eligibility to offence-based rehabilitation programmes to remand prisoners: Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell has sent an amendment paper enabling this to the justice select committee to consider alongside the Corrections Amendment Bill.

Enable more virtual participation in court proceedings: A bill passed its first reading under urgency on Thursday that would allow victims and support people to remotely observe a criminal trial and sentencing if they wish to and if deemed appropriate.

A bill that would ban gang patches had its first reading in Parliament on Thursday. Photo / NZME

Sign an MoU with Waikato University to progress a third medical school: This was signed in February but is not a sure thing, with the non-binding MoU noting that it was ultimately up to Cabinet whether to proceed after feasibility and cost-benefit analyses.

Improve security for the health workforce in hospital emergency departments: About 200 additional security staff were provided to 32 EDs around the country over the summer period, and while that is being reviewed, security support continues on an interim basis at eight of the highest-risk EDs: Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Waikato, Middlemore, Auckland, Waitākere and North Shore.

Require primary and intermediate schools to teach an hour of reading, writing and maths per day starting in 2024: Announced in December, applicable from Term 1 this year.

Ban the use of cellphones in schools: Announced in December, applicable from Term 2.

Appoint an expert group to redesign the English and maths curricula for primary school students: Announced in December, with recommendations to be implemented in 2025.

Repeal amendments to the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990 and regulations: A bill to enable this passed all its stages under urgency at the end of February.

Read more on the pros and cons of repealing the Smokefree laws

Introduce legislation to disestablish the Māori Health Authority: A bill to do this passed through all its stages under urgency at the end of February.

Allow the sale of cold medication containing pseudoephedrine: A bill to enable this was sent to a select committee with the support of all parties except for Te Pāti Māori, which said it would harm tangata whenua.

Commission an independent review into Kāinga Ora’s financial situation, procurement and asset management: Sir Bill English is leading this review, which was announced in December.

Take policy decisions to amend the Overseas Investment Act 2005 to make it easier for build-to-rent housing to be developed in New Zealand: The Government announced yesterday that Cabinet has decided to change the law to make it easier for foreign investment in build-to-rent housing.

The Government has put millions of dollars towards flood resilience and cyclone recovery. Photo / NZME

Meet with councils and communities to establish regional requirements for recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle and other recent major flooding events: Meetings have led to several funding announcements, including $63 million for sediment and debris removal in Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti, $8m for flood resilience in Wairapapa, $4m in Northland, as well as other projects in Tauranga, the Coromandel and Port Waikato.

Make any additional Orders in Council needed to speed up cyclone and flood recovery efforts: An Order in Council, announced this week, will streamline the delivery of flood protection work in the Hawkes Bay.

Start reducing public sector expenditure, including consultant and contractor expenditure: Public sector agencies have been told of savings expectations and have begun that work.

Begin work on a new GPS reflecting the new Roads of National Significance and new public transport priorities: A draft GPS was released this week, with an expected swing from public transport, walking and cycling towards roads.

The Government's transport plans represent a swing towards roads and new state highways and away from public transport, walking and cycling. Photo / Mark Tantrum

The redundant?

Abolish the previous Government’s prisoner reduction target: Labour leader Chris Hipkins had already scrapped this during the election campaign, so when Luxon and Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith announced scrapping it last month, they faced questions about how meaningful it was to abolish the already abolished.

Stop all work on He Puapua: The previous Government had already shelved this work at the end of 2022. Officials have since confirmed in writing that all work on He Puapua has ceased, according to the Prime Minister’s office.

Stop work on the Income Insurance Scheme: This had already been shelved in Labour leader Chris Hipkins’ policy bonfire last year.

The easy ticks

Begin efforts to double renewable energy production, including an NPS on Renewable Electricity Generation: Officials are working on this, according to the PM’s office.

Begin work to repeal the Therapeutics Products Act 2023: A paper has been brought to Cabinet about this, the PM’s office says.

Begin to cease implementation of new Significant Natural Areas and seek advice on operation of the areas: Officials have provided advice on this, the PM’s office says.

Begin to repeal and replace Part 6 of the Arms Act 1983 relating to clubs and ranges: Officials have been told to begin this work, according to the PM’s office.

Read more about what’s on the cards for firearms law reforms, and what’s less likely to happen

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's office says many of the items have been ticked off after ministers asked officials for advice. Photo / Mark Mitchell.

Start work to improve the quality of regulation: Potentially ticked in early February when the Government passed a bill under urgency to scrap the Productivity Commission so the money behind it can be used for a new Ministry for Regulation.

Begin work on delivering better public services and strengthening democracy: It’s unclear what this refers to, but it could be ticked in a number of ways including asking for savings in the public sector, setting public sector targets, and setting up regulatory oversight (see previous point).

Begin work on a National Infrastructure Agency: Ministers have mentioned setting this up in various speeches, and advice from several agencies has been provided, the PM’s office says.

Begin work to enable more houses to be built, by implementing the Going for Housing Growth policy and making the Medium Density Residential Standards optional for councils: Advice from officials has been provided, the PM’s office says.

Take first steps to extend free breast cancer screening to those aged up to 74: Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says he has discussed with officials what is needed to make this happen, but it will take time to prepare the health system to accommodate screening of about 60,000 more women each year.

Begin disestablishing Te Pūkenga: Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds wrote to the heads of Te Pūkenga at the start of December outlining her expectations and the proposed process on the future of Te Pūkenga.

The Great Undoing

Repeal the Clean Car Discount scheme: Done in December under urgency.

Stop blanket speed limit reductions and start work on replacing the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022: Outlined in the draft Land Transport Government Policy Statement, released earlier this week.

Stop central government work on the Auckland Light Rail project: Announced in January, likely to cost millions over the next six months.

Repeal the Fair Pay Agreement legislation: Done in December under urgency.

Restore 90-day trial periods for all businesses: Done in December under urgency.

Stop work on Industry Transformation Plans: No announcements about this but the Prime Minister’s office says this has stopped, following ministerial directives.

The Government won’t increase fuel excise duty this term, but will start increasing it again from 2027. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

Stop work on the Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme: Done in December.

Withdraw central government from Let’s Get Wellington Moving: Done in December, in agreement with local authorities.

Introduce legislation to repeal the Water Services Entities Act 2022: Done in February, passed through all stages under urgency.

Repeal the Spatial Planning and Natural and Built Environment Act and introduce a fast-track consenting regime: Repeals were done in December under urgency, while a fast-track consenting bill passed its first reading yesterday under urgency, which would give power to certain ministers to green-light major projects such as the second Mt Victoria tunnel.

Introduce legislation to narrow the Reserve Bank’s mandate to price stability: Done in December under urgency.

Introduce legislation to remove the Auckland Fuel Tax: Passed through final stages this week, with the tax to end in June.

Cancel fuel tax hikes: As outlined in the draft Land Transport Government Policy Statement this week, there will be no increases to fuel excise duty until January 2027.

Derek Cheng is a senior journalist who started at the Herald in 2004. He has worked several stints in the press gallery and is a former deputy political editor.