KEY POINTS:
You can't have a change in government without a substantial change in policy, Helen Clark said on the eve of the election.
Today, voters are mulling over how the key changes will affect them as they prepare for what may be an extended period of recession.
A National-led
government will implement a total personal tax cut package worth $16 billion, including cuts already introduced on October 1.
John Key has promised to pass the package into law before Christmas, with the extra cash trickling through via cuts on April 1 in each of the next three years.
Those on the top 39c rate will see that cut to 37c for salary earned on $70,000 and over, and the 33c threshold will be raised from $40,000 to $50,000.
Coalition partner Act will push to immediately abolish the top 39c tax rate and over 10 years wants to move to a tax rate of 15 per cent on income over $20,000 and 12.5 per cent on income below that.
National leader John Key has said he would try to work with the Maori Party even if he did not need its support to govern, despite the parties' different views on tax. The Maori Party is plugging to radically raise the tax-free threshold to $25,000 a year.
The key planks of National's health policy include retaining the district health board system and not cutting budgeted health funding of $750 million next year.
It will also continue universal cheaper doctors' visits and prescriptions and establish a 30 per cent rebate on health insurance for seniors.
Among its first actions on health reforms will be making a 12-month course of anti-breast cancer drug Herceptin publicly available.
National said more work would be contracted to private hospitals and promised more surgical theatres to boost elective operations.
Act and United Future are also in favour of using private hospitals more, and Act would support a funding boost to elective surgery. National's indication that it will cap the number of health managers and administrators accords with Act's push to reduce bureaucracy.
Changes to the education system under National include an overhaul of the NCEA and it will ensure all 16- and 17-year-olds are in school, work or approved training courses.
With unemployment rising steadily in the run-up to the election, Key pledged extra assistance for Kiwis hit by redundancies.
The introduction and passage of National's transitional relief package into law will be among Key's first steps for the economy - earmarked to happen in the first 100 days in office.
