ACC's Disputes Resolution Service becomes an independent Crown Company - part of the Government's reforms to improve our system of accident compensation.
Our primary industries get further support with an amended tuberculosis management strategy to protect primary sector exports, simplifying wine excise rules and a national policy on Fresh Water Management. The new Environmental Protection Authority will better balance our economic opportunities with our environmental responsibilities.
Victims of crime get support with more services being offered from the $50 offender levy, which all convicted offenders are required to pay. In addition, the Victims Centre in the Ministry of Justice became fully operational.
Coupled with this is a new Legal Services Act, which addresses the widespread failings of the system in Dame Margaret Bazley's report. There are new quality frameworks, a Legal Services Commissioner who will act independently to grant legal aid and a new structure for the review of legal aid decisions.
The new financial adviser regime came into force - part of the Government's plan to restore investor confidence. All financial advisers are now required to be listed on a public register and belong to an approved disputes resolution service. This regime also requires a high level of competency and professionalism to be able to register.
The new Social Housing Unit that I wrote about a fortnight ago is now officially established. It will draw on a $40 million pool to grow the number and quality of social housing units available by working with third sector groups like the Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity.
Paid parental leave payments increased by $17 per week. This takes the maximum parental leave payment from $441.62 to $458.82 a week, for up to 14 weeks. This increase is calculated to account for increases to weekly earnings. The list goes on. Geospatial land information collected by Land Information NZ is now available online and free of charge. This will allow for greater efficiencies and faster decision-making processes for many organisations.
The change that has had the most publicity over the past week is the smoking ban in prisons. After a 12-month campaign to help prisoners kick the smoking habit, all New Zealand prisons became smoke free. This takes away the risk to staff health from secondhand smoke, and removes lighters and matches which can be used to make dangerous weapons.
All these changes strongly reflect the Government's commitment to strong leadership in cost reduction, innovative change, protection of rights and economic growth.
They are the next set of new initiatives in the long-term vision National has for New Zealand as a prosperous and forward-thinking nation.
