Key’s National Conference Speech
Key has, as expected, entered the Town Hall to a rapturous welcome. They had a nice wee video intro and a great song (no not Clocks) for the walk in.
In his speech he is laying out ten parts of National’s Blueprint for Change. They are:
- Cut taxes on 1 April 2009 and 1 April 2010
- Bring discipline to government spending to reduce pressure on interest rates
- Have a lid on staff numbers in the core public service
- Attack gangs and the “P” trade with tougher laws and more powers for the Police
- Introduce an RMA Amendment Bill within 100 days
- Involve the private sector and communities more in providing government services
- Set national standards for literacy and numeracy for primary school pupils
- Retain all superannuation entitlements and eligibility, and through lifting average after tax incomes, increase the amount paid to senior citizens
- Repeal the Electoral Finance Act, and reach out to all parties to reach a consensus on legislation to replace it that will retain measures to provide greater transparency in political donations
- A binding referendum on MMP by no later than 2011
There was also a major announcement on infrastructure, which I’ll deal with in a separate post.