The Labour – NZ First agreement
The full agreement is here. For the most part all the reviews are not covered here as they may lead to nothing. So what are the big items:
- $1 billion regional development fund
- 100 million trees a year to be planted
- A feasibility study for moving Ports of Auckland. This means it won’t happen.
- Re-establish the NZ Forestry Service
- Reform the Reserve Bank Act – likely to mean higher inflation
- Increase minimum wage to $20 by April 2021. Is currently $15.75 so this is $4.25 over four years or around $1.20 cents a year. Has currently been going up 50 cents a year so this will have an impact on jobs.
- Re-establish the Mental Health Commission.
- Annual Free Health Check for Seniors including an eye check as part of the SuperGold Card.
- Progressively increase the age for free breast screening to 74.
- Pilot counsellors in primary schools.
- Restore funding for Computers in Homes.
- Establish a Housing Commission
- Strive towards adding 1800 new Police officers over three years
- Increase Community Law Centre funding.
- Establish a Criminal Cases Review Commission. This is a rare good policy.
- National Superannuation eligibility to remain at 65.
- If the Climate Commission determines that agriculture is to be included in the ETS, then upon entry, the free allocation to agriculture will be 95%.
- Increase support for National Science Challenges, including for piloting alternatives to 1080 and countering myrtle rust and kauri dieback.
- No resource rentals for water in this term of Parliament
- Introduce a royalty on exports of bottled water
- Work with Māori and other quota holders to resolve outstanding issues in the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill in a way that is satisfactory to both Labour and New Zealand First. This means the sanctuary is dead unless corporate fisheries owners get paid money. That would set a precedent for all future marine reserves.
- Independent review of the integrity of electoral processes and enrolments. I doubt the review will be at all independent. They will have an outcome in mind. Be very scared.
- Introduce and pass a ‘Waka Jumping’ Bill. This law allows party leaders to expel MPs from Parliament who disagree with them. Awful.
- Allow a conscience vote for MPs on New Zealand First’s Supplementary Order Paper to the End of Life Choice Bill, which provides for a referendum. Weird, as it is a conscience vote anyway.
- Support New Zealand First’s Racing policy. NZ First donors once again get a win!
- Work towards a Free Trade Agreement with the Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan Customs Union and initiate Closer Commonwealth Economic Relations. Double weird. Against an FTA with the US and against an FTA with China but Winston wants an FTA with Russia and Belarus!