The Government is at risk of missing two of its public service targets for violent crime and student achievement as it releases its first quarterly report.
It was “feasable” targets surrounding emergency department and elective wait times, Jobseeker benefits, student attendance and youth offending could be achieved.
And according to the report summary, emergency housing numbers and net greenhouse gas emissions were considered probable or on track – although there isn’t enough data to measure the latter.
Its target of having 20,000 fewer people the victim of a violent crime has instead recorded 30,000 more victims as of June.
The crime figures were based on the New Zealand Crimes and Victims Survey, which shows people’s experience from up to two years ago.
As of June, 214,737 people had experienced violent crime – the target was 165,000. The baseline was 185,000.
In terms of student achievement, the at risk classification was given to the target of getting 80% of year 8 students at or above their expected curriculum level in reading, writing and maths.
The latest data from term four, showed 22% of students were at the curriculum level in maths and 47% in reading.
They haven’t moved, however, due to a lack of sufficient data. There was also no baseline and updated figures for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions.
Progress was being made on having fewer people in emergency housing and school attendance.
The number of people waiting more than four months for elective surgery was at 56.3%, down on the 62% baseline, and emergency department wait times were slightly above the baseline.
There were more people on the Jobseeker benefit and marginally more youth offenders.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the first quarterly report showed promising results in some areas and the scale of the challenge in others.
“Our Government reinstated targets to focus our public sector on driving better results for New Zealanders in health, education, law and order, work, housing, and the environment by 2030.
“The targets we set were deliberately ambitious and the results from the first quarter confirm that they will be challenging to achieve – but it’s a challenge our Government is up for.
“We are making particularly good progress on emergency housing, with the results showing that the Government is outperforming previous forecasts.
“Our plan to get children and families out of motels and into a home is working – as of June, there has been a 34% reduction in the number of households in emergency housing and since then there has been further improvement.”
He said violent crime was of particular concern.
“It adds fresh weight to previous data from Police, which showed a concerning rise in reports of violent crime in recent years.
“It is also further proof that the previous soft-on-crime approach has emboldened offenders and created a crime wave that will take a much tougher approach to stop.
“That’s why our Government is taking action to hold offenders accountable through tougher sentences.”
He said victims and the public lost faith in the justice system when criminals received hefty discounts to their sentences that didn’t reflect the harm caused.
“We will soon be introducing legislation to cap sentence discounts at 40%, with an open mind to going even further.
“In addition to tougher sentences, we are also increasing the number of cops on the beat, giving Police more powers to crack down on gangs, and addressing serious young offenders.”
The next quarterly progress report is due in December.
The targets:
- Reduced child and youth offending: 15% reduction in the total number of children and young people with serious and persistent offending behaviour
- 20,000 fewer people who are victims of an assault, robbery, or sexual assault
- 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support Benefit
- 80% of students are present for more than 90% of the term
- 80% of Year 8 students at or above the expected curriculum level for their age in reading, writing and maths by December 2030
- 75% reduction of households in emergency housing
- Be on track to meet New Zealand’s 2050 net zero climate change targets, with total net emissions of no more than 290 megatonnes from 2022 to 2025 and 305 megatonnes from 2026 to 2030
- Shorter stays in emergency departments: 95% of patients to be admitted, discharged, or transferred from an emergency department within six hours
- Shorter wait times for (elective) treatment: 95% of people wait less than four months for elective treatment.
