The Government has announced its second quarterly action plan for 2025, saying it continues a “relentless focus on growth”.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said there were “positive signs of the economic turnaround this Government was elected to deliver”.
“We know the cost of living is still tough but with GDP rising, interest rates falling, and inflation back in its box, our plan is working, and we must push ahead on going for economic growth.”
The latest GDP figures showed an increase of 0.7% while inflation stayed at 2.2%, remaining within the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s target band of 1 to 3% for two consecutive quarters.
Luxon said the latest quarterly plan laid out 38 actions the Government would take to help rebuild the economy, reduce the cost of living, and make Kiwis better off.
Legislation to encourage international investment and the ratification of the trade deal between New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates would be completed this quarter.
“Both are hugely important to helping our businesses grow, creating more jobs, and lifting incomes,” he said.
There would also be action to boost tourism and international education as well as progress on the 30-year National Infrastructure Plan.
“A bigger economy means more jobs, higher incomes, and more money in people’s back pockets. It also means we can afford the health and education services Kiwis deserve.
“Growth doesn’t just miraculously happen. That’s why I make no excuse for keeping the public service focused on delivery with these quarterly action plans.”
Luxon said the Government was “off to a fast start” with several actions already ticked off in the first few days of April.
Three of the 40 actions from the Quarter 1 action plan remained incomplete: two were partially completed, and one was not completed.
A Cabinet paper on the Regulatory Standards Bill has been completed and will be considered at an upcoming Cabinet meeting, while the Health Infrastructure Investment Plan has been considered by Cabinet and will be published shortly.
The uncompleted action to ‘take Cabinet decisions on legislation to improve the regulation of medical devices’ was referred to a future Cabinet meeting to allow for further consultation with the industry.
Government’s action plan for second quarter of 2025
The economy and the cost of living
- Deliver a Budget focused on boosting economic growth, improving social outcomes, controlling government spending, and investing in long-term infrastructure.
- Introduce legislation to ratify the New Zealand–United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
- Introduce legislation to establish Invest NZ to position New Zealand as a premier destination for the foreign direct investment that will create higher paying jobs and grow the economy.
- Introduce legislation amending the Overseas Investment Act to make it easier, quicker, and more transparent for foreign investors to invest in and grow New Zealand businesses.
- Take Cabinet decisions on the Parent Visa Boost, to enable migrants to sponsor their parents or grandparents to enter the country.
- Launch the Tourism Growth Roadmap, the second phase of the Government’s plan to boost tourist numbers and drive economic growth.
- Deliver a plan to boost export education earnings.
- Introduce the Regulatory Standards Bill to improve the quality of regulation by ensuring regulatory decisions are based on principles of good law-making and economic efficiency.
- Begin public consultation on changes to the Driver Licencing system.
- Take Cabinet decisions on the fleetwide transition to Road User Charges.
- Begin public consultation on National Direction to the Resource Management Act to unlock development in infrastructure, housing, and our primary industries.
- Begin public consultation on the 30-year National Infrastructure Plan.
- Pass legislation to remove barriers to the use of overseas building products to increase competition and reduce costs.
- Take Cabinet decisions on self-certification for low-risk work and reducing inspection wait times to reduce building costs.
- Introduce legislation to make targeted improvements to the Public Works Act to make it faster and fairer to acquire land for building infrastructure.
- Agree the first Regional Deal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to drive economic growth and improve the supply of housing and infrastructure.
- Take Cabinet decisions on reforms to the Commerce Act to improve competition settings.
- Take Cabinet decisions on capital markets settings to remove barriers to listing, reduce costs to firms and enable greater investment in private assets from KiwiSaver providers.
- Pass legislation to allow businesses to make pay deductions in response to partial strikes.
- Take Cabinet decisions to refocus WorkSafe and the WorkSafe New Zealand Act to reduce unnecessary compliance costs for business while enhancing worker safety.
- Introduce legislation to establish a regulatory system for online gambling to reduce gambling harm.
- Pass legislation to extend TAB’s monopoly to online racing and sports betting, keeping revenue in New Zealand to support local industries and strengthening gambling harm protections.
- Publish the first Government AI strategy to help drive adoption of AI to boost productivity and grow the economy.
- Introduce legislation to limit farm-to-forestry conversions from entering the Emissions Trading Scheme to protect productive land.
- Introduce legislation to enable the designation of herds of special interest to raise our international profile as a hunting destination and help support an increase in hunting tourism.
Law and order
- Open the 600-bed extension at Waikeria Prison to support the Government’s efforts to keep criminals off the streets.
- Pass legislation that empowers victims of sexual violence to determine whether their attackers receive name suppression.
- Take Cabinet decisions on proposals from the Ministerial Advisory Group for Victims of Retail Crime to strengthen trespass law.
- Take Cabinet decisions to further strengthen consequences for crime by reforming the Crimes Act.
- Take Cabinet decisions on AML/CFT reform to improve the supervisory and funding model; and to reduce the burden on business while enhancing access to financial services for everyday Kiwis
Public services
- Deliver 10,500 additional elective procedures through the Health NZ electives boost.
- Complete the Year 7-8 maths tutoring trial and begin evaluation.
- Complete sector consultation on the Year 11-13 maths, English, Pāngarau and Te Reo Rangatira curricula.
- Introduce legislation to strengthen the performance of the education system.
- Pilot the Stepped Attendance Response with select schools to raise student attendance.
- Pass legislation to expand the Traffic Light System to add more tools to support people off welfare into work.
- Introduce legislation to require freedom of expression in universities.
- Take Cabinet decisions on scaling up the New Zealand biodiversity credit market to incentivise the protection and restoration of native wildlife.
