Milestones on New Government’s 100-Day Journey

Jacinda Ardern

Wellington, February 1, 2018

The completion of the Government’s 100 Day Plan today demonstrates its commitment to setting the direction for a stronger and fairer future for New Zealand.

We promised we would be a different government, one that makes dealing with the big challenges like child poverty, housing and climate change a priority.

Over the past 100 days we have delivered on that promise.

Child Poverty and Child Abuse

Today we announced a Royal Commission of Inquiry into historical abuse of children in state care – the final commitment in the Government’s 100-Day Plan.

Yesterday, I announced my Government’s targets to halve child poverty and material deprivation and set New Zealand on a path to becoming the best performing country in the world for child wellbeing.

Promise and delivery

We said that we would give renters confidence that their homes would be warm and dry and we did, by legislating for healthy homes.

We said that we would make post-secondary education fees free for the first year and we have.

We said that we would resume contributions to the Superfund, and we began payments within a few weeks of taking office last year.

We have also started work on a Climate Commission, introduced changes to employment law to bring fairness back to the workplace, established the Pike River Agency and taken a huge step toward cutting child poverty by lifting incomes through our Families Package.

Through these achievements, and the programme of work that will follow, we will demonstrate that it is possible to have a strong, growing economy while looking after people and the environment at the same time.

Just the beginning

The 100-Day plan was just the beginning.

There is a lot left to do to restore the public services that keep us connected and strong, and to build a sustainable, growing economy, that works for everyone.

Update on 100-Day Plan

Legislation to give effect to the Families Package – passed on December 14, 2017
Extension of Paid Parental Leave – legislation passed on November 29, 2017
Healthy Homes Guarantee Bill setting minimum standards for rentals – legislation passed on November 29, 2017
Ban on overseas speculators buying existing houses – legislation introduced December 14, 2017
Fees free for post-secondary school education or training for first year from 2018 – announced on December 5, 2017
Issue directive to Housing New Zealand stopping the sell-off of state houses – issued on December 20, 2017
Student allowances and living cost loans to increase by $50 from January 1, 2018 – announced November 21, 2017
Begin work to establish the Affordable Housing Authority and KiwiBuild programme – announced on December 19, 2017
Tax Working Group – Terms of Reference announced and Chairman appointed November 23, 2017
Restart contributions to the Super Fund – First payment made on December 15, 2017
Pike River Recovery Agency – agency opened on January 31, 2018
Legislation to provide greater fairness in workplace – Employment Relations Act amendment announced on January 25, 2017
Minimum wage to rise to $16.50 to take effect from April 2018 – announced on December 22, 2017
Introduce legislation to set a child poverty reduction target and to change the Public Finance Act so the Budget reports progress on reducing child poverty – Child Poverty Reduction Bill introduced on January 31, 2018. Government targets announced on January 31, 2018.
Legislation to make medicinal cannabis available for people with terminal illnesses or in chronic pain – Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill passed First Reading on December 30, 2017
Set up an inquiry into the abuse of children in state care – announced on February 1, 2018
Set up a Ministerial Inquiry in order to fix our mental health crisis – Terms of Reference and Members announced January 23, 2018
Set Zero Carbon Emissions goal and begin setting up independent Climate Commission – Interim Climate Change Committee announced on December 18, 2018