Leader's Letter
March 2006
Leaders Report
Rt Hon Winston Peters
A new year is upon us, and
2006 promises to be a busy,
exciting and successful year for
New Zealand First.
As Parliament begins for the year we
are back and more determined than
ever to make our mark – to ensure that
we deliver to New Zealanders what has
been promised in our Confidence and
Supply Agreement with the Government.
So this year, as every year in Parliament,
challenges exist for us and for the
country. Whatever the economic
concerns around the world, we need to
build on our basic economic stability;
improve productivity; continue to bear
down on the provision of good health
services; and build on the progress we
have made over the last year in ensuring
that New Zealanders are given a fair go.
There are close to 500,000 senior citizens
in this country and many of them, if not
most of them, are suffering. It is about
time we in Parliament looked after their
plight and helped them. Over the next
three years, senior citizens will receive
increased superannuation, a golden
age card, and an injection of funds into
elder care. This would not have occurred
without New Zealand First.
During this Parliament we will also
focus on developing a high-wage
economy. The increase in the minimum
wage to $10.25 an hour (in March)
is a step towards raising it to $12.
We also want to see New Zealand’s
business taxation regimes providing
greater incentives for productivity gains
and improved competitiveness with
Australia, and indeed of other developed
nations. We will work with other parties
to achieve that.
There will be a strong focus on a strategic
export plan that will significantly grow
our export sector and planning is under
way to make 2007 an “Export Year”.
There will be no further strategic asset
sales under our confidence and supply
arrangement. There will be no “for sale”
notices!
New Zealand First has secured agreement
for 1,000 more sworn police officers
and is determined to get the police to
population ratio closer to that of Australia
so that families will begin to feel more
secure in their homes and on the streets.
Agreement by Labour to review our
immigration laws is another significant
victory for New Zealand First. We place
the security of our borders as being
amongst our highest priorities, and
in the previous term of Parliament we
worked very hard, and successfully, to
gain recognition of our concerns.
During this parliamentary term, New
Zealand First will also be working
to ensure that free healthcare for
under-sixes is a targeted objective in
healthcare, and that there is access to
adequate emergency health services.
While our party’s goal is to extend
free health-care to all primary school
children we have sought improved
commitment to the free access to
doctors and medicines for our ‘undersixes’
that we introduced in 1997.
The challenge for our country is to
achieve the economic growth and
sustainable development that enables
us to enhance our standard of living
whilst giving due attention to those
matters that daily concern our citizens.
We are here to make that happen.
Rt Hon Winston Peters
LEADER NEW ZEALAND FIRST
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