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19 November 2009
Key Notes Special - 1 year in

This week, the National-led Government marks its first year in office. In this issue of Key Notes, I look back on our achievements so far and look forward to the hard work ahead.

Click here to watch my latest video diary on YouTube

BOOSTING TRADE

Last weekend I was in Singapore for the APEC Summit, and I had the chance to catch up with US President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (pictured), as well as other Pacific leaders.

Just before the Summit, President Obama announced that the United States would engage with the Trans Pacific Partnership. This is very good news. The Partnership is a group of eight Pacific nations – including New Zealand – working towards a free trade agreement. The potential gains for our exporters, the economy, and jobs from such an agreement are enormous.

SECURING A BRIGHTER FUTURE

A year ago, the new Government was sworn into office.

I remember the awesome feeling of responsibility as I took my oath.

New Zealand welcomed in a fresh team. We were ready to strengthen our economy, raise education, make our communities safer, and get more out of our health system.

Today, in Christchuch, I gave a speech marking our first anniversary in government. I described how we are delivering on our election promises and working hard on the issues that matter to you.

We’ve already achieved a lot.

We've cut taxes, boosted the number of police on the beat, increased the amount of elective surgery being performed, introduced National Standards in literacy and numeracy, accelerated new roading projects (not to mention a national cycleway), and provided support to small businesses hit by the recession.

Click here to read my opinion piece on the anniversary.

Click on the links below to read short summaries of our achievements in:

LOOKING AHEAD

I’m hugely optimistic about New Zealand’s prospects as we come out of the recession. We have so much going for us. We produce some of the best food in the world. We’ve got beautiful scenery that tourists love to visit. We’re part of this century’s economic powerhouse region – Asia – and home to some of the smartest, hardest-working, and most creative people in the world.

Our mission is to unlock this potential.

I want to see our farmers and exporters producing more and getting better prices for their goods overseas. I want to see our tourism industry growing, and attracting bigger-spending tourists all year round. I want to see more of our Kiwi entrepreneurs selling their goods and ideas to the world so they can expand their businesses and provide new and better paying jobs.

And I want to see more of our young people realising their potential here rather than overseas.

So I’ve tasked Government ministers with working on the key drivers needed to realise these ambitions. They are about:

1. Ensuring our tax system encourages people to work hard, save, and invest in productive Kiwi businesses.

2. Focusing the Government’s activity on better, smarter, frontline services, rather than waste and backroom bureaucracy.

3. Providing all New Zealanders with the education and skills they need to perform productive well-paid jobs.

4. Building the transport, broadband, and other infrastructure networks that people and businesses need to get their jobs done as efficiently as possible.

5. Removing the red tape and cumbersome regulation that can prevent businesses from expanding, taking on new workers, and making the most of new ideas.

6. Supporting Kiwi firms to grow and develop new ideas by connecting them with our researchers and scientists, and helping them reach more global consumers by signing free trade agreements with our trading partners.

That’s a huge programme of work over many areas.

As a Government, it’s a matter of rolling our sleeves up, focusing on the issues that matter and, in some cases, making some difficult decisions.

By creating the right conditions, we can give people the confidence to work hard, invest in a business, and take up new opportunities. New Zealanders want to do that. And we were elected to represent them.

They are the people we swore an oath to serve. And they are the people this Government works for every day.

Together we can realise the brighter future this country deserves.

Read my full speech and comment here.

Best wishes


John Key
Prime Minister
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#1 - Nigel Patterson 2009-11-19 22:18 - (Reply)

My comment is in relation to your comment "And I want to see more of our young people realizing their potential here rather than overseas." Burleigh beach will be packed this xmas with Kiwis and almost all of us left NZ for the same reason...treaty settlements have left European kiwis feeling like we have no home. Why am I more at home after six months in Australia than 38 years living in my country of birth? NZ's indigenous population is being spoon feed the nation and the policy of replacing us with Asian immigration is only exasperating the problem long term. I look forward to my daughter graduating so I can get her across the Tasman to an equal opportunity country :)

#2 - Murray Forsdyke 2009-11-20 09:33 - (Reply)

This is all good stuff John but please dont butcher the funamentals of ACC by introducing risk assessment and breaking the Woodhouse charter.

#3 - ronald lonie 2009-11-20 10:15 - (Reply)

Don Brash made a speech that our Maori people claim to be racist, not so, he was indicating that N.Z.should be one people with one law. I and a large group of New Zealanders responded well to this.We can not claim to be a democracy until we are all equal. John Key and the rest of the party have saved N.Z.from disaster, we must not fall backwards. Ron

#4 - Matthew said:
2009-11-20 10:34 - (Reply)

John, that's great work you are doing abroad for the country however hand shaking the world still doesn't help the 1000's of New Zealanders affected by the leaky home problems which in part was created by government and local councils. John it's time to face up to this billion dollar problem because it isn't going away and the longer you leave it to someone else the worse it will get! There needs to be leadership shown on this issue by you and your cabinet and solid initiatives put forward by the government to solve this problem in order for 1000's of New Zealanders to achieve much of what you have outlined above and help build a better New Zealand. Without the government stepping in to solve the problem all the hard work done by the 1000's of owners of leaky homes will mainly go into the industries of law and bureaucracy and will be wasted on the local economy, taking generations to recover. Is this a legacy you want to leave behind when you have the power to fix this problem created by previous politicians? You speak about building transport and infrastructure systems yet you still can't walk or ride a bike across the harbour bridge in Auckland, the most congested and used road in the country? John don't get me wrong I think you are doing a great job of leading the country and I fully support this government opening up free trade with other countries however in order to achieve what you have outlined in the above you need to have a solid base that isn't leaking and congested for New Zealand to move forward. All the best, fellow countryman.

#5 - Margaret Ryan-Bell said:
2009-11-20 10:57 - (Reply)

I continue to support you and your team. I am especially excited about the cycleway and look forward to the northland extension being developed. I have seen the benefit of this in the south island to tourism and believe it will encourage many overseas visitors. Please continue to keep parliament relatively 'polite'. It is so good to see politicians at least trying to be gentlefolk. Congratulations on your Speaker. Keep up the good work. We are encouraged by your efforts.

#6 - Pramen Singh 2009-11-20 12:53 - (Reply)

John do you really have the courage to walk the line? you condemn Fiji for democracy yet you ignore public referendum in your own country. I now realise democracy has 2 meanings: 1. the original meaning. 2. person in power decides what democracy is, as and when he sees fit for their pocket. May I remind you, do not forget every poltician is merely a servant of the public and not a celebrant or someone special.All politicians are worthy of respect no more than any other person walking the street. You should be humbled by the fact we give you a car and driver reluctantly, it is a privilege not your right. Fix the real issue of the country, corporal punishment for hardened criminals, slash dole, compulsory schooling for all till year 12 with subjects that matter, English, Maths and hygiene/ Health science. common sense and democracy as a true meaning.

#7 - Paul Rossiter 2009-11-20 13:10 - (Reply)

Yes the first year has been good. However I am concerned about the possibility of Xtra tax on Landlords( this is more of a labour policy than National) The government would come under presure to build a lot more State Houses if private landlords did not invest in rental houseing. Certainly a Capital Gains tax would be a backward step. The voters lost would be mainly National voters so Labour would gain a lot out of such policies. Also I hate having to fill in the string below, they rarely work for me.

#8 - Ian Brown 2009-11-21 12:05 - (Reply)

I am concerned that John Key is not aware we remember Lange and his sneaky bills in the early hours of the morning against the majority of the population and he is doing a Helen on the smacking bill. The law as it stands makes parent criminals even pulling on an arm to get the kids to the bath. Tasers are ok.

#9 - Ted Kyriak 2009-11-21 16:08 - (Reply)

Prime Minister It is a good idea to cut red tape to facilitate the growth of business. I have no doubt that you intend to achieve this by open and proper means, including public consultation, and not by improper or ad hoc devices as, for example, the insertion into Government bills of specific provisions to over-ride another enactment for the sole benefit of one specific business and one specific person and for the limited period of that person’s ownership of that business. I am referring to the currently proposed amendments to Reserves and Other Lands Disposal (ROLD) Bill 237-2. Please take time to read the short Clauses 34B and 34C. In my opinion, these ‘back-door” clauses of the Bill were inserted contrary to Standing Orders and contrary to the “non-controversial” reference in the General Policy Statement of the Bill. It appears that their insertion was cleverly timed to exclude scrutiny and avoid public process. In my consideration, if this Bill becomes an Act of Parliament, a controversial, divisive and dangerous precedent will be set which could adversely affect your well-intentioned proposal to promote business expansion in New Zealand by proper legislative means.

#10 - Andrew Atkin said:
2009-11-23 11:00 - (Reply)

Hello, Stopping our debt-fuelled spending binge means starving a big chunk of our (currently imbalanced) economy, of which was (is) only being supported by the debt-based spending: and that means a period of unemployment as those lost jobs relocate to the (export) productive sector of the economy. And that is what MUST happen if we are to pay off our debts. (Unless that oil "gold mine" pay off. But that is not a sure prospect, and still will not solve our economic problems long-term). Brian Fellow reckons the way governments get around the debt servicing for ever greater debt is to allow the tax base to increase via inflation, forcing proportionally more people into a higher tax bracket relative to real earnings. Is that the plan? Hope not! Because that is an utterly irresponsible way to run a country - a "creeping" tax-increase to pay the price of greater debt-servicing, and from debt that SHOULD have been paid down via a rebalanced economy - that is, an economy that was allowed to go through a recession rather than having its recession delayed via direct or indirect government "stimulus". Please don't take us down America's road Mr Key. It's still you job to do the right thing - lose the next election if you must.

#11 - Alan Miles 2009-11-24 23:23 - (Reply)

Carry on with your emmission policy at your own risk John. With the latest e-mail disclosures there is to much up in the air ( if you will forgive the pun ) to sign anything. Be wise and call for more information.

#11.1 - gordon gray 2009-11-30 12:23 - (Reply)

John its about time Smith read the East Anglia e-mail scandal just announced in the UK. Perhaps then someone in Wellington might use a grain of common sense on this emissions garbage. Gordon

#12 - Rob Edwards 2009-11-25 21:44 - (Reply)

I have to say John, the items you are pushing through at the moment concern me greatly. If I had known the ETS and the Maori deals including the foreshores, would proceed under national there is no way I would have voted for you.I believe that even if we some how manage to avoid the global finical crisis, it will mean little we will have a national finical one on our hands anyway - thanks to your schemes

#12.1 - Stephen Wilson 2009-11-27 16:38 - (Reply)

I agree with Rob Edwards. I didn't vote for a new and even more left wing version of Labour. If I'd known to expect new envy-based property taxes, race based transfers of wealth, pursuance of the Emissions Trading Scam/Tax despite the lack of evidence for AGW, the survival of Labour's obscene Wellington bureaucracy and increased public borrowing in the midst of the worst recession for years, then I certainly wouldn't have voted for National.

#13 - steve w 2009-11-29 13:23 - (Reply)

Dissapointment, rushing thru ETS scheme when there is so much at stake. As a kiwi farmer you say the govt will help get better prices for our goods, So now you put extra tax burden on us all. NZ is one og the few countrie with a food surplus, now you want us to produce less for a myth.world food production needs to increase 50% in 20 years.We need to up our game as the screams will be loud when people are hungry.

#14 - Ian 2009-11-30 15:42 - (Reply)

John, you have had a year to show leadership and have sadly failed. You have been ridiculed by the actions of member of your coalition (Messrs Hide and Harewira), not forgetting the others you at least sacked as they were part of your party - kindly make a stand and remove those idiots from public office. BTW - throwing money at more elective services will only create more consumer driven demand for these in every town; try investing in prevention, not cure.


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