1. Public Health and Illness Prevention Programmes aimed at health promotion and preventing illness and injury are an investment in the future health of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Their success will have a major bearing on the level of treatment services that are needed in later years.
The New Zealand economy is clearly facing short term challenges from the global financial turbulence. Labour will ensure that the current international crisis does not lead to a prolonged recession in New Zealand.
An effective Labour market policy can both underpin economic growth and ensure the fruits of growth can be shared fairly.
A sustainable economy requires a supportive macroeconomic environment.
A successful sustainability agenda implemented effectively should assist productivity. The main elements of increasing productivity are skills and infrastructure. Skills
A sustainable economy will be built on the following policy foundations:
Labour is committed to a justice system that is modern, effective, fair and accessible. This will make offenders more accountable, reduce reoffending, help the victims of crime, and in turn, strengthen our communities.
Labour will continue to adjust NZ Superannuation to ensure that the rate for a married couple is equivalent to at least 66% of the average wage.
The benefit abatement system Working for Families has helped create full-time work incentives for families with children. With these full-time work incentives in place, there is now an opportunity for strengthening incentives for part-time work.
Labour is committed to a public health system that people can trust, one that is there for them regardless of their ability to pay. We will build upon the positive changes to our health system over this decade to offer the best possible service for all New Zealanders.
Labour has already announced plans to widen student allowance eligibility in 2009, by raising to $50,000 the parental income threshold where allowance payments begin to reduce, and lowering the age of financial independence from twenty-five to twenty-four.
Labour will continue to increase the numbers of modern apprentices and industry trainees so that each year ten per cent of the New Zealand workforce is participating in formal training.
The best start for our kids
Securing the affordability of tertiary education
1. Introducing Tasers National will introduce Tasers, subject to a positive evaluation of the Taser trial. Tasers have been shown to be an effective tool for deterring offenders who would have gone on to harm the public or police.
1. Expanding Police Surveillance Amend the Crimes Act to make it easier for police to conduct surveillance on gang communications. 2. Removing Gang Fortifications
1. Compensating Victims • Establish a Victim Compensation Scheme (VCS) funded by a levy - envisaged to be $50 - on all offenders at sentencing. The VCS will help victims with one-off expenses not covered by ACC or other state help.
1. Wider Youth Court Jurisdiction Extend the jurisdiction of the Youth Court so it can deal with 12- and 13-year-olds accused of serious offences. 2. New Powers for the Youth Court
1. Extending Work Obligations Extend part-time work obligations to:
National Party Leader John Key has unveiled an economic management plan that will provide a much-needed boost to weekly superannuation payments.
First, National will improve productivity across the public sector by ensuring a strong focus on the provision of frontline services.
• Amend the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001 to allow the Minister of Finance to give a direction to the Guardians of the Fund in relation to the proportion of the fund which is to be allocated to New Zealand.
Taxes affect decisions to work, save, spend, or invest, so tax can have a big impact on economic growth and future prosperity.
1. Reviewing the Present Scheme • Conduct a full stock-take of the various components of the ACC scheme. • Evaluate progress to full funding. • Identify areas of cross-subsidy or cost-shifting, and underfunding of newly-legislated entitlements.
National will introduce a "voluntary bonding" scheme offering student loan debt write-off to graduate doctors, nurses, and midwives agreeing to work in hard-to-staff communities or specialties for three to five years.
1. Boosting Medical Students National will boost the number of funded medical student places by 200 students over five years. This will increase the total number of funded medical student places from 365 students a year to 565 – a boost of over 50%.
Improving Hospice Care National will boost funding for hospices by $15 million a year to expand care and services and meet current financial challenges.
1. Continuing the Current Health Spending Growth Track Continue the growth in health spending set out in the 2008 Pre-Election Fiscal Update. This includes the Government’s indicative spending allocations.
1. Promoting Clinical Leadership • Reduce bureaucracy in health and shift savings to frontline care. • Ensure that doctors, nurses, and other health professionals have more say in how health services are developed and improved.
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