With about a year to go until the general election, the process of formulating the policies that National will campaign on is not yet complete. National spokespeople are working hard with sector groups and the community to develop these policies.
But when I became Leader, I identified five key policy platforms that will form the basis of our campaign to lead the next government:
Lifting living standards
National’s top priority is to improve the living standards of all New Zealanders through stronger economic growth and in particular to narrow the gap which has emerged over the last three decades between living standards in New Zealand and those in Australia. At present that gap is about US$6,000 per capita – or some NZ$200 per week. Little wonder that we see an increasing number of our brightest and most innovative young people deciding to move to Australia.
That gap in living standards will not be closed over night, or even in one term of a National Government. It will require us to fix the things which currently impede our growth, such as the Resource Management Act, and the over-taxation of hard-working New Zealanders.
Improving literacy and numeracy skills
Forty percent of adult New Zealanders have reading skills that are below the minimum required to function effectively in a modern society.
It isn’t possible to measure everything a child learns at school, like discipline, confidence and trust. But we owe it to our children to measure their ability to read and use numbers, because then we can know when the system isn’t working and can do something about it.
We will set national standards in numeracy and literacy, and we will measure them, to make sure no child arrives at high school still needing to learn to read and write.
Reducing welfare dependency
Welfare damages people’s lives by killing initiative, enthusiasm and potential. It currently costs $20 million per day and official figures show that that cost is only going to get worse. All New Zealanders pay for this through unnecessarily high taxes.
For those who choose welfare as a lifestyle option, National will send a strong message that we want better things for them and for New Zealand.
The state will always provide a safety net for those who need it but National strongly believes that those receiving money from the state should be expected to help themselves and their families when they are able to do so. Those who are able-bodied should be expected to do some kind of community work, or be in training, if they need ongoing taxpayer support.
Putting a stop to racial separatism
A dangerous and divisive trend has emerged towards the embodiment of racial distinctions in large parts of our legislation. In both education and healthcare, government funding is now influenced not just by need – as it should be – but also by ethnicity.
National’s campaign against race-based and politically correct silliness is not an issue of Maori versus non-Maori New Zealanders – it concerns New Zealanders from all walks of life and all ethnic backgrounds.
We are campaigning on a platform of one standard of citizenship for all New Zealanders and envisage a country where everyone’s rights and responsibilities are equal.
Ensuring security
National will ensure that New Zealanders can feel safe in their homes and in their communities. We will provide police with the resources and the power to deal firmly with crime, drugs, gangs and vandalism.
The present Government allows violent and recidivist criminals out of jail early, with minimal follow-up. The public wants, and should be able to expect, such people, if released at all, to be released on strict terms, with close supervision as they reintegrate into the community.
The next National Government will abolish parole for all violent and repeat offenders and will extend DNA testing to every person arrested. If they are convicted, their DNA will be added to the DNA database.
As Leader of the Opposition, I want to lead a government that ensures every individual is treated on the basis of need not race; that helps every child to get a decent education; that ensures that everybody who genuinely needs state support gets it, and is helped back into the workforce; that enables every New Zealander to feel safe in their home and community; and that works to lift our living standards to those of our Australian neighbours. Only when we have together achieved these objectives will our future as a society be assured.
Copyright © 2024 Don Brash.