Building a Brighter Future

National is working hard to build a brighter future for all New Zealanders and their families.

Building a Brighter Future

Our priorities are:

National is building a stronger economy. Lifting long-term economic growth is the only way we can provide New Zealanders with the higher incomes, better jobs, and improved living standards they aspire to and deserve. More



National is getting better results from the public services families rely on. We are building a world-class health service, schools that deliver for every child, a strong and effective justice system, and social services that protect the vulnerable and provide children with opportunities to succeed. More

National is taking action on violent crime and addressing the drivers of crime, to make our streets and neighbourhoods safer for families. More

National is doing what it takes to help Canterbury families and businesses recover from the earthquakes and get back on their feet. More

Building a strong economy, based on real enduring growth, will provide New Zealanders and their families with the better jobs, higher incomes, and improved living standards that they deserve.

Overview: Our 2011 Priorities – A Stronger Economy
Budget 2011: Building our Future

Our Priorities for the Economy:

Building Stronger Government Accounts

Overview: Building Stronger Government accounts

• Student Loans: Keeping Loans Interest Free
• Working for Families: Targeting Families in Need

Building Savings and Investment

Overview: Building Savings and Investment

• Mixed Ownership: More Savings Opportunities
• KiwiSaver: Increasing private savings

Building Exports

Overview: Building Exports

Building Business Confidence by Reducing Business Costs

Overview: Building Business Confidence

Building Infrastructure for Growth

Overview: Building Infrastructure for Growth

Building a World-Class Tax System

Overview: Building a World-class Tax System

New Zealanders expect a world-class health service, an education service that delivers for every child, a strong and effective justice system, and social services that protect our most vulnerable while providing children from all walks of life with the opportunities they need to succeed. 

Overview: Our 2011 Priorities – Better Public Services

Our Priorities for Better Public Services:

Children Overview: A Special Focus on Children

• Confronting Child Abuse – Green Paper puts Priority on Children 
• Expanding Participation in Early Childhood Education
• Boosting Immunisation 
• Improving Early Intervention
• Improving Maternity Services

Education Overview: Building Skills and Knowledge

• Early Childhood Education
• National Standards in Literacy and Numeracy
• Boosting Trades and Skills
• A High-Quality Tertiary Education System
• Student Loans: Keeping Loans Interest Free
• Youth Employment Package
• A Special Focus on Children

Quick facts: Building Better Healthcare

Health Overview: Better, Sooner, More Convenient Healthcare

• More Doctors and Nurses
• More Elective Surgeries and Shorter Waiting Times 
• Voluntary Bonding
• $2.2 billion more on Frontline Health
• Cutting Bureaucracy and Improving Frontline Services
• Improving Maternity Services
• A Special Focus on Children

Welfare Overview:  Building a More Effective Welfare System

• A Special Focus on Children
• Future Focus package
• Welfare Working Group
• Youth Opportunities and Youth Employment Package
• Whanau Ora
• Stronger Social Services in the Community 

Housing Overview: Building Better Housing

• Residential Tenancies Act
• Social Housing Reform package 
• Fixing Leaky Homes
• Home Insulation Scheme

Taking action on violent crime and addressing the drivers of crime will help make families safer in our streets and neighbourhoods.

Law and Order Overview: Building a Safer New Zealand

• Fresh Start for Young Offenders
• Alcohol Reform package.
• Emphasising the Rights of Victims
• Boosting Police numbers
• Tough new Sentencing, Parole, and Bail Laws
• Clamping down on Gangs and ‘P’
• Making our Roads Safer

National is committed to doing what it takes to help Canterbury get back on its feet and rebuild.

Overview: Rebuilding Canterbury

• Immediate Financial Relief for Families and Workers
• Re-establishing Essential Infrastructure
• The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA)
• Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Canterbury Earthquake
• EQC Rapid House Assessment Process
• Land Information released

For further policy on Rebuilding Canterbury, visit Beehive Feature: Canterbury Earthquakes Recovery

• Supporting Our Rural Communities
• Environment – Practical solutions, better protection 
• Guaranteeing Public Access to the Foreshore and Seabed
• Emissions Trading Scheme
• Building a Brighter Future for Older New Zealanders
• Supporting our Pacific Communities