“We promised we would be a different government, one that makes dealing with the big challenges like child poverty, housing and climate change a priority. Over the past 100 days we have delivered on that promise.

“Today we announced a Royal Commission of Inquiry into historical abuse of children in state care – the final commitment in the Government’s 100-Day Plan.

“Yesterday, I announced my Government’s targets to halve child poverty and material deprivation, and set New Zealand on a path to becoming the best performing country in the world for child well-being.

“We said we would give renters confidence that their homes would be warm and dry and we did, by legislating for healthy homes.

“We said we’d make post-secondary education fees free for the first year and we have.

“We said we’d resume contributions to the Superfund, and we began payments within a few weeks of taking office last year.

“We have also started work on a Climate Commission, introduced changes to employment law to bring fairness back to the workplace, established the Pike River Agency and taken a huge step toward cutting child poverty by lifting incomes through our Families Package.

“Through these achievements, and the programme of work that will follow, we will demonstrate that it is possible to have a strong, growing economy while looking after people and the environment at the same time.

“The 100 day plan was just the beginning. There’s a lot left to do to restore the public services that keep us connected and strong, and to build a sustainable, growing economy, that works for everyone."

Update on 100 Day Plan

1. Legislation to give effect to the Families Package – passed on 14 December
2. Extension of Paid Parental Leave - legislation passed 29 November
3. Healthy Homes Guarantee Bill setting minimum standards for rentals - legislation passed 29 November
4. Ban on overseas speculators buying existing houses - legislation introduced December 14
5. Fees free for post-secondary school education or training for first year from 2018 - announced 5 December
6. Issue directive to Housing New Zealand stopping the sell-off of state houses – issued on December 20
7. Student allowances and living cost loans to increase by $50 from 1 January 2018 - announced 21 November
8. Begin work to establish the Affordable Housing Authority and KiwiBuild programme - underway
9. Tax Working Group - Terms of Reference announced and Chairman appointed 23 November
10. Restart contributions to the Super Fund – First payment made on December 15
11. Pike River Recovery Agency – agency opened on January 31
12. Legislation to provide greater fairness in workplace – Employment Relations Act amendment announced January 25
13. Minimum wage to rise to $16.50 to take effect from April 2018 – announced on December 22
14. Introduce legislation to set a child poverty reduction target and to change the Public Finance Act so the Budget reports progress on reducing child poverty - Child Poverty Reduction Bill introduced 31 January. Government targets announced 31 January.
15. Legislation to make medicinal cannabis available for people with terminal illnesses or in chronic pain – Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill passed first reading 30 December
16. Set up an inquiry into the abuse of children in state care – announced 1 February
17. Set up a Ministerial Inquiry in order to fix our mental health crisis – TOR and members announced January 23
18. Set zero carbon emissions goal and begin setting up independent Climate Commission – Interim Climate Change Committee announced 18 December.

| A Beehive release  ||  February 1, 2018   |||