Labour lays out goals, confirms free vaccine

The Labour Government has confirmed the Covid-19 vaccine will be free in a speech setting out its goals for the term.

The Government’s wider plan for this term of Parliament was laid out by the Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy, as the Queen’s representative, in the Speech from the Throne yesterday, with a heavy focus on Covid19 and the economic response to it. It noted other ‘‘crises’’ such as climate change, child poverty, and homelessness would not be neglected while fighting Covid-19.

The speech, written by the Government, began by noting Labour’s historic win – the first single-party majority since MMP (mixed-member proportional representation) was introduced – saying Kiwis wanted certainty in ‘‘a time of unparalleled international crisis’’.

‘‘In this year of crisis, protecting New Zealand and the lives and livelihoods of New Zealanders has been the urgent and abiding consideration. It remains so,’’ the speech read.

It repeated much of Labour’s election manifesto, with promises to build 18,000 public homes, raise the minimum wage, repealing and replacing the Resource Management Act, and support for a swift economic recovery from Covid-19 with huge investment in infrastructure and training incentives. But it also sought to signal other problems would be addressed as part of the rebuild.

‘‘Crises do not form an orderly line waiting to be addressed.

‘‘Three of the country’s longest-standing and hardest issues demand continued and determined action: affordable housing and homelessness, child poverty, and the global climate crisis,’’ the governor-general said.

‘‘The Government means to build on the foundations laid in the first term. New Zealand must

continue to tackle these issues, at gathering scale, at gathering speed, and with gathering effect.’’

The speech said the Government had three overarching goals: Keeping Kiwis safe from Covid-19, accelerating the economic recovery, and ‘‘laying the foundation for a better future’’.

In housing, it recommitted to building 18,000 public or transitional houses by 2024.

It also signalled timing for the reform of the Resource Management Act – with an ‘‘exposure draft’’ of the new bill released in the first six months of 2021.

It also indicated some room to move beyond what was promised in the election campaign on housing, without making any specific promises.

‘‘The Government has set out the parameters of what it is prepared to consider during the election campaign. This will not change. But there is room to do more to support both the supply and demand side of housing to see outcomes that are more productive and fair. The Government will review its housing settings with a view to implementing policies that improve access to the housing market for first-home buyers.’’

In climate change, it recommitted to its goal of 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2030, promised investment in decarbonisation and electric vehicles, and promised it would ‘‘respond’’ to the first suggested carbon budgets from the Climate Change Commission.

‘‘Crises do not form an orderly line waiting to be addressed.’’ Speech from the Throne