100-day plan: The 49 actions Govt pledges to act on
1. Stop work on the Income Insurance Scheme.
2. Stop work on Industry Transformation Plans.
3. Stop work on the Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme.
4. Begin efforts to double renewable energy production, including a NPS on Renewable Electricity Generation.
5. Withdraw central government from Let’s Get Wellington Moving (LGWM).
6. Meet with councils and communities to establish regional requirements for recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle and other recent major flooding events.
7. Make any additional Orders in Council needed to speed up cyclone and flood recovery efforts.
8. Start reducing public sector expenditure, including consultant and contractor expenditure.
9. Introduce legislation to narrow the Reserve Bank’s mandate to price stability.
10. Introduce legislation to remove the Auckland Fuel Tax.
11. Cancel fuel tax hikes.
12. Begin work on a new GPS reflecting the new Roads of National Significance and new public transport priorities.
13. Repeal the Clean Car Discount scheme by 31 December 2023.
14. Stop blanket speed limit reductions and start work on replacing the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022.
15. Stop central government work on the Auckland Light Rail project.
16. Repeal the Fair Pay Agreement legislation.
17. Introduce legislation to restore 90-day trial periods for all businesses.
18. Start work to improve the quality of regulation.
19. Begin work on a National Infrastructure Agency.
20. Introduce legislation to repeal the Water Services Entities Act 2022.
21. Repeal the Spatial Planning and Natural and Built Environment Act and introduce a fast-track consenting regime.
22. Begin to cease implementation of new Significant Natural Areas and seek advice on operation of the areas.
23. Take policy decisions to amend the Overseas Investment Act 2005 to make it easier for build-to-rent housing to be developed in New Zealand.
24. Begin work to enable more houses to be built, by implementing the Going for Housing Growth policy and making the Medium Density Residential Standards optional for councils.
Restore law and order
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25. Abolish the previous Government’s prisoner reduction target.
26. Introduce legislation to ban gang patches, stop gang members gathering in public, and stop known gang offenders from communicating with one another.
27. Give Police greater powers to search gang members for firearms and make gang membership an aggravating factor at sentencing.
28. Stop taxpayer funding for section 27 cultural reports.
29. Introduce legislation to extend eligibility to offence-based rehabilitation programmes to remand prisoners.
30. Begin work to crack down on serious youth offending.
31. Enable more virtual participation in court proceedings.
32. Begin to repeal and replace Part 6 of the Arms Act 1983 relating to clubs and ranges.
Deliver better public services
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33. Stop all work on He Puapua.
34. Improve security for the health workforce in hospital emergency departments.
35. Sign an MoU with Waikato University to progress a third medical school.
36. By 1 December 2023, lodge a reservation against adopting amendments to WHO health regulations to allow the government to consider these against a “national interest test”.
37. Require primary and intermediate schools to teach an hour of reading, writing and maths per day starting in 2024.
38. Ban the use of cellphones in schools.
39. Appoint an Expert Group to redesign the English and maths curricula for primary school students.
40. Begin disestablishing Te Pukenga.
41. Begin work on delivering better public services and strengthening democracy.
42. Set five major targets for health system, including for wait times and cancer treatment.
43. Introduce legislation to disestablish the Māori Health Authority.
44. Take first steps to extend free breast cancer screening to those aged up to 74.
45. Repeal amendments to the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990 and regulations.
46. Allow the sale of cold medication containing pseudoephedrine.
47. Begin work to repeal the Therapeutics Products Act 2023.
48. Establish a priority one category on the social housing waitlist to move families out of emergency housing into permanent homes more quickly.
49. Commission an independent review into Kāinga Ora’s financial situation, procurement, and asset management.
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The Greater Atua - Day 8
In Māori culture, atua refers to spiritual beings, ancestors, or gods that embody and oversee the forces of nature and the universe. Atua can represent elements like the sea, forests, sky, or even concepts such as peace or war. They are often linked to whakapapa (genealogy) and are seen as guardians and kaitiaki (caretakers) of their respective domains.
For example:
Tāne-mahuta: Atua of the forests and birds.
Tangaroa: Atua of the sea and marine life.
Ranginui: Atua of the sky (Sky Father).
Papatūānuku: The Earth Mother.
Hine-nui-te-pō: Atua of death and the underworld.
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In the sacred realms of Te Ao Māori, Tāne-mahuta (the atua of forests and birds) and Tangaroa (the atua of the sea) once had a disagreement. Each believed their mana (prestige) and influence over the natural world made them the greatest among the atua. Their debate grew heated, and to settle the matter, Io Matua Kore, the supreme being, appeared in the form of an unending pou (pillar).
Io proclaimed, "Whoever can reach either the top or the base of this pou will prove their greatness." Tāne-mahuta transformed into a hawk, soaring high into the skies to find the top, while Tangaroa shifted into a great taniwha and dove deep into the ocean to find the base.
Days turned into nights, and neither Tāne-mahuta nor Tangaroa could find the end of the pou. Tāne-mahuta’s wings grew tired as he flew higher and higher, and Tangaroa's strength waned as he swam deeper and deeper into the dark, cold depths of the moana (ocean). Eventually, both returned to the base of the pou, exhausted but determined to share their experiences.
Tāne-mahuta, embodying his role as kaitiaki (guardian), spoke the truth. "No matter how far I flew, I could not see the top of the pou. Its height is beyond comprehension, just as Io's wisdom and power are limitless."
Tangaroa, however, in his eagerness to prove his superiority, falsely claimed that he had touched the bottom of the pou. To support his claim, he called upon a kahawai (a fish) to nod in agreement. Io, knowing the truth, rebuked Tangaroa for his dishonesty and the kahawai for blindly supporting a lie.
As a result of his deceit, Tangaroa was told that while he would continue to command the respect of the seas, the realm of the skies and land would belong to Tāne-mahuta. The kahawai was cursed to be hunted endlessly by birds and humans alike, a reminder of the cost of blind allegiance to falsehoods. Tāne-mahuta, for his honesty and humility, was praised, and his forests and birds would be revered across the land.
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Moral of the Story
The story teaches us that truth and humility are greater than pride and deception. Greatness comes not from self-proclaimed superiority but from being steadfast in honesty and embracing one’s role as a kaitiaki. It also serves as a reminder that blindly following falsehoods can lead to consequences, just as the kahawai learned. In the Māori world, living with integrity and honouring the interconnectedness of all atua ensures balance and harmony in life.
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we're having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️
Poll: When should the tree go up? 🎄
From what we've heard, some Christmas trees are already being assembled and decorated.
What are your thoughts on the best time to get your Christmas tree up?
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4.6% Second half of November
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43.5% 1st December
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17.4% A week before Christmas
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33.3% Whenever you wish
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1.1% Other - I'll share below