Prime Minister’s weekly column
Families are at the heart of our communities. That’s why despite the challenges we have faced over the past few years, the National-led Government has been working hard to ensure that our families are getting the support they need. We are now halfway through our second term in office and I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on the progress we have made towards the brighter future that we promised New Zealand families at the last election.
Since 2008, we’ve faced some tough times as a country – from the global financial crisis to the Canterbury earthquakes, and more recently, the drought which affected regions nationwide. I’m proud to say that we have come through all of this in good shape. Through the Government’s responsible management, we have built a stronger New Zealand. Our economy is growing. New jobs are being created and the Government’s books are on track to surplus. Wages are rising faster than the cost of living. Mortgage rates are at their lowest since 1965 – a family with a $200,000 mortgage now pays around $200 less in interest payments each week than they did in 2008. At the same time, we remain focused on improving the public services that your family relies on. I’m pleased at the great results we have achieved so far in this area.
We’ve rolled out major reforms to protect our communities and prevent crime. We’ve put more police on the front-line, and we’ve implemented tougher sentencing, parole and bail laws. Our efforts are paying off – by 2017, we expect that the crime rate will be down by 15% compared to 2012. In terms of health, we know that families need healthcare that’s fast and convenient. Under National, people with injuries and illnesses are getting faster emergency treatment, and more patients are getting elective operations and seeing specialists sooner. There are now 1,000 more doctors and 2,500 more nurses in our hospitals and practices than there were in 2008. This is all great progress. While there’s always more work to be done, I am confident that the National-led Government is building the brighter future you and your families deserve.
