Week That Was: Keeping New Zealand moving
We're keeping New Zealand moving, one progress-packed week at a time. Read below to find out how we're creating jobs, protecting the environment, looking out for the health of New Zealanders, and upgrading our critical infrastructure - and that's only this week.
Creating jobs, cleaning up rivers and supporting small businesses
Over the weekend we held our Labour Party Congress, where Labour Party supporters joined Labour MPs at Te Papa in Wellington to start gearing up for the 2020 Election.
We got to hear from the Prime Minister, who outlined our five point plan to support our economy recovery and keep New Zealand moving.
She also made two major announcements: 23 new projects to clean up our waterways and deliver over 2000 jobs in the regions – AND an extension to our interest-free small business loan scheme until the end of the year.
Boosting the primary sector
We announced our ten-year roadmap for the primary sector, which will mean more export earnings and more jobs for New Zealanders, all while protecting the environment.
The plan is broken up into three key planks: productivity, to add an additional $44bn in export revenue; inclusiveness, to employ more New Zealanders in the food and fibre industries and support 10,000 more primary sector jobs; and sustainability, to ensure we reduce our methane emissions and protect our environment as we help the sector to grow.
It's yet another way we're helping our regions recover and keeping our economy moving following COVID-19.
Building and upgrading infrastructure
We made a bunch of investments this week in key infrastructure in our regions, with new projects announced all around the country, from Whangārei to the West Coast.
These projects include building and upgrading environmental and transport infrastructure, and will unlock hundreds of jobs around the country, while helping to get our economic recovery underway.
Invested in safe drinking water
We announced a huge investment in water, to bring our drinking, waste and storm water up to scratch.
We believe all New Zealanders deserve clean, safe drinking water. This announcement is about the health of Kiwis, and our right to turn on the tap or swim in our rivers and lakes without getting sick.
Together with setting up a watchdog-regulator in Taumata Arowai, we're investing $761 million to upgrade water pipes and treatment stations around the country.
The aim is to create and maintain jobs and investment in water infrastructure, and it will also be important in the context of the economic pressures of COVID-19.
Strengthened alcohol and drug addiction services
New Zealanders struggling with alcohol or drugs now have better access to the help they need, after we launched new specialist services and better support for existing programmes.
We're serious about tackling our mental health and addictions challenges, which includes fixing our under pressure and fragmented alcohol and drug addiction recovery services. That's why this week we announced $32 million in new contracts for services over the next four years to help New Zealanders in their recovery.
This investment means more specialist staff will be available to support New Zealanders seeking to break the chains of addiction.
As we continue the countdown to Election Day, we'll be bringing you the latest news and announcements - right here on our website and over on our Facebook page.
Look out for the next edition in this weekly series next Friday.