The house of chaos & pre-budget announcements

With the Government’s annual budget being unveiled this week, our Ministers have been making pre-budget announcements, championing more of our coalition commitments before Budget 2025 is released in its entirety.

Parliament will be debating Budget 2025 on Thursday - make sure you keep an eye on our NZFirst YouTube page to watch Winston's speech.

Along with pre-budget announcements, Winston and Shane called out the absurdity of the recently revealed budget from the (Marxist) Greens. Winston has also been shining a torch on the dark cloud of disregard for parliamentary process  and those who run tacky smear campaigns in the media.

Waitangi Tribunal

In our coalition agreement, New Zealand First pledged to amend the Waitangi Tribunal legislation, to refocus the scope, purpose and nature of its inquiries back to the original intent of that legislation.

A review of this legislation will ensure that the Tribunal continues to play a vital role in addressing Treaty-related issues but also enhance its efficiency and responsiveness to serve all New Zealanders in the future. An Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) will lead the review, and we will bring you further developments as they happen.

Pandemic Treaty Under the Microscope

Winston Peters confirmed this week that the Government will subject a draft Pandemic Treaty to a full National Interest Test before deciding on New Zealand’s participation. This thorough review will ensure any decision aligns with the country’s best interests.

We campaigned on this, and it strongly represents the very values that underpin what New Zealand First stands for - putting New Zealand first. We know it will be welcome news for our supporters because sovereignty is worth fighting for and that is exactly what we are doing.

“Any Treaty needs to confirm the sovereignty of countries to address public health matters within their borders and gives no power to the WHO or any other international body to direct, order, or change national laws or policies, or to direct countries to take specific actions, such as ban or accept travellers, impose vaccination mandates, or implement lockdowns.” – Winston Peters

A Boost for Māori Wardens

Fulfilling another promise from our coalition agreement, New Zealand First is backing the invaluable work of Māori Wardens with a funding boost in this year’s Budget.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Associate Police Minister Casey Costello were there to announce the funding that will enhance the Wardens’ role in promoting community safety and well-being. Promise made, and yet another promise delivered.

Fuel the Future

In a move to bolster New Zealand’s fuel resilience, Shane Jones has proclaimed that fuel companies have been mandated by the Government to increase their jet fuel storage near Auckland Airport by November 2026.

This decision stems from lessons learned during the 2017 pipeline rupture, which disrupted nearly 300 flights. Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones emphasized the importance of uninterrupted air travel for our island nation and the need for fuel companies to invest in additional storage without delay.

New Zealand First campaigned on developing a fuel security plan to increase New Zealand’s self-sufficiency and this recent announcement emphasises the importance of such a strategy.

Cracking Down on Illicit Drugs

In response to the growing threat of organized crime, Casey Costello announced that the Government is increasing investment to prevent illicit drugs from entering New Zealand. She highlighted the commitment to providing agencies with the necessary tools and capacity to meet these challenges and uphold law and order, as amazing customs teams continue their work protecting New Zealand communities.

Reliable Rail

Our Minister for Rail announced yesterday that the Government is investing $604.6m to enhance rail reliability across New Zealand. This funding will support upgrades and renewals, to ensure a more dependable rail network for both freight and commuters.

New Zealand First has always been a champion for rail and this latest announcement demonstrates our ongoing support for rail infrastructure.

“We want railways to succeed for this country – rail freight backs our business, and business backs our cities and provinces”. – Winston Peters

Full Steam Ahead in the South

Our New Zealand First ministers were delighted to attend the official (albeit it delayed) reopening of the iconic Hillside Railway Workshops.

New Zealand First is a staunch advocate for our regions and this reopening project created around 200 construction-related full-time jobs and signals positive economic activity for this community and the surrounding areas.

Another success story of funding from the original Provincial Growth Fund, this facility shows what Kiwis can do right here, rather than relying on cheaper options from offshore.

Youth MPs onboarded

More of our New Zealand First Youth MPs have been onboarded and begun their journey alongside our team leading into a full Youth Parliament session.

Mark Patterson and Angus Noone already on the job as Mark shows him the ropes out and about at stakeholder meetings

Youth MP Madina Sayed with Casey Costello in Onehunga

Nikau Adams, Jamie Arbuckle’s Youth MP, bringing some great experience from a youth governance role with Nelson City Council

Tanya Unkovich has welcomed Haemish Hollings to the team from Kristen School

 And Jenny Marcroft met with her Youth MP Louis McSporran from ACG Sunderland in Auckland last week – check it out HERE.