Govt rolls out initiatives – but we must wait to enjoy the benefits – on housing, health and police
Plans to provide more social housing, plans to provide more doctors and nurses, and plans to relocate a police station…
These were among the initiatives announced by our hard-working ministers in the past day or so.
But the benefits won’t be appreciated immediately. Officials have been asked to deliver the goods on the housing front, new doctors have yet to be recruited, and the government has done no more than announce plans to relocate the current 24/7 police station from College Hill – about 2km from the city centre – to a more central spot on Federal Street.
More housing
Housing and Associate Finance Minister Chris Bishop announced the Government has agreed to a series of changes to remove barriers faced by Community Housing Providers (CHPs) in delivering social housing.
The Government has directed officials to advance the following changes in the short-term:
More housing
Housing and Associate Finance Minister Chris Bishop announced the Government has agreed to a series of changes to remove barriers faced by Community Housing Providers (CHPs) in delivering social housing.
The Government has directed officials to advance the following changes in the short-term:
- Changes to contracts for new housing supply to make the IRRS revenue stream more attractive for investors and financiers, including exploring removing termination for convenience clauses, extending compensation terms and looking at funding approval arrangements, including early approval in principle to enable CHPs to invest with greater funding certainty.
- Increased use of leasing to provide social housing, in cases where leasing delivers value for money. This could help deliver more social housing very quickly, and would only be available for newly built homes that have not yet been occupied.
- Capitalising part of the Operating Supplement currently paid to CHPs for new housing developments, to be paid upfront when contracts for new social housing are agreed. This capital funding, agreed in principle to be up to $70 million, will be made available in targeted circumstances to provide equity to CHPs allowing them to raise finance at better rates. This Operating Supplement would otherwise be paid to CHPs over time during the life of the contract.
Health Minister Shane Reti announced frontline funding by the Government will enable the employment of 50 new senior doctors, as well as additional specialist nurses and other health professionals.
Health New Zealand anticipates the cost of the senior doctors will be approximately $20 million, depending on the specialties of the new doctors and their level of experience.
This comes in addition to $10 million for senior specialist nurses and allied health professionals and a $12 million fund for minor improvements hospitals, to make the daily lives of frontline staff and patients easier.
Reti told us something we all knew – especially if we are struggling to make it on to the waiting list:
“While Health New Zealand has made significant progress recruiting nurses in the last 12 months, there are critical shortages in rural areas and particular specialties, such as mental health, maternity and critical care.”
Relocating the cops
New Police Commissioner Richard Chambers and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced a new 24/7 police station for central Auckland.
Police already use two storeys at the 210 Federal Street building, but have signed a lease to gradually take over the other two floors in stages starting in January.
Commissioner Richard Chambers said it would make responding to crime in the CBD faster and more effective.
But the statement from Police Minister Mark Mitchell, having welcomed the announcement of a new police station in central Auckland, made scant further mention of it. Rather, he and Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith treated their audience to a rundown of what the government is doing on the law-and-order front.
In another statement, Associate Police Minister Casey Costello announced Cabinet has approved the establishment of a Ministerial Advisory Group on transnational and serious organised crime.
The advisory group will focus on serious crime from a system perspective and identify opportunities to improve disruption and enforcement action and the barriers that prevent some government agencies from working together.
Steve Symon, a senior partner at Meredith Connell who has been advising the multi-agency Transnational Crime Unit, has been appointed chair of the group, which will have four other members with experience across government, law enforcement, regulation and the private sector. The advisory group will be in place for around eight months and be funded through the Proceeds of Crime Fund.
Those and other announcements – including a tribute to former National Government Minister Nikki Kaye – have been recorded on the government’s official website –
Latest from the Beehive
26 November 2024
Speech
The Government has agreed to a series of changes to remove barriers faced by Community Housing Providers (CHPs) in delivering social housing, Housing and Associate Finance Minister Chris Bishop says.
Prime Minister and National Party Leader Christopher Luxon and Deputy Leader Nicola Willis are deeply saddened by the passing of Nikki Kaye, a cherished colleague, friend, and former Minister, Deputy Leader and Member of Parliament for Auckland Central.
Cabinet has approved the establishment of a Ministerial Advisory Group on transnational and serious organised crime, Associate Police Minister Casey Costello announced today.
Frontline funding by the Government will enable the employment of 50 new senior doctors, as well as additional specialist nurses and other health professionals.
Judge Brian Dwyer has been appointed as chair of the newly established board of inquiry for the Te Awamutu waste-to-energy proposal, alongside a group of high skilled individuals, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says.
25 November 2024
Today, Police Minister Mark Mitchell, alongside newly appointed Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, welcomed the announcement of a new police station in central Auckland.
Customs Minister Casey Costello has praised the work of Customs’ Child Exploitation Operations Team (CEOT) for their commitment to combat the sexual exploitation and abuse of children.
Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
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