David Farrar: We do actually have a transformational government

Governments of the left like to claim they are transformational, when they’re not. The Ardern Government achieved so little it was the opposite. They used wellbeing as a slogan, and did a couple of disastrous mergers. They spent a lot of money. To be fair the Clark Government did actually achieve some major stuff such as KiwiSaver, the Cullen Fund and the China FTA.

The Key/English Government was very competent, managed the economy well, and generally improved public services. But not even I would call them transformational.

However there is a case to be made that what this current Government is doing, is in fact transformational. By that, I mean implementing policies that will have a massive impact on New Zealand.

It is certainly true that the books are far from being balanced, and economic growth not where it should be. But we shouldn’t let that detract from some of the massively important, ie transformational, policies they are implementing.

What are they. Here’s the ones that come to mind.

1. The Fast Track Approvals Law will turbo charge around 200 to 300 projects, allowing them to be consented in months rather than years and years.

2. The scrapping of NCEA and replacement by new meaningful achievement certificates is massive for students and employers.

3. Legislation to allow congestion charging, which will have a huge impact on congestion in major cities

4. The planning law changes that will require Councils to allow for 30 years of housing growth, which will finally allow cities to easily build up and out.

5. The RMA replacement which will place property rights at the centre of resource management law

6. The changes to earthquake building codes that will save thousands of buildings from sitting empty.

7. The decision to have phonics as the primary method for teaching kids structured literacy

8. Changes to the Building Act which will make houses cheaper and easier to build

9. Replacing petrol tax with road user charges

These both individually, and collectively, will have a massive impact and transform New Zealand for the better.

In education, transport, housing and resource management the changes are profound, and vitally needed. The Government should be trumpeting them more.

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders