Christopher Luxon outlines the Government's nine new public service targets to be delivered by 2030.
Video / Mark Mitchell
Surgery wait times, student achievement, less crime and big reductions in welfare and emergency housing numbers are all part of Christopher Luxon’s nine new public service targets to be delivered by 2030.
The Prime Minister released them today during his post-Cabinet press conference, saying they will require the public sector to think differently and do deep dives into the root causes of key issues.
“These targets are not going to be easy to achieve,” Luxon said.
“But we’re not here to do what is easy - we’re here to do what is needed to reduce crime, shorten healthcare wait times and improve educational achievement, no matter how difficult.”
Shorter stays in emergency departments: 95 per cent of patients to be admitted, discharged, or transferred from an emergency department within six hours. This was almost at target level in early 2015, when 93 per cent patients were seen within six hours.
Shorter wait times for (elective) treatment: 95 per cent of people wait less than four months for elective treatment. This was at target target level in 2015 and 2016.
Reduced child and youth offending: 15 per cent reduction in the total number of children and young people with serious and persistent offending behaviour. This would see the number fall from its current level of about 1100 to about 900 children and young people.
Reduced violent crime: 20,000 fewer people who are victims of an assault, robbery, or sexual assault. This will be measured in the New Zealand Crime and Victims’ Survey, and would be an 11 per cent drop from 2023 levels.
Fewer people on the Jobseeker Support Benefit: 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support Benefit. This would see the number fall by more than a quarter, from about 190,000 in December last year.
Increased student attendance: 80 per cent of students are present for more than 90 per cent of the term. This coincides with the Government releasing its plan to reduce truancy, expected later this week.
More students at expected curriculum levels: 80 per cent of Year 8 students at or above the expected curriculum level for their age in reading, writing and maths by December 2030. Only one cohort is at the target levels, which currently are: maths (82 per cent in Year 4 and 42 per cent in Year 8), writing (63 per cent and 35 per cent) and reading (63 per cent and 56 per cent).
Fewer people in emergency housing: 75 per cent reduction of households in emergency housing. This would reduce the number of households using emergency housing to early 2018 levels. The number had ballooned in December 2023 to 3100 households and 3186 children in emergency housing; 60 per cent had been there for over 12 weeks.
Reduced net greenhouse gas emissions: On track to meet New Zealand’s 2050 net zero climate change targets, with total net emissions of no more than 290 megatonnes from 2022 to 2025 and 305 megatonnes from 2026 to 2030.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks to media at the weekly post-Cabinet press conference at Parliament in Wellington. April 8, 2024. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Luxon said he had scrapped former PM Jacinda Ardern’s Implementation Unit in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and would instead set up a delivery unit, which would keep a tight eye on the nine goals. That would include assessing whether various programmes were actually working, and pulling the pin on them if they were not.
He referenced comments about his CEO approach to the Prime Minister’s job: “I make no apologies for that, because it hasn’t worked for us having the career politicians for the last six years.”
Asked where those who would no longer be in emergency housing would go, Luxon said today there would be an increase in state and social housing, while increasing the supply of housing in general.
The targets come as the Government looks to find 6.5 to 7.5 per cent savings across government agencies and departments, a move that critics say will have downstream impacts on frontline services despite what Luxon has said about those being protected.
On public sector cuts at the Ministry for the Environment, Luxon said any job losses were difficult for people and their families. However, he said the public sector had to deliver savings and be sure they were working towards the targets the government had set.
The nine targets also come as workforce challenges loom in critical sectors including police, teachers and medical professionals.
Luxon said the targets were “deliberately ambitious”.
“They will be challenging and require the public sector to think differently, dig deeply into root causes, learn from other places, and be innovative and disciplined in directing resources to where they will have the greatest impact on outcomes.”
Delivery of the targets is the responsibility of a lead minister and lead public service agency chief executive, working in partnership with other ministers and their agencies as appropriate. Progress reports will be released publicly every quarter, starting from mid-2024.
Luxon was also asked about the Suicide Prevention Office and its potential closing, he said there were some communication issues between the Ministry of Health and the minister, and the office would continue.
The welfare target for fewer people on the Jobseeker benefit included those with health and disability issues on that benefit who are able to work.
“They may want to do part-time work... We want to make sure we do everything we can to get them off welfare,” Luxon said.
“Enough is enough. Excuses have to stop… We’ve got to get into this stuff - big-time.”
Some beneficiaries had been on welfare for decades, he added.
Luxon said the Government would take steps to ensure that other areas didn’t slip as a result of a focus on the main targets, saying the aim was “a quality result”.
On media trust, Luxon said he had not seen the data but did not believe politicians were partly responsible for declining trust in the media.
He said it was up to the media to ensure they were building trust with the New Zealand people “to tell the story straight and do as you should”.
He said he thought the media were a critical part of democracy and trust in them was important.
PM’s Asia visit and public sector job cuts
Luxon also announced today that he will travel to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines next week, along with a senior business delegation, Minister of Climate Change and Revenue Simon Watts, and Paulo Garcia, New Zealand’s first Filipino Member of Parliament.
This trip was undoubtedly in mind when Luxon released his quarterly action plan last week, which included an item to “raise the energy” with respect to international engagements including in South East Asia.
His visit to Thailand will be the first dedicated visit by a New Zealand Prime Minister since 2013, while the visit to the Philippines will be the first in 14 years.
“South East Asia is a region that is more crucial than ever to our prosperity and our security. I look forward to meeting my counterparts and seeing firsthand what more we can do to deepen our relationships,” Luxon said.
Luxon said 10 per cent of New Zealand exports went to SE Asia, valued at $9.1b, and the region’s economy was increasing faster than just about anywhere in the world.
This week MPs return to Parliament after a one week recess to begin an unusual one week sitting block. It is the first sitting block since the Government announced its first quarterly plan last week, meaning we should see some legislation introduced to deliver on those plans.
Cabinet meetings are expected to be contentious this month, as ministers finalise the Budget due for delivery in May. Luxon is meant is likely to face questions on what is in the Budget and the extent to which public sector cuts are needed to pay for his tax plan.
Agencies are tasked with finding savings between 6.5 and 7.5 per cent to trim off their budgets, which, at numerous ministries, is resulting in proposals putting jobs on the line. The Environment Ministry needs to slash 7.5 per cent from certain lines of funding, with final sign-off to be made by the Government in relation to the upcoming Budget next month.
A voluntary redundancy scheme has opened at the Ministry, with no set target for uptake.
