Prime Minister Christopher Luxon releases latest plan following housing development visit

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has marked off his third action plan which was largely focused on law and order – and unveiled a new 43-item to-do list.

Luxon is speaking from 4pm at a Long Bay housing project. His media conference will be streamed at the top of this page.

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Today marks the last day of the Government’s third quarterly action plan. One item remains on the to-do list – the Government’s response to the ministerial inquiry into school property – with decisions on this expected in the coming week.

The Government’s final plan of the year, which runs from October 1 to December 31, includes passing the Fast-track Approvals Bill and Resource Management Amendment Bill.

Luxon said the final action plan for the year would focus on the Government’s core economic and law and order priorities as well as delivering improved public services.

Other items on the Government’s fourth quarter plan include passing legislation to remove agriculture from the Emissions Trading Scheme and to reverse the oil and gas ban.

The plan also includes establishing the National Infrastructure Agency and to take Cabinet decisions on the future of the greyhound racing industry.

In the past, Luxon has released the next quarterly plan at around the same point the previous one ends.

In announcing the inquiry in February, Luxon described the school property system as “bordering on crisis”.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has finally moved into Premier House now that refurbishments on the $37 million residence are complete.

The final cost of the upgrades, which included things like new curtains and interior painting, is not known but reported to be north of $170,000.

The Prime Minister has also sold the central Wellington apartment where he lived while the refurbishments were being completed.

While Prime Ministers usually reside in Premier House while in Wellington, Luxon had been staying in his apartment, pointing to the need for superficial refurbishments at the official residence.

Christopher Luxon speaks to media from a Long Bay Housing project. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

He came under pressure for claiming a $52,000 allowance to live in the apartment.

He initially defended the move by calling it an “entitlement” and “within the rules”, but then U-turned, calling it a “distraction”.

He announced in March he would no longer claim the allowance and would repay what he had received since becoming Prime Minister.

Online property records show Luxon’s two-bedroom apartment in the Kate Sheppard complex opposite Parliament sold on September 8 but is still pending settlement.

On Sunday, the Government signalled major change was coming for the “cumbersome” building consenting system, saying it was considering options to replace the 67 consenting authorities around the country.

Among the proposed options were to establish regional building consenting authorities or to create a single point of contact for builders to submit plans to.

Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.