Red tape, foreign interference in crosshairs of Government as it releases latest action plan

Red tape is in the crosshairs of the Government over the next quarter as it turns its focus towards initiatives intended to make it easier and faster to build infrastructure in New Zealand.

Also found in the Government’s latest quarterly action plan is a promise to introduce legislation to support agencies combat foreign interference and to have Cabinet take decisions on the future of the Greyhound racing industry.

On Monday Luxon revealed the fourth quarterly action plan, which he said had a “particularly strong focus on the delivery of modern, reliable infrastructure”.

“That includes clearing away the barriers to growth and development through comprehensive resource management reform – but also confirming a fresh approach to the funding and financing of infrastructure,” Luxon said.

Among the 43 objectives on the Government’s checklist is to pass the highly controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill, which it contends will speed up the delivery of regional and national projects of significance.

Its progress through Parliament has, however, been marred by criticisms that it does not give enough weight to environmental considerations and concentrated too much power in the hands of three ministers. The Government U-turned on that latter point in August, deciding an expert panel would have sign-off.

The action plan also sees the Government promising to introduce the second of its Resource Management Act reform bills “to cut through the tangle of red and green tape”, establish the National Infrastructure Agency, and introduce legislation to make it easier to build offshore wind farms.

The Government will also start a review into an undisclosed sector to identify and remove unnecessary red tape. Reviews have previously been announced into early childhood education and agricultural and horticultural products.

Cabinet will take decisions on new funding and financing tools to help build housing and on allowing greater use of road tolling to support paying for transport infrastructure.

National ministers Erica Stanford (left), Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Chris Bishop (right) at a Long Bay housing development. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

Beyond infrastructure and cutting red tape, the Government is planning to pass several new pieces of legislation in the law-and-order space. That includes addressing stalking, strengthening punishments for serious youth offending, and tightening registration requirements for child sex offenders.

One point of interest may be the Government deciding to introduce legislation to support agencies combat foreign interference.

The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) released a report in September which said the level of foreign interference activity here was an “ongoing concern”. It specifically called out China as being a “complex intelligence concern”.

Luxon said further details would be released as the legislation comes to bear, but the Government wanted to “make sure we have got the most up-to-date legal framework and protection that we need to combat foreign interference”.

He would not say if this was in response to concerns about interference from China or Russia, another country accused of interfering here.

“It is just recognising we are living in a different environment. We also recognise that our legislation hasn’t necessarily stayed up to speed, at where it needs to be, and it is just making sure we are consistent with other countries around the world.”

Elsewhere on the checklist is a plan for Cabinet to take decisions on the future of the greyhound racing industry and introduce legislation to ensure the financial sustainability of the racing industry.

The industry was put on notice by the Labour Government amid animal welfare concerns and Racing Minister Winston Peters has been chewing over how it should proceed, including any potential legal risks.

Luxon has previously expressed support for banning greyhound racing, but Peters in June said that while he was “utterly opposed” to animal cruelty, “dogs love racing”.

Racing Minister Winston Peters. Photo / Mark Mitchell

A review of the Government’s quarter three action plan showed that it had fulfilled 39 of its 40 actions. That included passing four new law and order bills, like banning gang patches in public and increasing access to rehabilitation for remand prisoners.

The only point the Government only “partly delivered” was to publish an updated health workforce plan to address staffing needs. A national health workforce plan will be considered this quarter, delayed by the appointment of a Health NZ Commissioner in July.

One of the plan’s points is to begin the delivery of new cancer treatments.

That was kicked off on Tuesday with Keytruda now funded for those with advanced triple-negative breast cancer, head and neck cancer, colorectal cancer, bladder cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma.

“One in three Kiwis suffer cancer in their lifetimes and the ripple effects to friends and families cause heartbreak to thousands of people. Today is a game-changer in transforming delivery of cancer treatment,” Luxon said.

Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) and insulin pumps are also now funded and available for anyone with type one diabetes.

Families can also begin submitting claims for the FamilyBoost early childcare subsidy from Tuesday.

Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub Press Gallery office.