Policy Comparison - Public Services
This comparison includes policy from the following parties: Mana, Greens, Labour, Maori, National, ACT
Mana
- Stop the privatisation of energy companies.
- Use the energy companies for the development and introduction of renewable energy technology that will be publicly owned and used for the public good.
- Abandon the market-based provision of essential services such as electricity and water in favour of non-profit and sustainable provision of those services.
- Phase out funding for Private Tertiary Establishments, but review and audit crown owned tertiary institutes to ensure they pick up the gaps left behind (i.e. ensure ongoing access for students).
- Give hapu and iwi decision making powers equal to government and local government in developing environmental policies relating to biodiversity, prospecting, the management of coastal areas and RMA plans.
Greens
- Keep the energy companies in public ownership.
- Use the publicly owned energy companies to become large-scale exporters of renewable energy technology.
Labour
- No asset sales.
- Ensure that water supplies remain in public ownership.
- Require that all state agencies ensure that all organisations bidding for service contracts comply with good employer practices, including a history of adhering to employment legislation, paying fair wages and respecting the right of their employees to join a union and bargain collectively.
- Repeal the Corrections (Contract Management of Prisons) Amendment Act. No prison will be privatised; those currently under private management will be returned to public administration as contracts expire.
Maori
- Whanau Ora will be rolled out across government with a separate appropriation in each financial year.
- Monitor cultural competency in all agencies to ensure the quality of services, and equity of access and outcomes to bring out well-being. Chief executives will be required to report six monthly on how they are progressing positive outcomes for whanau.
- Cultural competency will be an employment standard in justice, health, education and social services.
- Call for an immediate plan from the Treasury and State Services Commission, seeking advice on a result area for whanau that is measurable and for which we can hold chief executives to account, a devolved service approach, with minimum compliance, services that are visible and responsive and organised around whanau, and a co-ordinated approach for low employment locations.
- All citizens with access to email will have the option of receiving their mail from government departments via email. Those who opt for this, will receive a government subsidy on their internet connection bill.
- Do not support asset sales. If privatisation of state owned assets occurs it must be managed in a manner that is consistent with Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The Maori Party will support iwi who wish to invest into state owned assets as a means of retaining New Zealand ownership.
- Encourage businesses to set up public/private partnerships where small/rural communities could benefit from industry; the businesses could receive tax incentives for creating jobs in low income/high unemployment areas.
- Iwi investors implement a programme of actions on a payment-by-results basis in a model based on Social Impact Investment. If they meet their targets, the iwi investors will receive a financial return from Government. If they do not, investors will not get all their funding back. The model can be used for early intervention e.g. literacy skills; preschool readiness; recidivism, or employment for our most vulnerable.
- Devolve state housing to Maori and Pasifika community groups for whanau to purchase their own homes, including a rent-to-own scheme.
- Government investment in energy infrastructure and increase renewables in preparation for an oil-less world.
- Major structural change in local government is needed to successfully engage Maori and secure their full confidence, trust, faith and participation in decision-making. This includes restructuring for greater power-sharing with Maori.
- Establish mana whenua statutory boards at local government level.
National
- Sell part of the three electricity SOEs, Solid Energy and Air New Zealand, retaining 51 percent.
- Open ACC to private competition.
ACT
- Return spending to the level it was at in 2005.
- Lock in lower taxes by passing ACT’s Spending Cap Bill, requiring government spending to increase only by the level of inflation and population growth.
- Sell state assets such as power generation companies.
- Outsource all employment placement activities to private sector providers.
- Foster a competitive market for sickness, invalid and employment insurance.
- Have independent, government-approved gatekeeping and assessment of applicants for the sickness and invalids benefit, and six monthly reassessment of sickness beneficiaries.
- Further increase the subsidy for independent schools.
- Encourage competition between public and private sector health providers.
- Continue pressuring Local Government to focus on providing vital physical infrastructure.
- Pass the Regulatory Standards Bill into law.
- Open the delivery of trade courses to wider competition.










