Simon Court ACT MP and Undersecretary to the Minister for RMA Reform and Infrastructure.
New Zealand is changing faster than ever before, but not as fast as most of us would like. Many people feel like they are working hard but have little to show for it. The long tail of inflation is still a thief in their pay packet.
Brave people running their own businesses want to feel the sacrifice is worthwhile, that they are creating something of value. Yet many have seen the value of their investment eroded as customer orders are delayed or simply never arrive. That is because New Zealand has been in the longest recession since 2008.
In the last recession after the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, governments scrambled to shore up the financial system, borrowing billions to tip into the defences to stop a total melt-down. But it wasn’t until later in 2009 that the real impacts hit New Zealand businesses.
I remember the month that customers simply stopped calling the company I worked for, and for a while it seemed that the housing and construction projects for which we were a supplier had simply evaporated. I have many friends and construction workmates who had a similar experience over the past 12 months, and I really feel for them.
There is a difference between the GFC and the current recession – excessive Government borrowing, wasteful spending and complex regulation made this one much worse than otherwise.
That is why I am confident that 2025 is going to be better, because this Coalition Government is working to fix the underlying problems facing New Zealand, not just treat the symptoms.
Cutting wasteful Government spending means lower inflation. Reducing borrowing to only what is necessary means lower debt servicing costs in outer years. Cutting red tape for business and employers means it will be more profitable to be in businesses, which flows into higher wages and more people employed in higher skilled jobs.
The ACT Party would go further and faster, but the Coalition Government is still going much faster than a Government without ACT. In 2024 we led the labour law reforms to restore 90-day trials to all businesses and this year we will fix the Holidays Act so workers can be confident they are getting what they are owed.
We revived the Charter School model killed off by Labour, and this year seven new schools will open. At Charter Schools learning is tailored to students’ needs, not the one-size-fits-some state system which fails so many young people. Education achievement is a marker of a nation’s future potential, and Charter Schools will help set the direction for our future success.
We led the refresh of public-private partnership (PPP) policy for major projects, sterilised by the previous Government. Now a queue of international investors and contractors are lining up to bid on highways, defence and corrections projects coming to market in 2025 bringing private finance to drive innovation and productivity.
In 2025, in my role as Under-Secretary for RMA Reform, with Minister Chris Bishop we will introduce a complete replacement for the RMA based on ACT’s Coalition commitment to property rights. This is akin to fighting the ultimate monster in a video game. If we get this right, we will unlock productivity and economic success for generations to come.
I wish you and your families all the best for 2025 – we might still be in a hole, but I want you to know that we are building the ladder to get out.
