Candidate Kōrero: The Act Party
ACT wasn't interested in speaking with Salient, so instead, we’ve summarised a non-conclusive list of the key ACT Party policies you need to know. For more information, check out Policy.nz or the Act Party Manifesto.
The ACT Party will introduce:
A student education account, giving each child $250,000 for their life’s education costs.
A two-rate income tax system; with a flat rate of 17.5% for those earning under $70,000 (currently, those earning under $14,000 pay 10.5%), and a 28% rate for those earning above it.
Spending controls on: parents receiving sole parent support, recipients of unemployment benefits, and gang members who receive benefits.
A new state owned enterprise to manage state highways.
A market based system to manage water pollution, and a pricing-based system for water allocation.
The ACT Party will abolish:
Te Puni Kōkiri
Ministry for Women
Ministry for Pacific Peoples
Human Rights Commission
Ministry for Ethnic Communities
Te Aka Whai Ora Māori Health Authority
Fees free tertiary education
Workforce development councils
Fair pay agreements
All tariffs
The bright line test for tax on property sales
Progressive home ownership scheme and the first home grant
Let's Get Wellington Moving
The Clean Car Discount and Clean Car Standard
Development of Auckland light rail
The Zero Carbon Act
A public holiday (probably Matariki)
Significant Natural Areas
The ban on offshore oil and gas drilling
‘Co-governance’
Increases to the minimum wage
The Climate Change Commsission
ACT want to hold a referendum on:
A Principles of the Treaty act, to override the Treaty of Waitangi with 3 principles:
1. All citizens of New Zealand have the same political rights and duties
2. All political authority comes from the people by democratic means
3. New Zealand is a multi-ethnic liberal democracy where discrimination based on ethnicity is illegal
The ACT Party will oppose or ignore:
Laws against hate speech
The United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)