✨ Government Policy Speech
NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
No. 198
HONOURABLE MEMBERS. Security is more than just the provision of adequate social services. It is also about personal security and the security of the nation.
Burglary and youth crime will be targeted. My government will provide legal recognition for victims’ rights, including the right to be heard and to be informed. Court support for victims will be improved.
Early intervention programmes will help children to get off the path to a life of crime. Every school will be required to enforce an adequate truancy policy. Successful community-based responses to youth at risk will be built upon.
Bail provisions will be reformed. Hardcore offenders charged with serious crimes who have a record of breaching bail will have to show why they should get bail. My government will promote alternative sentences for offenders based on restorative justice.
New Zealand’s security in the world requires the most effective use of our diplomacy and limited capacity to support international peacemaking and peacekeeping. My government sees New Zealand’s role as being primarily to assist the United Nations in the latter endeavours and looks forward to assisting the United Nations Constitutional Administration in East Timor in this regard.
New Zealand’s defence capabilities at the moment represent a confused view of the likely roles our armed forces are likely to be called upon to perform. The key element which has been most used in recent years is the army. Yet this has been the least well-treated of the three services in terms of equipment.
Meanwhile, the announced capital expenditure plans for the armed forces would cost substantially more than has been allowed for in forward estimates of expenditure.
My government will, therefore, begin a reanalysis of these plans taking into account the recent recommendations of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Select Committee. A third ANZAC frigate will not be purchased. The recent contract to acquire 28 F-16s will be reviewed to determine whether it can be cancelled. New equipment purchases will, in future, be based on a more coherent and realistic view of our needs and the roles we can most effectively perform.
HONOURABLE MEMBERS. New Zealand is often described as a young nation. Geologically and in terms of human habitation that is so.
But we are one of the world’s oldest and most stable democracies. Yet again we celebrate a peaceful change of government, brought about by the people according to the rule of law and without any loss of life or injury. The worst we have suffered is inefficiency in the organisation of the election and these administrative shortcomings will be addressed by my government.
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VUW Te Waharoa —
NZ Gazette 1999, No 198
NZLII —
NZ Gazette 1999, No 198
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
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Government Policy Initiatives
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🏛️ Governance & Central AdministrationSecurity, Social services, Crime, Bail reform, Defence, Military equipment, Diplomacy, Peacekeeping, Democracy, Election administration