✨ Speech from the Throne Continuation
NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE, No. 199
21 DECEMBER 2011
The Defence White Paper and Capability Plan initiatives will be implemented, and legislation will be introduced to ensure the three services of the Defence Force are able to work together more effectively.
The Government will continue to pursue high-quality trade agreements, ensuring as it does that New Zealand’s best interests are always served. There will be a comprehensive programme of Government-led trade delegations to China, India, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Honourable Members. My Government will continue to deliver high-quality public services.
It will work with local primary care networks throughout the country to provide free after-hours general practitioner visits to children under six. A comprehensive after-hours telephone health advice service will be developed.
The Government’s target is that 95 per cent of all eight-month-old children will be fully immunised with three scheduled vaccinations. It will also roll out a nation-wide rheumatic fever programme targeting vulnerable communities. Alcohol and drug treatment services for young people will be expanded, as will specialist mental health services for young offenders. The Voluntary Bonding Scheme will be extended.
More people will get elective surgery, and waiting times will be reduced for cancer treatment, first specialist appointments, diagnostic tests, elective surgery, and for people waiting in emergency departments.
As agreed with the Maori Party, further work will be done on plain packaging and other anti-smoking initiatives.
My Government will continue to ensure that State houses are located in the areas of greatest need, and are going to families who need them most, for the duration of their need. It will work to increase the supply of social housing, including progressing options for iwi housing providers.
The current home insulation and clean heating programme will continue, with a specific focus on low-income households, as agreed with the Maori Party. Every State house built before 1978 that can be insulated, will be insulated.
My Government will introduce legislation to strengthen sentencing, parole and bail laws. It will be harder for those accused of the most serious offences to get bail, the penalties for child pornography will be increased, and Civil Detention Orders will be introduced.
The Search and Surveillance Bill will be progressed, as will the Victims of Crime Reform Bill. The penalties for breaching a protection order will be doubled, and funding will be available for security improvements in the homes of family violence victims.
My Government will continue to progress the review of constitutional arrangements.
It will also continue to make the full and final settlement of historical Treaty of Waitangi claims a priority.
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NZ Gazette 2011, No 199
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
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Speech from the Throne at the State Opening of Parliament
(continued from previous page)
🏛️ Governance & Central Administration21 December 2011
Defence, Trade, Public Services, Healthcare, Immunisation, Rheumatic Fever, Alcohol Treatment, Mental Health, Voluntary Bonding, Elective Surgery, Cancer Treatment, Smoking Initiatives, State Housing, Home Insulation, Sentencing, Parole, Bail, Child Pornography, Civil Detention, Search and Surveillance, Victims of Crime, Protection Orders, Constitutional Review, Treaty of Waitangi