Tax• No land tax, capital gains tax or risk free rate of return tax on residential property investmentGovernment remain committed to flattening tax scale over time• Changes to rules on property investment to be in Budget – no details given
Tax
• No land tax, capital gains tax or risk free rate of return tax on residential property investmentGovernment remain committed to flattening tax scale over time
• Changes to rules on property investment to be in Budget – no details given
• Government to look at raising GST to 15%
• Government remain committed to flattening tax scale over time
• Governmentto look at making Working for Families "fairer"
Education
• Major shift in emphasis for secondary schools – greater stress on trades and practical skills – “we don’t accept that a university education is a prerequisite for a good job, and we don’t think our schools system should function as if it is.”
• Law changes to enable schools to access trade and technology expertise
• Hints of a major shake-up for universities but no details – concern at dropout rate and failure of some courses to properly equip students for the jobs they seek.
• Provision of “better support” for early childhood education – no details.
Resources, environment and land use
• Changes to schedule 4 of Crown Minerals Act, allowing mining on conservation land
• Conservation Fund to be established with royalties from mining licenses
• Restatement of intention to change aquaculture laws and dairy industry rules to allow capital restructure of Fonterra.
Social services
• Tighter rules on sickness benefits
• Higher training for people on domestic purposes benefit
• Shared services across district health boards to save costs and improve access for people in rural areas
• Separation of elective and emergency health services
Constitutional issues
• Constitutional issues group to be set up to consider Maori representation and other aspects of constitution
• Work on MMP referendum
