The Coalition Government has announced its next quarter Action Plan, this one with forty action items in three categories.

Here are some we picked out as having perhaps more specific relevance to Hawke’s Bay. 

Rebuild the economy and ease the cost of living  (19 total)

• Pass the second Local Water Done Well Bill requiring councils to deliver plans for financially sustainable water services, replacing the previous Government’s Three Waters regime. [BayBuzz: just another legislative component of the scheme we reported here.]

• Take Cabinet decisions on a framework for city and regional deals. [BB: we discuss these might mean in detail in our Jul/Aug mag, for sale now.]

• Release the draft of the second Emissions Reduction Plan. [BB: hugely important indicator of Government’s real commitment on the climate crisis … and yes, it’s a crisis.]

• Take Cabinet decisions on the final design of the Government’s one-stop shop consenting and permitting scheme. [BB: aka the much-criticised Fast Track Bill; even the name has become a political burden.]

• Take Cabinet decisions on new regulations to remove the GE ban and enable the safe use of gene technology in agriculture, health science and other sectors. [BB: will be quite interesting to see how our region responds to this. In the past, HB growers and HDC have led the opposition to this.]

• Take Cabinet decisions to amend requirements for farmers in certain areas to have certified Freshwater Farm Plans. [BB: softer and slower.]

Restore law and order (8 total)

• Pass the Gangs Legislation Amendment Bill to give Police more tools to crack down on gangs. [BB: a ‘wait and see’ for results.]

• Pass the Corrections Amendment Bill to increase access to effective rehabilitation of prisoners on remand. [BB: an overdue, enlightened initiative.]

Deliver better public services (13 total)

• Publish an updated health workforce plan to address staffing needs across the health system. [BB: a ‘plan’ is easy, but can’t create the needed bodies out of thin air … next to Emissions Reduction Plan, the biggest ‘wait and see’ for results on this list.]

• Release initial plan for progressing health targets, including faster cancer treatment, shorter wait times, and improved immunisation for children. [BB: ditto previous comment.]

• Introduce legislation to tighten controls on youth vaping. [BB: how could anyone object to this, other than noting that by itself it’s an inadequate alternative to bagging the previous Govt’s anti-smoking programme.] 

Here’s the complete list.