Labour leader Jacinda Ardern and Green co-leader James Shaw have signed and released the confidence and supply agreement formed between the two parties.
The parties have agreed to introduce free counselling to under-25s, investigate a Green Transport Card, hold a referendum on legalising cannabis for personal use, and a implement a host of major environmental policies.
The Greens will be given the following Ministerial portfolios (all outside of Cabinet): Climate Change, Associate Finance, Conservation, Women, Land Information New Zealand, Associate Environment, Statistics, Associate Transport, Associate Health, Statistics, Under Secretary to Justice Minister (Domestic and Sexual Violence).
Labour's agreements with NZ First and the Greens were negotiated separately but there is crossover in a number of areas.
Here's what Labour and the Greens have committed to:
Sustainable Economy:
- Work towards a goal of a Net Zero Emissions Economy by 2050
- Establish a Zero Carbon Act and a Climate Commission
- All new legislation to have climate impact assessment analysis
- A new cross-agency climate change board of public sector CEOs
- A comprehensive set of environmental, social and economic sustainability indicators will be developed
- Investigate a Green Transport Card prioritising lower fares for those in low income households and on benefits
- Begin work on light rail to the Auckland Airport
- Reprioritise National Land Trasnport Fund spending to increase investment in rail infrastructure, cycling and walking
- Auckland's East-West link will not proceed as currently proposed
- Prioritise safe cycling and walking especially around schools
- Request the Climate Commission to plan a transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2035 (including geothermal) in a normal hydrological year, with solar panels on schools to be investigated as part of the goal
- $1 billion investment in low carbon industries by 2020, starting with a Government-backed $100 million Green Investment Fund
Healthy Environment:
- Significant boost to Department of Conservation funding
- Reduce the extinction risk for 3,000 threatened plant and wildlife species, significantly increasing predator control and protecting their habitats
- Better enforcement of the Resource Management Act
- Improved water quality with stronger regulation and more funding for freshwater enhancement, while winding down support for irrigation
- Work with Māori to establish the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary
- Look to establish a Taranaki blue whale sanctuary
- Minimise landfill with significant reductions in all waste classes by 2020
Fair Society:
- An overhaul of the welfare system, removing excessive sanctions, ensuring access to entitlements, and reviewing Working for Families so everyone has a standard of living and income to live in dignity and participate in their communities
- Ensure every child with special learning difficulties can fully take part in school life
- Eliminate the gender pay gap within the core public sector by 2020 and put the rest of the public sector and private sector on a similar pathway
- Aim to ensure every New Zealander has a warm, dry, secure home with a significant boost to the number of insulated homes
- Introduce a Rent to Own scheme or a similar model as part of the KiwiBuild programme
- Free counselling for under 25s, and ensure everyone has timely access to quality mental health services
- Honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the country's founding document
- Make tertiary education more affordable and reduce the number of students living in financial hardship
- Review and adequately fund and support the family re-unification scheme for refugees
- Have a referendum of legalising cannabis for personal use by 2020, boost funding for alcohol and drug addiction services and ensure drug use is treated as a health issue
- Strengthen New Zealand's democracy by increasing public participation, openness, and transparency around official information
Prime Minister-elect Jacinda Ardern will announce the full line-up of Ministers and their portfolios on Wednesday, and the new Government will be sworn in on Thursday.
Newshub.
