Targets set for better public service

Delivering better public services in tight financial times is one of National’s priorities for this term of government.

We want to ensure that we’re delivering results in areas that matter to you and your family, while at the same time ensuring our public services are more productive and efficient.

The public service has been set 10 challenging results to achieve. Underneath each result we’ve set targets to be achieved over the next five years.

These cover areas such as reducing long-term welfare dependency, supporting vulnerable children, boosting skills and employment, cutting crime, and improving people's dealings with government.

We’ll report regularly, so that New Zealanders can see how we’re going.

For more information, click here.

Reducing long-term welfare dependence

National’s Better Public Services results target for welfare is to reduce the number of people who have been on the new benefit, Jobseeker Support, for more than 12 months by 30 per cent – from 78,000 to 55,000 by 2017.

Welfare reform is central to our delivery of better public services to all New Zealanders. Currently 12 per cent of our working age population is on a benefit. We’re focused on helping Kiwis break the cycle of long-term benefit dependence through welfare reform.

After legislation changes next year the Jobseeker Support will combine those currently on Unemployment Related Benefits, Sickness Benefit, Widows, Domestic Purposes Benefit and Women’s Alone Benefit with children over 14 years.

For more information, click here.

Better health services to support vulnerable children

National has committed to increasing infant immunisation rates, and reducing the incidence of rheumatic fever, as part of its Better Public Services targets.

One of the best things we can do for children is to have them fully immunised from common diseases like whooping cough and measles.

We have already boosted immunisation rates for two year olds from 73 per cent under Labour, to 92.8 per cent today.

Younger babies are most vulnerable, so now we’re moving the target age. Our target is 95 per cent of eight-month-olds will be fully immunised by the end of 2014.

Rheumatic fever is a third world, and potentially life threatening, disease. The good news is that it’s largely preventable.

National has committed $24 million to reduce the incidence of rheumatic fever by two-thirds – down to 1.4 cases per 100,000 – by 2017.

For more information, click here.

Education targets to boost skills & employment

National’s Better Public Service targets for education will give more New Zealanders the opportunity to succeed, increase the skill level of our workforce, and increase economic growth.

One in five 15-16 year olds are dropping out of school. We want to give learners better employment opportunities in the long term.

We have two targets:

• In 2017, 85 per cent of 18-year-olds will have NCEA Level 2 or equivalent qualification (up from 67 per cent in 2010).

• In 2017, 55 per cent of 25-34 year olds will have a qualification at Level 4 or above (up from 52 per cent in 2011).

Having 85 per cent of 18-year-olds achieving NCEA Level 2 in 2017 is an ambitious target, but this Government is determined to get results.

For more information, click here.

45,000 fewer crimes a year by 2017

National’s Better Public Services justice sector targets will mean 45,000 fewer crimes, 7,500 fewer violent crimes, and 600 fewer young people appearing in court each year from 2017.

The targets are to reduce overall crime by 15 per cent, violent crime by 20 per cent and youth crime by 5 per cent over five years.

This Government is committed to reducing crime and the impact it has on people and communities.

Achieving these targets and reducing reoffending by 25 per cent by 2017 will mean the justice system can then shift its focus and resource to improving effectiveness.

For more information, click here.

Lifting our online game

Smart new online services will improve New Zealanders’ dealing with government under five-year targets National set this week.

We want business costs from dealing with government cut 25 per cent within five years, through a reduction in effort needed to work with agencies. Government services to business will have key performance ratings similar to leading private sector firms. And an average of 70 per cent of New Zealanders’ most common transactions with government will be completed in a digital environment – up from 24 per cent today.

There are three million interactions between agencies and small-to-medium sized enterprises every four months. So making these transactions easier and faster will have a significant benefit for businesses, and our economy.

For more information, click here.

Economy grows more strongly

New Zealand’s economy grew more strongly than expected in the March quarter. This confirms its moderate underlying strength, despite ongoing economic and financial market uncertainty around the world.

The 1.1 per cent quarterly increase in Gross Domestic Product took annual growth to 2.4 per cent compared to March 2011, which is better than growth in most other developed countries.

We are likely to see fluctuations in growth from quarter to quarter, as households and businesses get used to building their incomes around higher savings and earnings, rather than consumption and debt.

What’s important for the National-led Government is taking a long-term view of building New Zealand’s competitiveness and productivity. This will help us deal with headwinds from the uncertain global environment. That is the focus of our economic plan.

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Voluntary Bonding Scheme delivering results

Good quality health services are important to New Zealand families, and National is committed to providing these services in isolated and vulnerable areas.

National’s Voluntary Bonding Scheme has encouraged hundreds of medical staff to work in hard to staff communities and specialties. The scheme encourages newly-qualified doctors, nurses, and midwives to start their careers in hard to staff communities, or specialties, by offering payments to student loans after a three to five year bonded period.

The fourth intake of the scheme opened on 15 June. Applications from 278 graduates, and payments totalling more than $2.7 million, have already been approved and National has expanded the scheme to include radiation therapists and medical physicists.

Keeping these health professionals and specialists in New Zealand is part of National’s $14.12 billion commitment to delivering better health services.

For more information, click here.

Funding boost for budgeting services

National has invested in a one-off boost of $589,000 to help 155 organisations to deliver budgeting services. This funding from the Ministry of Social Development recognises the vital role of budgeting services in the community. They help families take control of their finances and avoid the pitfalls that see them falling behind with mounting bills.

We have recognised the increased demand these services are coping with, and this funding will ease some of that pressure.

For more information, click here.

New partners join Trans-Pacific Partnership

Enhancing and growing New Zealand’s international trade links and opportunities is a key part of National’s plan to build a stronger economy.

This week we welcomed the announcement that Canada and Mexico will join New Zealand, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Viet Nam in negotiations to conclude a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

This development shows just how dynamic this negotiation process is. Our vision for the TPP has always been to create a high-quality and comprehensive trade agreement. Over time it will act as a platform for wider Asia-Pacific trade liberalisation and economic integration.

New Zealand’s total trade with Canada and Mexico is worth about $1.8 billion a year. TPP is a tremendous opportunity for us to boost productivity, stimulate innovation, and open markets for our exporters, creating more jobs and higher incomes for New Zealanders.

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Record achievement in health

The latest National Health Targets statistics show National’s commitment to delivering more and better frontline health services is making a positive difference for Kiwi families. This is one of our priorities this term.

Nationwide 93 per cent of all patients are seen, treated or discharged within six hours from Emergency Departments. And 111,794 elective surgeries were performed by the district health boards, 5 per cent ahead of target. That’s 5000 more surgeries for patients than planned.

In Budget 2012 the National-led Government is providing an extra $48 million for more operations. This is part of the extra $1.5 billion for public health services over four years.

All patients needing and ready for, radiation treatment are receiving it within four weeks. And from 1 July we are adding chemotherapy to that target.

National is committed to protecting and growing New Zealand’s public health services.

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Crime and court appearances down

National’s approach to reducing crime is working. The Statistical Bulletin Conviction and Sentencing in New Zealand 2011 published this week confirms it.

The statistics show there are fewer criminal charges being laid, fewer people appearing in court, more charges resulting in convictions, and a decrease in overall serious and violent offences.

National is serious about making our communities safer. We have set a target of a 25% reduction in reoffending by 2017.

This is also part of our drive for a more efficient and results-driven public service. Delivering better public services within tight fiscal constraints is one of National’s four priorities in this term.

For more information, click here.

Data-matching catches people avoiding fines

One of National’s priorities this term is to responsibly manage the Government’s finances and return to surplus. A new government data-matching initiative has collected more than $16 million in hard-to-catch fines in its first seven months.

The scheme was launched on 16 October 2011, and the amount collected is already more than the $15.6 million targeted for the first year of the initiative. The scheme involves data-matching between Courts, the Inland Revenue Department, and the Ministry of Social Development.

The scheme targets people that haven’t been able to be found by other means. These are people who are able to pay their fines, but deliberately chose not to, and that’s not acceptable.

About 193,000 people who owe fines or reparations have already been identified by the data-matching scheme.

For more information, click here.

Refocusing the Families Commission

The way the Families Commission works is going to change. National is restructuring the Families Commission – this will see their core activities streamlined through a leaner, more focused structure. It will be headed by a single commissioner, down from the number of seven, and will take on a new role providing independent monitoring, evaluation, and research to measure the effectiveness of initiatives across the social sector.

Funding will reduce from $32 million over four years, to $28 million, with $14 million being reprioritised for the new Social Policy Evaluation and Research Unit. A further $4 million over four years will be redirected to fund extra parenting programmes and relationship education in schools and the Prime Minister’s Youth Mental Health programme.

For more information, click here.

Funding for Canterbury social services

National is investing another $13 million over two years to continue psycho-social support to those affected by the earthquakes, and help social service organisations to meet increased quake-related demand.

Hundreds of community-based social services are working hard to support families and individuals in Canterbury and Budget 2012 offers more good news for Christchurch.

This funding recognises that the life changing impact of the Canterbury earthquakes is still being felt.

Funding includes continued support for counselling services, NGO coordination of services, case management for families with complex needs, delivery of workshops and training to NGOs and volunteers, and continued support of the 0800 Government Helpline.

For more information, click here.