This is ACT 's 20 Point Plan from the 2008 election. If we implement all of these policies then over time you would be $500 per week better off.


This is your change to play Finance Minister. In the right hand column you can make the kind of choices this country needs. Vote yes or no to each policy. You may not like them all but every time you vote no, make sure to check how much growth and and weekly pay that decision costs. Growth is what allows us to pay for better medicines, great teachers and more roads and is essential if we want to catch up to Australia.


Click here for more information on each of these policies.

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ACT Policy Countries where similar policy works well Benefit Boosts NZ annual growth by... Boosts NZ average weekly pay by... Vote YES or NO
1 Government waste. Cut state spending to Australian levels Australia Lower inflation. Lower interest rates. More money left with those who earn it 1/2% $50.00
2 Taxation. Cut and flatten rates Singapore, Hong Kong, Russia, Estonia, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania More incentive for people with initiative to create wealth and jobs 3/8% $37.50
3 Local government. Limit to core activities Ireland Lower rates. Keep money for other things 1/4% $25.00
4 Public service:     1/4% $25.00
Close departments we don't need Australia (Labor) Millions saved for things we do need
Reduce bureaucracy Australia (Labor) Good state servants freed up for more productive jobs
Return bureaucracy to non-political role Hong Kong Unbiased advice
Limit Cabinet to 12 ministers   Better decisions sooner. Fewer baubles of office
Limit Parliament to 100 MPs. The many countries with fewer MPs per capital than NZ include... Japan, Netherlands, France, Israel, Spain, Belgium Millions saved for things we need
5 Red tape. Get rid of all nutty regulations   The state no longer wastes productive people's time on pointless form-filling 1/4% $25.00
Appoint Minister of Regulatory Reforms Australia (Labor) Firms cut free of red tape can focus on creating more wealth and more jobs
Pass Regulatory Responsibility Act - to set checklist for good lawmaking   Politicians must consider national interest, so they can't easily pass laws for cynical political reasons
6 Resource management. Reform the Resource Management Act US (Houston) Good projects start and finish sooner 1/4% $25.00
7 Education. Create competitive market. Award a full education scholarship to every child to be spent at the public or private schools of the parents' choice Sweden, Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark, Australia, UK Conservative policy Kids learn more, faster. (State funds parents. Parents choose schools. Schools reward good teachers. Good teachers drive education - to please parents, not bureaucrats) 1/4% $25.00
8 Healthcare. Create competitive market. Give every New Zealander health insurance Switzerland, France, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden (Stockholm) Hospitals cure more patients, sooner. (State gives health policies to all. Patients choose hospitals. Doctors, not bureaucrats, drive healthcare) 1/4% $25.00
9 Accident Compensation. Create competitive market - as used to work well here Most wealthy nations, New Zealand 1998-1999 Accident victims back at work sooner 1/4% $25.00
10 Welfare. Create competitive markets for sickness, invalid, and unemployment insurance US (Democrats), Switzerland, Australia Welfare recipients back at work sooner. More generous support for those who can't work 1/8% $12.50
11 Immigration. Welcome more good quality immigrants Australia, US Industries get the skilled workers they need 1/4% $25.00
12 Labour. Allow freedom of contract to make it easier to trial new workers and replace poor performers UK, Ireland, Denmark, Japan, Switzerland, US Business runs better with right staff. Workers and company earn more. Contract protects both parties 1/2% $50.00
13 Privatisation. Sell state businesses where private firms can serve customers better Practically all except Cuba, Myanmar, North Korea Happier customers. Lower prices. More product variety and choice 1/4% $25.00
14 Infrastructure. Build better networks (e.g. roads, water, electricity)   Better service for less money 1/4% $25.00
Replace user charges with tolls that reward off-peak use Australia, Norway (Oslo), US, Singapore, France Smoothing demand reduces bottlenecks. No need to pay for more capacity
15 Tariffs. Cut remaining tariffs on imports Hong Kong, Singapore Cheaper imports. Exporters who can't compete switch to fields where they can 1/8% $12.50
Strengthen bonds with the US Australia, Chile, Canada, Mexico US Free Trade Agreement would earn NZ $1b+ a year. More Kiwis exposed to US Entrepreneurial skills
16 Housing. Free up more land for homes US (Houston) Cheaper sections. More people achieve Kiwi dream of owning home 1/8% $12.50
17 Law and order:     1/8% $12.50
Bring back private prisons - now best practice overseas UK (Labour Party), US, Australia More secure, more humane, cheaper prisons
Let private firms free up cops for 'zero tolerance' policing New York Young taggers don't progress to worse crimes. People feel safer
Speed up courts (e.g. night courts) to reduce unfair delays US (New York, California), Singapore, Canada More decisions sooner
18 Climate change. Adopt saner policies. Low carbon tax better than carbon trading US, Canada (British Columbia), Australia Don't hurt Kiwi families needlessly. (Nations that cause 75% of emissions must lead) 3/8% $37.50
19 Constitutional framework. Strengthen   Makes democracy more democratic 1/8% $12.50
Adopt taxpayer Bill of Rights Hong Kong, US (20 states e.g. Colorado) State spending capped. Taxes kept low
Pass Regulatory Responsibility Act - to get checklist for good lawmaking   Hard to make bad laws like Electoral Finance Act
Return to Privy Council UK, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Belize, Bermuda Free access to best judicial minds from a population of 58 million
Hold referendum on MMP voting system   People get long-overdue say on how they like MMP
20 Families at risk. Appoint mentors to teach parenting and life skills Sweden, Norway, Denmark, US (Philadelphia) Less family violence. Fewer damaged children. Thriving families less drain on taxpayers 1/8% $12.50
Total boost to New Zealand's growth rate and average weekly pay 5% $500.00
$0.00

Click here for more information on each of these policies.

Click here to view this page in Chinese.