28 January 2011

Click here to watch my latest video journal on YouTube

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I hope you all had a fun summer break and enjoyed spending time with family and friends. After a relaxing Christmas in Hawaii with my family, I'm back on deck.

Yesterday my son Max and I met New York Yankees player Curtis Granderson. He was visiting New Zealand to promote baseball, and we caught up with him at the Auckland Blues training session. Max gave him some tips on how to throw a rugby ball, and we enjoyed chatting to him about baseball.

2011 is going to be another busy year, and it has already started with my annual visit to Ratana on Monday. National is focused on lifting the country's economic performance and building a brighter future for New Zealanders.

BUILDING A FASTER GROWING ECONOMY

On Wednesday I gave a speech about National's plan to boost the economy. You can read it or watch it here.

New Zealand needs to save more, spend less, and reduce our reliance on foreign debt. That's the only way we can deliver the jobs, higher incomes, and better living standards that you aspire to and deserve.

National has made good progress on our comprehensive economic plan already, and in my speech I announced our next steps.

First, our plan is to reduce new spending in this year's budget to about $800 to $900 million. Currently it is $1.1 billion a year, but we want to borrow less so we can return to surplus sooner.

Second, we've asked for advice on extending the mixed-ownership model to four state-owned enterprises, where the Government on behalf of taxpayers would keep a majority stake but offer a minority shareholding to Kiwi investors. We've also asked for advice on reducing the Government's shareholding in Air New Zealand, while keeping a majority stake.

This would free up capital to invest in other vital assets - such as hospitals and schools - and give Kiwis more chances to invest in large and proven companies. It could also mean we need to borrow less to fund these new assets.

We'll make our final policy on asset ownership known well before the election. In the meantime, I want to know what you think. Let me know on Facebook, on my website, or by replying to this newsletter.

Click here to read a one-page summary of our plan to boost savings and investment.
Click here to read or watch a video of my speech.

REBUILDING CANTERBURY

National is continuing to work hard alongside the Earthquake Commission, local authorities, and private insurers to rebuild Canterbury after the devastating earthquake.

The Earthquake Commission is now more than halfway through assessing more than 170,000 claims lodged from the 7.1 magnitude earthquake on 4 September and the major aftershocks. It is on track to complete all assessments by the end of March.

I would like to acknowledge the patience and resilience shown by the Canterbury people in the aftermath of the earthquake. Given the scale of this disaster, it's clear that rebuilding the region is a huge task and will take some time, but together we will get the job done.

Click here for more information on the Government's response.

BOTANY BY-ELECTION COMING UP

Auckland councillor Jami-Lee Ross has been selected as National's candidate for the Botany by-election on March 5. I'm looking forward to getting out and about in the Botany electorate with Jami-Lee over the next few weeks, and chatting to some of the locals.

QUEENSLAND FLOODS

The thoughts of all New Zealanders have been with Queenslanders who have lost loved ones in the devastating floods. New Zealand is pleased to have been able to send a civil defence team over in recent weeks, and this week the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced a financial contribution from New Zealand to the recovery.

CONDOLENCES TO RUSSIA

I'd like to offer my condolences to the Russian people, after the shocking bomb attacks on Moscow's busiest airport this week. I join other leaders around the world who have condemned those responsible for the attacks.

FROM MY DIARY

Today I'm in Auckland to meet the 100 young people who were part of this year's Prime Minister's Youth Programme. Tomorrow I'm off to Parachute Festival at Mystery Creek, before heading to a Chinese New Year event in Auckland. Next week I'll be in Wellington and Auckland, before heading to Waitangi on Saturday.

Best wishes,
John Key
Prime Minister

ENDS

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