ACT's policy for a Minister for Regulation will be accompanied by the disestablishment of the current Productivity Commission. Firearms laws will also be reformed.
The centre-right National Party won the largest share of votes in the October 14 general election but needs the support of both right-wing Act and populist NZ First parties to form a majority government.
After weeks of negotiations, the parties today unveiled the details of their coalition agreements this morning, with National making separate deals with each partner.
Major points
• National's tax cuts will continue, but the parties do not promise any further tax cuts beyond 2024, and via the agreement with NZ First it will no longer be funded through a tax on foreign buyers - instead the money will be found through reprioritisation and other revenue gathering.
• The parties confirm no ongoing commitment to income tax changes, including threshold adjustments, beyond those to be delivered in 2024, and recognise that details of the Fiscal Plan may be subject to amendment in response to significant new information or events
• Public sector agencies will each have expenditure reduction targets "informed by the increase in back office head count at that agency since 2017"
• The parties will introduce a Treaty Principles Bill based on existing ACT policy and support it to a Select Committee as soon as practicable
• A Regional Infrastructure Fund, proposed by New Zealand First, that will have $1.2 billion in capital funding
• A new agency accountable to the Minister for Regulation will assess the quality of new and existing regulation. This agency proposed by ACT will be funded by disestablishing the Productivity Commission
• ACT's policy to speed up the restoration of interest deductibility has been adopted, along with the parties tenancy law proposals like a "pet bond"
• In addition to National's gangs and youth crime policies, the parties have agreed with ACT to re-write the Arms Act, and agreed with NZ First to train no fewer than 500 new police
• Firearms law will be reviewed and reformed
• National's commitment to requiring an hour each day of reading, writing and maths will be adopted, along with ACT's policy to reintroduce partnership (charter) schools and allowing state schools to become one
• National's commitments to the "taxpayers' receipt", removing two farming regulations for every new one introduced have been abandoned. The commitment to a new medical school will be subject to a full cost-benefit analysis
• The flexibility of the Medium Density Residential Standards will be accompanied by ACT's plan to share a portion of GST from new builds with councils
• National's fiscal plan, tax plan, 100-day plan and 100-point economic plan will go ahead, with exceptions as specified in the agreements
• The current review of the Emissions Trading Scheme will be stopped "to restore confidence and certainty to the carbon trading market"
• NZ First secured a Select Committee inquiry into banking competition, focused on competitiveness, customer services, and profitability
• NZ First got agreement to explore options to strengthen the Grocery Commissioner and address lack of a third entrant
• Assessment and response to the impact of energy prices on inflation, and the impact of inflation on average tax rates will be assessed by 2026
• "Moderate" increases to the minimum wage each year
• Establishment of an "essential worker" planning mechanism will be investigated
• A study into New Zealand's fuel security needs will be commissioned
• The National Policy Statement on Indigenous Biodiversity will be urgently reviewed, the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 and the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater will be replaced, and work on the new Significant Natural Areas will be ceased
• The Overseas Investment Act will be amended to limit ministerial decision making to national security concerns, with those decisions more timely
• Fair pay agreements and Labour's replacements for the RMA will be repealed by Christmas. New resource management laws will be "premised on the enjoyment of property rights as a guiding principle"
• Ban on offshore oil and gas exploration to be repealed.
Ministerial portfolios
NATIONAL PARTY MINISTERS
- Christopher Luxon
Prime Minister
Minister for National Security and Intelligence
Minister Responsible for Ministerial Services
- Nicola Willis
Minister of Finance
Minister for the Public Service
Minister for Social Investment
Associate Minister of Climate Change
- Chris Bishop
Minister of Housing Minister for Infrastructure
Minister Responsible for RMA Reform
Minister for Sport and Recreation
Leader of the House
Associate Minister of Finance
- Dr Shane Reti
Minister of Health
Minister for Pacific Peoples
- Simeon Brown
Minister for Energy
Minister of Local Government
Minister of Transport
Minister for Auckland
Deputy Leader of the House
- Erica Stanford
Minister of Education
Minister of Immigration
- Paul Goldsmith
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
Minister of Justice
Minister for State Owned Enterprises
Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
- Louise Upston
Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
Minister for Social Development and Employment
Minister for Child Poverty Reduction
- Judith Collins
Attorney-General Minister of Defence
Minister for Digitising Government
Minister Responsible for the GCSB
Minister Responsible for the NZSIS
Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology
Minister for Space
Lead Coordination Minister for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques
- Mark Mitchell
Minister of Corrections
Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Minister of Police
- Todd McClay
Minister of Agriculture
Minister of Forestry
Minister for Hunting and Fishing
Minister for Trade Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Tama Potaka
Minister of Conservation
Minister for Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti Minister for Māori Development
Minister for Whānau Ora Associate
Minister of Housing (Social Housing)
- Matt Doocey
Minister for ACC
Minister for Mental Health
Minister for Tourism and Hospitality
Minister for Youth Associate
Minister of Health Associate
Minister of Transport
- Melissa Lee
Minister for Economic Development
Minister for Ethnic Communities
Minister for Media and Communications
Associate Minister for ACC
NATIONAL PARTY MINISTERS OUTSIDE CABINET
- Simon Watts
Minister of Climate Change
Minister of Revenue
- Penny Simmonds
Minister for Disability Issues
Minister for the Environment
Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
- Chris Penk
Minister for Building and Construction
Minister for Land Information
Minister for Veterans
Associate Minister of Defence
Associate Minister of Immigration
- Nicola Grigg
Minister of State for Trade
Minister for Women Associate
Minister of Agriculture (Horticulture)
- Andrew Bayly
Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing
Minister of Statistics
ACT MINISTERS
- David Seymour
Deputy Prime Minister (from 31 May 2025)
Minister for Regulation Associate
Minister of Education (Partnership Schools)
Associate Minister of Finance
Associate Minister of Health (Pharmac)
- Brooke van Velden
Minister of Internal Affairs
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety
Nicole McKee
Minister for Courts
Associate Minister of Justice (Firearms)
- Andrew Hoggard (outside Cabinet)
Minister for Biosecurity Minister for Food Safety
Associate Minister of Agriculture (Animal Welfare, Skills)
Associate Minister for the Environment
- Karen Chhour (outside Cabinet)
Minister for Children
Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence
- Simon Court MP
Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Infrastructure
Minister Responsible for RMA Reform
NEW ZEALAND FIRST MINISTERS
- Winston Peters
Deputy Prime Minister (until 31 May 2025)
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister for Racing
- Shane Jones
Minister for Oceans and Fisheries
Minister for Regional Development
Minister for Resources Associate
Minister of Finance Associate Minister for Energy
- Casey Costello
Minister of Customs Minister for Seniors
Associate Minister of Health
Associate Minister of Immigration
Associate Minister of Police
Mark Patterson (outside Cabinet)
Minister for Rural Communities
Associate Minister of Agriculture
- Jenny Marcroft MP
Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Media and Communications
