New Zealand’s new prime minister plans to ban cellphone use in schools and repeal tobacco controls in the ambitious agenda he released Wednesday for his first 100 days in office. Christopher Luxon outlined 49 actions he said his conservative government intended to take over the next three months.
Quick Read
- Narrowing Central Bank’s Mandate: Luxon plans to pass a law focusing the Reserve Bank’s mandate solely on controlling inflation, altering its current dual focus on both inflation and employment.
- Repealing Previous Government’s Initiatives: Many actions in the 100-day plan aim to undo policies from the previous liberal government, including repealing tobacco controls that mandated low nicotine levels, limited retailers, and imposed a lifetime ban for youth.
- Boosting Renewable Energy: Doubling renewable energy production is a significant part of the new government’s agenda.
- Economic Improvement Measures: Luxon emphasizes measures to bolster the economy, which forms the core of his government’s plan.
- Controversial Tobacco Policy Reversal: The decision to repeal tobacco restrictions is contentious, with critics arguing it’s a public health setback and a victory for the tobacco industry. Luxon defends the move as maintaining the status quo and not prioritizing revenue over health.
- Education Reforms: Implementing education initiatives such as mandating an hour of reading, writing, and math daily in schools, and banning cellphone use, are part of the plan. These reflect a belief among some voters that schools need to focus more on their core educational mission.
- Policies on Ethnicity and Indigenous Issues: Plans like disbanding the Māori Health Authority are framed by Luxon’s government as treating all citizens equally but face criticism as being racially insensitive towards the Indigenous Māori population.
Overall, Luxon’s agenda is marked by a shift towards conservative policies, focusing on economic growth, traditional education values, and altering initiatives set by the previous government.
The Associated Press has the story:
New Zealand PM vows to ban cellphone use in schools, end tobacco controls in 1st 100 days
Newslooks- WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)
New Zealand’s new prime minister plans to ban cellphone use in schools and repeal tobacco controls in the ambitious agenda he released Wednesday for his first 100 days in office.
Christopher Luxon outlined 49 actions he said his conservative government intended to take over the next three months.
The first new law he planned to pass would narrow the central bank’s mandate to focus purely on keeping inflation in check, he said. That would change the Reserve Bank’s current dual focus on low inflation and high employment.
Many of the actions in the 100-day plan involve repealing initiatives from the previous liberal government, which had been in office for six years. The new efforts include a plan to double renewable energy production.
Luxon said many of the measures were aimed at improving the economy.
Many of the plans are proving contentious, including the one to repeal tobacco restrictions approved last year by the previous government. Those included requirements for low nicotine levels in cigarettes, fewer retailers and a lifetime ban for youth.
Luxon’s government has said that ending the tobacco restrictions — which were not due to take effect until next year — would bring in more tax dollars, although Luxon said Wednesday it wasn’t a case of trading health for money.
“We are sticking with the status quo,” Luxon said. “We are going to continue to drive smoking rates down across New Zealand under our government.”
Critics say the plan is a setback for public health and a win for the tobacco industry.
Two education initiatives — one requiring schools to teach an hour of reading, writing and math each day, and another banning cellphone use — reflect a sentiment among some voters that schools have strayed from their primary mission.
Others plans around ethnicity, such as disbanding the Māori Health Authority, have been portrayed by Luxon’s government as measures to treat all citizens equally but have been attacked by critics as being racist against Indigenous people.
