Source: Radio New Zealand
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will also take the opportunity to outline some of the government’s progress in areas such as law and order, education, and cutting red tape. RNZ / Mark Papalii
The prime minister will outline his plan for the year ahead and New Zealand’s future in a State of the Nation speech in Auckland today.
Speaking to a business audience, hosted by the Auckland Business Chamber at the new International Convention Centre, Christopher Luxon will also take the opportunity to outline some of the government’s progress in areas such as law and order, education, and cutting red tape.
The prime minister will be using his first election year speech to highlight what he considers wins by the coalition, and will likely reference the India Free Trade Deal announced shortly before Christmas last year.
NZ First immediately signalled its disapproval of the deal, and Luxon will likely speak today about maintaining a stable coalition with a focus on domestic affairs.
Clarification around a potential weakening of housing intensification laws, as well as plans for tackling homelessness in the Auckland CBD, may be discussed today, but will likely be revealed later in the week.
It is the first political event in the New Zealand calendar, and will be the first public appearance by Luxon following the summer break, in which international events dominated headlines.
Luxon has yet to release statements regarding the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro by the United States, as well as anti-regime protests in Iran, and will likely be asked after his speech for his position on both events.
He was also yet to comment on New Zealand’s Reserve Bank governor writing in support of her counterpart in the US, and President Donald Trump’s push to take over Greenland.
There are no major policy announcements expected in the annual scene-setting speech, and the election date will not be revealed today either.
On Wednesday, both National and Labour will hold their first caucus meetings of the year, and later in the week, political parties will gather at Rātana.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
