National is focused on improving health and education for all New Zealanders. We want our kids to be taught the basics brilliantly, and we want all Kiwis to have access to timely and quality healthcare.
That’s why I’m proud to share a few important announcements our Government has made recently.
First, from this month, women aged 70 and 74 are eligible for free breast screening, the first step in the Government’s nationwide age extension.
This means more New Zealand women will have the opportunity to detect breast cancer early, when treatment is most effective.
Once fully rolled out, around 130,000 additional women will be eligible for free screening every two years.
We’re backing this up with real investment by training and recruiting more staff, purchasing new equipment, opening new screening sites, and delivering mobile screening units.
We are delivering practical, life-changing results for New Zealanders.
Access is at the heart of this programme. We know that not every woman lives near a major hospital or screening centre.
We’re also introducing a modern digital platform that automatically identifies eligible women, sends out invitations, and allows them to book their appointments online.
We’re making screening faster, simpler, and more convenient – whether you live in a city or a rural community.
We’re also extending postnatal stays for new mums to three days.
This gives mums choices about their after-birth care and for many will give them the support they need in those precious early days with a newborn.
In education – we’ve put ambition and achievement back at the heart of the system, so Kiwi kids are set up for success.
Our relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly is delivering results. Education is a core priority for this Government, and our reforms are delivering transformational results for students.
Since Term 1, all primary schools have been using structured literacy approaches and the new English curriculum, with phonics checks for new entrants at 20 weeks.
More children are becoming confident readers, with fewer needing extra support. Nationally, 58 per cent of new entrants are meeting or exceeding expectations, up from 36 per cent, while those exceeding expectations have more than doubled.
The latest research from the Education Review office (ERO) found half of primary school teachers report students’ English and maths are improving, and more than three-quarters of parent’s report progress in their child’s learning in these subjects.
We’ve banned phones in classrooms, introduced an hour of reading, writing, and maths each day, and boosted learning support for those who need it — and it’s making a difference.
More Kiwi students will soon be learning in warm, safe, dry classrooms, with 82 new classrooms being built across New Zealand and a new school. This comes on top of the $712 million we announced in Budget 2025 and a total of $713 million we announced last month for upgrades and maintenance for school property.
This investment will create jobs for local construction firms, contractors, tradespeople, and suppliers, boosting local economies.
National has halved the cost of building a new classroom to $620,000, down from $1.2 million under Labour. Our focus on efficiency and value for money means more students benefit.
This is part of our plan to lift achievement and ensure every Kiwi kid has the opportunity to reach their full potential. -Hon Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand