ACT is driving the change New Zealand needs

As we start 2026, it’s worth reflecting on what government should deliver: systems that work, services you can rely on, and a country where hard work and responsibility are rewarded.
Over the past year, ACT has focused on making that happen. Government either works or it doesn’t. Our job is making it work.
Passport processing is a clear example. By modernising the system – moving to digital processing, cross-skilling staff, and automating identity checks – a standard passport application now typically takes about 7 days to process, down from 25 days under Labour. Some applications take a little longer, but the system is now reliable enough that 99.5% of all applications are completed within 10 working days. For families maintaining connections across borders, this means genuine confidence in planning travel.
Healthcare follows the same logic. In the past, New Zealanders have waited too long for medicines that were already approved overseas. To fix this, ACT introduced the “Rule of Two”: if a medicine is approved in two trusted jurisdictions like Australia, the US, or the UK, it can be approved here within 30 days. One asthma treatment took 16 months to approve when it could have been available immediately. That doesn’t happen anymore.
Beyond regulatory delays, there’s also the question of which medicines get funded. Pharmac now negotiates harder on existing medicines, using those savings to fund new treatments. The latest proposal includes treatments for multiple sclerosis, breast and lung cancer, and eye conditions. The new subcutaneous injections for MS and breast cancer are significantly faster to administer than IV treatments, freeing up thousands of hospital hours for other patients.
Beyond new medicines, we’ve also expanded who can prescribe them: registered nurse prescribers can now prescribe nearly double the number of medicines – covering high blood pressure, diabetes, respiratory conditions, and menopause. This means treatment closer to home with fewer delays.
Justice is another area where the system had stopped working.
The backlog of criminal cases in the District Court grew for five years straight. It’s now down 20% since April 2023 – around 1,700 cases – through better scheduling, prioritizing bail applications so court time isn’t wasted, and same-day sentencing where appropriate. Justice delayed is justice denied. Victims deserve faster resolution.
The Three Strikes law is back. Offenders convicted of serious violent or sexual offences now face escalating consequences: a warning at first strike, no parole at second strike, maximum sentence without parole at third strike. Someone convicted of murder at third strike faces a minimum of 20 years with no early release. For families and communities, this means people who have proven they are dangerous don’t get chance after chance to reoffend. Safety isn’t negotiable to us.
On education: schools must now have attendance management plans. If a student starts missing school, there are clear escalation steps – contact parents early, meet with families to identify barriers, and involve the Ministry if necessary. Too many students have been slipping through the cracks. That changes this year.
These changes share a common thread: they remove barriers that existed for no good reason.
Waiting weeks for a passport when digital processing takes days. Waiting months for medicines already approved in Australia and the UK. Watching repeat violent offenders get chance after chance. Letting students skip school with no consequences. None of this was working, but the previous government kept defending it anyway.
In 2026, we’ll keep driving the change New Zealand needs: removing what’s broken, implementing what works, and holding ourselves accountable for results. For communities that value education, hard work, and tangible outcomes, that’s what good government looks like.