An accountability scorecardRecord as of June 2026

Promised vs. Delivered

New Zealand's National-ACT-NZ First Government, 2023-present

In governmentNationalACTNZ First
In oppositionLabourGreenTe Pāti Māori

A new coalition promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and rein in spending. This is the factual record of what it has actually done so far - what it delivered, what it cancelled, and at what cost.

After the 2023 election, National formed a three-party coalition with ACT and NZ First, sworn in on 27 November 2023 under Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Two signed coalition agreements set out exactly what the government committed to do.

Because this government is still in office, this is a living record rather than a final verdict. Every promise and figure below links to a primary document or authoritative report - follow the receipts yourself.

2023-present · PM Christopher Luxon

The headline numbers

Three figures that capture the term so far - what was cancelled, where the economy sits, and the controversy that defined it.

$0m
to cancel the Cook Strait ferries

The cost of cancelling Labour's iReX ferry contract in December 2023 - $222m to the shipbuilder and $449m in wind-down - for ferries that would have cost $551m. Replacements are not due until 2029.

Source: 1News - iReX cancellation cost $671m
0.0%
unemployment, March 2026

Up from 4.0% in the December 2023 quarter, when the coalition took office - a steady rise across its term so far.

Source: Stats NZ - unemployment 5.3% (March 2026 quarter)
0
submissions on the Treaty Principles Bill

A record response - about 90% opposed. Parliament's Justice Committee recommended the bill not proceed, and it was voted down 112-11.

Source: RNZ - the summer of 300,000 submissions

The same measures, both governments

How key indicators moved under Labour (2017-2023) and under the current National-led government (2023-present). Some cut against Labour, some against National - every figure is from an official source, so you can judge for yourself.

Measure20172023 handoverLatest (2026)
Median house priceREINZ national median
2017$525k
2023 handover$790k
Latest (2026)$775k

Climbed ~76% to a $925k peak in November 2021, then eased back. Roughly flat under the current government. REINZ / interest.co.nz - median sale price series

Net core Crown debtTreasury's headline debt measure
2017$59.5b
2023 handover$155.3b
Latest (2026)$184.3b

22.2% of GDP (2017) → 38.7% (2023) → 41.9% (Jan 2026). It kept rising under both governments - faster under Labour, but still climbing. NZ Treasury - HYEFU 2025 & interim financial statements

Public service workforceCore public service, full-time-equivalent
2017~47,000
2023 handover65,699
Latest (2026)62,654

Grew about 40% under Labour to a December 2023 peak, then trimmed back. (RNZ separately tallied ~9,520 roles disestablished by the end of 2024 on a broader measure.) Public Service Commission - workforce size

Unemployment rateStats NZ, seasonally adjusted
2017n/a
2023 handover4.0%
Latest (2026)5.3%

Has risen 1.3 points since the 2023 handover, peaking at 5.4% in the December 2025 quarter. Stats NZ - labour market statistics

Inflation (annual CPI)Stats NZ consumers price index
2017n/a
2023 handover4.7%
Latest (2026)3.1%

Spiked to a 32-year high of 7.3% in mid-2022 under Labour; back near the top of the Reserve Bank's 1-3% target band by 2026. Stats NZ - consumers price index

Annual net migrationStats NZ
2017n/a
2023 handover135,500
Latest (2026)23,200

Hit a record 135,500 in the year to October 2023, then fell sharply - to a provisional low near 9,000 in 2025 - before a partial recovery. Stats NZ - international migration

Promise by promise

What the coalition agreements committed to, set against what has actually happened. Filter by outcome - and follow every link to the source.

Outcome of 8 headline promisesTap a band to filter
Broken0Partial1Kept7
WorkplacePromise kept

Promised

Repeal Fair Pay Agreements by Christmas 2023

The National-ACT agreement committed to repealing the Fair Pay Agreement regime - Labour's framework for sector-wide collective bargaining - "by Christmas 2023".

National-ACT coalition agreement (24 Nov 2023)

Delivered

Repealed on 20 December 2023

The Fair Pay Agreements Act Repeal Act passed under urgency and came into force on 20 December 2023 - inside the government's first month.

RNZ - Parliament repeals Fair Pay Agreements
HealthPromise kept

Promised

Abolish the Māori Health Authority

Both coalition agreements committed to disestablishing Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority set up by the previous government.

National-ACT coalition agreement (24 Nov 2023)

Delivered

Disestablished on 30 June 2024

The Pae Ora (Disestablishment of Māori Health Authority) Amendment Act passed under urgency; Te Aka Whai Ora was disestablished on 30 June 2024 and its functions folded into Health NZ and the Ministry of Health.

RNZ - bill to disestablish Māori Health Authority passes third reading
HealthPromise kept

Promised

Repeal the smokefree generation ban before March 2024

The National-NZ First agreement committed to repealing the 2022 smokefree amendments - the "generation ban", denicotisation rules and the cut in retail outlets - before March 2024.

National-NZ First coalition agreement (24 Nov 2023)

Delivered

Repealed under urgency, 28 February 2024

Parliament repealed the smokefree generation law - which would have banned tobacco sales to anyone born after 2009, cut outlets from about 6,000 to 600, and stripped 95% of nicotine from cigarettes - under urgency on 28 February 2024.

RNZ - smokefree generation law scrapped
TaxPromise kept

Promised

Income tax cuts from 1 July 2024

The coalition agreements committed to progressing National's Tax Plan, with personal income tax reductions "coming into force from 1 July 2024".

National-NZ First coalition agreement (24 Nov 2023)

Delivered

Delivered - but from 31 July 2024

Personal tax thresholds were lifted from 31 July 2024 - a month later than the date in the agreement. The package lifted take-home pay for about 93% of households by roughly $30 a week on average, at a cost of about $3.7 billion a year.

Beehive - responsible tax relief for the squeezed middle
RNZ - what will tax cuts mean for households?
Law & orderPromise kept

Promised

Ban gang patches and crack down on gangs

The coalition committed to banning gang insignia in public places and giving police new powers to disrupt gangs.

National-ACT coalition agreement (24 Nov 2023)

Delivered

Gangs Act passed 19 September 2024

The Gangs Act 2024 passed Parliament on 19 September 2024. From 21 November 2024 gang insignia is banned in public places (fines up to $5,000), with new dispersal and non-consorting powers for police.

Beehive - tough laws pass to make gang life uncomfortable
Local governmentPromise kept

Promised

Scrap Three Waters and return assets to councils

The National-ACT agreement committed to issuing immediate stop-work notices on Labour's Three Waters reforms, with water assets returned to council ownership.

National-ACT coalition agreement (24 Nov 2023)

Delivered

Repealed; replaced with "Local Water Done Well"

The government halted the Affordable Water Reforms in its first weeks and repealed the legislation in early 2024, replacing it with a council-led "Local Water Done Well" model.

1News - Three Waters repeal to go ahead
ConstitutionalPartly kept

Promised

Introduce a Treaty Principles Bill (to select committee)

The National-ACT agreement committed National only to introduce ACT's Treaty Principles Bill and "support it to a Select Committee as soon as practicable" - not to back it any further.

National-ACT coalition agreement (24 Nov 2023)

Delivered

Introduced, then voted down 112-11

The bill was introduced on 7 November 2024 and drew a record ~300,000 submissions (about 90% opposed). The Justice Committee recommended it not proceed, and Parliament defeated it 112-11 at second reading on 10 April 2025 - exactly as the limited promise allowed.

Ministry of Justice - Treaty Principles Bill

Cancelled, cut and scaled back

The flip side of the agenda: flagship projects the coalition cancelled, cut or scaled back - sometimes after large sums had already been committed.

TransportCancelled

The plan

Replace the Cook Strait ferries (iReX)

Labour's iReX project would have delivered two large rail-enabled Cook Strait ferries and new terminals - budgeted at $1.45 billion in 2021, with the ferries due in 2025-26.

What happened

Cancelled - $671m to walk away

Finance Minister Nicola Willis cancelled the contract in December 2023 as costs headed toward $4 billion. Cancelling it cost $671 million - $222m to the shipbuilder and $449m in wind-down - for ferries that would have cost $551m. Replacement ferries are now not due until 2029.

1News - iReX cancellation cost $671m
RNZ - Treasury advised against the original ferries
HealthScaled back

The plan

A new Dunedin hospital

Both Labour and National promised Dunedin a new, state-of-the-art hospital - originally estimated at $1.2-1.4 billion in 2017.

What happened

Scaled back - the largest protest in the city's history

In September 2024 ministers said costs could "balloon to $3 billion" and proposed cutting floors and clinical services - though the $3b figure did not appear in the government's own review. An estimated 35,000 people marched in protest, the largest in Dunedin's history.

NZ Herald - the $3 billion Dunedin Hospital saga
HousingCut back

The plan

Rein in the state housing agency

A review chaired by former Prime Minister Sir Bill English examined Kāinga Ora, the state-housing and KiwiBuild agency, after the coalition took office.

What happened

"Not financially viable" - 330 jobs cut, builds paused

The English review found Kāinga Ora was "not financially viable", facing annual deficits of around $700 million. The government cut about 330 jobs (after 232 earlier), paused building on 690 KiwiBuild and 593 market homes, replaced five of seven board members, and scrapped KiwiBuild.

RNZ - Kāinga Ora underperforming, not financially viable
RNZ - Kāinga Ora to cut about 330 jobs

Flashpoint: the Treaty Principles Bill

ACT's bill to redefine the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi became the defining controversy of the term. National only ever agreed to support it as far as select committee - and then voted it down.

  1. 7 Nov 2024Bill introduced to Parliament.
  2. 14 Nov 2024Passes first reading, referred to the Justice Committee.
  3. Summer 2024-25A record ~300,000 written submissions - about 90% opposed.
  4. 4 Apr 2025Justice Committee reports back, recommending the bill not proceed.
  5. 10 Apr 2025Defeated 112-11 at second reading - National and NZ First voting it down.
Source: Ministry of Justice - Treaty Principles Bill

Who we pay to run the country

The most senior ministers in the coalition and what they are paid. Salaries are set by the independent Remuneration Authority; the figures shown are the current rates for 1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026.

This is a living record.

This government is still in office, so this page will keep updating. Every promise and figure links to a primary document or authoritative report - follow the receipts yourself.

See all sources & method