The Hibiscus Coast and communities across New Zealand can expect a strong focus on economic growth and investment in 2025, according to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

In his Statement to Parliament today, Mr Luxon outlined the Government’s key economic agenda, emphasising efforts to boost productivity, create job opportunities, and support local businesses.

“Just over a year ago this Government was elected by the people of New Zealand with a mandate to change course. Since then, we have made big changes and we are seeing promising signs of success, with inflation dropping and remaining low, interest rates starting to fall, and wages continuing to rise,” Mr Luxon said.

According to the Prime Minister, business and consumer confidence are increasing, and mortgage interest rates have fallen for the first time in more than three years.

Treasury’s Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update forecasts GDP growth to reach 2.1 per cent in 2025, reinforcing the Government’s strategy.

Mr Luxon stressed the importance of immediate action to sustain and accelerate economic recovery.

“We need to act now to strengthen growth and productivity – both in the very near term and over the years to come,” he said.

He highlighted specific areas of focus, including reforms to the Resource Management Act (RMA), health and safety laws, and regulations affecting farming and mining.

The Fast Track approval process for infrastructure and development projects is also among the measures aimed at reducing bureaucratic delays and encouraging investment.

“In 2025, we will take action to end the culture of no – whether that’s through Fast Track, comprehensive RMA reform, rewriting our health and safety laws, enabling more mining, allowing our farmers to grow their businesses with much less red tape, or other changes designed to promote more growth and investment,” Mr Luxon stated.

Reflecting on the Government’s first year in office, Mr Luxon noted that difficult decisions had been made to ease cost-of-living pressures and lay the groundwork for economic stability.

The focus now, he said, is on ensuring that early signs of recovery translate into long-term benefits for all New Zealanders.

“This year we will continue to build on this early progress to make sure these green shoots of recovery grow into lasting improvements that benefit all New Zealanders,” he said.

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