New Zealand First continues to bring balance, experience, and commonsense to Government. This week we've made progress on many of our promises to New Zealand.

Winston representing New Zealand

Winston Peters is overseas this week, with stops across the Middle East and North Asia. Winston's stops include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, China, Mongolia, and the Republic of Korea. Winston is hard at work representing our national interests on the World stage. Catch up with the latest news on Winston's work below:

• New Zealand’s top diplomat tells China sudden live-fire drills represent ‘failure’ in relationship | New Zealand | The Guardian
• Saudi Arabia pivotal in achieving peace, New Zealand deputy PM says as new Russia tariffs announced
• Winston Peters' meets with Chinese VP amid heightened tensions | RNZ
• 'Reset' needed with Cook Islands, Winston Peters says | RNZ News

Shane in the Solomons

Shane Jones is in the Solomon Islands attending a range of fisheries meetings with Pacific Island nations. Shane has met with Ministers from across the Pacific to talk ocean resources, local infrastructure and planning, and the need for sustainable Pacific cooperation to ensure we can continue to make the most of our shared fisheries resources.

Major energy reforms: We're taking on the Gentailers

This week the Government announced major energy reforms, helping us to push back against the gentailers and fighting for everyday Kiwis. This includes looking at reforms that will see much-needed rules put in place for how gentailers engage with independent and smaller players in the electricity market and the easing of restrictions on electricity lines companies investing in generation.

Safeguarding Supply - the first steps

Alongside the new energy reforms, Shane Jones also announced that the Government will consider 'Special Economic Zones' to help boost energy and fuel security and contribute towards our ongoing commitment to growth in the Regions. As part of this announcement Shane also released two reports, the Fuel Security Study and the investigation into reopening Marsden Point. 

• Minister Shane Jones calls for 'Economic Zones' around Marsden Point
• Shane Jones Talks Special Economic Zones
• Special economic zones could boost NZ's fuel security - energy minister | RNZ News

Restoring Law and Order

It's been a big week in the Law and Order space. Casey Costello announced that the new Ministerial Advisory Group on transnational and serious organised crime has been appointed and met for the first time. Casey has also welcomed a new Police recruitment campaign to help deliver on our pledge to have 500 additional frontline Police Officers by the end of 2025.

We're also holding criminals to account and finally turning the tide on rising crime. Violent crimes are down for the first time since 2018 and overall victimisations have decreased, proving our tough stance on law and order and victim-centric approach is working. It was also announced that in the three months since the Gang Patch ban came into effect Police have seized 76 patches, 67 firearms, and laid 337 charges for insignia breaches. As Winston points out in this clip, instead of giving money to the Gangs, we're coming down HARD on them.

First steps toward a referendum on Four Year terms

And finally, it's been announced that the Government will introduce legislation on establishing a four-year parliamentary term, with an all-of-Government commitment to support the legislation through to Select Committee. We campaigned on expanding Parliamentary terms to four years, but only with the consent of the New Zealand people. We'll ensure that if any legislation is progressed beyond Select Committee, it's fate is in your hands through a binding referendum - after all, you're the masters of politicians, not the other way around.