Key Notes - Our Priorities For 2014

This past week New Zealand has been celebrating the outstanding success of Lorde on the world stage in picking up two Grammys.

We have been busy at home too.

This week I delivered my annual Statement to Parliament, outlining National's priorities for 2014.

We have a busy year ahead.

National is continuing with its plan to build a faster-growing economy with more jobs and rising incomes.

Our goals for 2014 reflect our four priorities.

The first priority is responsibly managing the Government's finances. After inheriting long-term projected deficits and increasing debt from the previous Government, National has reined in spending.

This hard work is paying off. The Government's books are on track to show a budget surplus in the 2014/15 financial year.

We are also making great progress against our second priority - building a more competitive and productive economy.

New Zealand continues to stand out amongst other developed countries. Our economy has been growing at 3.5 per cent, wages are growing faster than inflation, and there are 53,000 more people employed now than there were a year ago.

We are delivering better public services. Recorded crime is at a 33-year low, welfare reforms are supporting people off welfare and into work, and patients are receiving elective surgery sooner.

And we remain committed to rebuilding Canterbury. The Government's contribution to the rebuild is set to total about $15 billion, and there are many exciting anchor projects under construction this year.

So there is a lot to do, and it is important we continue to lock in and protect the gains we have made so far.

Learn more about our priorities for 2014 in my videohere. Feel free to share my video on Facebook andTwitter.

Regards,

John Key
Prime Minister
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