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The ACT Party on Government and Leadership

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The ACT Party strongly supports cutting the number of public servants employed by government

Leader Rodney Hide told the New Zealand Herald in October this year, “I just look at silly little departments and wonder just why do we have them?” Asked which departments he would cut, he indicated, “Families Commission, Youth Affairs, every type of affair imaginable.”

The ACT Party strongly supports state asset sales and more private sector involvement in public services

Act policy is to “sell state businesses where private firms can serve customers better”. It says, “Private firms are generally more efficient that their counterpart state-owned firms.”

The ACT Party strongly opposes restrictions on foreign investors' ownership of New Zealand land and/or strategic assets

As firm believers in the free-market and privatisation, an Act spokesman says the party opposes restrictions on foreign investment.

The ACT Party strongly supports holding a binding referendum to review the MMP electoral system

Act policy is to hold a referendum on MMP so that, “People get long-overdue say on how they like MMP”. According to the New Zealand Herald in August 2008, leader “Rodney Hide said a referendum should be held "as soon as possible" accusing the other parties who opposed it as acting to protect themselves out of self-interest”.

The ACT Party strongly supports once again making the Privy Council New Zealand's highest court

Act party policy is to “return to the Privy Council”.

The ACT Party opposes keeping TVNZ in state hands and operating under the existing charter TVNZ

An Act spokesman says that his party opposes keeping TVNZ in state hands and operating under the charter. While its policy does not specifically mention TVNZ its principle on SOEs is that “Private firms are generally more efficient that their counterpart state-owned firms”.