The New Zealand government has unveiled nine targets including improved health outcomes, lower emissions and reduced youth offending.
Prime Minister Chris Luxon outlined the big-picture changes he wanted to see under his coalition government, with goals to be measured in 2030.
Mr Luxon wants tens of thousands fewer New Zealanders to be victims of crime or to receive welfare, as well as improved student attendance and achievement.
The targets are:
1. Shorter stays in emergency departments: 95 per cent of patients to be admitted, discharged, or transferred from an emergency department within six hours.
2. Shorter wait times for (elective) treatment: 95 per cent of people wait less than four months for elective treatment.
3. Reduced child and youth offending: 15 per cent reduction in the total number of children and young people with serious and persistent offending behaviour.
4. Reduced violent crime: 20,000 fewer victims of assault, robbery, or sexual assault.
5. Fewer people on the Jobseeker Support Benefit: 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker.
6. Increased student attendance: 80 per cent of students present for more than 90 per cent of the term.
7. More students at expected curriculum levels: 80 per cent of year 8 students at or above the expected curriculum level for their age in reading, writing and maths by December 2030.
8. Fewer people in emergency housing: 75 per cent reduction of households in emergency housing.
9. Reduced net greenhouse gas emissions: On track to meet New Zealand's 2050 net zero climate change targets, with total net emissions of no more than 290 megatonnes from 2022 to 2025 and 305 megatonnes from 2026 to 2030.
"These are the big nine big rocks that we think, for New Zealanders ... matter the most for them," he said.
"Our government is bringing back public service targets to focus our public sector on driving better results for New Zealanders in health, education, law and order, work, housing, and the environment.
"These targets are not going to be easy to achieve.
"But we're not here to do what is easy - we're here to do what is needed to reduce crime, shorten health care wait times and improve educational achievement, no matter how difficult."
The announcement is a return to similar goal-setting under the John Key National-led government.
The nine targets are also the latest in Mr Luxon's corporate-style governance approach, which has included a 100-day plan and the first in a promised rolling set of quarterly plans.
The Q2 2023 plan, published last week and featuring 36 dot points, was parodied as it included several goals with phrases such as "raise energy" and "take decisions".
Mr Luxon was unrepentant about his management style in his weekly press conference on Monday.
"I know a lot of you think, you know, I'm coming from a CEO background - well, I make no apologies about that because it hasn't worked for us the last six years having career politicians," he said in a reference to previous Labour prime ministers Jacinda Ardern and Chris Hipkins.
"We are taking a different approach.
"Setting targets will put a focus on delivery in the public sector where there wasn't before and they will also drive greater value for taxpayer money."
