Ticking off the to-do list: What does the Govt have in store for 2025?

It's been a busy year for the Coalition Government as it worked its way through its various quarterly plans. So, what is there still left to cross off its coalition agreements in 2025? 1News looks into the political crystal ball.

Nothing is ever certain in politics, but we can get a sense of what lies ahead by looking at the coalition commitments made in late 2023 between National, ACT and NZ First.

Here's what New Zealanders can anticipate coming out of the Beehive next year.

If nothing else, the country can be certain of a new Deputy Prime Minister in 2025.

Incumbent Deputy PM Winston Peters will hand over the reins to ACT leader David Seymour on May 31, 2025, as part of their unique job-sharing agreement.

And given Seymour's office already has his looming new role in its email signatures, it's safe to assume he's champing at the bit to be second-in-command.

WATCH: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon talks about the Government's plans for next year

The Government agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties last year.

Landlords have been able to claim 80% of their interest expenses since April 1 this year but will be able to claim 100% from April 1 next year.

Transport Minister Simeon Brown has promised legislation is coming that will allow local councils to propose "time of use schemes", otherwise known as congestion charging.

Brown used Auckland as a prime example of a city that would benefit from such charges.

The city's mayor, Wayne Brown, is also a fan of congestion charges, with Auckland Council having already set out guiding principles for such a scheme. 2025 will see the next steps taking place, including designing the scheme and public consultation.

New charter schools will officially open their doors in Term 1 next year.

The first of these is Christchurch-based Mastery Schools New Zealand – Arapaki, but other schools are expected to follow.

David Seymour's version of the free school lunches programme, Ka Ora, Ka Ako, will also launch next year. The new centralised approach to supplying the lunches at just $3 per student will be led by Compass Group.

Teachers have been busy preparing to move to structured literacy and maths curriculum changes from Term 1 next year, but other changes could also be on the cards.

National's agreement with ACT promises to "restore balance to the Aotearoa New Zealand's Histories curriculum", while its agreement with NZ First talked about removing and replacing the gender, sexuality, and relationship-based education guidelines.

The Coalition Government pledged to replace the Fees Free programme with a final year fees free policy.

The programme originally covered the first year of study or training for a first qualification, but this will switch to the final year from 2025.

Local elections are due to take place in 2025 and many of these will include a referendum on whether to keep or establish Māori wards.

Almost all the councils who have Māori wards or had decided to implement them have chosen to take the issue to a referendum. Some councils had been taking legal advice on refusing to hold the referendum.

Local Government Minister Simeon Brown also said this year he was still looking at options for repealing the Canterbury Regional Council (Ngāi Tahu Representation) Act 2022, as per National's coalition agreement with ACT.

The legislation currently ensures Ngāi Tahu has guaranteed representation on Environment Canterbury (ECan).

Brown sent the regional council a request to remove the Ngāi Tahu seats, but it refused to do so.

Constitutional expert professor Andrew Geddis told RNZ because the seats were created by a special law just for Canterbury, the Government can't change that law unless the local council asks them to.

The controversial Treaty Principles Bill is currently in its select committee stage with public submissions closing on January 7.

The committee said it hopes to complete public hearings on the Bill by the end of February.

The Bill is expected to fail at its second reading with ACT's coalition partners not committed to supporting the Bill further.

The Government is, however, pushing forward with a review of all legislation to change or remove Treaty of Waitangi provisions (except those related to existing full and final Treaty settlements).

While National may have ruled out putting the Treaty Principles Bill to a referendum, there could well be a referendum about extending the parliamentary term from three years to four.

The Coalition Government said it would pass the Constitution (Enabling a 4-Year Term) Amendment Bill through its first reading in the first 15 months of the term.

The Bill will likely progress further given Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told the Bloomberg Address in September that the Government would propose a referendum on the issue in 2026.

NZ First's coalition agreement with National said it would "ensure publicly funded sporting bodies support fair competition that is not compromised by rules relating to gender".

In October, Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop asked Sport NZ to review and update its Guiding Principles for the Inclusion of Transgender People in Community Sport.

"I expect to receive an update from Sport NZ in the coming months," he said at the time.

The Government has already worked through the first two phases of its plan to change the way New Zealand manages its resources.

Next year will be focused on the third phase — replacing the Resource Management Act (RMA).

An Expert Advisory Group (EAG) has been working on a blueprint for two new laws to replace the RMA and were due to deliver that to RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop before Christmas.

Bishop expects to introduce the new legislation at some point next year, with plans to pass them into law before the 2026 general election.

David Seymour's new Ministry for Regulation began two sector reviews this year — one for primary industries and another for early childhood education.

ACT's coalition agreement with National said further regulation reviews could include the finance sector and healthcare occupational licensing.

ACT's coalition agreement with National includes looking at allowing home builders to opt out of needing a building consent provided they have long-term insurance for the building work.

Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk said the Government was looking at strengthening requirements for building professionals as part of this.

Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has promised new gun laws will be in place by 2026, so we can expect to see work on that throughout 2025.

McKee has also been busy working to restore the Three Strikes legislation, which should be in place next year.

Based on National's two coalition agreements, other potential actions for 2025 include: