First term of the Sixth Labour Government of New Zealand

[5][6] The Greens consented to a confidence and supply agreement with Labour and New Zealand First in return for several concessions, including: a referendum on legalising cannabis, treating alcohol and drugs as a health issue, net zero emissions by 2050 and requiring a climate impact assessment analysis for all legislation[7] In November 2017, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker announced that their government would continue participating in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations despite opposition from the Green Party.

[13] On 20 December, the Government established a Tax Working Group consisting of several academics, businesspeople, and senior civil servants under the leadership of former Finance Minister Michael Cullen with the goal of reforming the taxation system and alleviating the country's housing crisis.

[18] On 8 March 2018, Trade Minister Parker stated the government's intention of ratifying the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, an amended version of the TPP, in Chile.

[20] On 11 April 2018, Attorney General David Parker announced a government inquiry into allegations that the New Zealand Special Air Service had committed war crimes against Afghan civilians during Operation Burnham while stationed in Afghanistan.

The decision was welcomed by Greens Co-Leader James Shaw, Greenpeace and Forest & Bird but was criticised by the Mayor of New Plymouth Neil Holdom, and the opposition National and ACT parties.

[26] On 11 June, the Labour-led coalition government had abandoned efforts to repeal the Sentencing and Parole Reform Act 2010 (the so-called three-strikes law) due to internal opposition from NZ First.

[29][31] On 14 August, the Government passed the Overseas Investment Amendment Act 2018 which bans the sale of existing homes to non-residents as a means of easing the housing shortage in New Zealand.

[35] In late November 2018, Ardern and Health Minister David Clark announced that the Government would reduce the costs of visits to the general practitioner as part of their Budget 2018.

[41] In mid-February, Education Minister Chris Hipkins proposed merging the country's sixteen polytechnics into a "NZ Institute of Skills and Technology" in response to deficits and a slump in domestic enrolments.

[45] Following the Christchurch mosque shootings on 15 March 2019, Ardern announced that the government would be reforming New Zealand's gun laws, including a proposed ban on semi-automatic firearms.

Opposition Leader Bridges also criticised the Government's handling of the data leak and called for the resignations of Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Treasury Secretary Gabriel Makhlouf.

Transportation Minister Phil Twyford said that drones "could deliver economic benefits by doing tasks that are time intensive, expensive, and risky – such as monitoring crops, inspecting power lines and helping with emergency operations".

[78] On 30 August, the Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter announced the establishment of a National Health Coordination Centre in Auckland in response to a measles outbreak.

[86] In early October 2019, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway announced that the Government would be scrapping a requirement for African and Middle Eastern refugee applicants to have relatives who were residing in New Zealand.

Andrew King of the NZ Property Investors Federation and National Party leader Simon Bridges claimed that these changes would make it more difficult to evict "troublesome" tenants and would do little to address the housing shortage.

"[111] On 13 January, Education Minister Hipkins also announced that parents would be required to give explicit written permission for their children to receive religious instruction in schools.

[126] On 6 March, Police Minister Stuart Nash announced that the Government would be investing NZ$1.9 million from the Proceeds of Crime Fund into installing hundreds of new fog cannons at dairies across New Zealand in order to combat robberies.

As a result of a level 2 ranking, people over the age of 70 or with compromised immune systems were encouraged to stay at home, and all non-essential domestic travel was curtailed.

[134] On 22 March, Associate Health and Whānau Ora Minister Peeni Henare announced that the Government would be investing NZ$56.4 million in assistance for Māori communities and businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

[139] Prior to the parliament's closure, it passed three bills with cross-party support dealing with emergency spending, remitting interest on tax owed after 14 February, allowing local authorities to meet remotely, governments to take over schools, and preventing no-cause evictions and freezing rent for six months.

[140] That same day, Finance Minister Grant Robertson also announced that the government was negotiating with banks to ensure that nobody would lose their homes as a result of defaulting on mortgage payments during the pandemic.

[143] In addition, Finance Minister Grant Robertson also announced that the government had given NZ$1.5 billion to more than 240,000 workers as part of its wage subsidy scheme in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

[158] That same day, Finance Minister Robertson introduced a new 12-week relief payment scheme for New Zealand citizens and residents who lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which comes into effect on 8 June.

[161] That same day, Ardern announced that the Government would be distributing free sanitary products in 15 Waikato high schools on a trial basis as part of a NZ$2.6 million initiative to combat "period poverty.

In addition, the amended Bill also allowed members of the farming community, owners and managers of agricultural businesses to apply for endorsements to use prohibited firearms for pest control without having to establish a company to carry out the work.

[164] On 24 June, Transport Minister Phil Twyford abandoned its flagship Auckland Light Rail project due to disagreements between Labour and its coalition partner New Zealand First.

[172] On 22 July, Ardern dismissed Iain Lees-Galloway from his Immigration, Workplace Relations and Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) ministerial portfolios after he admitted having an inappropriate relationship with a former staff member who worked at one of his agencies.

[176] On 29 July, Housing Minister Megan Woods announced that New Zealanders entering the country temporarily and most temporary visa holders with the exception of family members of citizens who were not liable, diplomats, or those here for the Christchurch mosque trial would have to pay for their 14-day stay in managed isolation.

[185] On 2 November, it was reported that Michael and Rachel Perrett, the owners of the Green School, had reached a settlement for the Government's NZ$11.7 million grant to be converted into a loan; a development that was welcomed by local principals.

While the Government's decision was supported by Cabinet, New Zealand First leader and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters disagreed with the extension of lockdown restrictions, claiming they were unnecessary in the South Island.