New Zealand's new government will take office next week, with Labour prime minister Jacinda Ardern to be joined in a coalition by the nationalist New Zealand First and the liberal Green Party.

So, we can expect policies traditionally linked with both the Left and the Right, including slashed immigration and a referendum on legalising marijuana.

We should get more policy details in the coming days, but here's what we know so far.

NZ will hold a referendum on marijuana

Ms Ardern said on Friday — after her election victory was confirmed — that New Zealand would hold a referendum on whether to legalise recreational marijuana use within three years.

According to Radio New Zealand, this was part of a deal with the Green Party.

Ms Ardern didn't say whether she favoured legalisation, but did say the current system wasn't working well.

"I've always been very open about the fact that I do not believe that people should be imprisoned for personal use of cannabis," she said.

"On the flip side, I also have concerns around young people accessing a product which can clearly do harm and damage to them."

Ms Ardern said she wanted to hear the view from New Zealanders and figure out the correct wording for the referendum before taking a stance.

Free university education is on the agenda

Labour promised during the election campaign to give New Zealand students three years of free tertiary education from 2024, with a single year of free education to be offered from next year.

The party also wants to increase the maximum student allowance by $NZ50.

The Green Party has a similar policy platform, while New Zealand First wants to wipe student debts for students who stay and work in the country once they graduate.

Immigration numbers are set to be slashed

That's what both Labour and New Zealand First want.

Labour says it plans to reduce the number of immigrants by up to 30,000 each year, including up to 10,000 students who it says are studying courses that have little merit.

The party says it also plans to strengthen the tests for work visas to ensure immigrants aren't taking jobs that New Zealanders could perform.

New Zealand First has advocated for even more drastic immigration cuts.

In the year ending September, a net 71,000 people moved to New Zealand, adding about 1.5 per cent to the population of nearly 5 million people.

We might see a crackdown on foreign property buyers

Labour says it wants to ban foreign speculators from buying New Zealand homes, and also wants to build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 years, half of which would be in Auckland.

Both measures are aimed at curbing skyrocketing home prices, which have made houses unaffordable for many young people looking to buy.

Labour also says it plans to stop the sale of government-owned homes, reduce homelessness, and improve conditions for renters by imposing stricter rules on landlords.

New Zealand First says it wants to ensure only citizens and permanent residents can buy freehold land.

Tax cuts could be eliminated

Labour says it plans to spend billions of dollars more on health and education. It also plans to boost the minimum wage and increase help for low-income families, as well as reduce the government's debt over time.

It says it will achieve this by eliminating tax cuts that had been planned by the previous government and by taxing multinational companies more.

The party also plans to add a new tax for visiting tourists.

New Zealand First says it wants to crack down on corporate tax avoidance and add a new tax on export income.

Sorry, this video has expired Jacinda Ardern to be NZ PM after 'robust' negotiations

Labor wants to take action on climate change

Labour wants to set legally binding targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The party wants the nation to reach zero net emissions by 2050 by planting extra forests to absorb the greenhouse gasses it emits.

It also plans to establish an independent climate commission.

Nearly half of New Zealand's greenhouse gasses come from agriculture, which also drives the economy. Any moves that increase costs for farmers could run into strong opposition, although Labour says it will make changes gradually.

Labour says it wants to rework an existing emissions trading scheme, while New Zealand First says it wants to replace it.

Needless to say, environmental issues like climate change were also a key focus of the Green Party:

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Ms Ardern said her government will be "absolutely focused" on the challenge of climate change.

NZ could pull out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership

Both Labour and New Zealand First say they want to renegotiate the free-trade deal that 11 Pacific nations including Australia are considering signing.

That could delay the TPP or result in New Zealand following America's lead and pulling out (President Donald Trump followed through on this campaign promise in January).

New Zealand's previous government had announced just two months ago that it had approved a mandate for the country to push ahead with negotiations.

Labour says it opposes the sale of farms, homes, and certain infrastructure to overseas buyers.

It says the previous government traded away those rights in the proposed deal.

Other existing and proposed trade deals could come under scrutiny for similar reasons.



ABC/AP