With the re-election of a National led government we will most likely  see the bosses go on the offensive to further undermine workers pay and conditions, and beneficiaries entitlements .  Already the National led government has signalled major legislative counter-reforms against workers, which are aimed at weakening collective bargaining and the unions ability to operate effectively.  It cannot be ruled out that such measures may be rushed through parliament under urgency early in the New Year.

On December 7th, 2011, the Serious Fraud Office announced it was laying 21 charges against five people in the failed lending company South Canterbury Finance, which came to national attention in August 2010 when the National-led government bailed out the organisation for $1.6 billion (£729 million) under the 2008 Crown Retail Deposit Scheme that was introduced by the Labour-led government shortly before their defeat in the 2008 elections to protect individual depositors in organisations such as banks and financial companies in the event they collapsed. 

The grounding of the 236m MV Rena on the Astrolabe Reef in the Bay of Plenty exposes the lack of maritime regulation and unpreparedness of the government to respond to such a disaster.  This is New Zealand's worst environmental disaster with oil washing up on once pristine beaches destroying both wildlife  and important ecosystems.