A catchy description, "making it count", was accompanied by an outline of the grim situation. Then came the supposed solution and plans to push forward no matter what the "experts" and interest groups might say.
Policies will often tap a populist vein, as they have already in education, roading and Māori policy.
A key goal is to convey purpose and action, contrasting with the narrative about the previous government. There is a determination not to become bogged in consultation and work groups.
Even if platitudes are expounded, one purpose is to avoid complications. Sometimes the approach has worked. Sometimes it unravels.
The mathematics policy will add up for many of the public. International studies show New Zealand lags badly in maths. That bodes poorly for a supposedly advanced nation in a modern and complex world.
How then can New Zealand compete? How can wages and productivity rise if large parts of the population do not have the numerical skills to handle even semi-skilled jobs?
If it means central control and less autonomy for schools so be it. Mobile phones have been banned, structured literacy is being introduced and now "structured" maths.
National presented statistics on maths competency. The Curriculum Insights and Progress Study showed 22% of year 8 pupils were at or above the curriculum level, 15% were less than one year below and 63% were more than one year below it.
Never mind that these numbers were produced by testing against the new curriculum that has yet to be introduced. This is to create the impression that standards have been plummeting. They have, though, been abysmal for years.
Labour had recognised the problem and set the new curriculum in motion. Those tests against the new curriculum with the terrible numbers were conducted before the coalition came to power. National has now exploited them.
Never mind, too, the protests this week from academics about the lack of evidence for the changes. The idea that there is even such a thing as "structured" mathematics has been questioned, as has the load and the efficacy of too much testing.
Pity, too, the teachers and schools trying to introduce structured literacy and maths changes all at once from next year.
Many parents will sympathise with what is seen as back to basics. Older people will recall the "new" maths from the 1970s as the basis of a long decline.
Some children appreciate the right/wrong answers of basic numeracy. They can get things right. They can do well in a subject where their limited language might have been letting them down.
As they progress, they can be encouraged to see the relevance of maths and its life applications, the Olympics for example.
Repeated practice has a place in building knowledge, just as in the likes of music. Build strong foundations and then expand.
Unfortunately, maths is often a teacher’s weakness. Many people were imbued from a young age with the false idea that they might not be good at the subject. The prediction becomes self-fulfilling.
Too often, people say, almost with satisfaction, they are no good at maths. That social attitude is damaging.
A maths-positive mindset is required. Teachers need to impart a sense of the fun and the magic of numbers.
All new teachers will have to achieve at least level 2 NCEA maths. This might seem a low bar but by that stage some understanding of trigonometry and calculus is needed. It was recently found a quarter of new primary teachers did not even achieve level 1 maths.
The government has set aside $20million for professional development for teachers. That will not go very far.
Mr Luxon proclaims the "maths action plan". Hopefully, there is some substance behind his bravado for the sake of New Zealand children and New Zealand’s future.
