/news/politics/rss 九一星空无限 Get the latest political and government news from 九一星空无限talk ZB's Beehive team. Wed, 07 May 2025 05:55:24 Z en /news/politics/treaty-principles-bill-haka-te-p%C4%81ti-m%C4%81ori-admits-social-media-post-mistake-tells-judith-collins-you-ve-got-us/ /news/politics/treaty-principles-bill-haka-te-p%C4%81ti-m%C4%81ori-admits-social-media-post-mistake-tells-judith-collins-you-ve-got-us/ Te Pāti Māori admits a social media post appearing to share part of a confidential report was a “mistake”. Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says no MPs were involved in posting it Privileges Committee chair Judith Collins was “pretty shocked” at it Te Pāti Māori says it was a “mistake” to share a social media post about its ongoing Privileges Committee trial that chair Judith Collins expressed shock at. The committee is expected to meet on Wednesday night to progress discussions about how to handle the three Te Pāti Māori MPs who performed a haka during the vote on the Treaty Principles Bill’s first reading. Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says her party has “taken it quite light-hearted” and expects the committee will be “making an example of us”. MPs of the powerful committee met on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the matter, but ran out of time to come to a decision, leading to the Wednesday night session. Ahead of yesterday’s meeting, Te Pāti Māori posted on Instagram a screenshot of what appears to be a Privileges Committee report that presented a potential adverse finding and options for potential consequences for its MPs Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi, and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke. Collins at the time said that “is not something we’ve seen before”, “certainly not the sort of behaviour we expect” and the business of the committee should remain confidential until it is dealt with. She said she was “pretty shocked”. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, another member of the committee, said the social media post “shows their contempt for parliamentary process”. Te Pāti Maori co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. Photo / Mark Mitchell. On Wednesday, Ngarewa-Packer told reporters the party was aware the post “created a little bit of tension” for Collins. “We acknowledge that no MP, including the co-leaders, were responsible for that. It is a mistake that’s happened internally which we’re reviewing. “We had sent an apology to the chair to say ‘no, you’re right, you’ve got us on that and that was a mistake and we’ll review it’.” Despite the admission the post was a mistake, it remains live on the party’s Instagram account at the time of publication. As for Wednesday night’s committee meeting, Ngarewa-Packer said, “we’ve sort of taken it quite light-hearted”. “We knew and we’ve always said that they were going to be making an example of us, so we are expecting some unprecedented sanctions and punishment,” she said. “But there’s some things you’ve got to come in here and stand really strong for, and we won’t back down on what it is that we meant through the haka, and where tikanga fits in this place and this place hasn’t been designed to accommodate for us as Māori and include tikanga.” The MP said this was an “ongoing battle of the cultures” and her party “will continue to front that”. The party refused to appear before the committee, instead providing written submissions. It said it would hold an alternative hearing on Wednesday, but delayed this when the House was put into urgency by the Government. Ngarewa-Packer said it would wait for Wednesday night’s meeting and then decide its next course of action. The Privileges Committee meetings stem out of Te Pāti Māori MPs engaging in a haka during the Treaty Principles Bill first reading. In its submission, Te Pāti Māori reiterated its concerns about how the Privileges Committee had allegedly denied several of the party’s requests, including appearing before the committee alongside a tikanga expert and legal counsel. Following the haka, which went viral globally, Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee punished Maipi-Clarke by naming her in the House and she was stood down for 24 hours, which included her pay being docked. In the submission, the party detailed how Maipi-Clarke and her co-leaders had spoken with Brownlee the next day, during which Maipi-Clarke apologised. Labour MP Peeni Henare also engaged in a haka, but did not approach Treaty Principles Bill architect David Seymour as Te Pāti Māori MPs did. The Privileges Committee released a report in March finding he had engaged in “undoubtedly disorderly behaviour”, but it did not amount to contempt. He apologised in the House after the report’s release. The legislation came back to the House last month for its second reading and was voted down. Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the 九一星空无限hub Press Gallery office. Wed, 07 May 2025 03:24:38 Z /news/politics/david-seymour-s-regulation-legislation-proposal-gets-tiny-03-support-but-he-s-charging-forward-anyway/ /news/politics/david-seymour-s-regulation-legislation-proposal-gets-tiny-03-support-but-he-s-charging-forward-anyway/ David Seymour says a detailed proposal to pass a Regulatory Standards Bill has progressed through Cabinet. Public feedback on the proposal was overwhelmingly in opposition. The minister says social media campaigns resulted in off-topic submissions. David Seymour is intending to turn “up the heat on bad lawmaking” with a new piece of legislation outlining principles of good regulatory practice and establishing a board to keep politicians accountable for any red tape they impose. A discussion document on the proposal drew significant attention over summer, pulling in more than 20,000 submissions. It coincided, however, with Seymour’s contentious Treaty Principles Bill also being out for public feedback, itself receiving a record number of submissions. A just-released summary of that feedback found 88% of submitters opposed the bill, with just 0.33% supporting or partially supporting it. The rest didn’t have a clear position. Seymour, the Regulation Minister, told the Herald the feedback process was impacted by political social media campaigns that led to “totally off-topic” submissions. “If you believe that we should have a democracy, where getting a social media campaign to send in what are pretty spurious, frankly, emails, most of which didn’t relate to the bill, that should decide how we go ahead, that would be an interesting way to have a democracy,” he said. “If you look at the serious and substantial submissions and the real debate here, red tape’s a problem. This is a very robust solution. It will make it easier for New Zealanders to use and develop their property, whether it is their house, their business, their farm or perhaps just run a daycare.” David Seymour wants greater transparency over regulations. Photo / Mark Mitchell Seymour on Wednesday announced a detailed proposal on his Regulatory Standards Bill has now progressed through Cabinet, with the bill being developed to be taken for ministers’ approval on May 19. After going through Parliament, it’s intended to come into effect at the start of next year. “In a nutshell: If red tape is holding us back, because politicians find regulating politically rewarding, then we need to make regulating less rewarding for politicians, with more sunlight on their activities,” the Act leader said. “That is how the Regulatory Standards Bill will help New Zealand get its mojo back. It will finally ensure regulatory decisions are based on principles of good law-making and economic efficiency.” The legislation would introduce principles for responsible regulation, require agencies to assess the consistency of bills with those principles, make government departments review their regulatory systems and establish a board that can make findings and non-binding recommendations on whether laws are well-made. The principles would cover the likes of the rule of law, liberties, the taking of property, taxes, fees and levies, the role of the courts and good law-making. “It seeks to bring the same level of discipline to regulation that the Public Finance Act brings to public spending, with the Ministry for Regulation playing a role akin to that of the Treasury,” Seymour said. Agencies would have to assess new legislation against these principles, with the responsible law-maker then issuing a statement explaining the reasons for any inconsistencies. There will also be periodic reporting on existing legislation, with ministers also having to address any issues with these. A regulatory standards board would also be established by the legislation. It would assess complaints about legislation’s consistency with the principles, either from individual complainants, on the direction of the minister or on its own accord. The board would be made up of people with experience in regulatory economics. “That board will be able to make non-binding recommendations on whether the law was made well, turning up the heat on bad law-making. The findings, reasons for any inconsistency and relevant documents will be made publicly available to ensure transparency,” Seymour said. “If we raise the political cost of making bad laws by allowing New Zealanders to hold regulators accountable, the outcome will be better law-making, higher productivity, and higher wages.“ Government agencies would have duties to review their own regulatory systems, while the Ministry for Regulation would gain new powers to improve the quality of legislation. That includes requiring ministries to produce reports assessing their systems. “The law doesn’t stop politicians or their officials making bad laws, but it makes it transparent that they’re doing it. It makes it easier for voters to identify those responsible for making bad rules. Over time, it will improve the quality of rules we all have to live under by changing how politicians behave,” Seymour said. Passing the Regulatory Standards Bill is part of the Act-National coalition agreement and is the latest in a years-long attempt by the Act Party to introduce this type of legislation. A detailed proposal has been progressed through Cabinet. Photo / Mark Mitchell Public feedback The Ministry for Regulation this month produced a report summarising feedback from the public to a discussion document on the proposal. This is different to the public feedback process that will happen if the bill goes to a select committee. At that stage, New Zealanders will be able to see and submit on the actual legislation, as has recently happened on the Treaty Principles Bill. The report shows that approximately 23,000 submissions were received, with analysis finding around 88% of people opposed the proposed bill, 0.33% supported or partially supported it and nearly 12% didn’t have a clear position. It said common reasons for opposition were that the bill was attempting to solve a problem that didn’t exist, resulted in duplication and increased complexity, undermined democracy, lacked recognition of Te Tiriti, prioritised individual property rights over collective and would lead to worse social, environmental and economic outcomes. Those in favour believed it would reduce the likelihood of unjustified regulations and overregulation, improve certainty for businesses and investors, and improve the quality of regulation over time by increasing transparency. At a press conference on Wednesday, Seymour repeatedly made the point that the process had been affected by social media campaigns. Te Pāti Māori was among those sharing posts in January about the bill. The Herald put to Seymour that not even a single percentage point of submitters supported the proposal. “If you believe that that’s the most important threshold, that you’ve just invented for yourself, and that somehow is more important than the pretty significant regulatory issues in the 20 years that has gone into this, then maybe those board changes at 九一星空无限 are a good idea.” The minister is referencing a widely reported battle for seats on the board of 九一星空无限, the owner of the NZ Herald, 九一星空无限talk ZB and other media brands. Minister for Regulation David Seymour suggested submissions on the bill had been affected by social media campaigns. Photo / Mark Mitchell Seymour said people submitted because social media campaigns had connected it with the Treaty Principles Bill, which he said was “totally unrelated”. He also said a very small number of people submitted relative to the entire population. The minister said changes had been made following the feedback, but again said many submissions were “totally off-topic”. A number of government departments raised some issues with the proposal. For example, the Ministry of Justice said the principles differed somewhat from existing law and guidance, while the Ministry for the Environment suggested the proposals conflict with principles of environmental and climate systems. Seymour said the process had “shown me how poor the level of policy think is in some government departments”. He acknowledged the legislation would “put extra costs on people that want to make bad laws inconsistent with the principles”. “It will put costs of administration. It will put a political embarrassment. It will potentially lead to people challenging, through the Regulatory Standards Board, and getting declarations that bad laws have been made. All of that is true. “However, it is also going to replace some of the policy work that government already has to do, so that’s a saving. It will also mean, if we have fewer bad laws that the public service has to go out and enforce, not only does that save money for all the people who would have to follow the laws at great expense, but it also saves money for [the] Government.” Green Party MP Francisco Hernandez said the Regulatory Standards Bill trampled over Te Tiriti and “opens the door for communities to be consumed by corporate greed”. He said Te Tiriti should be a principle as it was “central to good lawmaking” and was a “constitutional document that must be honoured”. Seymour said he hadn’t heard a “compelling reason” for why Te Tiriti should be included in regulating “or what that would actually mean”. “What we’re doing is ensuring that if we’re going to make rules in Government that they’re respectful of the people who are affected, now that would be really useful for everybody, including Māori, obviously.” The Waitangi Tribunal will hold a hearing in June to consider claims about the proposal. Hernandez said the public feedback showed Seymour’s proposal was “unpopular and out of touch”. “We basically think that the Government, ignoring the overwhelming public opposition, to push forward with this bill, is a disgrace.” Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the 九一星空无限hub Press Gallery office. Wed, 07 May 2025 01:41:26 Z /news/politics/donald-trump-film-tariff-threat-world-media-spotlight-new-zealand-industry-paul-goldsmith-says-concerning/ /news/politics/donald-trump-film-tariff-threat-world-media-spotlight-new-zealand-industry-paul-goldsmith-says-concerning/ The minister in charge of New Zealand’s film industry believes it “would be concerning” if the United States implemented a tariff on films produced offshore as US President Donald Trump mooted yesterday. Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Paul Goldsmith says the Government is “very much in favour of the current regime”, which includes significant rebates for international productions in New Zealand. Those types of incentives have been described as a “threat” to the United States by Trump, but Goldsmith wouldn’t characterise New Zealand’s subsidies like that. Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Louise Upston acknowledged New Zealand’s tourism sector was connected to the film industry – visitors often travel here after seeing our landscapes on the big screen – but said the Government was working to make sure “that we are attracting visitors from across the globe and not putting all of our focus on one market”. The comments come as international media spotlight the New Zealand film industry as one potentially affected by any new tariff regime. Trump on Monday posted on social media that he authorised officials to begin the process of instituting a 100% tariff on any films coming into the country that were produced elsewhere. He said other countries were providing incentives to draw filmmakers away from Hollywood, something he considered a “national security threat”. US President Donald Trump proposed the tariffs in a social media post. Photo / Washington Post “They are supporting them financially. So that is a sort of threat to our country,” Trump later added. The US President’s post put Hollywood and international film hubs into a tailspin, but the White House has since said it is still working through different options and no final decisions have been made. New Zealand’s reaction The Kiwi film sector generates about $3.5 billion annually, with roughly a third of that coming from US productions. New Zealand has put significant effort into attempting to lure international studios to film here, including with its New Zealand Screen Production Rebate (NZSPR). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Monday wouldn’t directly criticise the tariff prospect or say what the potential effect could be on economic growth here, noting there was little detail available about how the tariffs would work. Asked for his thoughts on Tuesday morning, Goldsmith said “it would be concerning” for New Zealand, “but we’ve got to wait and see what the details are”. The minister said the Government was seeking information on the tariffs, but he hadn’t seen anything yet from the US administration. Goldsmith said it could be appropriate at some point to get modelling done on the tariff’s economic impact. “The film industry is very important economically as well as culturally. We’re very supportive of it and New Zealand, both on domestic production and international production, has offered subsidies,” Goldsmith said. “We have a huge impact globally and so we are very much in favour of the current regime.” Asked if New Zealand’s rebate scheme was a national security threat, Goldsmith said “I wouldn’t put it that way”. Paul Goldsmith says it "would be concerning" if Donald Trump's proposed tariffs were implemented. Upston, the Tourism Minister, said her ministerial colleagues would be having conversations about the tariff threat and acknowledged that the film industry is connected to tourism. “I know recently in India, for example, [there was] lots of interest from Bollywood. They looked at one of the movies that was made in New Zealand over 20 years ago and the impact that had on the number of people from India wanting to visit. “So definitely it’s connected, but we’re really focused on emerging markets like India, getting the numbers back from China, which is currently only sitting at 60%, and our big campaign straight into Australia. “We’ve got to make sure that we are attracting visitors from across the globe and not putting all our focus on one market.” Chris Bishop, the National MP for Hutt South, said he was a “big supporter” of the film industry, noting that Wellington was a key base for it. “It is what it is. But I back films being made here and I think all Wellingtonians are proud of Wētā and [Sir] Peter Jackson and what he’s been able to accomplish over the years.” Labour’s Reuben Davidson was part of the screen industry prior to entering Parliament, having helped produce TV shows. Davidson said tariffs “could be disastrous” to a “really important” sector for New Zealand. He said he had seen little from the minister to support the film industry over the past year. New Zealand Film Commission chief executive Annie Murray told the Herald on Monday that officials were aware of Trump’s post. “We’re in the process of speaking with our international partners about what the implications could be,” she said. “We’re mindful, however, this is an evolving situation and it’s too early to speculate on what this could mean.” International media reaction Numerous international media outlets have highlighted the potential impacts on productions in New Zealand in their reporting on the Trump tariff threat. The Guardian called New Zealand a major production hub, highlighting global franchises such as The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and Marvel films that have been produced here. Bloomberg noted responses from Luxon and local screen producers guild president Irene Gardiner, while also noting New Zealand had served as a filming location “due to its dramatic landscapes and production incentives”. The Hollywood Reporter wrote about how famed film director James Cameron had “spent the better part of two decades building up his bespoke production hub in New Zealand to make his Avatar movies”. Even China’s Global Times, part of the Chinese state media network, mentioned the Prime Minister’s comments. A film producer it cited is reported as saying the uncertainty caused by the proposed tariffs could negatively impact New Zealand and Australia’s local film industries. Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the 九一星空无限hub Press Gallery office. Tue, 06 May 2025 03:17:42 Z /news/politics/auditor-general-launches-probe-into-david-seymour-s-school-lunches-programme/ /news/politics/auditor-general-launches-probe-into-david-seymour-s-school-lunches-programme/ By RNZ The Auditor-General will conduct an inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s school lunches programme that has drawn criticism since a revamp. It will cover planning, procurement and contract implementation for the scheme. The relaunched programme was plagued by problems in Term 1 this year, with concerns about late, inedible, repetitive or nutritionally lacking lunches – and even a case of melted plastic in one. But Associate Education Minister David Seymour, who is the architect of the rebooted scheme, has been aiming to have all issues fixed by Term 2. More to come... RNZ Tue, 06 May 2025 03:02:39 Z /news/politics/national-minister-erica-stanford-admits-using-personal-email-for-work-purposes-not-best-practice/ /news/politics/national-minister-erica-stanford-admits-using-personal-email-for-work-purposes-not-best-practice/ Senior National Party minister Erica Stanford forwarded official briefings to her personal email, against Cabinet Manual advice. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said changes were made to ensure better management by Stanford. Labour leader Chris Hipkins criticised Stanford, stating there was “absolutely no justification” for her actions. National minister Erica Stanford, who is under fire for sending Government business, including briefings, to her personal email account, admits her processes were “untidy”. Stanford says she has made changes to improve what she called an “untidy” approach to managing the work-related emails to her personal account. “You’re right, it’s untidy, it’s not best practice and I’ve taken steps to fix that,” the senior minister, whose portfolios include education and immigration, told reporters at Parliament this morning. “I get eight thousand pieces of correspondence through to multiple emails, mostly work emails. You know, the job is extraordinarily demanding, but in saying that, I acknowledge it has not been tidy so I’ve taken steps to fix it.” Stanford says she has set up an automatic reply on her personal email account in an effort to direct unsolicited work-related emails to her ministerial email address. Erica Stanford. Photo / Mark Mitchell She also recently had the printer in her East Coast Bays electorate office connected to the parliamentary network so she can print those Government documents without having to send them to a personal account. “If anything (else) comes up, we will continue to change our practices.” The Cabinet Manual – a rulebook for Government ministers – says ministers should not use their personal emails or phones to conduct ministerial business. If that is unavoidable, the Cabinet Manual stipulates a series of safeguards that ministers should follow, including ensuring the information is protected from unauthorised access and able to be swiftly accessed for Official Information Act (OIA) requests. National minister Chris Bishop. Photo / Mark Mitchell Senior National minister Chris Bishop said he too had “occasionally” forwarded emails from his Parliament address to his Gmail, usually for printing purposes. He could not recall what was in those documents but said it was not ministerial business. “As a habit I don’t forward ministerial documents or work to my Gmail,” Bishop said. “MPs are on the road a lot, there are printing problems, often. I can’t print at my Parliament office, for example. Erica [Stanford] hasn’t been able to.” Asked why he could not get his printer working, Bishop said “tell me about it ... I share your pain. It’s crazy ... It’s a nightmare.” At Monday’s post-Cabinet press conference, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he was “super relaxed” about the issue. His office had spoken to Stanford’s, he said. “I am very relaxed about it. The reality is ... she has received unsolicited emails, she has had printing issues, she’s had tech issues. She has made changes subsequently.” But Labour leader Chris Hipkins – the author of the section of the 2023 Cabinet Manual update that covers personal email and phone use – said technology at Parliament had improved dramatically in recent years and there was “absolutely no justification” for Stanford’s actions. “The technology in Parliament has improved dramatically in the last few years. There is no longer a need to use personal email accounts, for example, to print documents. The technology is now all fully mobile.” Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism. Tue, 06 May 2025 01:15:55 Z /news/politics/government-to-make-it-harder-to-lodge-pay-equity-claims-likely-to-hit-hundreds-of-thousands-of-workers/ /news/politics/government-to-make-it-harder-to-lodge-pay-equity-claims-likely-to-hit-hundreds-of-thousands-of-workers/ The Government is planning a massive overhaul of New Zealand’s pay equity regime, which will make it more difficult for people to take pay equity claims. The reforms will overhaul a 2020 act that established a regime to allow people in sectors with a large female workforce to argue that they were underpaid relative to similar work done in sectors dominated by men. The changes will be retrospective and passed under urgency. All 33 current claims will cease and those claimants will need to reapply under the new regime. The Herald confirmed with MBIE there was no regulatory impact statement for the changes. The Government is looking to do a post-implementation review of the changes. Workplace Relations Minster Brooke van Velden who is in charge of the new regime and acknowledged it was likely to affect hundreds of thousands of workers. A claim made by teachers alone affects 75,000 people. The changes will, however, save the Government billions of dollars in higher wages that would have been paid under the current regime – a saving that will come at the cost of lower-than-expected pay rates for people in sectors with high rates of female workers. Those savings will be booked in the current Budget, which will be published on March 22. The changes are likely to be among the largest savings booked by the Government. Van Velden’s Cabinet Paper said settlements under the current regime were costing the Government $1.55 billion a year “We are doing this under urgency because we want everyone to go through the same thresholds. I don’t think it would be appropriate to have some claims that are progressing under different comparators [and] different thresholds,” Van Velden said. Pay equity The pay equity regime was legislated following legal action last decade by Lower Hutt caregiver Kristine Bartlett, who argued her $14.32 hourly pay rate was a result of gender discrimination under the Equal Pay Act. That specific $2b settlement expired in 2022 and negotiations began under the previous Government for a new agreement to replace it. The regime enshrined that specific agreement in legislation and created a framework for future claims to be made. Pay equity claims relate to the underpayment of people who work in sectors with high rates of female employment, relative to equivalent roles performed mostly by men. Pay equity aims to correct that by lifting wages. The 2020 legislation The Bartlett case prompted the then-National Government to look at a legislative regime for processing pay equity claims in other sectors. After the change of Government, the Labour Government continued work on the new regime and expanded its scope. The legislation for the pay equity regime passed in 2020 and enshrined the 5-year agreement that emerged from Bartlett’s case in legislation and created a new regime for bringing new claims. After the original agreement expired in 2022, several unions lodged a claim for a new one to be agreed. Labour set aside funding for a new deal, but did not manage to agree it by the time the Government changed. Mon, 05 May 2025 23:02:19 Z /news/politics/national-introduces-bill-to-ban-social-media-for-under-16s/ /news/politics/national-introduces-bill-to-ban-social-media-for-under-16s/ National MP Catherine Wedd has introduced a new Members’ Bill aiming to ban children under 16 from accessing social media platforms in New Zealand.  Wedd, MP for Tukituki in Hawke’s Bay, said social media was an “extraordinary resource”, but it comes with risks.  “Right now, we aren’t managing the risks for our young people well.”  On X this morning, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said this move is intended to protect young people from bullying, inappropriate content and social media addiction.  Wedd said the Social Media Age-Appropriate Users Bill would put the onus on social media companies to verify that someone is over the age of 16 before they access social media platforms. Currently, there are no legally enforceable age verification measures for social media platforms in New Zealand.  “As a mother of four children, I feel very strongly that families and parents should be better supported when it comes to overseeing their children’s online exposure,” Wedd said.  “Parents and principals are constantly telling me they struggle to manage access to social media and are worried about the effect it’s having on their children.”  Wedd said the bill closely mirrors the approach taken in Australia, which passed the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill in December 2024.  “Other jurisdictions are also taking action. Texas recently passed legislation which bans under-18s from social media use and the UK, the EU and Canada all have similar work in train.  “This bill builds on National’s successful cell phone ban in schools and reinforces the Government’s commitment to setting our children up for success.”  More to come  Mon, 05 May 2025 22:11:38 Z /news/politics/national-tops-2024-list-of-party-donations-shane-jones-partner-lends-119k-to-nz-first/ /news/politics/national-tops-2024-list-of-party-donations-shane-jones-partner-lends-119k-to-nz-first/ The National Party received nearly $5 million in party donations in 2024, more than triple the amount the Labour Party received. The Electoral Commission has released a breakdown of donations political parties reported in the 2024 calendar year, as well as any loans parties received. Political parties must make annual returns, including identifying anyone who donated more than $5000 during the year. National topped the 2024 list, receiving $4,889,538.20 in party donations overall. The largest donor to the party was the late Nelson philanthropist John Wares, who died in March of this year. He donated a little over $220,000, with an additional $125,000 donated alongside wife Irina. Sistema founder Brendan Lindsay and real estate patriarch Garth Barfoot were among other big donors. A number of MPs donated money. Donations to National – as with other political parties – were well down on 2023, which was an election year when donations are high. In 2023, National received more than $10 million. National leader Christopher Luxon. Photo / Mark Mitchell. Labour followed National with $1,627,713.92 in donations. Retired High Court judge Robert Smellie, a known Labour donor, provided $45,000, the largest single donation. Former Prime Minister Helen Clark is listed as donating $11,000. The party’s MPs also each donated thousands of dollars. Leader Chris Hipkins donated the most at more than $12,000. The Green Party received $1,588,680.02, with a $100,000 donation from Nelson’s Michael Lookman and thousands from MPs. Act isn’t far behind on $1,463,445.22. That includes a $100,000 donation from Nicholas Mowbray, a founder of the toy company Zuru. Only one of its MPs, Karen Chhour, is identified as donating more than $5000 (others may have donated below this threshold). Former leader Don Brash donated nearly $7000. New Zealand First got $758,773.91 in donations as well as a $119,000 loan from Dot Jones, the partner of minister Shane Jones and a party board member. The loan is noted with a repayment date of December 20 this year. NZ First’s largest donation of $84,680 came from Melrose Private Capital. Its website describes it as an “investment vehicle for Wayne and Rosemary Coffey of Wellington”. Some of its MPs also donated. The Opportunities Party got nearly $83,000, while Te Pāti Māori received almost $54,000. Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the 九一星空无限hub Press Gallery office. Mon, 05 May 2025 04:39:44 Z /news/politics/christopher-luxon-speaks-to-media-as-parliament-returns-ahead-of-budget-2025/ /news/politics/christopher-luxon-speaks-to-media-as-parliament-returns-ahead-of-budget-2025/ In-person free trade agreement negotiations with India will begin this week, announced Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. The Government aims to strengthen ties with India to diversify and grow export markets. New Zealand’s exports to the EU increased 28% in the first year of the free trade agreement. In-person free trade agreement negotiations will kick off with India this week, the Government says. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon made the announcement in the Beehive theatrette alongside Trade Minister Todd McClay. A major priority for the Government has been restarting trade talks with India. During the 2023 election campaign, the National leader promised to get a free trade agreement (FTA) with India this term. Luxon, alongside several other ministers including McClay, visited India earlier this year. During that visit the two nations announced they would re-launch negotiations. The last set of formal negotiations concluded in 2015. “This is an important step in our trade relationship with India and signals the two Governments’ intent to deliver a high quality outcome that benefits both countries,” McClay said in a statement. “With a population of 1.4 billion and a GDP estimated to grow to USD $5.2 trillion ($8.71t) by 2030, India offers significant opportunity for New Zealand exporters.” “Strengthening ties with India across the board is a key part of the Government’s broader strategy to diversify and grow New Zealand’s export markets and double trade by value in 10 years.” Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi welcomed Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon to India in March. Photo / RNZ / Marika Khabazi. A recent trade agreement NZ secured was with the European Union. It was signed in July 2023 and came into force last May. New Zealand exports to the European Union (EU) leapt 28% in the first year of the New Zealand-EU free trade agreement being in force. The trade deal came into action in May last year after being signed in mid-2023. Trade Minister Todd McClay on Monday said good exports to the EU jumped from $3.8 billion to $4.8 billion in the past 12 months. “This is good news for all New Zealanders, especially our sheep farmers, kiwifruit growers and machinery exporters. Sheep meat was up 29% adding an additional $216 million, kiwifruit has increased by 69% contributing a further $316 million, and machinery was up an impressive 104% providing $173 million more compared to the previous year. “Strengthening ties with trading partners is crucial to growing the New Zealand economy and driving up incomes for Kiwis. Better market access, lower costs, and fewer trade barriers with the EU are key to delivering the Government’s ambitious goal of doubling the value of New Zealand’s exports in 10 years.” The trade agreement removed 91% of duties on NZ exports immediately, with that expected to jump to 97% after seven years. Wine, seafood and other products have also benefited from tariff reductions. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said a Domestic Advisory Group had been established to provide advice on the FTA as well as NZ’s trade deal with the United Kingdom. It will provide recommendations to the ministry on the implementation and issues covered by the NZ-EU FTA Luxon’s return to Parliament comes at the start of a sitting block that will include the delivery of the Budget. Parliament has been in recess for the past few weeks. Yesterday, ministers made a pre-Budget announcement that the Government will spend more than $2 billion on buying new Defence Force helicopters and a further $957 million on defence funding in areas such as deployments, estate maintenance, and allowances. Mon, 05 May 2025 03:22:13 Z /news/politics/cannabis-strains-fanny-and-royal-titles-among-2024-declined-baby-names/ /news/politics/cannabis-strains-fanny-and-royal-titles-among-2024-declined-baby-names/ Strains of cannabis, royal titles, and religious terms have made up 2024’s list of declined baby names. An Official Information Act request shows Te Tari Taiwhenua Internal Affairs registered almost 60,000 births. The department reviews proposed names to ensure they are not offensive and do not resemble a rank or title without justification. Names also must not be “unreasonably long,” or include numbers of symbols. Internal Affairs said it had sought “more information from the parents on some proposed names”, and in 71 instances, an alternative name was registered. The Registrar-General’s staff reviews each application and makes a judgment on how acceptable it may be, considering how it would be perceived, how it is spelt and sounds, how the name may impact how a person is treated, and why the parents wanted to register that name. The Registrar-General makes the final call on whether to decline a name’s registration. Before that judgment, the Registrar-General communicates with the parent or parents to provide a chance to justify their chosen name. The justification is then considered against the aforementioned criteria. It is possible that a name is accepted, following the justification provided by the parent or parents of the child. “Each name or combination of names is considered on its merits and will only be declined if the Registrar-General believes it does not meet the legislative criteria,” the Department of Internal Affairs said in the Official Information Act response. "Whether a name causes offence or not is a question of judgement and whether a name is potentially offensive changes over time." Department of Internal Affairs “We continue to urge parents to think carefully about names. Names are a gift. Generally, the name registered will be with the individual for the rest of their lives,” the agency added. Parents whose applications for name registration are declined can appeal to the Family Court within 28 working days. Included in the 2024 list are unique spellings of royal and legal titles - a trend that has been the status quo for many years. The list also includes “Indica” and “Sativa” - two separate strains of Cannabis. In 2024, the Department of Internal Affairs registered 59,199 births with a total of 19,404 unique names. Names declined in 2024 King - proposed 11 times Prince - proposed 10 times Princess - proposed four times Name with no surname - proposed three times Rogue - proposed three times Sativa - proposed three times Caesar - proposed two times JP - proposed two times Pryncess - proposed two times Name with ` symbol - proposed once Allah - proposed once Állah - proposed once Bishop - proposed once Crown - proposed once Crownos - proposed once Duke - proposed once Emperor - proposed once Fanny - proposed once General - proposed once Ice - proposed once Indica - proposed once Juke - proposed once Justice - proposed once KC - proposed once Kingi - proposed once Kingz - proposed once Kyng - proposed once Lady - proposed once Magesty - proposed once Major - proposed once Messiah - proposed once Mighty - proposed once Prinz - proposed once Prynce- proposed once Queen - proposed once Roil - proposed once Royal - proposed once Royallty - proposed once Saint - proposed once Solvreign - proposed once New Zealand’s most popular baby names of 2024 for girls were Isla, Amelia, and Charlotte - and Noah, Oliver, and Jack for boys. Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden said it marks the third time in five years Isla had topped the list of girls, and the fourth year Noah had appeared in the top two. A total of 250 boys were given the name Noah last year, while 190 girls were named Isla. The year prior, 2023, saw 64 declined registrations, with the most popular attempt being Prince, proposed five times. Azaria Howell is a multimedia reporter working from Parliament’s Press Gallery. She joined 九一星空无限 in 2022 and became a 九一星空无限talk ZB political reporter in late 2024, with a keen interest in public service agency reform and Government spending. Mon, 05 May 2025 01:06:33 Z /news/politics/parent-portal-launched-by-education-minister-erica-stanford-to-give-caregivers-better-access-to-children-s-education/ /news/politics/parent-portal-launched-by-education-minister-erica-stanford-to-give-caregivers-better-access-to-children-s-education/ A new online tool launched by the Government is set to give parents greater access to what their children learn at school. Education Minister Erica Stanford today introduced the “Parent Portal”, designed to provide “a clear, easy-to-understand year-by-year guide” to what children were learning in English and maths, with other subjects being added as the Government’s curriculum refresh continued. The online tool would also contain resources to support learning at home, information about what to expect when their child started school – including phonics checks at 20 and 40 weeks, structured literacy guidance and tips for parent-teacher interviews. Stanford, speaking from Wellington’s Silverstream School, promised more resources would be added to the portal in time, claiming it would become a “rich library of information and resources to help raise achievement and close the equity gap”. “This is about giving parents clarity, confidence, and practical tools to support their child’s learning journey,” she said. “Parents are a crucial part of their child’s education journey. Available on any device, the portal is about restoring their place at the heart of learning and giving them the confidence to make a real difference.” Education Minister Erica Stanford believes the portal will benefit parents. Photo / Mark Mitchell On Monday, Stanford unveiled the Government’s first pre-Budget announcement, confirming $53 million of funding would go towards paying teacher registrations and practising certificates fees through to 2028. From July 1, teachers would save up to $550 when applying for registration or renewing their practising certificate. The initiative would benefit about 40,000 fulltime and part-time school and early learning teachers in the first year of funding, and approximately 115,000 over three years. Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for 九一星空无限 since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland. Sun, 04 May 2025 02:12:24 Z /news/politics/budget-2025-defence-force-choppers-to-be-replaced-at-cost-of-more-than-2b-judith-collins/ /news/politics/budget-2025-defence-force-choppers-to-be-replaced-at-cost-of-more-than-2b-judith-collins/ Our ageing maritime helicopters will be replaced at a cost of more than $2 billion with five choppers that can go further and carry larger loads, Defence Minister Judith Collins says. The Government this afternoon also earmarked $957 milion over four years in Defence Force spending as part of a wider $12b plan to upgrade equipment and capabilities. “The replacement of the Seasprite helicopters will also extend the Navy’s ability to support non-combat tasks such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,” Collins said. It comes after the Government in April released the details of its $12b Defence Capability Plan – which indicated the country’s spending on defence would hit more than 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) within the next eight years. That long-awaited plan, released on April 7, revealed $9b of the funding was new. Christopher Luxon on a tour of Whenuapai air base today. Photo / Alex Burton Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, speaking from Whenuapai airbase with Collins and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters this afternoon, said New Zealand is facing its most challenging strategic environment for decades. He said New Zealand needs to be able to pull its weight and follow up words with actions. Collins said this was a “big day” for the Defence Force and would be followed up by more Defence announcements on Budget Day. She said the current Seasprite helicopters were built in the 1960s and 1970s. Collins said the reason for the investment is clear, and that New Zealand could not have economic prosperity without national security. She said distance no longer provides New Zealand the protection it once did. “As a maritime nation we are prioritising naval capability. The new helicopters will be able to go further and carry larger loads, including weapons, personnel and equipment – all of which is critical for Defence to protect New Zealand and New Zealanders. “A business case for these helicopters will be considered by Cabinet this year but today we are confirming the money to pay for them has been put aside. “Our personnel are being called upon to go more places, more often and for longer to play New Zealand’s part in contributing to global security. This funding will enable them to do that” She said the investment shows the Government’s budgetary commitment to the Defence capability plan. Collins said there would be five new helicopters coming thanks to the investment.  From left: Associate Minister of Defence Chris Penk, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, Defence Minister Judith Collins and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at RNZAF Base Auckland Whenuapai. NZ Herald photograph by Alex Burton The timeline for delivering them is subject to a business case. “As soon as we can do it, for the right helicopter at the right time.” The Seasprite helicopters are scheduled to end service in the next few years. Collins said the choppers were “overworked”, doing patrols from ships and searching for people. From left: Associate Minister of Defence Chris Penk, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, Defence Minister Judith Collins and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at RNZAF Base Auckland Whenuapai. NZ Herald photograph by Alex Burton Drones, she said, could do a lot but the devices didn’t help rescue people from the sea. Peters said, barring a few exceptions, the last of decades of defence spending has been woeful. “We have not been pulling our weight, so today’s announcement is a start. But it’s only a start.” Peters said New Zealand First would be pushing to get the country’s defence spending up to 2% sooner than the eight years forecast. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon took a ride in a Defence Force NH90 helicopter while in Samoa ahead of King Charles III's address at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Photo / NZDF Collins said the $957m investment in defence spending earmarked today equates to $239m a year over four years. “Our personnel are being called upon to go more places, more often and for longer to play New Zealand’s part in contributing to global security. This funding will enable them to do that” The new funded activities include: $150m for the Defence Force to sail, fly, patrol and train more often, *$39m for personnel allowances for such things as deployments $20m for international deployments. $3m has been allocated to increase essential engagement with international partners $26 million for critical estate maintenance to improve accommodation, working and training conditions for personnel. “New Zealand is not immune from the increasing tensions being felt throughout the world,” Collins said. “Today’s announcement sets us on our path for defence spending to reach 2 percent of GDP by 2032/33.” Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism. Sun, 04 May 2025 02:05:57 Z /news/politics/tory-whanau-says-politics-has-become-more-toxic-especially-for-w%C4%81hine-m%C4%81ori/ /news/politics/tory-whanau-says-politics-has-become-more-toxic-especially-for-w%C4%81hine-m%C4%81ori/ Tory Whanau announced she will not stand for re-election as Wellington mayor, citing resistance from the “old guard”.  Whanau plans to run for the council’s Māori ward, focusing on social housing and cycleways.  She highlighted the challenges faced by wāhine Māori in politics, emphasising the need for policy-focused debate.  As a progressive mayor, Tory Whanau has had to deal with the “old guard” resistant to change, the outgoing Wellington leader says.  Whanau announced this week she will not stand again for the Wellington mayoralty.  Her decision came shortly after former Labour leader Andrew Little confirmed he would be contesting, with Whanau saying she didn’t want a Greens versus Labour narrative to swamp the election. Instead, she plans to run for the council’s Māori ward.  ‘Politics has become an ugly place’  Whanau has previously said she would consider quitting the mayoralty after facing scrutiny for her political and personal challenges, including the appointment of a Crown observer for the council.  She told Saturday Morning she has attracted extra attention because the “old guard” are resistant to issues such as climate change, the cycleway network and social housing.  “Being the progressive change mayor – that does bring a lot of negativity.”  Being wahine Māori has also posed extra difficulties, she said, citing the treatment of other Māori politicians such as Tamatha Paul, Marama Davidson and Metiria Turei.  There were double standards for women, especially wāhine Māori, and the negativity had also moved on to the rainbow community.  “Politics at the moment has become quite an ugly place and I’m just an example of part of that.”  While she has enjoyed some support, especially this week since her decision on the mayoralty, politics could be “a lonely place” and “isolating”.  “It’s absolutely crucial” to have discussions about the online criticism directed at women and gay politicians, she said.  “When is it okay to threaten the life of a politician? It is never okay,” she said in response to a councillor’s claim that she had asked for the abuse she received because of her behaviour.  She did not regret using social media in her bid to attract support from young people, however, the political landscape had changed a great deal.  US President Donald Trump and some of the New Zealand coalition Government members had helped to ramp up the criticism politicians received, she said.  “The online trolling has accelerated significantly ... the political landscape has become a lot more toxic.”  She did not feel her life was in danger, however, the abuse would turn off women and rangatahi Māori from any thoughts of going into politics.  “And that becomes a danger to our democracy.”  She appealed to other politicians to make debates about policy and not personal.  Surprise at Little’s decision  Whanau said she was surprised by former Labour minister Little’s announcement after he had ruled out the suggestion last year.  Former Labour leader Andrew Little has confirmed he will be contesting the Wellington mayoralty. Photo / RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly  “I accepted it [Little’s decision], got my plans back in place. I am really excited about running for the Māori ward.”  She said she was not disappointed some on the left had backed Little instead of her.  The most important thing was to keep the city “on track” with issues such as the cycleway network, building more social housing, and investing in water.  She said many of the things she had campaigned on such as more investment in water and more social housing had started during her mayoralty.  “The biggest thing I didn’t achieve was light rail ... I at least was able to keep the Golden Mile.”  Questioned about her “flip-flop” over the sale of Wellington Airport shares, she said it created tension.  There was a need to address the $2.3 billion underinvestment in insurance and she believed the share sale would be the best option, however, there wasn’t enough support.  The council had moved on and relationships had been rebuilt.  “I’ve learned from that, won’t be doing that again.”  It had caused “great upset” that iwi did not have a voice over the sale of the shares, however, her relationship with iwi remained strong throughout the saga.  Housing, protection of nature, and having a voice at the table were the main priorities for mana whenua, she said.  They had been supportive over her decision to stand for the Māori ward.  Crown observer ‘didn’t need to happen’  Whanau said the atmosphere was “light” during her meeting with Local Government Minister Simeon Brown during which the appointment of a Crown Observer was discussed.  “We’ve had independent advice that it didn’t need to happen but I wanted to show Wellington that I was more than willing to work with the government to prove we could have a successful Long Term Plan ... it’s back on track without the airport.”  The presence of the observer had helped with the management of councillors’ behaviour, she said.  She had a “polite” relationship with Brown and said things were warmer with the new minister Simon Watts.  Whanau said it had been an honour to perform her first karanga at two events during her term as mayor.  “One of the most special honouring moments of my life ... that has been an absolute privilege of this role.”  - RNZ  Sat, 03 May 2025 03:21:05 Z /news/politics/weather-live-updates-emergency-management-minister-speaks-to-media-amid-destructive-wind-and-rain/ /news/politics/weather-live-updates-emergency-management-minister-speaks-to-media-amid-destructive-wind-and-rain/ Christchurch has been placed under a state of emergency. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell made the announcement at a press conference in Canterbury this afternoon. He travelled to the region after heavy rain triggered widespread flooding. The press conference is being live streamed at the top of this story. Torrential rain has also triggered a state of emergency in Canterbury’s Selwyn District, where the Selwyn River threatens to cut off access to communities. Residents of the Canterbury town of Doyleston are sandbagging their homes as the rain continues to fall. Photo / George Heard Residents of Selwyn Huts have been told to self-evacuate due to rising floodwaters and ongoing slips. Mitchell said the Selwyn Council and emergency teams responded quickly and made the decision to go into a state of emergency. Christchurch had now followed suit. Mitchell said the first responders were doing a fantastic job. He has been on the ground since mid-afternoon and had been in contact with local staff since yesterday, he said. “From a central government point of view, it’s important to be here.” Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell spoke to the media about the latest situation in Selwyn. Photo / George Heard Mitchell said they were in a response phase, but had also began a recovery phase. “MetService does a fantastic job at forecasting the weather, but not everything is 100%” He said there were issues local councils and central government needed to be across. “Cows are still being milked.” Serious weather events were going to keep coming, but New Zealand was getting better at dealing with them, he said. Selywn Council spokeswoman Sophie McInne said there was one welfare centre and multiple community centres open for those in need. A Selwyn Council member said 18 roads were currently closed for safety. He said local farmers should call the council to help move their stock. If residents were at risk, they should call 111. Meanwhile, MetService has issued a rare red wind warning for Wellington, with gusts of up to 140km/h expected to cause widespread damage, threaten lives, and severely disrupt transport and power across the capital. Canterbury’s Selwyn District is under a state of emergency after widespread flooding in the district over night. Snow on Porters Pass/SH73. 01 May 2025 New Zealand Herald photography by by George Heard Selwyn District Council is advising people to avoid driving unless absolutely necessary and to conserve water, as key water supplies are under pressure. House flooded on SH75 in Canterbury. Photo / George Heard Several roads, including fords and key rural routes, have been closed due to surface flooding. Wellington’s red alert - the highest level issued by Metservice - came into effect at 10am and will remain in place until 3am tomorrow. Wellington has been slammed by high winds and wild weather which is driving the sea over roads, and cancelling all Cook Strait ferry crossings and flights from the airport. Photo / Marty Melville MetService warned the gales would peak this afternoon, particularly around the south coast and hilltops, before gradually easing overnight. “Destructive winds will cause widespread damage including to powerlines and roofs,” MetService said. “Flying debris and falling trees pose a threat to life. Dangerous driving conditions and significant disruption to transport and power supply are likely.” Wellington has been slammed by high winds and wild weather which is driving the sea over roads, and cancelling all Cook Strait ferry crossings and flights from the airport. Photo / Marty Melville Residents are being urged to stay indoors or find sturdy shelter away from trees, avoid travel, and prepare for possible power and communication outages. Strong winds have already forced the cancellation of most flights in and out of Wellington Airport, with Air New Zealand, Jetstar, and Sounds Air grounding all services until at least 6pm. Ferry crossings on Cook Strait have also been cancelled, as swells reach up to seven metres. Average wind speeds at the airport have reached 87km/h, making it the windiest day in over a decade for the capital. Long-time locals are saying the flooding in Doyleston (Selwyn) is as bad as they've ever seen it. Photo / George Heard Hutt City Council has urged residents to remain indoors, with flooding closing Port Rd and causing delays throughout the region. Wellington City Councillor Ben McNulty is urging locals to report storm-related damage via the council’s FixIt app or by calling 04 499 4444. MetService says the deep low-pressure system driving the wild weather will start to ease on Friday, with more settled conditions forecast for the weekend. Thu, 01 May 2025 04:06:32 Z /news/politics/health-minister-simeon-brown-to-speak-amid-nationwide-healthcare-strike/ /news/politics/health-minister-simeon-brown-to-speak-amid-nationwide-healthcare-strike/ Senior doctors and Auckland theatre nurses are striking today. 5500 senior doctors will strike for 24 hours, and 370 nurses will strike for 2 hours over pay and workforce issues. Three strikes have been cancelled due to weather warnings. Health Minister Simeon Brown is set to address media as healthcare workers take strike action across the country. He will speak in Auckland at 3pm. The press conference will be live streamed at the top of this story. Senior doctors across the country and Auckland theatre nurses are striking today over pay rates and workforce shortages, but health bosses warn it will compound waitlist issues. Strikes are planned at at least 14 hospitals and health centres across the country, but stormy weather has led to the cancellation of pickets in Wellington, Christchurch and Timaru. Thousands of planned surgeries, procedures and appointments have been cancelled or rescheduled. Health New Zealand chief clinical officer Richard Sullivan told 九一星空无限talk ZB “any day of no treatment has an impact on the waitlist”. Sullivan called the strike significant, and the focus would be on keeping hospitals safe today. “We’re well prepared, we’ve done a lot of planning... we’re working closely with the union. “The bigger issue is those deferrals, those postponements of care,” Sullivan said. Senior doctors strike outside Auckland Hospital today. Photo / Jason Dorday About 370 perioperative nurses working at Auckland City Hospital, Starship Hospital and Greenlane Clinical Centre are striking. New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) chief executive Paul Goulter said Health NZ is attempting not to pay nurses for involuntary overtime. “They are fed up with their goodwill being taken advantage of. They have sacrificed enough and want recognition for the years of work they have done.“ Goulter said the perioperative nurses have been doing involuntary and unpaid overtime for years because “they put their patients first”. New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) chief executive Paul Goulter. Photo / File The senior doctors are being represented by the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) in the union’s first 24-hour strike since it was established in 1989. President of the Aotearoa NZ Committee at the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Dr Hamish McCay, said the Government doesn’t have a clear solution. “A strike action is absolutely the last resort for healthcare workers. This decision highlights just how urgent the need for change is.” McCay said the strike underscores concern that cuts to the health budget will worsen the healthcare workforce crisis. “The Government’s Healthcare Workforce Plan recognises that we need at least an additional 3450 doctors over the next nine years, yet the Government has not articulated a clear pathway to achieving that goal and has slashed the health budget.” McCay said the demand for medical specialists has continued to grow at the same time that the healthcare system is facing a severe workforce shortage. “This has meant that doctors and other health professionals have been navigating unsustainable workloads and inadequate working conditions.” Health Minister Simeon Brown expressed disappointment with the union, saying the strike would affect patient care. “This isn’t how we fix the health system,” Brown said. “It’s a decision that will hurt patients.” Health NZ advised patients that, unless contacted, they should attend any scheduled appointments or treatments. People with non-urgent health conditions should contact their GP in the first instance. Jaime Lyth is a multimedia journalist for the New Zealand Herald, focusing on crime and breaking news. Lyth began working under the NZ Herald masthead in 2021 as a reporter for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei. Thu, 01 May 2025 02:56:25 Z /news/politics/david-seymour-proposes-abolishing-some-portfolios-and-cutting-minister-numbers/ /news/politics/david-seymour-proposes-abolishing-some-portfolios-and-cutting-minister-numbers/ Act leader David Seymour is taking aim at the size of government, calling for a limit to the number of Cabinet members, scrapping or merging Government departments and abolishing ministerial portfolios, including some created by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. In a speech to Tauranga Business Chamber members today, Seymour proposed capping the number of ministers at 20, with no ministers outside Cabinet. There are currently 28 ministers, including eight sitting outside Cabinet. He also supported scrapping all associate ministerial roles, aside from the associate finance ministers, of which he is one. The proposal, which Seymour says could be Act Party policy for next year’s election, plans to abolish some of the 82 ministerial portfolios and to either cut or merge the roughly 40 Government departments. In his speech, he mentioned several portfolios in his sights: Racing, Hospitality, Auckland, the South Island, Hunting and Fishing, the Voluntary Sector, and Space – all currently held by either National or New Zealand First ministers. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon sitting with his fellow Cabinet members. Photo / Mark Mitchell Seymour described portfolio creation without a designated department as an “easy political gesture”. “The cynics among us would say it’s symbolism. Governments want to show they care about an issue, so they create a portfolio to match. “Portfolios shouldn’t be handed out like participation trophies. There’s no benefit to having ministers juggling three or four unrelated jobs and doing none of them well. “With such a large executive, co-ordinating work programmes and communicating between ministers inside and outside Cabinet is difficult and, as a result, Governments run the risk of drifting.” The South Island portfolio was created by Luxon and given to new MP James Meager earlier this year at a time when the Government was being criticised for its decisions concerning Dunedin Hospital. Speaking to the Herald, Seymour said he hadn’t raised his views with Luxon directly and didn’t believe his proposal would be seen as criticism of his coalition partners. “I hope that my partners, like me, respect that Act’s a party of ideas, and MMP enables parties to both maintain their identity and work together to support a government. “There [are] people that could take quite a, I guess, combative approach to new ideas … we recognise this doesn’t threaten the current [arrangement] but we also respect that everyone’s allowed to float their own views of the world.” Act leader David Seymour hopes his proposal doesn't go down badly with his coalition partners. Photo / Mark Mitchell Seymour said his comments didn’t reflect any upcoming changes in the Budget, set to be revealed on May 22. In the current Government, National ministers Chris Bishop and Judith Collins held the most portfolios, with seven each. Seymour holds one primary portfolio as Regulation Minister but has four associate roles, in finance, education, health and justice. Central to his concern was the number of ministers holding partial authority over one department. He cited the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and claimed its officials reported to up to 19 different ministers. “When you have 19 ministers responsible for one department, the department itself becomes the most powerful player in the room. “Bureaucrats face ministers with competing priorities, unclear mandates, and often little subject-matter expertise.” Within his proposal was the claim that the Government’s 40-odd departments could be trimmed back to about 30. He would not detail which ones he would cut. “I know that, if I start talking about specific ministries, people will start talking about the examples and the politics of who survives and who is cancelled and so on. “Let me just say that I’ve been through the current list and I believe we could easily get to 30 departments.” The Ministry for Regulation was created by this Government, inspired by an Act Party policy. Seymour defended its establishment, claiming a department focused on assessing regulation was a core function of government. Despite his claim that the changes would make the Cabinet more “manageable, focused and accountable”, he maintained the current Cabinet had been effective in progressing policy. “On the things that the three parties campaigned on, we can say we’ve been successful, but I don’t think anyone would deny that a smaller group with fewer lines of accountability would be faster and more efficient.” Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for 九一星空无限 since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland. Thu, 01 May 2025 02:16:51 Z /news/politics/abuse-in-care-52-lake-alice-survivors-opt-for-rapid-payment/ /news/politics/abuse-in-care-52-lake-alice-survivors-opt-for-rapid-payment/ A Royal Commission of Inquiry report, released in July last year, says “unimaginable” and widespread abuse in care between 1950 and 2019 amounted to a “national disgrace”. The Government says that as of April 24, 120 former Lake Alice patients have so far been deemed eligible for recompense. Redress options include a rapid $150,000 payment or an individualised assessment. The Government has paid out just over $6 million under its fast-track payments scheme to survivors who were tortured in their youth at Lake Alice. The rapid payment is $150,000. And 22 people, as of April 24, have instead opted for an individual assessment of their experience by an independent arbiter who will determine their payment amount. In the 1970s and 80s, hundreds of children and young people were sent to the psychiatric institution, in the Manawatū, where many were tortured with electric shocks and painful injections of paraldehyde. Lead Co-ordination Minister Erica Stanford said these weren’t administered for any medical reason – “instead were used for punishment and emotional control through terror.” “It is beyond heartbreaking.” Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Minister Erica Stanford held a press conference before the July tabling of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell The Royal Commission of Inquiry found most of the young people at the facility were there for behavioural reasons, including abuse, harm or trauma, rather than mental distress. In July last year, the Government for the first time formally acknowledged that this amounted to torture. And on November 12, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon issued a historic official apology to the hundreds of thousands of people who were abused in state and faith-based care institutions over decades, including at Lake Alice. In December, the Government outlined its redress scheme specifically for Lake Alice survivors. This included a $150,000 rapid payment or the option of having their claim individually assessed. Claim numbers so far The Government confirmed 120 people were eligible for redress under the scheme, as of April 24. Of these, 22 people have opted for the personalised assessment. This will be reviewed by an independent arbiter, Paul Davison, KC. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon made an official apology in November 2024 for abuse in state care. Photo / Mark Mitchell Fifty-two people have indicated they want the rapid payment and 42 have received their $150,000 payment, totalling $6.3 million. The Government has set aside $22.68m for Lake Alice redress and expects to have paid out all payments by the end of the year. They would be made on an ex gratia basis. Stanford previously announced the redress would consist of three components. They were a one-off payment which recognises an individual’s experience of torture as a child, a new written apology which explicitly acknowledges torture, and facilitating access to support and rehabilitative services. Stanford’s office said eight people were accessing “wellbeing support” through the Government as of April 24. Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism. Thu, 01 May 2025 01:14:08 Z /news/politics/government-not-ruling-out-cuts-to-its-521-a-year-kiwisaver-contribution/ /news/politics/government-not-ruling-out-cuts-to-its-521-a-year-kiwisaver-contribution/ Finance Minister Nicola Willis says she has found “billions” in savings that will be redeployed to new spending in the 2025 Budget. Speaking to Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive, she refused to rule out whether those savings would come from cutting a KiwiSaver subsidy. The Treasury Secretary has spoken about means-testing the subsidy. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has left the door open to means-testing for large Budget items, including Government KiwiSaver subsidies, as she looks to make savings and chart a path back to surplus. Willis also left the door open to means-testing the Best Start payment for new parents, although this seems less likely. In an interview with Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Tuesday, Willis was asked three times whether she could rule out some form of means-testing for the payments. While Willis ruled out changes to the Winter Energy Payment or the Emissions Trading Scheme, she did not rule out changes to KiwiSaver subsidies or Best Start. “You’ll have to wait and see in the Budget to see what savings we’re delivering. We’ve been really careful the proposals we’re putting forward are fair and affordable and they meet that test,” Willis said. When asked by du Plessis-Allan whether this was effectively confirmation of means-testing, Willis replied: “Well of course we have means-testing across government right now, which is basically that people on much higher incomes often don’t need as much support as people on lower incomes. “People on higher incomes aren‘t eligible for all the same supports as people on lower incomes are,” she said. Asked about further things that might be in the Budget, Willis pulled herself back. “Now we’re playing the rule-in, rule-out game,” she said. The Best Start payment was introduced as part of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s “families package” passed in 2017. It gives families a $73 weekly payment to help with the costs of raising a young child. Currently, New Zealand residents aged 18 and over can get up to $521 a year dropped into their KiwiSaver accounts from the Government if they contribute the equivalent of about $20 a week - $1040 over the year. The payments are set to cost the Government $1.1 billion in the next Budget, or 0.7% of all core spending. A popular threshold for means-testing is about $180,000 for an individual or household — this is where the top tax rate kicks in. It is also the level at which a household can no longer claim the Family Boost tax credit. Willis has sought advice on KiwiSaver reforms and is keen to increase contribution rates. Labour‘s Finance Spokeswoman Barbara Edmonds said the refusal to rule out cuts to the two initiatives was “a clear sign that this Government is considering slashing vital support that Kiwis rely on”. “Failing to rule out cuts to these vital programmes is yet another terrible choice made by this Government. They had no problem borrowing $12b for tax cuts, but when it comes to investing in what Kiwis care about most — jobs, health, and homes — it’s cut after cut,” she said. While the Government borrowing programme was lifted by $12b at the last Budget, Treasury considered the 2024 tax cuts to have been fully funded. The increased borrowing was largely put down to the deteriorating economy reducing Government revenue. In her scene-setting speech on Tuesday, Willis said the Government had looked to extinguish old programmes that had not delivered value for money in order to redeploy that funding somewhere else in the Budget. While overall Government spending is set to increase this year - as it does every year - Willis’ Budget plan is to free up money to better fund existing services and new services by cutting spending elsewhere. She said most of the programmes that were facing cuts were begun under the last Labour Government, while other cuts were coming to things that had been around for some time. The KiwiSaver subsidies have existed since the Fifth Labour Government began the scheme in 2007. “The Government’s savings drive has freed up billions of dollars,” Willis said in her speech, referring to programmes that have been cut and planned spending increases that will now no longer go ahead. Willis and Treasury Secretary Iain Rennie had fuelled speculation these two lines of spending might be in for reform in two interviews with the Herald published over the summer. Rennie suggested greater targeting of payments would be a way of improving the Government’s finances. Rennie noted while the Government’s subsidy to KiwiSaver members of $521 a year would make a real difference for low-income earners, people like himself didn’t need it. Willis, in a summer interview, said “there are a lot of entitlements and support that have crept into the middle and upper class, and I would prefer to have a system where we don’t keep hiking tax rates in order to give people’s money back to them in the form of different entitlements”. She noted her own family would have been eligible for thousands of dollars of Best Start payments. “Is that really necessary when there‘s a two-income household?” she asked. However, changes to Best Start seem less likely than those to KiwiSaver. Labour Finance spokeswoman Barbara Edmonds is urging Willis to rule out the cuts. Photo / Mark Mitchell Former Reserve Bank economist Michael Reddell supported the idea of means-testing and thought the Government subsidy should be taken away entirely. While KiwiSavers have a collective $110.8b in their schemes, Reddell is doubtful KiwiSaver encouraged saving that would not have taken place anyway. “There’s no sign that KiwiSaver has made any material difference to national savings rates,” he said. Reddell said that there was “a fair amount of evidence globally that returns to savings don’t make a huge amount of difference to what people save”. He said savings rates tended to be “deeply cultural”. “Some of it is about high incomes. When people find their incomes are growing faster, they can afford to save more,” he said. He said on the broader economic level, the most important kind of savings were business savings. Businesses only saved, or retained earnings, if they were confident of good future returns. Thomas Coughlan is the NZ Herald political editor and covers politics from Parliament. He has worked for the Herald since 2021 and has worked in the Press Gallery since 2018. Wed, 30 Apr 2025 08:42:48 Z /news/politics/winston-peters-to-make-trip-to-new-caledonia/ /news/politics/winston-peters-to-make-trip-to-new-caledonia/ Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to New Caledonia this week on his second trip to the territory in less than six months. There has been a change of Government since his last visit. New Caledonia has been a trouble spot in the Pacific following civil unrest last year, sparked by a heavy-handed constitutional reform from France, the territory’s colonial power. Peters will meet the French Minister for Overseas Territories, Manuel Valls, and the President of the Government of New Caledonia, Alcide Ponga. Valls is a senior French politician, having previously served as Prime Minister under President François Hollande. Ponga became President earlier this year, after Peters’ last visit. He leads a party that favours closer relations with France. “This visit comes at an important moment in New Caledonia’s history and reinforces New Zealand’s commitment to being a constructive partner in the region for both New Caledonia and France,” Peters said. “We are looking forward to meeting the new leadership of the Government of New Caledonia and continuing New Zealand’s warm and long-standing relationship with France. “New Zealand wants to listen, learn and support New Caledonia’s pathway forward as a neighbour and fellow member of the Pacific Islands Forum,” he said. Tensions are still high in the territory after last year’s unrest. Some New Caledonians, primarily members of the Indigenous Kanak community, want full independence from France, while others, primarily those who trace their ancestry back to France, prefer a closer relationship. Valls, visiting the territory for the third time in two months, said all parties needed to try to make a new political agreement possible or risk a civil war. “We’ll take our responsibilities, on our part, and we will put on the table a project that touches New Caledonia’s society, economic recovery, including nickel, and the future of the younger generation”, he told French journalists on Sunday. RNZ Pacific reported Valls said there existed a “difficult path” that might reconcile the views of those who wanted full independence for the territory and those who wanted it to remain part of France. “If there is no agreement, then economic and political uncertainty can lead to a new disaster, to confrontation and to civil war”, he said. Peters will also visit the Pacific Community (SPC), a leading science and technical agency in the Pacific, and meet with Director-General Dr Stuart Minchin. Thomas Coughlan is the NZ Herald political editor and covers politics from Parliament. He has worked for the Herald since 2021 and has worked in the Press Gallery since 2018. Wed, 30 Apr 2025 02:58:38 Z /news/politics/watch-nicola-willis-on-what-to-expect-from-the-budget-no-charities-tax-this-year/ /news/politics/watch-nicola-willis-on-what-to-expect-from-the-budget-no-charities-tax-this-year/ Finance Minister Nicola Willis will deliver a major pre-Budget speech to the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce.  Willis confirmed no tax changes for charities in the upcoming Budget, citing complexity and minimal revenue.  The Budget will include just $1.3 billion in new operating spending.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis said the Government plans to cut “billions” of dollars worth of programmes started under the previous governments, freeing up cash for what she is billing as one of the tightest Budgets in a decade.  The announcement was made in a pre-Budget speech to the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce.  The speech will be livestreamed from 7.30am below.  “The Government’s savings drive has freed-up billions of dollars,” Willis said.  “Those savings will now be re-deployed to fund New Zealand’s most pressing priorities,” she said.  Alongside the cuts, Willis announced there would be just $1.3 billion worth of new discretionary operating spending (an operating allowance) in this year’s Budget — this is the smallest allowance in nominal terms since 2015.  The $1.3b figure itself represents a substantial cut to what was planned.  Last year, Willis said the Budget would include $2.4b of new operating spending. Last year, Treasury said $2.5b in new spending would be needed just to fund the increased cost of delivering services.  By opting for such a small allowance, Willis and the Government will need to cut billions of dollars worth of spending across the government in order to fund the growing cost of existing services.  Just how the Government plans to do this is a mystery — in December Treasury said there was about $700m worth of new spending left in the Budget, after Willis pre-allocated funds for health and raided the 2025 Budget to pay for the funding of new medicines for Pharmac.  Willis said the Government had “undertaken a significant savings drive” to free up money for this Budget.  “That effort has involved Ministers identifying areas of previously committed spending that can no longer be justified in light of the challenging circumstances New Zealand now faces.  “We’ve analysed spending decisions made by previous governments and re-evaluated them in the context of today’s constraints.  “This has involved a line-by-line review of previous funding commitments, including money put aside in contingency,” she said.  Willis said the tighter allowance will mean the Government will spend “billions less over the forecast period than would have otherwise been the case”.  “This will reduce the amount of extra borrowing our country needs to do over the next few years and it will keep us on track towards balanced books and debt reduction,” she said.  “No lolly scramble”  Willis said that these tight spending requirements would mean no “lolly scramble” of new goodies in the Budget.  In practice, however, it might be even tighter than that.  Most Government departments have no increase to their baseline funding, what is known as a “zero budget”. If they need more funding to keep the lights on, that funding is paid for by cutting spending elsewhere.  Willis said the Government will still invest in “health, education, law and order, the defence force, business growth and targeted cost of living relief”, however these investments would in large part be paid for by reprioritisations.  Growth will be lower — cuts will keep surplus in sight  Willis said Treasury’s latest forecasts showed the economy was still on track to grow in the coming year, but worsening economic conditions since US President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs had weighed down the forecasts, “reducing their assumptions of real GDP growth in New Zealand in 2025 and 2026”.  She said this lower growth required threatened to throw its fiscal strategy off track, kicking out the return to surplus.  In December, Treasury forecast a return to surplus under the new OBEGALx measure by 2029 — and Willis’ fiscal strategy is to target a surplus one year earlier.  She said the small amount of new spending in this Budget means that Treasury’s latest numbers — which are not the final numbers for the Budget — still forecast a surplus in 2019.  “The reality of global economic events is that if we’d pushed on with a larger operating allowance then we would be staring down the barrel of even bigger deficits and debt,” Willis said.  No Charities tax  Willis revealed on 九一星空无限talk ZB’s Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Monday she would not be making tax changes to tax charities in the Budget.  The Government had openly been investigating changing the way charities are taxed so businesses that operate as charities are treated like businesses and pay company tax.  “I can confirm that [no changes are coming at the Budget] because we are continuing work in this area.  “We had a short, sharp consultation with the charities sector and that has thrown up two key things: that is the potential revenue the Government would get from this is pretty small ... at the most, $50 million a year, so it’s not essential to our Budget that we hurry these changes through.  “What officials have advised is the consultation has uncovered a lot of complexity about definitions and rules and how charities would react in practice,” Willis said .  This could mean changes are coming in future, but not at the current Budget.  “I want to work through it carefully, I’m very committed to making sure we’ve got a fair system with high integrity. We will be making changes in this space but I don’t want to rush it and get it wrong,” she said.  Thomas Coughlan is the NZ Herald political editor and covers politics from Parliament. He has worked for the Herald since 2021 and has worked in the Press Gallery since 2018.  Mon, 28 Apr 2025 19:58:40 Z /news/politics/tory-whanau-bows-out-of-wellington-mayoral-race/ /news/politics/tory-whanau-bows-out-of-wellington-mayoral-race/ Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau will not seek a second term and will run for the Greens in the city’s Māori ward.  Whanau’s decision was influenced by the Golden Mile project and Andrew Little entering the mayoral race.  She aims to focus on working with mana whenua and fighting for what she believes.  Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has decided not to seek a second term, reversing her previous decision to run again for the mayoralty at the local body elections in October.  She had previously said she was keen to serve three terms and had received the Green Party endorsement for the mayoralty. Instead, she will now run for the Greens in the city’s Māori ward.  Speaking to the Herald, Whanau said two events helped change her mind.  On Monday, she turned the first sod on the Courtenay Place section of the redevelopment of the city’s “Golden Mile” – a project that has been kicking around since 2016. The second event was the decision of former Labour leader Andrew Little to throw his hat in the ring earlier this month.  “With that [the Golden Mile] aside, and now having Andrew Little in the race, I’ve decided I’d like to step aside to give him a clear runway to win the mayoralty,” Whanau said.  “I think this is actually a better outcome for everyone involved, certainly for the city. I can keep fighting for what I believe in for the city, but most importantly, I can work with mana whenua. I can serve my people,” she said.  Little paid tribute to Whanau saying, “I want to acknowledge Tory Whanau for her service to Wellington. Tory took on the mayoralty during a tough time for Wellington and regardless of our differences in approach I want to recognise her hard work and her dedication to the city”.  Tory Whanau pictured shortly after winning the mayoralty. Photo / Mark Mitchell  Whanau, who is the city’s first mayor of Māori descent, publicly hinted she might not seek a second term at the end of last year, telling 九一星空无限talk ZB she’d be having “conversations with family and friends” about her next steps.  “Over the summer, there were no viable candidates running for the mayoralty, so I thought, well, you know what, I will do that. I will put myself forward, because I still care about the outcomes of the city,” Whanau said.  “I don’t want this mayoral campaign to be about Labour versus Green, progressive versus progressive. That’s not what it should be about. In fact, we ought to be coming together and working as a team to deliver the best outcomes for our city, and I know that we can do that."  Whanau told Little about her plans last week.  “He was very gracious, very friendly,” Whanau said.  Little told 九一星空无限talk ZB’s Ryan Bridge this morning that that conversation with Whanau was a brief one.  “I wished her all the best and that was really it,” Little said.  Little said Whanau took on the mayoralty at a “challenging time” but she had made some positive changes.  The former Labour leader said one of the main reasons he stepped up to be a candidate was so he could restore the faith in the council.  “There, there’s not, it is simply not acceptable for rates to increase, by my calculation, about 30% in the last two years,” Little said.  “A lot of that is, I think, council not getting a grip on their own finances.”  ‘A dramatic couple of years’  Whanau won the mayoralty in 2022, beating Labour’s Paul Eagle and incumbent Wellington Mayor Andy Foster in the closest thing to a landslide possible under Wellington’s STV voting system.  Looking back, Whanau is proud to have lifted the city’s water investment to $1.8 billion in the 2024-34 Long-Term Plan.  The council’s district plan will enable thousands of new homes. The council has also planned to upgrade over 800 social housing units.  It has built 27km of new cycleways and bus priority lanes have doubled from 4km to 8km.  “I’m really proud of that ... that is exactly what I was elected to deliver and now with the Golden Mile project starting officially I feel very proud. We’re, we’re in the middle of transformation,” Whanau said.  Projects like the Golden Mile had been “a battle”, but one that was ultimately worth fighting.  When asked how her mayoralty might be remembered, Whanau admitted there was “a lot of negativity” around her now, but she believed Wellingtonians will look back fondly on the transformation the city has undergone.  She thinks part of the negativity is due to the fact that great swathes of town are closed for earthquake strengthening, including the central library and the Town Hall.  “We’re a city in transition,” Whanau said.  “I like to try and remind people that if you see road cones, if you see construction happening, that is progress. That means something is going to be delivered.”  Tory Whanau pictured last year. Photo / Mark Mitchell  “Our city in 20 years’ time, even in five years’ time, it’s going to be quite different. We’ll be on top of our leaks, we’ll have Courtenay Place finished – it’ll be the best entertainment precinct, the [central] library will be open, the Town Hall will be open, Civic Square will be open, and we’ll have a new waste minimisation plant," she said.  “I can understand the frustration that people have, but this is what change is.”  Whanau admitted that she personally had become a “distraction” – one that threatened to undermine what she wanted to achieve.  “I’m glad that I’m no longer going to be a distraction to some of that,” she said.  “That kind of helped me decide this pathway ... It’s not about me. I’d rather just put myself aside and keep focusing on the work,” she said.  When asked what she might have done differently, Whanau said she would have sought to spend some time on council before becoming Mayor.  Would not back airport sale again  Whanau’s mayoralty changed after she backed a proposal to sell the council’s stake in Wellington airport to capitalise a fund that would compensate for the council’s $2.6b under-insurance problem.  Council officers recommended diversifying the council’s investments, rather than having them concentrated in the airport (which would itself be vulnerable to Wellington earthquakes).  But the debate turned sour, pitting Whanau against her Labour allies around the council table and even some Greens.  “It got quite ugly, and I think we weren’t being the best versions of ourselves,” Whanau said.  “In hindsight, when I look at that particular project and maybe Reading [Whanau backed a deal to revitalise the privately-owned cinema complex], I may not have been quite as supportive if I trusted my instincts.”  Whanau said after those twin challenges – both proposals eventually fell through – she learned to trust her instincts.  “It was actually directly after the airport decision where I really started to trust myself more,” she said.  While she pledged not to support a sale of the airport shares in future, she says the problem the sale was trying to address still exists.  The council is up against the wall financially and it has an under-insurance risk – a risk that has a good chance of turning into a real problem; the latest modelling reckons there is a one-in-10 chance of Wellington being hit by a significant earthquake in the next 50 years.  “We did have a very serious challenge, and we still do, of under-insurance ... it seemed like a logical way to address that, but it’s not what the people wanted,” Whanau said.  A proposal to sell the council's stake in Wellington airport ultimately failed. Photo / Mark Mitchell  The sale put severe strain on the council’s relationship with mana whenua, which Whanau “absolutely” hoped to repair if elected as the Māori ward councillor.  “Politics is dramatic and it’s hard and sometimes relationships become a bit fractured, but that’s because the decisions that we’re making are really hard and people care about them.  “It’s okay to have those disagreements, the rebuild, however, is much more important.”  Personal struggles  Whanau was dogged by personal struggles while mayor. After two high-profile incidents, Whanau admitted to a drinking problem.  Last year, she was also diagnosed with ADHD.  Whanau said her generation of politicians was “more open” about challenges than generations that had gone before.  “I suppose the personal challenges that I’ve faced are probably not dissimilar to what many people have faced, whether it’s needing to reduce drinking or getting an ADHD assessment or just wanting to be a bit more private,” she said.  “These are the issues that my generation are facing – Millennials, Gen Z, we’re all very open.”  Reflecting on 10 years in politics (she began working for the Green Party as a staffer a decade ago), Whanau noticed an increase in abuse copped by local and central government politicians.  She thought the turning point was the pandemic and the subsequent restrictions.  “I think it was the Covid lockdown that really accelerated that behaviour,” Whanau said.  She thought that while politicians copped abuse before Covid, the rhetoric has become far more violent since.  “Violence has definitely increased post-Covid ... decorum has been lost. People, mainly men, are very happy to say the most hideous things about women in politics, which have nothing to do with their character,” Whanau said.  She said she was “looking forward to being less of a target” of that kind of behaviour, but it was not enough to make her quit politics altogether – in fact, Whanau said one day she would consider running for Parliament.  “I love people, so it’s a natural pathway for me to go to Parliament and become a minister, but that’s a long way away,” Whanau said.  “I still want to keep going, I still have plenty in me to keep going,” she said.  Thomas Coughlan is the NZ Herald political editor and covers politics from Parliament. He has worked for the Herald since 2021 and has worked in the Press Gallery since 2018.  Mon, 28 Apr 2025 19:05:56 Z /news/politics/act-ramping-up-pressure-on-national-party-minister-scott-simpson-over-acc-ethnic-outcome-targets/ /news/politics/act-ramping-up-pressure-on-national-party-minister-scott-simpson-over-acc-ethnic-outcome-targets/ Act MP Laura McClure sent a letter raising her concerns to the ACC minister earlier this week. Act contends the ACC tender contradicts a Cabinet Office circular about public service delivery. ACC Minister Scott Simpson disagrees and believes the tender aligns with the circular. The Act Party is seeking to ramp up pressure on a National Party minister over a disagreement concerning ACC’s “ethnic outcome targets”. Act today published a letter sent by MP Laura McClure to ACC Minister Scott Simpson this week that claimed a tender issued by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) was “inconsistent” with a Cabinet Office circular, which dictates public service delivery should be based on need, not race. The tender sought a supplier that could “deliver evidence-based initiatives to reduce work-related injuries in the manufacturing sector”. Central to Act’s concerns was the tender’s stated focus on Māori and Pasifika communities, including what McClure described in her letter as “ethnic outcome targets” of 5461 claims being saved in 10 years and of those, at least 18% must be from Māori and 11% from Pasifika. “The circular makes clear that ethnicity should not be used as a proxy for need and that services must be justified through empirical evidence about actual disparities and why general services are insufficient to address them,” McClure said in her letter to Simpson, dated April 22. ”ACC does not appear to have made an analytical case for targeting a particular population subgroup based on empirical evidence, as required by the circular. “Is it the view of the minister that Māori or Pasifika are inherently more susceptible to workplace accidents? If ACC has shared any data suggesting that the difference in injury rates cannot be explained by other factors such as the risks associated with a particular job, please share this with me.” ACC Minister Scott Simpson (left) during a privileges committee hearing. Photo / Mark Mitchell While first reported by 九一星空无限room today, the Herald understands Act and Simpson’s office attempted to resolve the issue privately last week, but efforts to agree were unsuccessful. In correspondence seen by the Herald, it’s understood staff from the Act’s leader’s office first contacted Simpson’s office to discuss the matter when it was raised by 九一星空无限room. Act’s office then received a response from Simpson’s, which argued the tender’s conditions did align with the circular. It noted how 18% of work-related weekly compensation claims in manufacturing in 2024 affected Māori despite their being only 14% of the workforce, and 11% impacted Pacific people, who were 10% of the workforce. Simpson’s office also highlighted the circular allowed for Crown entities such as ACC to comply “as far as possible, taking into account their legal obligations, statutory functions and duties”. In Act’s social media post two days after the letter was sent, it claimed there was “no evidence to suggest Māori and Pasifika are inherently more injury-prone than other workers”. “Using race as a proxy for vulnerability is lazy and unscientific,” the post read. Simpson’s office has been contacted for comment. In a statement, ACC deputy chief executive Andy Milne said he believed the tender “aligns with the Government’s desire for services to be based on need“. “While there is a targeted focus on outcomes to be achieved for Māori and Pacific communities, the tender invites suppliers to lead programmes and initiatives focused on outcomes for the wider sector, including all individuals and communities within it.” Adam Pearse is the deputy political editor and part of the NZ Herald’s press gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for 九一星空无限 since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland. Thu, 24 Apr 2025 03:40:12 Z /news/politics/familyboost-govt-overestimated-flagship-childcare-rebate-policy-finance-minister-admits-ird-got-it-wrong/ /news/politics/familyboost-govt-overestimated-flagship-childcare-rebate-policy-finance-minister-admits-ird-got-it-wrong/ Government says the estimate of the number of families that would be eligible for the full FamilyBoost payment was incorrect despite officials’ “best efforts”.  Uptake figures as of April 9 show 249 households have received the full payment.  IRD found modelling challenging because it did not have reliable data.  The Government admits the number of families it said would be eligible for the full $75 a week benefit of its flagship childcare tax policy was wrong.  The admission comes as new data shows that as of April 9, some 249 families had received the maximum amount available under the FamilyBoost scheme since it came into effect last year.  This is 1.2% of the 21,000 families the Government said were eligible for the full FamilyBoost payment of $975 a quarter or $3900 a year – a figure IRD now admits was wrong, although the actual number of eligible families remains unclear.  Those 249 families had claimed the sum for each of the three quarters the scheme has been open and, therefore, got the maximum benefit of the tax credit.  A higher number have claimed the full amount in one or two quarters, but not in all three. The number of families receiving the full amount is expected to rise as families have up to four years to claim a rebate.  FamilyBoost is a 25% rebate on families’ weekly childcare costs. The more a family spends on childcare, the higher the rebate – up to a limit of $300.  While launching the policy last year, Finance Minister Nicola Willis presented IRD modelling that reckoned 21,000 families would be eligible for the full $975 a quarter – or $75 a week.  But Willis told the Herald that IRD now thinks this number was wrong because fewer people spend $300 a week or more on childcare than officials originally thought.  Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis, who admits IRD modelling on FamilyBoost was wrong. Photo / Mark Mitchell  “IRD’s advice was based on its best estimates at the time and – despite best efforts – they got these wrong.”  IRD had found the modelling for FamilyBoost challenging because it did not have reliable data on how much parents were paying for early childhood education, she said.  “Essentially, IRD assumed more families were paying higher childcare costs than turned out to be the case. This meant fewer families than they estimated are in fact paying more than $300 per week for childcare.”  She said the FamilyBoost scheme gave IRD better information about the fees parents were paying, which would help inform future policy work in this area.  “I am advised that 56,433 households have now received FamilyBoost payments and that 74,000 households have registered for the scheme.  “The feedback I and other ministers are getting is that the scheme is making a big difference to family budgets.”  FamilyBoost rebate amounts based on household incomes.  Before the general election, National campaigned on a series of policies aimed at tackling the cost of living (and helping the squeezed middle), including FamilyBoost, a tax credit for childcare costs for families earning up to $180,000.  It was introduced as Government policy in March 2024 and started in July that year. Families had to keep copies of their early childcare invoices to submit for a payment, which raised questions about how many eligible families would end up receiving the payment.  IRD acknowledged the uptake of FamilyBoost had been lower than its initial estimates, which tended to be conservative to ensure there was enough money to pay families throughout the year.  It said the degree to which its initial forecasts were wrong had not been established as a full year of claims had not occurred. IRD had also not produced any new estimates of the number of families eligible for FamilyBoost or the full entitlement.  “Revised take-up assumptions will be reviewed after the scheme has been in place long enough to settle into a regular seasonal pattern and actual application numbers across quarters can be considered.”  The data was released in answers to written Parliamentary questions from the Labour Party. Those answers show as of April 9 that 249 households had received the full $975 for the first three quarters the scheme has been running (Q3 and Q4 2024, and Q1 2025).  Labour’s finance spokeswoman Barbara Edmonds lambasted the Government about the low uptake, saying costs were piling up on families under the coalition and “the one thing they promised to do to help is failing”.  Labour finance spokeswoman Barbara Edmonds says costs are piling up on families under the coalition Government. Photo / Mark Mitchell  “They promised 100,000 families would get FamilyBoost, but barely half that are actually getting childcare support and just 249 families are getting the full amount over the whole period.”  In answers to the Labour Party, officials said 152,698 claims had been received and $42,300,065 had been paid out in FamilyBoost rebates as of April 9.  IRD said the key missing data for its forecasts was the use of early childhood education broken down by the distribution of family income combined with how much families paid in early childhood education fees after other subsidies have been considered.  IRD expected some seasonality with lagged claims waiting certainty of family incomes before a household’s entitlement could be calculated.  Other factors to consider were that annual incomes for the tax year were due to be filed by early July, or later if the family had a tax agent, and that people had up to four years to make a claim.  “It is also possible that some families who would only receive a small amount of FamilyBoost decide not to apply.  “They would qualify for a small amount if, for example, their remaining unsubsidised fees were very low, or their income was close to $45,000 a quarter with FamilyBoost mostly abated away.”  IRD said it would report options for improvements to FamilyBoost to ministers.  Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.  Wed, 23 Apr 2025 19:04:03 Z /news/politics/te-p%C4%81ti-m%C4%81ori-judgment-day-over-house-haka-to-land-alongside-party-s-independent-hearing/ /news/politics/te-p%C4%81ti-m%C4%81ori-judgment-day-over-house-haka-to-land-alongside-party-s-independent-hearing/ Te Pāti Māori is likely to find out if three of its MPs will face punishments for performing a haka in the House, in the same week the party intends to broadcast an ‘independent’ hearing about the incident. Parliament’s Privileges Committee met again today, described by chairwoman Judith Collins as Te Pāti Māori’s “final chance” for co-leaders Rawiri Waititi, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke to explain their actions in the House during the first reading of the now-scrapped Treaty Principles Bill in November. While the MPs chose not to appear and instead made a written submission, Collins confirmed the committee had discussed the matter and would meet again during Parliament’s next sitting block in May. She said the committee would “consider further and if possible, make a determination at that stage”. Collins acknowledged the party’s written statement, confirming it would be taken into account during the committee’s deliberation. New Zealand First leader and committee member Winston Peters referred all questions to Collins and did not give his view on the MPs’ absence from today’s session. “We’ll reflect that in our consideration as a committee.” Privileges Committee chairwoman Judith Collins says members could reach a decision next month. Photo / Mark Mitchell Te Pāti Māori distributed its written submission to the media while the committee was still sitting, claiming there was no need to appear in person. “We know the outcomes have been pre-determined. We know that we will not have the right to a fair process,“ Waititi said. When the MPs first ignored the committee’s request to appear a month ago, Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer announced the party would hold an “independent” alternative hearing on May 7 - in the same week when the Privileges Committee is expected to reconvene. Ngarewa-Packer today said the party’s hearing would still take place and be broadcast publicly, promising to reveal more details in the coming days. “We are determined to tell our own story, our way, without being gaslit or shackled.” In its submission, Te Pāti Māori reiterated its concerns about how the Privileges Committee had allegedly denied several of the party’s requests, including appearing before the committee alongside a tīkanga expert and legal counsel. Collins had pushed back on the latter, saying MPs were able to bring legal counsel but she clarified they wouldn’t be able to cross-examine like in a traditional court process. Chief among the party’s concerns was the potential for Maipi-Clarke to suffer “double jeopardy” or be punished twice for her part in the haka, which she began and included her ripping a copy of the bill and tossing it on the floor of the House. Following the haka, Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee punished Maipi-Clarke by naming her in the House and she was stood down for 24 hours, which included her pay being docked. In the submission, the party detailed how Maipi-Clarke and her co-leaders had spoken with Brownlee the next day, during which Maipi-Clarke apologised. Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipa-Clarke was among those to perform a haka, at Parliament, after the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill. Photo / RNZ The party claimed Waititi was then assured by Brownlee there would be no “double jeopardy”. “We ask the committee to remove Hana from this process without any further sanction, as she has already been punished by the Speaker for her participation,” the party’s submission read. The submission featured statements from all three MPs explaining the reason for performing the haka, citing the impact of the Treaty Principles Bill and the need to respond in such a way. “To stand in Parliament, as both a Taranaki wahine and an MP during the debate of the Treaty Principles Bill felt like being ‘under siege’ - not just politically, but spiritually, culturally, and generationally,” Ngarewa-Packer said. “To haka was my deepest response to the injustice, my declaration of identity, and my expression of political debate.” Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for 九一星空无限 since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland. Wed, 23 Apr 2025 02:00:13 Z /news/politics/early-childhood-education-licensing-criteria-may-be-cut-after-government-review/ /news/politics/early-childhood-education-licensing-criteria-may-be-cut-after-government-review/ The Government plans to simplify early childhood education regulations and strengthen enforcement against non-compliant providers. The review found “excessive and confusing” regulations and recommended scrapping about a fifth of the rules. David Seymour said “graduated enforcement tools” would be introduced from mid-2026 to address breaches proportionately. The Government wants to strip back early childhood education licensing criteria but beef up enforcement powers to target providers that don’t comply. It follows the release of the Government’s review of the early childhood education (ECE) sector that found “excessive and confusing” regulations, outdated settings limiting service supply and “weak pressure on low-quality” providers to improve. The review, led by the Ministry of Regulation, highlighted what Regulations Minister David Seymour described as 98 “calcified, high-stakes licensing criteria” that could lead to an ECE centre being shut down if breached. While consultation on any changes would begin “shortly”, the review recommended scrapping about a fifth of the 98 rules. They would either be completely removed or transformed into “good practice guidelines”. They included criteria that ensured a service’s curriculum “acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua” and “respects and supports the right of each child to be confident in their own culture”. The proposed changes would also remove criteria that outlined how centres needed to provide hygienic facilities designed to help prepare or clean up paint materials, a “tempering valve” for hot water taps and an adult-suitable toilet. Act leader David Seymour has long campaigned for reducing regulation. Photo / Mark Mitchell It’s understood centres would still need to provide an adult-suitable toilet but the requirement to do so would sit under the Building Act. Seymour, in a statement, advocated for changes that would remove the requirement for centres to maintain a constant indoor temperature of 18C “when common sense says a minor deviation from 18 degrees won’t hurt anyone”. He also supported centres no longer holding immunisation records for children over 15 months of age, given the Ministry of Health already did so. Ministry of Regulation officials agreed, encouraging the Government to “revoke it at the earliest opportunity”. “The regulation’s primary purpose was for outbreak management; however, an alternative non-regulatory mechanism now exists for that purpose that does not rely on ECE service providers holding immunisation records,” the review said. Seymour, also the Act Party leader and a long-time campaigner for deregulation, said “graduated enforcement tools” would be used from mid-2026 to respond to breaches of the remaining criteria. “The only enforcement tools previously available were the granting or removal of ECE licences, which is too blunt a tool for managing minor breaches and enabling early intervention. “Graduated enforcement will give the regulator a range of enforcement measures. They will be able to respond proportionately to breaches, changing the sector’s culture from a punitive approach to promoting quality.” He promised the proposed changes would “reduce unnecessary compliance costs, remove duplication and streamline operational requirements”. To make the changes, the Government would introduce the Education and Training (Early Childhood Education Reform) Amendment Bill. Seymour expected the bill, likely to land in the House in July, would be passed by the end of the year.  Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for 九一星空无限 since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.  Tue, 22 Apr 2025 23:54:45 Z /news/politics/northland-expressway-preferred-routes-government-eyes-new-road-over-brynderwyns-rather-than-bypass/ /news/politics/northland-expressway-preferred-routes-government-eyes-new-road-over-brynderwyns-rather-than-bypass/ The Government has mapped the preferred route of the new Northland Expressway, tipped to be one of the country’s most expensive infrastructure projects.  The Government is opting for a new route over the Brynderwyn Hills, to the east of the current state highway.  The first section of the expressway has already been confirmed.  The preferred route for the Northland Expressway – tipped to be one of the country’s most expensive infrastructure projects – has been revealed, with ministers eyeing a new highway over the Brynderwyn Hills rather than a bypass.  NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has investigated options to the slip-prone Brynderwyn Hills state highway, including two bypass routes to the west.  Transport Minister Chris Bishop revealed today the earmarked route will go from Warkworth east of State Highway 1 and over the Brynderwyn Hills, then through to Whangārei.  “The Brynderwyn Hills is a very challenging section due to the steepness of terrain and quality of the geology.”  Bishop said NZTA had considered alternative western options but after reassessment, had found “a near east alignment close to SH1”.  “This is a more direct route with more predictable geology that can be managed through engineering design.”  The Brynderwyn Hills, about 45km south of Whangārei, have been subject to ongoing closures since severe weather in early 2023.  Last year, the highway was closed for about four months as NZTA repaired numerous slips.  Over Easter, a landslip on Brynderwyn Hills badly damaged cars and blocked part of SH1 as the Auckland and Northland regions were battered by heavy rain.  Regional Development Minister Shane Jones said the new expressway would better withstand severe weather and provide a more resilient transport network to keep people and goods moving and reduce travel time.  Recent heavy rain caused a slip on State Highway 1 near the Brynderwyn Hills in Northland.  “This transport infrastructure is a key point in the New Zealand First-National coalition agreement,” Jones said.  “The Northland corridor is a top priority for the Government and we are working quickly to deliver this vital connection to help Northland’s economy grow and its communities thrive.”  Once fully complete, the Northland Expressway is estimated to be one of New Zealand’s most expensive infrastructure projects.  The Infrastructure Commission has estimated the project will consume $1 in every $10 spent by the Government on infrastructure over the next 25 years. This excludes maintenance and renewals.  The Herald reported on the commission’s findings in September, including warnings from the commission that the road’s price tag would make up a large proportion of the pool of capital intended to be spent on all other central government infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, schools, defence and justice.  The roading project, one of the Roads of National Significance, will be delivered as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP).  The Government sought investors to help build the first section of the expressway at the recent inaugural Investment Summit, where attendees included firms that collectively had more than $6 trillion under management.  Regional Development Minister Shane Jones (central), flanked by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (from left), Transport Minister Chris Bishop and former Transport Minister Simeon Brown. Photo / Mark Mitchell  At the summit, large Italian firm Webuild confirmed it would bid to build and run the first 26km section of the expressway, with the company’s head of PPPs Guido Cacciaguerra declaring to media: “The Italians are coming back”.  The expressway has been divided into three sections: 1) Warkworth to Te Hana; 2) Te Hana to Port Marsden Highway; 3) Port Marsden Highway to Whangārei.  The first section will connect the new expressway north of Auckland, which now ends at Warkworth, to Te Hana. It will include an 850m twin-bore tunnel in the Dome Valley and interchanges at Warkworth, Wellsford and Te Hana.  For section two, the preferred corridor is a new route east of SH1 between Te Hana and the Brynderwyn Hills, then weaving to the east near the current SH1 at the Brynderwyn Hills and then to the west of SH1 between the Brynderwyn Hills and Port Marsden Highway.  For Port Marsden Highway to Whangārei, the preferred option is a new road near SH1 between Port Marsden Highway and State Highway 15 Loop Rd and a widened SH1 corridor approaching urban Whangārei.  Bishop said the highway would be “a genuinely transformational” chance to boost jobs and growth in the area.  Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.  Tue, 22 Apr 2025 19:17:56 Z /news/politics/new-zealand-first-proposes-legislation-to-define-woman-man-in-law/ /news/politics/new-zealand-first-proposes-legislation-to-define-woman-man-in-law/ New Zealand First wants to clarify the definition of a "woman" and a “man” in law, introducing a Member’s Bill to ensure “our country moves away from the woke ideology that has crept in over the last few years”.  The move follows the UK Supreme Court ruling last week that the term “women” as referred to in the British Equality Act refers only to biological women. It’s also the latest in a series of legislative proposals from NZ First in its so-called “war on woke”.  The party wants to see “women” defined in law as an “adult human biological female” and ‘man’ defined as an “adult human biological male”.  “The purpose of this amendment is to uphold legal certainty, protect the integrity of sex-based rights and ensure that language in law reflects biological reality,” an explanatory note within the legislation says.  “This definition will apply in all contexts where the terms ‘woman’ and ‘man’ are used, unless explicitly stated otherwise in specific legislation.”  The legislation is a Member’s Bill in the name of NZ First MP Jenny Marcroft. That means it’s not a Government bill and will need to be pulled from Parliament’s ballot before it’s debated and voted on.  NZ First leader Winston Peters said it's not about being anti-anyone. Photo / Mark Mitchell  NZ First leader Winston Peters said the legislation was “not about being anti-anyone or anti-anything” but “about ensuring we as a country focus on the facts of biology and protect the term ‘woman’ in law”.  “New Zealand First is the only party that campaigned on keeping men out of women’s sports, keeping men out of women’s and girl’s changing rooms, and we have received two petitions this term calling for protecting the term ‘woman’ in legislation.  “We were told at the time that we were going down a ‘rabbit hole’ and ‘on another planet’. But if you look at recent events, both internationally and in New Zealand, the pendulum is swinging back towards common sense and is proving us right.”  He said this would “ensure our country moves away from the woke ideology that has crept in over the last few years, undermining the protection, progression and safety of women”.  The legislation is in the name of Jenny Marcroft. Photo / Mike Scott  The Herald has sought reaction from Women’s Minister Nicola Grigg to last week’s ruling in the UK and whether she agreed with the definition it has put forward.  In 2020, the Ministry for Women said it defined “women” as “people who identify as women”.  “This definition is inclusive of transgender women,” it said.  The ministry’s website said it “represents the interests of all women, including transgender women, and we recognise the right of all people to self-identify”.  “We acknowledge the diversity of women and girls in Aotearoa New Zealand and focus on improving outcomes for wāhine Māori, Pacific women, migrant women, women who are former refugees, women with disabilities and the rainbow community.”  Last month, NZ First MP and associate Health Minister Casey Costello directed Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora to use the term “women” instead of “pregnant people” in communications.  Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he supported having “common-sense language” and believed most people would consider pregnant people are women.  NZ First has introduced a number of pieces of legislation intended to counter “woke” elements of society, including a bill to remove diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) aspects from the public service.  Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the 九一星空无限hub Press Gallery office.  Mon, 21 Apr 2025 23:30:42 Z /news/politics/health-nz-paid-for-departing-chief-executive-margie-apa-to-do-governance-course-as-she-was-leaving/ /news/politics/health-nz-paid-for-departing-chief-executive-margie-apa-to-do-governance-course-as-she-was-leaving/ Departing Health New Zealand boss Margie Apa “will receive the remaining salary payments” under her fixed-term agreement, until June.  Apa resigned from the budget-constrained agency in February.  Health New Zealand contributed towards the fees for Apa to attend a governance course as part of her resignation from the public health agency.  Public health agency Health NZ Te Whatu Ora has confirmed it paid for outgoing boss Margie Apa to attend a governance course as part of her resignation.  The Health New Zealand’s chief executive resigned from the agency in February, following a number of concerns raised about its budget. Apa’s term in the top job was due to end in June, but she said she left the role to “make space” for a new leader as the agency was going through a structural reset.  The agency confirmed to the Herald that Apa will receive “the remaining salary payments that would have been payable under the terms of her fixed-term employment agreement, as well as a contribution towards the registration fees for a governance course in lieu of the usual outplacement service”.  When questioned on the spending and what the course was, the public health agency declined to give any further information, citing privacy.  Apa received a $895,000 salary in the 2023-24 financial year, and $864,000 in the financial year prior. In her previous role leading the Counties Manukau DHB, Apa made a $592,000 salary.  At the time of her February resignation, Health New Zealand Commissioner Lester Levy said the pair “mutually agreed” on Apa’s departure.  Levy thanked Apa for her service to the public sector agency, adding she had an “extraordinary work ethic” and had worked extremely hard to support its structural reset.  “The reset is a significant change in direction from where Health NZ was heading but she realigned entirely to the programme,” Levy added.  Minister of Health Simeon Brown said Apa was committed to ensuring access to healthcare services while her agency “grappled with significant operational and financial challenges”.  The agency continues to propose restructures as the microscope remains on its spending. Commissioner Levy was appointed last year following concerns about its monthly deficits being around $130 million on average.  Health New Zealand confirmed there was no resignation letter sent by Apa, and it did not fund a leaving do for the departing boss.  In a statement, the agency said it was withholding further details about the nature of the governance course “to protect Margie’s privacy”.  It confirmed the spending was discussed with the Public Service Commission, and would not confirm how much it cost, reiterating it was “appropriate for the role”.  Azaria Howell is a multimedia reporter working from Parliament’s Press Gallery. She joined 九一星空无限 in 2022 and became a 九一星空无限talk ZB political reporter in late 2024, with a keen interest in public service agency reform and Government spending.  Mon, 21 Apr 2025 22:48:27 Z /news/politics/new-zealand-mps-visit-taiwan-meet-president-lai-ching-te-despite-not-recognising-it-as-country/ /news/politics/new-zealand-mps-visit-taiwan-meet-president-lai-ching-te-despite-not-recognising-it-as-country/ A group of New Zealand politicians met with Taiwan's President during a trip last week to the self-ruling island off the coast of China. New Zealand does not recognise Taiwan as a country and instead recognises Beijing’s “One China” position that insists it is Chinese territory. However, New Zealand does have economic and cultural relations with Taiwan, including a comprehensive trade agreement. In 2023, a group of MPs launched the “All Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan” that intended to foster a deeper connection between New Zealand and Taiwan politicians. Two Act MPs made the journey to Taiwan that year, followed by a larger group in 2024. A delegation set out last week for Taiwan, led by National’s Stuart Smith and Labour’s Tangi Utikere. Other MPs on the trip include National’s Greg Fleming and Hamish Campbell, New Zealand First MP Jamie Arbuckle, Act’s Cameron Luxton and Labour MP Helen White. None were Government ministers. On Thursday, the group met with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, who was elected to the role last year and rejects China’s claims of sovereignty over Taiwan. The President’s office issued a lengthy statement, a video and photos of the meeting. In his remarks, Lai thanked the New Zealand Government for “reiterating the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait on multiple occasions since last year”. Relations between Taiwan and China – often referred to as “cross-strait relations” – are tense, with Chinese President Xi Jinping previously saying reunification between China and Taiwan is inevitable. China often conducts military exercises near Taiwan. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has on several instances highlighted New Zealand’s interest in a peaceful resolution of issues in the Taiwan Strait, including last year, when Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited Wellington. On that occasion, Luxon also reaffirmed New Zealand’s commitment to the One China policy. Lai said it was important that democracies co-operate and “jointly safeguard peace, stability and the prosperous development of the Indo-Pacific region”. “Taiwan and New Zealand share the universal values of democracy, freedom and respect for human rights, and parliamentary diplomacy is a tradition practiced by democracies around the world,” Lai said. “Looking ahead, our parliamentary exchanges and mutual visits are bound to become more frequent. This will enable us to explore even more opportunities for co-operation and further deepen and solidify the democratic partnership between Taiwan and New Zealand.” Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has rejected China's claims of sovereignty over Taiwan. Photo / AFP He also said he hoped “deeper collaboration” between Taiwan and New Zealand in areas like “smart agriculture, food manufacturing, biomedicine, the digital economy and clean energy, as well as exchanges among our indigenous peoples” would benefit the countries’ economies. Taiwan is New Zealand’s 13th-largest trading partner when it comes to two-way trade, valued at $2.93 billion in 2024. However, that is small compared with New Zealand’s trade with China, worth $38.26b last year. The statement says both Smith and Utikere delivered remarks, with the MPs commenting on the strong relationship between New Zealand and Taiwan. Smith is said to have highlighted that both places have a focus on trade and rely on easy access to imports and exports, making freedom of navigation important. A Royal New Zealand Navy vessel sailed through the Taiwan Strait alongside an Australian ship in September last year. Defence Minister Judith Collins at the time described it as a “routine activity” that wasn’t directed or requested by any country. Smith shared the Taiwan President’s statement on Facebook, writing that it was a “great pleasure and an honour” to be received by him and “discuss trade opportunities”. “It’s been a great week in Taiwan for our cross party delegation and a privilege to meet with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and discuss our existing and future trade and business partnership. We have been hosted very well!” he also wrote. In social media posts, Smith highlighted Taiwan as being an “important source of imports, tourism and investment” and a key export market for New Zealand. The National MP also went to a human rights museum in Taipei “dedicated to the universal values of democracy, freedom and justice”, visited the district of Wulai for a log cart rail journey and weaving and sang with an entertainer at a Michelin Start restaurant. Other New Zealand politicians have previously visited Taiwan. In 2022, while out of office, Winston Peters attended a forum in Taipei where he urged democracies to work together. “Taiwan believes in freedom. So do we. Taiwan believes in democracy. So do we. Taiwan believes in the rule of law. So do we. Taiwan believes that citizens have the right to question their Governments. And so do we,” he told forum guests. That trip came just weeks after then-United States Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, sparking China to respond with a large military exercise around the island. Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the 九一星空无限hub press gallery office. Mon, 21 Apr 2025 02:02:55 Z /news/politics/easter-alcohol-rules-how-law-could-change-if-mps-vote-in-support/ /news/politics/easter-alcohol-rules-how-law-could-change-if-mps-vote-in-support/ Kiwis yearning for a pint at the pub on Easter Sunday without wanting a full meal with it, could soon get their way. Legislation before Parliament aims to simplify rules around the sale and supply of alcohol. The legislation has passed its first reading with the support of a majority of MPs, but it will still need to pass through the select committee stage and two more readings to become law. There are currently restrictions on selling alcohol to patrons on Anzac Day morning, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day. Alcohol can primarily only be sold on these days if the licence holder has a special licence or if it’s to people dining at an establishment. The rules are quite specific in the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. Licence holders cannot sell alcohol to people on their premises more than an hour before they start (or are due to start) eating a meal, or more than an hour after they finish. Labour MP Kieran McAnulty reckons the “current law is confusing”. “At Easter for example you can purchase alcohol at the pub down the road on Thursday, but not Friday unless you have a meal as well, then you can buy a pint or two again on Saturday, but not Sunday again unless you have a meal,” he said. “It’s unfortunately hospitality workers who have to monitor this – which can sometimes be difficult – as well as doing their usual jobs. “RSAs should be able to serve veterans the traditional rum and coffee on Anzac Day morning without having to apply for a special licence. McAnulty has proposed repealing the sections of the legislation which enacts these rules, saying there is not “any good reason why the law is this way, except that it’s always been that way”. “That’s not a very good reason to have a law,” the Labour MP said. Labour MP Kieran McAnulty is behind the legislation. Photo / Mark Mitchell. When his Member’s Bill went before Parliament for its first reading this month, it was treated as a conscience issue, meaning MPs voted individually the way they wished, as opposed to having to vote as a party bloc. The groups for and against the legislation were both made up of a mixture of MPs from different political parties. For example, while some Labour and National MPs voted in support of the Bill, some of their colleagues voted against it. It ultimately passed by 67 votes to 54, meaning the legislation is now before the Justice Select Committee and is open for public submissions until May 22. The select committee has until October 9 to report back, before the Bill goes to a second and third reading where it twice again needs to get majority support to pass into law. The legislation is now before a select committee at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell Politicians’ arguments for and against During the debate on the legislation, McAnulty addressed those concerned about the proposed changes based on their personal religious beliefs. “Easter is a Christian holiday,” he said. “I am Catholic. I’m not a very good Catholic, but I’m still Catholic. I attend Mass at Easter and at Christmas. “At no point in my religion, and, in fact, most, the vast majority of Christian religions, does it prohibit you from drinking alcohol on Good Friday or Easter Sunday.” The Labour MP said he respected some people had views leading them not to consume alcohol on these days, “but what about those people that don’t hold those views?”. McAnulty also appeared open to making a concession: “If members wish to send this to select committee and they have reservations about Christmas Day, I’m happy to negotiate”. “We’ve got to be pragmatic. I have no problem with it, but when you look at all the other examples of attempts to change these rules that have failed in this Parliament, we’ve got to try and meet in the middle.” Among McAnulty’s other arguments was that the current rules encourage stockpiling of alcohol before the Easter weekend and that restrictions may be off-putting to tourists. Act MP Cameron Luxton supported the legislation, but spent much of his speech questioning why McAnulty hadn’t supported a previous effort by Act to make similar changes. “An opportunity like this already did happen. There was an opportunity to make that change. Members across the House were given a conscience vote on the issue, and the honourable member [McAnulty] who’s just resumed his seat chose to vote against that change to Easter trading.” As McAnulty pointed out, the Act legislation also made changes to restrictions on shops’ ability to trade on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, something Labour wasn’t in favour of as the party didn’t want to play with labour laws. The Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 sets out that most stores must be closed on Anzac Day morning, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Christmas Day. There is a list of exemptions to this, including restaurants, service stations, and pharmacies. Luxton said this week he would be campaigning for McAnulty’s legislation, encouraging people to submit on it during the select committee period. “I’ve been campaigning for Easter freedom for a while now, and finally, a bill to ditch the alcohol rules has passed first reading – but its future is uncertain,” he said. Cameron Luxton has put forward similar legislation. Photo / Mead Norton. During the debate, the Greens’ Teanau Tuiono said he wouldn’t be supporting McAnulty’s legislation as the public holidays were “times that we need to be able to put tools down”. “These are times that we need to be able to relax. We need to actually make sure that we get that balance right. If we’re going to have a big tutū around with the holidays then that, in my opinion, disrupts that balance.” Tuiono believed if people could more freely purchase alcohol, “that will mean that more people will have to get rostered on”. “That means that more people will have to come in to work as well. Everybody that has worked a low paid job knows that it’s very, very hard to turn the boss down. “It’s very, very hard to turn the boss down when they come and have a chat to you saying that they want you to come in on a shift.” One of McAnulty’s Labour colleagues, Lemauga Lydia Sosene, explained she was voting against the legislation to reflect what she said was the view of her local Mangere community. As well as saying that alcohol is a “really major problem”, Sosene said her community had some “very firm religious views” arising from various different faiths. She said they asked why it was important to loosen the alcohol laws on a small number of days, when “you have over 360 days of the year when you can access alcohol”. “We have a very diverse community, and they celebrate a lot, particularly on those religious days of Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day. “For some families in my local community, those are very sacred times, given that AI and technology is a 24/7 thing. Families look to those specific days on which to come together to celebrate the religious holidays and to be together on those days.” National MP Tom Rutherford said he had “hesitation” about supporting the legislation beyond select committee. “Why I’m only supporting it to that stage at present is because alcohol is one of the biggest causes of harm in our communities across the country,” Rutherford said. “I am in favour of the liberalisation around giving people the opportunity to have a choice. I do agree with the member when he talks about what happens on Anzac Day and how many of our RSAs across the country, if not all of them, have to get special permits and licences to allow them to operate and sell alcohol when you could just simply make a small legislative change like this Bill’s doing.” Rutherford said he was interested in hearing the thoughts of the public at the select committee stage of the Bill’s proceedings. Labour MP for Mangere Lemauga Lydia Sosene opposed the legislation. Photo / Mark Mitchell Another to speak against the legislation was New Zealand First MP Tanya Unkovich. She said non-government organisations she had spoken with didn’t believe there needed to be another outlet or avenue for people to access alcohol. “During these times - holidays, Easter, Christmas - are times when they notice the mental health issues really do accelerate and it’s the loneliness that kicks in,” she said. “It’s a reminder that maybe they don’t have a family. It’s many things that trigger people. They have seen that to be able to have more access to alcohol does not serve them or the community. So I’m listening to that issue.” Unkovich said she was raised in “a very religious life” and was involved in religious communities. “In my communities, people who I speak to about this, they say, ‘No, it’s not something we want.’ It’s not that we don’t want it, but we want to do everything we can to preserve our family unit and this is one way that we see we can maintain that and not let anything else get in the way.” Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the 九一星空无限hub press gallery office. Sun, 20 Apr 2025 01:58:01 Z