Category: Labour Party

National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards.

In no particular order, here are the National Government’s Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. 

Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer.

“Te Pukenga was set up because it was increasingly difficult for polytechnics and Institutes of Technology to survive alone,” Labour’s tertiary education spokesperson Deborah Russell said.

“All the feedback I’ve heard from the sector was that Te Pukenga had turned a corner and was starting to deliver. It took longer than it should, we acknowledge that – but it is the right approach.

“Instead, Minister Penny Simmonds is ignoring the voice of the sector. She has gone against the advice of her officials and her own specialist advisors. They told her to form regional groups of polytechs so that the institutions could draw on each other’s strengths and ultimately be financially viable.

“She says institutions can become autonomous if they are financially viable, but just two weeks ago the Education and Workforce Select Committee was told that only two former Institutes of Technology and Polytechs could stand on their own.

“We welcome the Minister’s proposal to consult more about models for on-the-job training. But it would be good to know whether or not she will actually follow the advice of the sector and her own experts, or just impose her own predetermined views on this as she has done for Te Pukenga.

“What she is doing is taking the sector apart again and creating more disruption. This is tough on students and tough on staff, and will ultimately take the sector backwards.

“I hope the Minister takes the summer break to reflect and comes back in the new year with more of an open mind to what this sector actually needs,” Deborah Russell said.

---

Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

It’s been revealed that National has cancelled 60 percent of its housing projects planned before mid-2025 amidst housing woes.

“Instead of putting spades in the ground to build more homes, National is scrapping plans to build more than 1000 homes for families,” Labour’s Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said.

“National has an appalling record on public housing. They promised this time would be different. But it’s same old same old – cut the housing budget, cancel projects, and stop people from applying to keep the numbers down.

“Officials have confirmed the need for housing hasn’t reduced, so it’s clear this could result in more homelessness.

“National said they’d build more social houses than the last government and that they’d build net 1000 social houses a year in Auckland.

“Yet with more than a billion dollars siphoned from the housing budget and a projected significant drop in homes in Auckland, culminating in a net 285 reduction by 2026 – we’re seeing now it was nothing but fibs.

“History is repeating itself under National and it’ll be struggling families who pay the price,” Kieran McAnulty said.

---

Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention.

“The bill is another concession from Christopher Luxon to the ACT Party and would see far right thinking baked into our constitution,” Labour regulation spokesperson Duncan Webb said.

“It seeks to limit what Parliament can do – for example by giving priority to property rights over things like environmental standards.

“Good regulation is essential for a safe and thriving New Zealand. What this legislation would do is limit government’s right to make rules in the interests of all New Zealanders on anything from building rules to environmental protections.

“This legislation places property rights at the heart of our constitution – but it is silent on community wellbeing, climate and environmental protection. It makes no mention of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

“The focus on property rights, individual freedoms, limiting government, and restricting taxes is straight out of the far-right playbook and does nothing for addressing inequity, lifting people out of poverty, ensuring health and education is available to all, and creating a safe community.

“The Bill is an unnecessary power grab and would make David Seymour the Rule-Czar, limiting the ability of other ministers to effectively operate and requiring them to certify compliance with his demands before they can make rules or laws.

“There are already adequate systems in place to protect the quality of Bills and David Seymour doesn’t follow them as it is,” Duncan Webb said.

The Bill has not yet been drafted – but you can have your say here. Submissions close 13 January.

---

Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is running away from problems of his own creation, with his decision not to go to Waitangi.

“Waitangi Day is an incredibly special time of year, and being able to go up and celebrate where the Treaty was first signed is a privilege,” Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said.

“This decision by Christopher Luxon shows that he is not willing to stand on his own track record, and defend the decisions his Government is making.

“That’s because despite all of his rhetoric, he knows his decisions have made life more difficult for Māori in New Zealand. He is running away from problems of his own creation.

“Christopher Luxon could easily do both – go up to Waitangi and join in some of the celebrations in the lead up to Waitangi Day and be part of the pōwhiri. He can then go and celebrate Waitangi Day elsewhere.

“But he’s choosing not to. It shows that he is not willing to honour the Treaty of Waitangi despite his claims he would as Prime Minister,” Chris Hipkins said.

---

Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

The economy shrank 1% this quarter and New Zealand has tumbled into the depths of a recession of Nicola Willis’ making.

“Nicola’ Willis’ cuts and austerity has fed the recessionary fire, and today’s GDP figures show this, recording the weakest 6-month period since 1991, excluding COVID-19,” said Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds.

“There’s no creative accounting that Nicola can do to make these GDP figures better. This amount of economic shrink in six months is a dire result.

“A year on and we are in no better position. The economy has not grown, Kiwis are no better off, and even more are out of work.

“After talking all year about growth and productivity, the figures show that this is not the case.
We have more debt and nothing to show for it.

“Nicola Willis needs to focus on getting results in the real world. The Government should be doing what it can to support and grow the economy, focus on creating jobs and opportunities, not slashing and burning,” said Barbara Edmonds.

---

Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Working people are going backwards while company directors are being given huge pay hikes.

The Government has signed off on massive pay increases for company directors, while working people on the lowest wages keep going backwards and household bills keep going up.

“Under National, New Zealand’s lowest paid workers get a real-terms pay cut while government directors have had their pay hiked,” Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said.

“In percentage terms, Crown Infrastructure Partners directors get a 104% increase, while someone on the minimum wage gets a 1.5% increase following the government’s announcement it won’t raise wages in line with inflation for the second year in a row.

“Transpower has just been given the green light to hike up power bills while their directors get a 56% pay hike, and despite Nicola Willis’ attempts to blame anybody but herself for her botched ferries decision, she still saw fit to sign off on an 89% directors fee increase for KiwiRail.

“National has its priorities all wrong and is more interested in giving more to those already doing well, than helping ordinary Kiwis with the cost of living.

“It shows how completely out of touch Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis are after only one year in office,” Chris Hipkins said.

---

Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot.

“JPs hold a key and trusted role within our communities and it’s important they are equipped with the resources and support to serve their communities well,” Labour MP Jenny Salesa said.

“I have been working with the Auckland JP Association for more than a year now to address some of the issues raised with JPs and MPs.

“The proposed Bill aims to ensure that all New Zealanders have access to consistent, high-quality, and timely JP services, while supporting the recruitment, retention, and professional development of JPs.

“Proposed changes include JPs being reappointed every five years and required to join the JP association. They will also be required to undergo a minimum of two hours of training annually and perform duties for at least 12 individuals per registration year.

“Existing JPs will have a four-year grace period to meet the new training and service requirements.

“I think of constituents in my own electorate of Pānmure-Ōtāhuhu who rely on these services. Some who will be handling legal documents for the first time on their own, and others who might need extra support.

“Updating this legislation reflects a balanced approach to modernising the JP system, ensuring accountability, consistency, and quality in services while respecting the voluntary nature JPs have in serving their communities,” Jenny Salesa said.

---

Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill.

“National’s fast-track bill passing into law is bad news for New Zealand’s environment, and paves the way for significant harm not only to our water, air and climate, but for our communities,” Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said.

“This legislation fast-tracks the most radical and unbalanced consenting regime in living memory, including for projects that will do significant harm to the environment.

“Labour remains committed to standing up for the environment, iwi, and communities that will be affected by this legislation. We will continue to support development that protects New Zealand’s unique natural heritage and prioritises sustainability for future.

“This is deeply flawed legislation that prioritises short-term profit over the long-term sustainable management of New Zealand’s environment, and locks communities out of decision-making.

“Labour’s fast-track process showed that consenting could be done quickly and responsibly. It consented housing, renewable energy, and infrastructure projects without sacrificing environmental protections.

“This Bill allows the environmental protections to be overridden so private projects that would otherwise not get consent can get the go-ahead, like seabed mining, coal mining, and waste incineration.

“It flies in the face of official advice, which says sustainable management must remain central to any fast-track process.

“We will be keeping a close watch on these projects and continue to call out any attempts to bypass proper environmental protections and the impact they will have on communities as these projects progress,” Rachel Brooking said.

---

Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers.

“This is a disgraceful deal done by National and ACT to allow businesses to pay migrant workers less,” Labour immigration spokesperson Phil Twyford said.

“Not content to abolish Fair Pay Agreements, impose 90-day fire at will trial periods, and deliver two effective cuts to the minimum wage, now this Government is taking money out of the pockets of migrant workers by getting rid of the requirement they be paid at least the median wage.

“This will remove the incentive for employers to hire local staff, and encourage employers to rely on migrant workers to fill minimum wage jobs.

“National cries crocodile tears about low wages in New Zealand but consistently works to lower wages and weaken the bargaining power of workers.

“The Minister made a big song and dance about the poor treatment of migrant workers when she was in Opposition but since becoming a Minister she has cut in half the time exploited migrant workers can get an open work visa, and now she is drastically cutting the wages of migrant workers,” Phil Twyford said.

---

Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.