Category: Labour Party

The Migration figures released by Stats NZ today show National is continuing to drive Kiwis away from New Zealand in record numbers.

“Opportunities at home are becoming scarcer and the numbers back up what everyone is feeling, that the grass is getting greener elsewhere,” Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said.

“Unemployment is up, and for many the only option is to head overseas, which we are seeing now with record numbers of people leaving New Zealand.”

July 2024 has set two annual records for New Zealanders leaving. There were 81,000 migrant departures, exceeding the previous record (before 2024) of 72,400 in the February 2012 year.

And there was a net migration loss of 55,800 exceeding the previous record (before 2023 and 2024) of 44,400 in the February 2012 year.

The total 133,600 migrant departures in the July 2024 year are, provisionally, the highest on record for an annual period.

“This is what happens when a government is so focused on cuts, rather than making New Zealand a better place to live,” Barbara Edmonds said.

“We must do better. Government has a role in driving increased wages, productivity, and growth. Instead, this government has put a stranglehold on it.

“National came into power and hit pause on work on school classrooms and public house builds and reduced the amount of work being done on our hospitals, right at a time they should’ve been doing the opposite to support the sector.

“This comes as news that Winstone Pulp will close its mills. 230 workers from a small-town dependent on the mill for income may have little choice but to leave the country to look for work.

“They’re doing the bare minimum for wages, are expecting big savings to be made in health when the sector is desperate for investment and they’re waving goodbye to Kiwis who are looking for opportunities elsewhere.

“National needs to stop and think before it continues its cuts,” Barbara Edmonds said.

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New Zealanders needing aged care support and the people who care for them will be worse off if the Government pushes through a flawed and rushed redesign of dementia and aged care.

“The Government is squandering an opportunity to improve the lives of those who need residential care, their families and carers unless it pauses work on the redesign of the aged care system,” says Labour seniors spokesperson Ingrid Leary.

“Labour members of the Health Select Committee back the call by the Aged Care Association Chief Executive Tracey Martin to pause the aged care sector redesign and undertake a process with greater transparency.”

At a select committee hearing today, National MP Dr Vanessa Weenink said she shared Tracey Martin’s “concerns about Te Whatu Ora frankly to be able to redesign the system”, in an astounding lack of confidence in an agency governed by a National minister.

Ingrid Leary said, “This Government is cutting $1.4 billion from the health budget behind closed doors.

“We are alarmed to hear reiterated from the Aged Care Association that Te Whatu Ora has been directed to reduce hospital bed nights by 200,000 per year.

“This is driving a chaotic and short-sighted redesign of aged care that could have significant impacts on how seniors access the care they need and deserve.

“This Government has the wrong priorities – it is focused on cost cutting not providing the care people need.

“We have an opportunity now to review the settings comprehensively based on evidence and best practice, but what we are seeing from this Government is a closed-door rushed approach focused on reducing hospital bed nights rather than the wellbeing of our seniors.

“While we acknowledge that finding sustainable ways to support our seniors to live well at home or in care is a pressing and significant issue that deserves our attention, we urge the Government to pause its bulldozer approach and allow public scrutiny,” said Ingrid Leary.

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Labour is devastated at news hundreds of workers are set to lose their jobs following the closure of Winstone Pulp mills.

“I am devastated for the workers set to lose their jobs, and for the future of manufacturing in New Zealand,” Labour’s small business and manufacturing spokesperson Helen White said.

“We had earlier called on the government to help find a solution and keep the mills operating in New Zealand. They haven’t succeeded, which means 230 people from the mills near Raetihi will lose their jobs.

“This is a rural area where there is little other work. These jobs support the town, local community and small businesses, which will also face closure as people are forced to leave and wages dry up.

“Where is the government’s plans for the future of manufacturing in New Zealand? We must invest in onshore manufacturing and creating value from our primary products which is good for our economy and people in our regions.

“There were options to keep the mills open. There are energy companies that have published significant profits over the last 12 months and the Government has therefore received higher dividends from its shares in these companies. 

“I am disappointed the government hasn’t worked harder to save these jobs and support this central North Island community,” Helen White said.

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National Party Ministers have a majority in Cabinet and can stop David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill, which even the Prime Minister has described as “divisive and unhelpful.”

“Right now, National is allowing ACT to lead a divisive debate on the Treaty, which is so foundational to our country, and something that means so much to so many – despite saying they won’t support it in the long term,” Labour Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said.

“Cabinet can stop it today. National party Ministers should put their foot down now. If Christopher Luxon won’t, they should collectively tell David Seymour they disagree with his divisive agenda.  

“This Bill is based on outdated and incorrect perspectives on the Treaty.

“For David Seymour to be correct, Jim Bolger, John Key, Bill English and Helen Clark must all be wrong. Every judicial decision relating to Māori interests must be wrong. The majority of the academic, legal and historic opinion must all be wrong. 

“ACT has a strange understanding of what the Treaty Principles mean and are attempting to rewrite it to suit their political agenda.

“The Prime Minister and National Party Ministers should lead in the best interests of the country, rather than by the interests of a minor coalition partner.

“Stop wasting everybody’s time, energy and resources on a Bill that ultimately is not going to pass anyway. Cabinet should end this divisive debate today,” Willie Jackson said.

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The National Government is so determined to hide the list of potential projects that will avoid environmental scrutiny it has gagged Ministry for the Environment staff from talking about it.

“I wish the Government had the same resolve to uphold our environmental safeguards as it does to hide the list of fast track projects from New Zealanders,” Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said.

Thirty-eight Ministry for the Environment staff have signed non-disclosure agreements between March and June this year through their work on the Fast-Track Approvals Bill, The Post reports.

“At least two coal mining projects were on a draft bill that NZ First gave to National during the coalition negotiations. The public deserve to know if those projects are still on the list, and if other destructive projects are planned.

“Keeping the list secret means New Zealanders won’t have a say on whether the projects are consented or not, or what conditions might be set.

“These NDAs demonstrate the Government’s purpose to benefit individual companies rather than serve the public and manage our resources sustainably,” Rachel Brooking said.

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Labour has complained to the Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission about the high number of non-disclosure agreements that have effectively gagged staff at Te Whatu Ora Health NZ from talking about anything relating to their work. 

Since June, 67 staff at Te Whatu Ora have signed non-disclosure agreements, including senior leaders who brief media and members of Parliament in the select committee process.

“Non-disclosure agreements block legitimate scrutiny and stifles internal debate in Te Whatu Ora,” said Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. 

“The Government aims to cut $1.4 billion from the health system and is using these NDAs to hide where those cuts will come from and who they will affect. All the people involved are under threat of legal action if they speak out. 

“Shane Reti says the agreements are for one specific topic, but the document seen by Labour is a blanket ban on anything relating to Te Whatu Ora, even ‘ideas’.

“There are occasions when non-disclosure agreements are appropriate, and staff should handle private patient information sensitively. But these agreements go well beyond that, banning ‘all and any information about Health NZ and its business’ as well as ‘the content of all discussions, correspondence or other communications’ between the staff member and Te Whatu Ora.

“You have to wonder what they are trying to hide? 

“With staff silenced, how are the public to get reliable, factual information about their health system.

“We asked all Ministers for information about non-disclosure agreements their agencies and the only agency that came close to the number at Te Whatu Ora was the Ministry for the Environment, to hide who is on the Fast Track approvals list. Most agencies don’t use them at all,” said Ayesha Verrall.

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For over five years, military-style semi-automatic weapons have been banned in New Zealand. Labour made the change with near-unanimous support following the tragic events of March 15. 

Nobody needs a gun that powerful. This ban helps to protect people, and alongside the introduction of the firearms registry will mean New Zealand is a safer place. 

But now the Government wants to rewrite New Zealand’s firearms law and regulations. They’ve said they will take another look at the ban, and the firearms registry. Nicole McKee is doing this review right now. 

The safety of our communities, frontline police officers and future generations must be a priority.

SIGN THE PETITION

The National-led government has been given a clear message from the local government sector, as almost all councils reject the Government’s bid to treat Māori wards different to other wards.

“Local government minister Simeon Brown was told by the public, and by councils themselves that there was no interest in removing Māori wards from local government, yet he ploughed on with no reason other than a racist agenda. And if they don’t like being called racist then it’s pretty simple – don’t make harder rules just for Māori,” Labour local government spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said.

“The passing of Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill means that councils, which are already financially stretched after the Government scrapped the Affordable Water Reforms and dismissed recommendations from the Future of Local Government Review, must foot the bill of costly referendums.

“Everywhere you look the Government is making decisions that will hit ratepayers in the back pocket. Rates are shaping up to be biggest issue facing households, but instead of doing something about it National uses all its energy to shift the blame to Councils and have a crack at Māori instead. Simeon Brown’s attempt to create a distraction through this racially charged bill has backfired and local government has shown New Zealand it wishes to keep democratically elected Māori councillors.

“Simeon Brown continues to insist he is ‘restoring democracy’ which is plain wrong. If the Government were truly concerned about ‘one person one vote’ it would change the rules so that people who own multiple homes don’t get to vote more than once, but it’s not. Or it would require a referendum on all types of wards. All it’s focused on is having a go at Māori.

“This Bill has shown this government’s true self and true agenda, but so far forty-three councils have said no to Simeon Brown and his deliberate moves to divide and distract our country.

“It’s time for this Government to save itself the humiliation and get in touch with 2024,” Kieran McAnulty said.

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The Labour Party congratulates Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki on being crowned as the eighth Te Ariki Nui – head of Te Kiingitanga.

“On behalf of the Labour Party, I want to send our most heartfelt and warm congratulations to Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki on her coronation,” said Labour Leader Chris Hipkins.

“A direct descendent of the first Kiingi, Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, she ascends as the second-only woman to be anointed.

“Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki commands an incredible wealth of mātauranga Māori, a love for Toi Māori and is committed to looking after her people.

“As the youngest child of Kiingi Tūheitia and Te Makau Ariki Atawhai, Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki follows an incredible and historic legacy before her of predecessors who have helped shape and influence Aotearoa New Zealand’s cultural identity as a nation.

“I look forward to continuing a fruitful, strong, and warm relationship with Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki and Te Kiingitanga, just as we had with Kiingi Tūheitia.

“This is a historic day that our nation will remember fondly as the day the torch was passed on from one legendary unifier to another – a coronation that will send ripples far beyond our shores.

“I give Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki my greatest wishes as she forges her own legacy as a connector and bridge between Māori and non-Māori and extend my aroha to her whānau and Waikato Tainui on this momentous day,” said Chris Hipkins.

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Labour backs the call from The Rainbow Support Collective members for mental health funding specifically earmarked for grassroots and peer led community organisations to be set up in a way that they are able to access.

“Specialised mental health and addiction help for rainbow people, including at risk youth, will be more difficult to access now that Matt Doocey has limited access to the Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund,” Labour rainbow spokesperson Shanan Halbert said.

“The fund has the potential to sideline rainbow communities and overlooks the opportunity to turn around some of our most concerning mental health statistics.

“Aotearoa’s young rainbow people are some of our most vulnerable and should be a priority group for the Minister of Mental Health, but he is failing in his role – and he’s not the first. National ministers continue to kick the community in the guts by putting young rainbow people at risk

“Minister of Education Erica Stanford is removing sexuality guidelines in schools, Minister of Police Mark Mitchell has failed to respond to the safety concerns of the rainbow community, and now Matt Doocey has made it impossible for specialised mental health services to access funding,” Shanan Halbert said.

“The Mental Health and Innovation Fund is a debacle. It was touted by the Minister as being the Budget initiative that would get much-needed funding out the door to community groups. Instead, it has a $250,000 minimum contribution which puts it out of reach of grass roots providers,” Labour mental health spokesperson Ingrid Leary said.

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