Category: Labour Party

Unemployment figures released today show 11,100 more Māori and Pasifika people are without jobs compared to this time last year, bringing the total number to 54,400.

According to Statistics New Zealand, Māori unemployment is 9.1% up from 8.2% when National took office. Unemployment among Pacific People is 8.3% up from 6% when National took office, said Willie Jackson Labour employment and Māori affairs spokesperson and Carmel Sepuloni, Labour social development and Pacific peoples spokesperson.

“Today we see numbers which confirm what we already felt in Aotearoa – the Government is taking Māori backwards in every way possible,” said Willie Jackson.

“The Government showed through Budget 2024 that Māori and Pacific people are not a priority. It appears after nine months that this lazy Government has no plan to help Māori people who are out of work get jobs either.

“Government has given nothing but crumbs to Māori, and these numbers will continue to grow as a result,” Willie Jackson said.

“This is a government that can’t be trusted. They consistently punch down when it comes to beneficiaries, and stigmatise those that are out of work, yet their policies have made more people unemployed,” Carmel Sepuloni said.

“Under out Government we saw record levels of unemployment for Pacific and now we have more out of work. The Government can’t continue to say they are focused on getting people in to work when they are making decisions that are seeing more and more people unemployed. Ultimately this is not good for Pacific families, the Pacific community, or the country. This Government is taking Pacific peoples backwards.”

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New figures released by Statistics New Zealand today show how government policies that stop progress, work and jobs affects real New Zealanders. 

“Today’s unemployment figures show how the government’s choices can hurt everyday New Zealanders. Unemployment of 4.6% might just be a number, but to me, that is an additional 9000 people without a job and money coming into their household,” Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said.

“Many economists predicted unemployment would rise, with the Treasury predicting it will still reach 5.3% this year. Yet the government has done nothing to support people into work or provide any certainty or confidence for the business community.

New Zealand has gone from having one of the lowest unemployment rates under Labour, to now having a higher rate than comparable countries like the UK (4.3%), Australia (4%), the US (4%), and Ireland (4.3%).

“The cancellation of large infrastructure works, including schools, hospitals and public houses has left the construction industry in limbo. Since the Government took office, the number of people working in construction has reduced by 6000 and residential building consents had an annual 36% drop in June. These people might still have a job if the Government had a plan for infrastructure.

“Yet instead of a plan to get the 21,000 people needing a hand to get off a benefit since they took office, National’s approach is to make getting that support harder. That’s despite way fewer new jobs available, with jobs ads having slumped 32% on an annual basis. Although the number of jobs in the economy increased in June, it is not enough to match the higher number of people looking for work.

“Today’s news comes as the manufacturing industry faces an uncertain future too. Within three days, 300 roles have been paused. In Oji’s Penrose mill, 75 people are being consulted today on its closure due to the high cost of electricity.

“Even nurses and doctors are being told there aren’t any jobs available, despite the desperate need in our hospitals and GP clinics across the country.

“With increasing unemployment and fewer prospects at home, New Zealanders will have no other choice but to look overseas. The government should reverse its reckless choices in infrastructure, health and education, to give people certainty and back them into work so they can support their families,” Barbara Edmonds said.

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The Labour Party is calling on the Government to support the recent International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling by using its procurement rules to ban government agencies from purchasing goods or services from Israel’s illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Labour Foreign affairs spokesperson David Parker said the recent decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) was clear the prolonged occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem is illegal under international law.

“The ICJ detailed Israel’s breaches of international law including forced evictions, extensive house demolitions, the transfer of settlers into the Occupied Territories, and restricting the access of Palestinians to water, to name just a few.

“The continued occupation since 1967 has denied the Palestinian people the right to govern themselves.

“The ICJ decision creates an obligation on states like New Zealand not to “render aid or assistance” to the occupation.

Rule 44 of the Government’s procurement rules allowed for a supplier to be excluded for human rights violations by the supplier or in the supplier’s supply chain.

“This is the least the Government can do to show its support for the ICJ and its opposition to what the ICJ has called ‘the sustained abuse by Israel of its position as an occupying power’,” David Parker said.

“The ICJ has called for Israel to withdraw from the illegal settlements. The New Zealand Government should also communicate directly to Israel that it should implement the court’s directives and withdraw from the Occupied Territories.

“This Government says it supports the International Rules Based Order. Decisions of the ICJ are an important part of that. The ICJ ruling is not a suggestion. It is the application of international law.

“If the Government does not want to be accused of being inconsistent, it needs to take action immediately in line with the ICJ ruling,” David Parker said.

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The Government’s decision to delay the free availability of life-saving cancer drug Keytruda means more waiting for patients who have already been hurt by National’s bad decisions.

“Te Whatu Ora has been offered Keytruda free of charge but is delaying taking up the offer by two months,” Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said.

“We don’t accept the Government’s spin that the health system isn’t ready to deliver these treatments; Keytruda is used in the treatment of eight cancers, for two of those cancers it would reduce workload on hospitals if introduced tomorrow. For other uses only some hospitals have concerns about readiness.

“The Government needs to reveal what will be different on October 1, as opposed to August 1, that mean these medicines can’t be given now?

“It is hard to believe they will have more oncologists or oncology nurses in place in two months, when there is a hiring freeze now.

“Once again Dr Reti has shown he is unwilling to push to get patients what they need,” said Ayesha Verrall.

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Almost eight months on from scrapping new Cook Strait ferries, National still has no solution.

“The Government’s bungled ferry deal is a complete failure and will cost the country long into the future,” Labour’s transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said.

“Nicola Willis botched this deal from the moment she was in the captain’s chair. It was just the beginning of the poor decision making this Government is becoming famous for.

“If the new ferries are not rail enabled Nicola Willis, Paul Goldsmith and Simeon Brown will also go down in history as the Ministers who cut the main trunk line in two. This will mean we have more trucks on the road and no ability to move rail freight between our two islands.

“The consequences of these decisions will mean Kiwis pay more, wait years longer for new boats and face increased freight costs.

“What the Government will do with the two ferries which are currently in progress also remains to be seen. The options currently seem to be paying hundreds of millions of dollars in break fees or listing them on Trade Me,” Tangi Utikere said.

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The Government continues its pretence that its promotion of Aukus Pillar 2 is what Labour did previously, which is just not correct, released papers show.

The document release today coincides with warnings by Australian defence expert Hugh White, who said escalating strategic rivalry carries a serious risk of escalating to a nuclear conflict.

The Government has failed to make a case for joining AUKUS Pillar 2 and Labour remains unconvinced that joining is in New Zealand’s interests.

“The Government’s document dump is a shallow attempt to say “Labour started this” but it doesn’t cut the mustard,” says Labour’s foreign affairs spokesperson David Parker.

“The Government has been so stung by the opposition from left and right to its desire to sign up to AUKUS Pillar 2, it has resorted to releasing old briefing papers to try and argue it was simply continuing Labour policy.

“But the record shows Labour leader Chris Hipkins said his preference was for some other arrangement going into the 2023 election.

“Since the National Government took office there has been a significant change in attitude, with Ministers talking up New Zealand joining Pillar 2 of AUKUS.

In briefings for the Australia-NZ ministerial meeting after the election it was revealed officials were “actively looking for ways in which to participate in Pillar 2, particularly in those areas where New Zealand can make a material contribution.”

Prior to attending the ANZMIN dialogue in Melbourne in late January 2024, Defence Minister Judith Collins said, “We are interested in being involved in Pillar 2. It’s not a secret.”

During a trip to Washington in April, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters released a joint statement with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken which stated that, “We share the view that arrangements such as the Quad, AUKUS, and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity contribute to peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and see powerful reasons for New Zealand engaging practically with them, as and when all parties deem it appropriate.”

“Christopher Luxon recently positioned New Zealand as acting an extension of the USA military ambitions in the South China sea, saying it was critical that New Zealand be a “force multiplier for Australia and the US and other partners.”

“Labour continues to be unconvinced joining AUKUS offers New Zealand significant benefits, and that the Government has yet to explain the rationale for joining a security pact designed to militarily contain China, our biggest trading partner,” said David Parker.

“Does the National led government see China as a military threat to New Zealand? And if they see US-China superpower rivalry as a threat to peace and security, why do they think backing the United States in its competitive struggle against China is a good way to avoid war or protect New Zealand’s national interests?

“These questions need to be answered before any moves are made to significantly re-align New Zealand’s foreign policy,” said David Parker.

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“Almost five years on, there should be no better time to complete the 44 recommendations the Royal Commission of Inquiry made after March 15,” said Labour Leader Chris Hipkins.

“Calling it quits before implementing all the recommendations while hinting at liberalisation of the law around semi-automatics is out of touch.

“The Government has a responsibility to do right by the affected community and families. Taking the steps to ensure something like March 15 never happens again requires leadership, something the Government is shirking.

“Taking investment from work being done on reporting threat channels and no money for counter terrorism advisory group are terrible cuts.

“Disappointing is not enough of a word,” said Chris Hipkins.

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The National Government is living in la-la land if it thinks it can achieve New Zealand’s climate goals with its current lack of policies to tackle the problem.

“National won’t accept that they’re off track and accept independent advice from the Climate Commission on what needs to happen to meet our climate targets,” said Labour climate spokesperson Megan Woods.

According to the Climate Commission’s Monitoring Report: Emissions Reduction July 2024, “there are significant risks to meeting the second and third budgets”, pointing to “an urgent need to strengthen policies and strategies to put Aotearoa New Zealand on track to meet future emissions budgets and the 2050 target, including the 2030 biogenic methane component of the target”.

“The Government is offering almost no policy to reduce pollution from livestock and is failing to maintain the electric vehicle uptake rates achieved under Labour,” said Megan Woods.

“They don’t care about ensuring we have a stable climate for future generations, they only care about the bottom line and tinkering around the edges. We need bold action to transform our economy and ensure people, homes and livelihoods are secure in the future.

“Instead we have their dismal Emissions Reductions Plan, which undoes climate initiatives that have had a real impact towards meeting our targets.

“National slashed $3 billion of important climate-related work from the Budget, but happily handed over $2.9 billion in tax cuts to landlords,” said Megan Woods.

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A new Member’s Bill to increase protections from scams, including for vulnerable customers, is being introduced to the Ballot today.

Scams are becoming much more sophisticated and harder to spot, and Kiwis are losing their hard-earned money. 

“Banks and other financial institutions have the tools to prevent or detect many scams,” Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said.

“Some are doing well, but others need encouragement to use them to protect their customers.

“New Zealand is lagging behind other nations in requiring matching of the names of payees with accounts. Scammers currently use this loophole by saying money is being put into one person’s account when it is in fact going into another’s – the banks should close it.

“The Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment (Anti-scam) Amendment Bill will shift some of the onus so that banks are incentivised to use the tools available to them to better protect customers’ money and implement changes like account/payee matching.

“Financial institutions who do not take reasonable steps to protect their customers should meet the costs of scams that they could have prevented. There will be exceptions to this if customers act recklessly or dishonestly, or don’t follow the instructions of the financial institution given directly to them.

“Scams and fraud are rapidly increasing, they’re getting more and more clever and everyone should work together to protect New Zealanders’ savings, including the banks themselves,” Duncan Webb said.

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The National-led government has taken away the choice of councils with the passing of Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill.

“The National-led Government has just passed legislation that the majority of local councils do not want and is forcing them to have referendums they don’t want to pay for,” Labour local government spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said.

“If the Government was levelling the playing field like they say they are, they would propose referendums for all types of wards, but they’re not. If they were truly concerned about ‘one person one vote’ they would change the rules so that people who own multiple homes don’t get to vote more than once, but they’re not. All they’re focused on is Māori wards. It’s a bloody disgrace.

“This Bill has shown this government’s true self and true agenda. They have deliberately chosen to make our country a more divisive place, with Simeon Brown confirming he is making the changes solely based on race.

“These wards were always the choice of local councils, but the Minister has taken away their voice.

“They’ve taken away the ability of councils to make their own decisions and left ratepayers footing massive bills for water infrastructure. Simeon Brown is totally out of touch with local communities and real people.  

“This is an utterly shameful bill that local councils do not want. Majority of Select Committee submissions were in support of keeping the wards as they are. But Simeon Brown has turned a deaf ear to push his own political agenda,” Kieran McAnulty said.

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