Category: Labour Party

The Government’s latest change to the Employment Relations Act has no justification apart from making it easier to sack employees without having to follow due process.

“The Minister of Workplace Relations clearly is more interested in protecting the rights of big business rather than employees,” Labour workplace relations spokesperson Camilla Belich said.

“Regardless of how much someone earns, everyone deserves fairness and due process. This is a dangerous change that will leave workers with no ability to raise a grievance if they are unjustifiably dismissed, unfairly treated, or discriminated against for a protected reason, like pregnancy. 

“Brooke van Velden’s war on workers has already seen this Government move to reduce sick leave, rush to reinstate 90-day trials and scrap Fair Pay Agreements. It is also unclear how this will impact part-time workers; will this change be pro-rated and affect those on lower incomes?

“There is also no acknowledgment of the fact that as wages grow over time, a greater percentage of workers will be affected by this fire at will policy. 

“National and ACT are choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights that have been hard fought for by generations of workers that have gone before,” Camilla Belich said.

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Early childhood education needs to be treated as a public good, say Labour, the Green Party, and Te Pāti Māori in their newly released report of findings from public hearings they held into the Government’s ECE Regulatory Review.

The hearings, held in August and September, arose out of concern from early childhood kaiako and kaimahi and from the community that the Government’s sector review could bring about sweeping change, serving corporate and business interests rather children and those working in the profession.

Labour’s education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says it’s clear that early childhood education is a public good, as it sets the foundations for the rest of a child’s life.

“The role early childhood education plays in a child’s life is immense. What happens in their early years including how they learn affects them forever.

“ECE should not be used as a commercial opportunity to make a profit at the expense of the wellbeing and quality of education for tamariki and the working conditions of those who teach them.

“There are two competing visions for early childhood in Aotearoa New Zealand, what we found through our public hearings was that the majority of those we spoke with want a sector that is of the highest quality so tamariki can thrive and grow.”

The report highlights the need for regulation to protect from privatisation and diminished standards and working conditions, recommendations for tamariki wellbeing, fair and adequate funding, recognition of the unique status and autonomy of Kōhanga and Puna Reo.

Tākuta Ferris, education spokesperson for Te Pāti Māori, says the need to prioritise tamariki Māori came across strongly.

“We need to continue to invest in Reo Māori education in every community, including training for kaimahi Māori in all early immersion services, like Kōhanga Reo and Puna Reo.

The Green Party’s early childhood education spokesperson Teanau Tuiono emphasised culturally responsive education should be available to all tamariki, with Government having a responsibility to make sure the necessary resources were available to all early childhood education centres:

“Child-centred, culturally responsive early childhood education is the foundation for a future that sees our tamariki thrive. By properly resourcing our kaiako to provide quality education, we give our youngest learners the tools to navigate life with confidence, empathy, and a deep sense of belonging, empowering them to reach their full potential.

“To do this well, we must engage with our Māori, Pasifika, and migrant communities to ensure education reflects their values, aspirations and ultimately, their needs.

“These voices matter. We’ve heard, loud and clear, from our kaiako, whānau and wider communities during this consultation process: any decisions about early childhood education must hold the needs and well-being of children at the heart of every policy and every practice.”

“Labour, The Greens and Te Pāti Māori want to ensure early childhood kaiako and kaimahi and their communities can have their voices heard. The issues they have raised have a huge impact on our collective future as a nation – early childhood education not only needs to be public good but for all decisions about the sector made with a child-centric lens.”

Click here to read the report

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Massive cuts across Health New Zealand/Te Whatu Ora demonstrate National’s willingness to risk the health of New Zealanders.

“Without a functioning well resourced Public Health Service, data and digital services, and services that support Māori and Pacific communities, the health of New Zealanders will suffer,” said Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall.

“We are currently experiencing a whooping cough epidemic in New Zealand and are at risk of a measles outbreak, and they’re cutting public health services. None of this makes sense.

“It looks like New Zealanders’ health takes second place to tax cuts.

“Health Minister Dr Shane Reti would’ve seen same the same advice as I did, that IT services at Te Whatu Ora were on the brink, and this level of cuts will put continuity of services and New Zealanders’ health information at risk. 

“In the Government’s quest to cut nearly $2 billion from Te Whatu Ora’s budget, they are risking more epidemics, less equitable health outcomes for Māori and Pacific people, and stripping out the workforce that keeps our health system running.

“Today, Dr Reti congratulated hauora Māori providers for their vaccination work in the community, while at the same time, Te Whatu Ora will cut Māori and Pacific health workers. After abolishing Te Aka Whai Ora/the Māori Health Authority, he is still trying to cut services for Māori.

“The Government found money to give tobacco companies a tax break but are cutting back on funding for Māori health. By making these huge cuts, they are taking New Zealanders’ health backwards,” said Ayesha Verrall.

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The Government’s decision to push for significant fare increases on buses and trains over the next few years is a huge blow to communities across the country.

“Raising fares by up to 70 percent will hit families, students, and workers who rely on public transport daily. Public transport should be affordable for everyone, not an extra financial burden,” Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said.

“The Government’s already scrapped Labour’s free and half-price transport for children and young people, and now it’s clear they have no real plan to properly fund our public transport system.

“In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis and a climate emergency, these fare hikes make it harder for people to choose affordable, sustainable transport options.

“Simeon Brown is out of touch with everyday New Zealanders. Forcing people who have no alternative but to use public transport to now bear the brunt of their budget shortfalls is simply wrong.

“The Government must prioritise public transport funding to ensure it works for everyone—providing affordable, reliable options that also help protect our planet,” Tangi Utikere said.

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Climate action is missing from the list of things National is patting themselves on the back for one year on from becoming government.

“You won’t see anything about climate as National marks a year in government, because they know they’re failing. All Christopher Luxon has done is talk and take New Zealand backwards,” Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said.

“National has undone years of progress to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for a climate-resilient future.

“This lack of action will leave our country more exposed to extreme weather and takes us further away from the jobs a low-carbon, sustainable future would provide.

“National is failing to meet the climate challenge – they know it and the world knows it.

“National has dismantled programmes that were making a difference; work that Labour was doing to reduce emissions, help big emitters quit fossil fuels, make electric vehicles more affordable, and help transition to renewable energy. National has also kicked the can down the road by removing agriculture from the ETS and delaying pricing.

“The Government is doing nothing to meet its goal of doubling renewable energy.

Other things National has done to wind back climate action:

• scrapped $3 billion in climate-related work in the Budget
• whittled down Warmer Kiwi Homes
• ended the Climate Emergency Response Fund
• initiated a review on methane emissions when the science is already set
• reversed the ban on oil and gas exploration
• introduced the first-track legislation which allows the override of environmental laws
• scrapped a fund that enabled the renewable energy market

“At home, the Climate Change Commission has sounded the alarm over the Government’s policies and pointed out we’re at risk of missing our climate goals.  

“National must listen to the climate experts and take action on climate change that’s not just hot air,” Chris Hipkins said.

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Housing Minister Chris Bishop’s speech to Community Housing Providers today should have been titled ‘we want you to build houses, but we refuse to spend money so you’re on your own’.

“Chris Bishop is all talk when it comes to housing. It was hoped that in his speech there would’ve been government support for desperately needed public housing,” Labour’s housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said.

“Instead, there was no commitment to build any more public homes, no further support for the community housing providers and no increases to Income Related Rent Subsidies.

“Everyone was hoping the government would at least announce it would guarantee loans for the newly established community housing funding agency to make them cheaper. But again, no commitment from the Minister.

“Labour delivered more than 14,000 public homes over the six years we were in government, alongside the community housing sector. What have we seen from National so far? Auckland set to lose 199 public homes and Canterbury set to lose nearly 100.

“This is what happens when you cancel projects and pause hundreds of others. We can’t forget the last National Government ended up with 1,500 fewer public homes than it started with and sucked out $576 million in dividends from Housing New Zealand.

“If National delivered additional homes at the rate Labour did, we would become much closer to solving the housing crisis.

“And in a cover up to stop the problem looking like it is growing, the Government’s solution is to change the rules for emergency housing and stop people from even being able to go on the waiting list. For Chris Bishop to say they are ending the emergency housing crisis is disingenuous.

“They are taking us backwards and choosing to make people homeless instead of investing in assets that will provide warm dry homes” Kieran McAnulty said.

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“The news today that Nikki Kaye has passed away after her long battle with cancer is incredibly sad,” Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said.

“Nikki Kaye and I were opposite numbers at Parliament in the education portfolio, and I would describe us very fondly as frenemies.

“I had a lot of respect for her and how she went about her work.

“I didn’t agree with all of her decisions, but found her immensely reasonable. She poured her heart and soul into the electorate and she always pushed for better for children and young people.

“I am very sad to hear the news today. My condolences to her family, friends and former colleagues. This isn’t news I expected to hear today,” Chris Hipkins said.

Targeted consultation on reinstating live cattle exports by sea won’t allow the New Zealand public to have their say.

“The majority of New Zealanders want to protect the ban Labour put in place. The Government knows that and is avoiding public consultation,” Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said.

“Targeted consultation with those who are involved in the live export of cattle by sea will not reflect the viewpoints of the more than 57,000 people who signed a petition against the reinstatement of live exports.

“The world is changing. Other countries like the UK and Australia have followed New Zealand’s lead and moved to ban live exports. Reinstating this practice will take New Zealand backwards.

“The Government should be taking this seriously, listening to the overwhelming public feedback and not wasting taxpayer money on a regime that might not even go ahead.

“Before Labour banned the practice, live exports by sea represented just 0.32 percent of primary sector export revenue. We must protect New Zealand livestock and the international reputation of our annual $55 billion primary export industry.

“Labour will reinstate a ban on live exports of cattle by sea when re-elected. National should do the right thing now and rule it out,” Rachel Boyack said.

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The National Government is walking away from our manufacturing sector with constant reports of closures and job losses.

“It’s unbelievable that a Government that claims to care about the economy and rural communities is turning a blind eye to our struggling manufacturing sector,” Labour’s small business and manufacturing spokesperson Helen White said.

“Yet again we are hearing of further closures and job losses, this time it’s 230 well-paid jobs on the line at Kinleith Mill in Tokoroa.

“These proposed jobs cuts follow closures in Timaru, Ruapehu District and OJI’s Penrose factory. Jobs that support local economies and keep other people employed in small communities that rely on the workers’ wages and business.

“It is shameful that the Government’s wasting time and millions of dollars on the Treaty Principles Bill when there is a crisis in manufacturing of our primary products.

“National scrapped Labour’s Advanced Manufacturing Industry Transformation plan. Where’s Andrew Bayly’s plan?

“I am disappointed the Government isn’t working harder to support workers,” Helen White said.

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Posted by LabourVoices on November 21, 2024

David Parker’s speech from the University of Auckland’s forum on Piketty, Inequality and Climate Change in September 2024.