Category: Labour Party

The National Government has sneakily reneged on protecting the Hauraki Gulf, reducing the protected area of the marine park and inviting commercial fishing in the depleted seascape.

“Once again we see the National Government putting commercial interests and profit over scientific evidence and the priorities of our communities. There will be no future for the fishing and tourism industries in these areas if we don’t take action to protect them now,” Labour conservation spokesperson Priyanca Radhakrishnan said.

“Tama Potaka’s announcement undermines a decade of work by mana whenua, local and central governments, the industry, and local community groups to protect the health of the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana for future generations.

“Labour introduced the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill because the Hauraki Gulf was facing a bleak future if action wasn’t taken to protect it.

“New Zealanders know that the Hauraki Gulf has been overfished for decades and that both sedimentation and pollution has led to a significant decline in marine life and seabird populations. Species are almost functionally extinct in the areas permitted to be fished now.

“Years of negotiation with the community and stakeholders led to the Bill Labour introduced last year. National’s changes are a slap in the face to everyone involved in the negotiation process. 

“Our Bill extended the Gulf’s marine reserves and created marine protection areas to preserve fragile habitats and parts of the sea floor from damaging activities, while allowing for customary practices of tangata whenua.

“It looks like the Government has done this to bend to Minister of Fishing Shane Jones’ backroom deals.

“This is a government set on attacking our natural environment from every angle, by allowing mining projects that risk native species, scrapping work to meet our climate targets, and repealing the ban on oil and gas exploration. Just like with the Fast Track legislation, National is making it harder for locals, iwi and hapu to have a say on destructive projects that will affect them,” Priyanca Radhakrishnan said.

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Labour welcomes the release of the Government’s response to the report into the North Island weather events but urges it to push forward with legislative change this term.

“Labour commissioned the review into the severe weather events in Government, so New Zealand can be better prepared,” Labour emergency management spokesperson Camilla Belich said.

“Labour is willing to work with and assist the Government in ensuring the recommendations of this report are actioned, including implementing legalisation this term.

“This needs to be a priority and Mark Mitchell must provide a clear timeline for implementing these changes. We don’t know when the next disaster will strike and must be prepared.

“The Emergency Management system in New Zealand requires urgent reform and investment to make sure New Zealand is best placed to respond to a major natural disaster.

“New Zealand needs to invest in resilient infrastructure and support for local councils. The Government scrapped Labour’s $6 billion National Resilience Plan, which was ringfenced to support local communities and councils after Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland floods. The plan also set aside funds to build resilience in at risk locations.

“One in 100-year events are becoming more and more common, it’s critical we invest properly to protect our communities and our economy,” Camilla Belich said.

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Nicola Willis has once again shown her promises are based on ghost families, with less than half registering for the FamilyBoost payments.

“FamilyBoost has seen just 39,664 registrations – well short of the 100,000 promised by Nicola Willis at the Budget and last week,” Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said.

“It’s clear National wants to make it difficult for anyone to actually get this money by making it a rebate. It’s a bureaucratic nightmare – with busy parents having to find invoices or proof of payment from childcare centres and claim back the money themselves from IRD.

“It means people must be able to afford the childcare in the first place, making thousands of families ineligible.

“Halloween has come early for the National Party as Nicola Willis’ ghost families that do not exist strike again.

“This is just further proof National has overcooked its tax policy.

“Nicola Willis said for months the average family would get $250 per week then she was forced to reveal it was fewer than 3000.

“It was disingenuous to promise huge tax relief to families, simply using made up data and not deliver it. To then use ghost families to try to sell the actual tax package is dishonest.

“National should have made the policy universal rather than a rebate, otherwise it isn’t the relief for families struggling with the cost of living that Nicola Willis claims it is.

“These FamilyBoost numbers are just another failure for National’s tax plan,” Barbara Edmonds said.

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Labour is pleased the Samoan Citizenship Bill has unanimous support as it enters second reading.

The Bill would provide the right to New Zealand citizenship to people who were born in Samoa on or after 13 May 1924 and before 1 January 1949, and whose citizenship was removed by the 1982 Act.

“This is about righting a historic wrong for those born in Samoa who had their citizenship revoked under the 1982 Act, when they were rightly entitled to it,” Pacific Peoples spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni said.

“I want to firstly thank the tens of thousands who made submissions, marched in the streets, and shared their stories with the committee. Your voices helped shape this Bill.

“I also acknowledge our Cook Island colleague Teanau Tuiono for putting this member’s bill in the ballot.

“This shows the importance of having Pacific representation across political parties and the way issues pertaining to our communities can be prioritised. We may be Pacific MPs from different parties, but on issues like this, we work together for the good of our people.

“Labour has supported this Bill from the start and will continue to fully support it.

“We know how much this means to our Samoan aiga and we’re certainly standing with them – it is the right thing to do and honours the spirit of the Government’s formal Dawn Raids apology,” Carmel Sepuloni said.

“During the select committee process, we also heard from the community that they want Samoa-New Zealand visas to be reviewed. We would be supportive of the Government exploring these settings,” Labour Pacific Caucus Chair Jenny Salesa said.

“I know our Pacific Labour MPs have been consistently engaging with their local Samoan communities. We’ve attended numerous public hearings where our communities’ confronting stories were heard and pleas for justice were made.

“Labour has heard the call and encourages our Samoan and wider-Pacific whānau to stay engaged on this issue as it enters the House for second reading,” Jenny Salesa said.

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The National Government bent all sorts of rules to give $24 million to Gumboot Friday just to fulfil a coalition agreement.

“The Auditor General’s damning findings today make it crystal clear that coalition agreements alone cannot be used to justify government expenditure,” Labour mental health spokesperson Ingrid Leary said.

“The findings say the procurement process was “unusual and inconsistent” with the principles used to procure government services.

“The Government talks a big game about spending public money wisely yet used a loophole to get Gumboot Friday funding across the line without a fair and transparent process.

“They did this because they had already decided before coming into government that Gumboot Friday was an organisation they wanted to fund.

“It’s outrageous that the loophole was used to “retrospectively justify an outcome that had already been decided” which flies in the face of goo procurement.

“By pre-cooking the outcome National forced officials to use a legal loophole they know was never intended for this type of procurement.

“Ministers must stop from riding roughshod over procurement rules to maintain public trust and confidence and NZ’s reputation for public sector integrity.

“Meanwhile other mental health community groups locked out of government funding are struggling to provide critical services to their communities, and several have already closed,” Ingrid Leary said.

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Te Whatu Ora’s finances have deteriorated under the National Government, turning a surplus into a deficit, and breaking promises made to New Zealanders to pay for it.

“Te Whatu Ora’s books reveal how much the Government has been gaslighting New Zealanders,” Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said.

“They spun stories about growth in back office staff and layers of management to justify cuts but these documents released today don’t back those claims.

“It is clear the cause of Health New Zealand’s deficit is underfunding, not over spending.

“It’s what we’ve been saying all along – increased costs for nurses account for much of Te Whatu Ora’s costs.

“National campaigned on there being a workforce crisis, and inherited a successful international recruitment campaign from Labour.

“Both the health minister Shane Reti and the finance minister Nicola Willis became aware of nursing costs exceeding budget in March, but decisions taken in May did not address these costs. The Government’s own choices caused Health New Zealand’s structural deficit.

“More than $500 million of Te Whatu Ora’s deficit was caused by Cabinet deciding not to transfer funds put aside for pay equity for nurses, midwives and allied health staff.

“It’s hard to see how the Minister can say there’s no hiring freeze of frontline staff when it’s clear as day in these documents. As early as April this year, a “recruitment pause” has been in place.

“They’ve broken multiple promises to New Zealanders about cuts not affecting frontline services, and made up a fairytale to explain why.

“They are supposed to be providing the best health system they can, instead they’re backing out of their commitments and pretending they aren’t. New Zealanders just want to know the health system is there for them when they need it.

“They are now cutting services and penny-pinching, blaming back office staff who keep the health system functioning.

“Reckless tax cuts mean National can’t fund the health system we all need and rely on. It’s an absolute mess,” Ayesha Verrall said.

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The Prime Minister’s decision to back his firearms minister on gun law changes despite multiple warnings shows his political judgement has failed him yet again.

“It is the second time in two weeks Christopher Luxon has backed a junior minister from a coalition party rather than listening to warnings about public safety,” Labour firearms spokesperson Ginny Andersen said.

“This time it’s Nicole McKee who is the ‘ace out of place’ as Christopher Luxon would say, having made changes to legislation loosening reporting requirements for clubs and ranges.

“Police have raised safety concerns, given this change may create a loophole for gangs, extremists, or other criminals to get easy access to ammunition. But the changes were labelled ‘minor tweaks’ by the Prime Minister to media yesterday, and by doing so he effectively threw police and concerns for their safety under a bus.

“Christopher Luxon is putting the interests of New Zealanders second to the short-term political deals that have seen him back incompetent ministerial decisions. We need better leadership than this and he should end the distraction Nicole McKee is causing.

The Government has:

• Dismissed warnings from Police in a Cabinet paper about the loophole Nicole McKee is creating for ammunition sales
• Dismissed former Police Minister and deputy PM Paula Bennett’s version of events about advice she received from Nicole McKee
• Ignored pleas from ethnic communities to not weaken firearms laws

• Failed to heed the advice of Parliament’s cross party Petitions Committee that questioned the capability of gun clubs and shooting range operators to screen, assess, monitor and report their users. According to the Firearms Safety Authority this can legally include unlicensed people if they shoot under supervision of a licence holder.

“Christopher Luxon fails to understand the risks he is opening up and should heed the report of the Royal Commission into the terror attacks, which are under renewed scrutiny this week at the Coronial inquiry in Christchurch,” Ginny Andersen said.

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At Labour’s insistence, Te Whatu Ora financial documents have been released by the Health Select Committee today showing more cuts are on the way for our health system.

“The Government has manufactured a financial crisis to justify stripping back the health system. These cuts are affecting patient care,” Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said.

“The Government said it wouldn’t touch the front line, but it has broken that promise.

Te Whatu Ora’s internal budget shows all four regions of New Zealand are getting less than the previous year of between about six percent and 14 percent, an average of nearly nine percent across the country.

“We have seen communities in Buller and Dunedin march in the streets demanding better health services for their people. Labour will stand with communities and fight for the health services they need and deserve.

“Te Whatu Ora’s deficit can be explained in part by hiring more nurses, doctors and allied staff such as physiotherapists, necessary and consistent with the workforce plan Labour put in place. This is exactly where the Government should be investing, not cutting.

“However, the FTE numbers show what frontline staff have been telling us – that there is now a hiring freeze starting to take effect.

“The Government also withheld $529 million from Te Whatu Ora to pay nursing, midwifery and allied staff the pay increases they got in 2023. This would account for a big chunk of Te Whatu Ora’s deficit in the last financial year.

“The documents further undermine the Government’s story that Te Whatu Ora’s deficit is fuelled by back office roles. It’s important the health system is staffed by those who care for patients and keep the whole system functioning – like those booking appointments, orderlies and cleaners.

“If there is any bump in non-clinical staff, it’s under Minister of Health Shane Reti’s watch, as there is an almost doubling of management and admin personnel costs in June 2024. Given that he has brought in expensive commissioners and regional CEs he needs to come clean about the cause of this increase.

“These financial documents don’t support the Government’s spin. Shane Reti made up claims about 14 layers of management to justify cuts to frontline services.

“The Government has the wrong priorities – its reckless tax cuts are harming the health services New Zealanders need and depend on,” Ayesha Verrall said.

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The coalition Government’s backroom deals with coal and ironsands mining companies have finally been revealed – and it’s not pretty.

“The coalition Government has just confirmed a line-up of projects that could wreak havoc on our natural environment,” Labour’s acting environment spokesperson David Parker said.

“The list includes previously rejected projects like Trans-Tasman Resources’ seabed mining and the Waitaha Hydro Project – both rejected for their adverse effects on the environment. 

“It’s now clear why the Government has hidden this list for so long.

“We’ve seen worrying cases like the Ōhinemuri River turning orange due to arsenic from an old mine. Dozens of other contaminated sites, many from mining, are still waiting to be cleaned up at the cost of New Zealanders, not the polluters.

“More than 100 projects were approved under Labour’s version of fast track without overriding environmental laws. This included projects for renewable energy, transmission, housing, roads and retirement villages.

“This time it is different – environmental protections under the Resource Management Act, the Conservation Act, the Wildlife Act and the Mining Act can and will be overridden. There is no credible explanation for conferring those wide powers to override those Acts.  

“This backwards move is irresponsible, and will undermine our clean-green reputation, which underlies the premium price New Zealand gets for our milk and meat exports.

“The tens of thousands of New Zealanders who marched in protest against the Fast Track Bill are right to be disappointed,” David Parker said.

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Fresh questions have been raised about the conduct of the Firearms Minister after revelations she misled New Zealanders about her role in stopping gun reforms prior to the mosque shootings.

Despite previously claiming on TVNZ Q+A that she urged the Government to close the loopholes around high capacity magazines – it’s now been revealed that did not happen.

In fact, it was her suggestion to the then Minister Paula Bennett that she reject select committee recommendations around semi-automatic firearms, which would’ve closed the loopholes later exploited by the March 15 terrorist.

“It’s the latest in a list of concerns about conflicts of interest for the Minister, who is still closely linked to the gun lobby while trying to roll back legal safeguards put in place after the terror attacks,” Labour’s Police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said.

“This reporting is even more concerning as the next phase in the coronial inquiry into the terror attack gets underway this coming week. It will explicitly address the history of firearms reforms and make recommendations to stop such an attack happening again.

“The Firearms Minister also has authority over Coronial matters in her role as Courts Minister. The conflicts and questions are now too great for the public to have any confidence that she is the right person to be in charge of gun laws.

“The Prime Minister must strip her of the firearms portfolio. The Coalition Agreement never required her to hold that position and it would be a display of leadership if he took action,” Ginny Andersen said.

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