Category: National Party

Source: National Party – Headline: Pressure building on Govt to halt employment law changes

Time is running out for employers to submit on Labour’s first sweeping changes to employment law, National Party Workplace Relations Spokesperson Michael Woodhouse says.

“Business owners and managers only have until Easter to submit on these proposals which will result in significantly increased powers for unions in the workplace,” Mr Woodhouse says.

“The changes will create all sorts of problems for small and medium sized business owners. They tilt the playing field in favour of unions with new requirements to conclude bargaining, keep paying in full those on partial strikes, and requiring employers in an industry to bargain together if that’s what the union wants.

“All up there are at least 10 union-friendly changes that will only slow down job and wage growth. And that’s before we get to the severe new restrictions on 90 day trials.

“We have added 245,000 jobs in this country over the last two calendar years and these changes fly in the face of that reality.”

Mr Woodhouse says employers and workers can get help with their submission by going to the www.protectnzjobs.co.nz.

“There is a submission form which clearly lays out the changes so submitters can select which of them they most oppose.

“I’m surprised how many people I talk to who still aren’t aware of these changes. The Protect NZ Jobs website is an easy way to get up to speed quickly, so you don’t wake up later and find out it has all already happened.

“The Government still hasn’t explained why these changes make any sense for the New Zealand economy, workers or employers.

“That’s because there is absolutely no justification beyond being a simple payoff for Labour’s union supporters at the expense of everyone else.

“New Zealanders need to reject Labour’s pro-union law changes now or there will be even more harmful reforms later in the year, including the ability of the Government to dictate pay rates across entire industries.”

Make your submission here.

Source: National Party – Headline: New Whips to help keep National moving forward

Opposition Leader Simon Bridges has announced the election by Caucus of National’s three Whips, with Barbara Kuriger today elected Senior Whip, Matt Doocey Junior Whip and Tim van de Molen Third Whip.

“These three MPs have an important role to play in helping ensure the efforts of all 56 National MPs are focused on holding this Government to account and coming up with the plans and policies to take New Zealand forward.

“They have a big job. The National Party caucus is Parliament’s largest and it is brimming with energy and enthusiasm and a willingness to work in the best interests of New Zealand.

“It must also be disciplined and focused and represent our communities effectively.

“Ensuring that strength and talent is taking New Zealand forward is my focus as Leader and I am delighted to have these three strong MPs elected to play an important role in that.

“Our three Whips will help ensure the National Party earns the trust of New Zealanders and the right to govern in their interests in 2020.”

Source: National Party – Headline: Collins: Kiwi ‘build’ anything but

In spite of the Government’s spin and bluster its much-heralded Kiwibuild programme is yet to yield a single new house, National Party Housing and Development Spokesperson Judith Collins says.

“Like so much of what we’re seeing from this Government they’re full of big talk but they’re not getting anything done.

“Case in point – 145 days into its sleepwalk at the helm of this country its flagship Kiwibuild programme is yet to result in a single house even being started.

“These houses are nothing more than a twinkle in the eye of the man who has done nothing but talk about them – Housing Minister Phil Twyford.

“That’s in spite of the Government promising to get Kiwibuild underway as part of its 100-day plan.

“Mr Twyford also confirmed in Question Time today that they are planning to buy off private developments that were already underway prior to the change in Government.  That’s not adding anything – it’s bludging off the private sector.

“The Government just needs to be honest with the public. Much of the ‘Kiwibuild pipeline’ that the Housing Minister continues to talk about adds nothing new to the record residential building boom underway under the previous Government.

“Get on with it, Phil. People need homes, not pipelines.” 

Source: National Party – Headline: National urges Govt to be more ambitious with child poverty legislation

National has today lodged three Supplementary Order Papers (SOPs) seeking to give some teeth to the proposed law to reduce child poverty, Children’s spokesperson Alfred Ngaro says.

“In its current form the Bill simply codifies the actions National was already taking to reduce child poverty. The SOPs have been designed to take the next step in that journey, and to force the Government to be more ambitious with its targets, measures, and evidence.

“We supported the Bill to select committee but have always said that our ongoing support would depend on the Government agreeing to make changes that will ensure it measurably improves deprivation.

“The first SOP asks the Minister responsible, Jacinda Ardern, to ensure there is regular reporting of outcomes around a selected number of child poverty-related indicators such as household material conditions, educational development, health and safety.

“The second SOP asks the Minister to set a target to reduce the number of children in material hardship by 100,000 in three years – just as she committed to during the election campaign. This was a target National had committed to with support from initiatives such as the Family Incomes Package last year.

“The final SOP requires all Budget initiatives or proposals with an impact on child poverty reduction to take into account the principles of the Social Investment approach. This could include subjecting any proposals to a cost benefit analysis and a Social Investment Analytical Layer (SIAL).

“This will ensure data and evidence is a cornerstone of the decision-making around investing in, and funding, initiatives to reduce child poverty, rather than just encouraging Labour’s habit of throwing money at a problem.

“In the spirit of bipartisanship, National has three times sought to discuss our concerns with the Prime Minister about the Bill, as well as our proposed solutions.

“I look forward to discussing these SOPs as they come in front of the Social Services and Community select committee and I hope the Government makes good on its commitment to remove the politics from child poverty and supports these proposals,” Mr Ngaro says. 

Source: National Party – Headline: Minister should release Treasury advice on EQC reform

National is welcoming the announcement of reforms to the EQC Act but is calling on the release of information around one that could be prohibitively expensive National’s EQC spokesperson Stuart Smith says.

“EQC cover is unique to anywhere else in the world and works very well.

“The reforms announced by Megan Woods today are largely a result of the review of the Act announced by the National Government last year.

“I am pleased that the Government has picked up most of the recommendations particularly raising the cap from $100,000 to $150, 000.

“However, extending the claim period from three months to two years will prove incredibly expensive and problematic.

“In a big event, it will confuse arguments of apportionment between reinsurers so the Minister needs to answer how different events are defined within that two year period.

“Following the February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch for example, there were literally thousands of aftershocks, many of which were considered separate events.

“This announcement will likely cause significant increases in costs to policyholders – I’d like to know from the Minister what advice she has had from Treasury about how much this will be – and whether Treasury supports the extension of the claims period.

“I am calling on the Minister to release Treasury’s advice on this matter,” Mr Smith says.

Source: National Party – Headline: Govt picks up National’s work on year and a day law

National Party Justice Spokesperson Mark Mitchell welcomes news that Justice Minister Andrew Little is continuing the work of his predecessor Amy Adams to repeal the one year and one day law as part of the Crimes Amendment Bill.

“Mr Little’s announcement that Cabinet will today discuss a draft bill started in 2017 by then-Justice Minister Amy Adams is good news.

“Ms Adams asked officials in July 2017 to begin work on a number of potential amendments to the Crimes Act, including the repeal of Section 162 that states no one can be held criminally responsible for a death that occurs a year and a day after the cause of death.

“It’s good to see the Government picking up where National left off. The law as it stands doesn’t make sense, as demonstrated by the inability to prosecute anyone for the CTV building collapse. We also know that victims of serious assaults, for example, are able to survive longer because of advances in technology, meaning that perpetrators can avoid liability if their victims die outside the legislated period.

“Ms Adams also sought advice on including the repeal of blasphemous libel in the Crimes Amendment Bill, as well as amending self-defence laws to ensure that a person can claim self-defence even if that person is responding to a threat that is not imminent.

“The latter is particularly relevant to cases involving family violence, where a perpetrator’s behaviour can escalate to the point where victims may feel their life is in danger and the need to take drastic action. I hope that the Government will also continue our work on this.

“Thanks to the previous Government, Mr Little has plenty of opportunities to continue our work to make the justice system work better for New Zealanders.”

Source: National Party – Headline: National urges Aucklanders to submit on fuel tax

Aucklanders should make their opposition heard on the proposal to introduce a new regional fuel tax in Auckland, National Party Transport Spokesperson Jami-Lee Ross and Auckland Local Government Spokesperson Denise Lee say.

“The Auckland regional fuel tax is not needed. The enforcement is complicated, and it will hit Aucklanders in the pocket,” Mr Ross says.

“Under a National Government, we were able to live within our means while still investing in major projects such as the Waterview tunnel, rail electrification and the Western Ring Route.

“The Auckland Council should be applying more discipline to its own finances in order to properly fund core services such as transport. Current funding shortfalls should be the responsibility of council with help from central Government, rather than a new tax on hardworking Aucklanders.”

“Aucklanders are in the odd situation where they are being asked to submit on a new tax where there is very little information available,” Ms Lee says.

“There is no current ability for Auckland Council to implement a fuel tax, no legislation before Parliament to allow it to happen and, therefore, no detail on what this means to everyday Auckland drivers.

“Aucklanders are concerned about the Council wasting money. They need to tell the Council they oppose a new tax which would just let the Council off the hook.”

Submissions can be made here.

Source: National Party – Headline: Bridges welcomes Green Party Questions

National Party Leader Simon Bridges has welcomed the Green Party’s decision to give the Opposition its allocated Oral Questions in Parliament to allow it to better hold the weak Ardern-Peters Government to account.

“I said when I became Leader that National would remain firmly focused on being an effective Opposition and in the past weeks we have continued to do that.

“That includes during Parliamentary Question Time when Opposition MPs get Ministers on their feet asking questions of importance to New Zealanders, and those efforts will now be bolstered by the Green Party’s decision.

“National will use the Green Party’s Questions as well its own to continue to focus on the issues that matter to New Zealanders – the economy, law and order, housing, public services and the environment.

“The Green Party’s willingness for this weak Government to be held to account is commendable and we will honour the spirit of this move by doing so strongly.”

Source: National Party – Headline: Shameless Shane Jones pimps his ride

Shameless Shane Jones is not just rolling out the pork for Northland, but focusing that pork in his own close neighbourhood to help him get around, National Party Regional Development Spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“Today’s announcement that there will be a Government subsidy for the Kerikeri airport expansion just over the fence from Shane Jones house follows the $9 million announcement of the Waipapa roundabout which is just up the road from the same house,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“And once again, no criteria, no process by which the money is assessed, just a Minister writing out taxpayer cheques when he feels like it.

“The Kerikeri airport upgrade was listed in the previous Government’s regional action plan for Northland – but it was clear it was the responsibility of the airport owner, Far North Holdings.

“In this country airports pay for their upgrades out of their own pockets. Why is Kerikeri airport different, beyond it being the airport Shane Jones uses?

“It’s the same with the Waipapa roundabout project. Why was that chosen to be able to dip into Shane’s fund over the myriads of other roading projects around the country?

“Is there a plan now for all airport expansions to be subsidized, or all roundabouts? How do airport companies and councils apply? What are the criteria?

“This announcement comes hard on the heels of the news that Defence Minister Ron Mark was using the Air Force as his private taxi service, and the decision to use an Air Force Hercules to take eight Ministers to the Chatham Islands to open the new wharf.

“This behaviour is quite shameless,” Mr Goldsmith says. “It would be laughable if it wasn’t about the serious use of taxpayers’ money.

“The Prime Minister needs to enforce the rules around the use of public money and put some proper disciplines around the allocation of money from the Provincial Growth Fund.

“If she doesn’t, her Ministers will think they have an ongoing right to put money into whatever takes their fancy and take hardworking New Zealanders for a ride.

“The National led Government was very focused on a comprehensive action plan to grow Northland. We just took the view that Northland was bigger than an area within a 5 kilometre radius of Shane Jones’ place.”

Source: National Party – Headline: Government breaching Bill of Rights

The Government must reconsider amendments to the Electoral Act enabling party leaders to dismiss MPs from Parliament following today’s damning submission from leading political and legal academics, National’s Electoral Law Spokesperson Nick Smith says.

“This chorus of condemnation from such a large group of political and legal academics shows what a dog this Bill is. It is unprecedented for so many experts to come out so united against a Government electoral law change.

“These 19 academics, from five universities including seven professors, conclude that this Bill breaches the Bill of Rights.

“Their evidence is unequivocal that these electoral law changes are flawed, will harm our democracy and will give party leaders too much power. It rightly argues that voters, and voters alone, must reserve the right to hire and fire MPs through the ballot box.

“The Government would be wise to withdraw this Bill in the wake of such damning criticism. It is trying to fix a problem from 20 years ago when MMP was introduced and 25 MPs switched parties, but which has been resolved by voters ejecting the opportunists and re-electing those who did so on justifiable grounds.

“The Bill makes the flawed assumption that all MPs who fall out with their party are unprincipled and lack integrity. It undermines core Kiwi values of freedom of expression and tolerance of dissent.

“Governments must exercise restraint in electoral law changes and the convention has developed that significant changes require a supermajority. This Bill sets an awful and dangerous precedent where a party with only seven per cent support has used its leverage in government formation to force permanent changes to electoral law that undermine democracy.

“This is a crude power grab by Winston Peters to give him absolute power over his MPs in this fragile government, but which dangerously converts New Zealand into what the Inter Parliamentary Union calls a party dictatorship.

“Fundamentally this Bill is an attack on basic democratic values and centuries-old freedom of speech in our Parliament. National will oppose the Bill at every step and with every tool available.”