Category: National Party

Source: National Party – Headline: Bridges appoints Adams Finance Spokesperson

Opposition Leader Simon Bridges has appointed Amy Adams as Opposition Finance Spokesperson, saying she is the best person to ensure the Government builds on the National Party’s world-class economic record and does not squander New Zealand’s hard-won success.

“I am today announcing Amy Adams as our Finance Spokesperson and the third-ranked MP in our Caucus, ahead of the caucus reshuffle to show the economy remains the National Party’s number one priority.

“Having a strong economy allows us to invest in public services and create opportunities for New Zealanders – something the National Party has demonstrated over the past decade.

“And, as a result of our strong economic plan this Government has inherited one of the fastest growing economies in the developed world, one which is seeing 10,000 jobs created a month on average, rising household incomes, budget surpluses, and falling government debt. All this is helping ensure New Zealanders get ahead.

“However, the Labour-NZ First-Green coalition Government seems intent on squandering that through plans to impose more taxes on hard-working New Zealanders and through rolling out negative and backward looking policies which will slow down our growth and see New Zealanders miss out.

“The National Party will fight these changes and Amy is the best person to lead that effort.

“Amy is an incredibly experienced former Minister, serving as Associate Minister of Finance as well as holding a range of important and challenging portfolios, from Social Housing to Justice and Environment, which she handled with real diligence and focus.

“She has chaired Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Select Committee, has a background in commercial law and is a talented and hard-working member of the National Party caucus.

“Amy follows in the footsteps of the National Party’s hugely successful finance ministers, Bill English and Steven Joyce, and I have no doubt she’ll do a great job on behalf of all New Zealanders. I look forward having her on my team.”

Source: National Party – Headline: National welcomes discussion on climate change policy

The National Party welcomes a report from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) outlining recommendations on how New Zealand can transition to a low carbon economy, Climate Change spokesperson Todd Muller says.

“National is up for the conversation about the steps we can take as a country to transition to a lower carbon economy. We all want to ensure that our natural environment can be enjoyed by our children and their children but it must be done carefully so as not to shock established sectors.

“There are a number of very substantive proposals in the report, which we will discuss as a Caucus, but it’s good that the PCE has acknowledged a Climate Change Commission would need to take into account New Zealand’s particular and specific circumstances.

“We believe it is possible to drive environmental improvements while continuing economic growth, but we need to make sure we get the balance right.

“The Government has signalled it will seek Opposition feedback in drafting climate change legislation and we look forward to that,” Mr Muller says.

Source: National Party – Headline: Bridges pays tribute to Steven Joyce

National Party Leader Simon Bridges has thanked retiring MP Steven Joyce for his service to New Zealand and the National Party.

“Steven has made a huge contribution during his 15 year political career, including in the last decade in Parliament. In that time he has proven an exceptional minister, colleague, advisor and political strategist.

“As a minister, Steven has played a major role in helping create a stronger New Zealand, particularly in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis.

“Among his many successes, he oversaw the rollout of the ambitious Ultra-Fast Broadband programme, ensuring New Zealand is one of the most digitally advanced economies in the world.

“As Science and Innovation Minister he worked with the private sector to substantially lift investment in R and D, helping pave the way for some of the world leading science and business initiatives we are seeing and benefiting from today.

“And as Transport Minister he helped make New Zealand’s roads safer and more resilient, through initiatives like the Roads of National Significance.

“He was someone both John Key and Bill English turned to for advice and to get things done. That meant he was given some tough tasks but he consistently rose to those challenges. And I will also continue to use him as a sounding board as the National Party looks to 2020.

“He played a major role in rebuilding the National Party, leading the past five elections and helping turn National into New Zealand’s largest and most popular political party.

“Steven is a huge loss to Parliament and to the National Party and I want to thank him for his immense contribution to New Zealand, and his wife Suzanne and their children for sharing them with us. We wish him all the best.”

Source: National Party – Headline: Joyce to retire from Parliament

National Party MP Steven Joyce has announced today that he will retire from Parliament.

“I have had a wonderful time in this place over the last nearly ten years including nine years as a Minister, and have been privileged to be able to make a real contribution to the development of our country,” Mr Joyce says.

“With the recent change of National Party leadership I have had the opportunity to consider again what I would like to do over the next several years.

“Simon has made a very positive proposal to me to stay and contribute as a senior member of the team on the front bench with a choice of portfolio.

“However I feel that it is time for him to get a new team around him to take National forward and win in 2020 and then govern again for the benefit of all New Zealanders.

“I have offered to assist in any way I can from outside parliament and will remain a staunch supporter of the Party.

“Personal highlights of my time in office include setting up major infrastructure projects like ultrafast broadband, the major motorway and expressway projects now coming on stream, and the electrification of Auckland’s commuter rail network.

“I have also enjoyed my involvement in the tertiary education sector, the hi-tech sector, the science sector and regional New Zealand and am proud of the progress we made as a Government in all four areas.

“I have led the National Party’s general election campaign five times as Campaign Chair and in four of those for John Key and Bill English, we achieved a Party Vote in excess of 44 per cent, the only time it has happened under MMP.

“And it was an honour to be Bill English’s Associate Minister of Finance for eight years before presenting my own budget in 2017, which continued building the platform for future economic growth and focused on boosting incomes for low and middle income earners.

“My plan now is to return to commercial life and seek new challenges and also to focus on being a good Dad to Tommy and Amelia.

“I’d like to thank my wife Suzanne, colleagues, staff, party supporters, the public and all the people I have met through my work for their encouragement, support and friendship over the last ten years in Parliament and fifteen in the party.”

Source: National Party – Headline: Stats Minister MIA as Census day dawns

Census day has dawned with a Minister missing in action as the raft of unresolved issues pile up, National’s former Minister of Statistics Scott Simpson says.

“James Shaw is new to Government and he needs to get his priorities right,” Mr Simpson says.

“The Census is the most important public interaction that Statistics NZ carry out.

“It’s unbelievable that in light of the multitude of problems being reported by those grappling with the country’s first online census, he has chosen to be swanning around the Pacific on a junket while his officials at Statistics NZ are left to carry the can.

“There are real concerns around New Zealanders not receiving their code letters, some are struggling with online access and many are reporting a lack of response to queries and calls for help.

“It’s obvious that officials are really struggling to land a credible result for the 2018 Census and, so far, the most interest their Minister has shown was to berate them for not asking more questions about gender and the LGBTQI community.

“It is deeply ironic that the Minister, the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister are all overseas this evening, and won’t be counted in this important snapshot of our society,” Mr Simpson says.

National’s disabilities spokesperson Nicky Wagner says reports that Kiwis with disabilities are especially struggling to complete this year’s Census online are extremely disappointing.

“Not only does it exclude them from the opportunity to take part, but it’s likely the results will be skewed because so many people from this sector of society won’t be represented.

“It would be good to see the Minister step up and take a lead on this issue – even at the 11th hour – instead of focussing on his other interests,” Mrs Wagner says.

Source: National Party – Headline: Where’s the money coming from Minister?

Long-awaited funding to fight the outbreak of the cattle disease Mycoplasma Bovis will be welcome news to affected farmers, but it remains to be seen how quickly compensation will be paid out, National’s Primary Industries spokesperson Nathan Guy says.

“The Government’s announced funding of $85 million for operational and compensation costs but it looks like they’ve included $10 million previously set aside, and the $11 million that industry has been asked to stump up.

“It’s highly likely the Government’s contribution has been reprioritised from other funds that have been shelved. We know that irrigation projects have been put on ice – and the Primary Growth Partnership’s R&D funding has been raided to rebrand MPI.

“Given the massive spending pressures the Coalition is already under I can’t imagine the Finance Minister Grant Robertson writing out a new cheque for Damien O’Connor.

Bio-security spokesperson Barbara Kuriger says she hopes that the funding will at least mean the compensation process for affected farmers can move at pace.

“I’m pleased there is finally some relief and certainty for our farmers and rural communities. The sector has been crying out for this support for a long time now.

“The overall response has been too slow and the incursion has spread.

“It is imperative that farmers lodge a claim for compensation. So far it seems that just 51 have made claims for compensation out of 1500 that have potentially been affected.

“Of those 51, just 10 have been paid in full or in part so I’m urging all affected farmers to lodge a claim and get themselves in the system,” Mrs Kuriger says.

Source: National Party – Headline: Govt should be encouraged to support Nat’s pay equity Bill

Confirmation from a second working group into pay equity principles that National’s policy settings were largely on the right track should encourage the Government to support a private member’s Bill, National MP Denise Lee says. 

Maungakiekie MP Denise Lee’s Employment (Pay Equity and Equal Pay) Bill re-introduces the previous Government’s pay equity legislation which was withdrawn from Parliament in November last year by the Labour Government.

“The reconvened Joint Working Group on Pay Equity Principles has reported back to Ministers reconfirming the principles recommended by the first Group to the National Government.

“The reconvened Group has changed just one principle to clarify and simplify the process for initiating a pay equity claim and has agreed that principles on comparators are appropriate and sufficient.

“Given this, it’s my hope that the Government will now support my Bill at its First Reading to Select Committee so we can make progress as quickly as possible.

“This Bill is a significant step towards closing the gender pay gap by ensuring female-dominated jobs are paid fairly,” Ms Lee says. 

“It sets out a practical and fair process for employees working in jobs predominantly performed by women to follow if they believe they are not being paid what their job is worth.

“We are committed to achieving pay equity in New Zealand. Addressing and correcting the pay imbalance will benefit individual women, their families, and future generations of New Zealanders.”