New Zealand Legislature – Page 107

September 6, 2023

National put climate action into reverse gear

Source: Green Party

The National Party’s plan to install EV chargers while at the same time making it harder for people to buy an EV is bizarre and ridiculous.

“There is no point building new charging infrastructure if people can’t afford to buy an EV when they need a new car,” says Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter.

“The Clean Car Discount has been one of the most successful climate policies Aotearoa has had. In June 2023, one in two cars sold was an EV. Scrapping this policy makes no sense and will likely reduce the ability of New Zealanders to access EVs, and increase emissions.

“This morning, standing in front of a huge “zero” sign, Chris Luxon presented zero new ideas to help Aotearoa fight climate change.

“The government already has a plan to put charging hubs in place every 150 – 200 kms on main highways by 2028. It makes absolutely no sense to cancel the one policy that is doing more than any other to drive the massive adoption of EVs around the country.

“Over the last week, the National Party has committed to cancelling one of the most successful climate policies NZ has and pledged to cut $2 billion from the climate budget, which is currently paying for EV chargers.

“That says all you need to know about how little National cares about climate change.

“Aotearoa has the potential to be the first country in the world to completely transition away from petrol and diesel vehicles. To do that we need effective incentives, as well as charging infrastructure.

“National would put climate action in Aotearoa into reverse gear.

“Their preferred coalition partner, the ACT Party, have also promised to restart drilling for fossil fuels. ACT have also said they will repeal the Zero Carbon Act and get rid of the Climate Commission. I cannot think of a greater risk to New Zealand’s climate action than a National-ACT government.

“The decisions that will be made in the next term of Parliament will determine the speed and scale of climate action in Aotearoa for the next fifteen years. It is critical that we continue to build momentum. To make it happen, we need more Green MPs and Ministers around the decision making table,” says Julie Anne Genter.

September 6, 2023

Have your say on the Employment Relations (Protection for Kiwisaver Members) Amendment Bill

Source: New Zealand Parliament

This bill aims to restore some key financial protections given to KiwiSaver members by the Employment Relations Act 2000, which were amended by the Employment Relations Amendment Act 2008 and resulted in employers not being legally required to offer the same terms or benefits to someone enrolled in KiwiSaver as they do to someone who is not. The bill therefore also aims to ensure that workers cannot be discriminated against because they are members of a KiwiSaver scheme or a complying superannuation fund.

Under current legislation, employers are not legally obliged to offer workers enrolled in KiwiSaver the same terms of employment, salary or wages, conditions of work, fringe benefits, or opportunities for training and promotion and transfer, as a worker not enrolled in the scheme. Employers are also permitted to offset pay increases against workers’ KiwiSaver contributions. These settings could potentially disadvantage New Zealanders saving for their retirement, as they expose KiwiSaver members to potential discrimination due to their membership, meaning they may receive lesser protections than people who are not members of KiwiSaver. This bill aims to achieve more equal employment relations conditions for KiwiSaver members as those who do not belong to the scheme.

Tell the Finance and Expenditure Committee what you think

Make a submission on the bill by midnight on Monday, 30 October 2023.

For more details about the bill:

ENDS

For media enquiries contact:

Finance and Expenditure Committee staff

fe@parliament.govt.nz

MIL OSI

September 4, 2023

Have your say on the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill

Source: New Zealand Parliament

This bill seeks to contribute to the restoration of the health and mauri of the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana. It proposes to do this by establishing 2 marine reserves, 5 seafloor protection areas, and 12 high protection areas in the Hauraki Gulf, and acknowledging customary rights within seafloor protection areas and high protection areas.

What do you need to know?

Submissions are publicly released and published to the Parliament website. Only your name or organisation’s name is required on a submission. Please keep your contact details separate, as if they are included on the submission they will become publicly available when the submission is released.
If you wish to include information of a private or personal nature in your submission, you should discuss this with the clerk of the committee before submitting.
If you wish to speak to your submission, please state this clearly.

Tell the Environment Committee what you think

Make a submission on the bill by 11.59pm on 1 November 2023

For more details about the bill:

ENDS

For media enquiries contact:

Environment Committee staff

en@Parliament.govt.nz

MIL OSI

September 3, 2023

National’s climate pledge a joke

Source: Green Party

Today’s pledge from the National Party to deliver net zero carbon by 2050 is a bad-faith, disingenuous, and empty promise.

“The National Party’s faux climate pledge isn’t worth the paper it’s written on, coming just days after they promised to cut billions of dollars of climate action,” says the Green Party co-leader James Shaw.

National have promised to:

Defund the entire climate change work programme, across government, in order to fund tax cuts
Restart fossil fuel exploration and extraction
Delay agricultural emissions pricing by another half a decade
Cancel the successful Clean Car Discount that is driving massive adoption of EVs around the country
Cancel support for industries that are switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy

“National say they are committed to climate action on the one hand, but their actual policies make a lie of that commitment. It is disingenuous at best, straight up dishonest at worst.

“Their 2050 pledge is a sleight of hand designed to disguise their real intentions. Make no mistake: National will relegate climate action to the margins.

“National’s coalition partner, the ACT Party, have also promised to restart drilling for fossil fuels. ACT have also said they will repeal the Zero Carbon Act and get rid of the Climate Commission.

“A National-ACT government will be as unscientific as it is dangerous. I cannot think of a greater risk to New Zealand’s climate action than a National-ACT government.

“If National want to be taken seriously on any pledge to achieve net zero emissions, then they need to outline policies that might actually deliver that such as guaranteeing they won’t cave to ACT and repeal the Zero Carbon Act, and pledging to follow the advice of the Climate Commission. Just saying they’re committed to net-zero won’t deliver it.

“As part of the Government over the past six years, the Green Party has delivered New Zealand’s first year-on-year cuts to climate pollution ever. But we know that we are only just getting started.

“To make it happen, we need more Green MPs and Ministers around the decision making table,” says James Shaw.

September 2, 2023

Only the Green Party will deliver free dental care for all

Source: Green Party

With more Green MPs we can build on Labour’s announcement today and make dental care free for everyone.

“With a strong Green voice we can be bolder and provide free dental to everyone, paid for with a wealth tax,” says Green Party health spokesperson Ricardo Menéndez March.

“Everybody in Aotearoa should be able to go to the dentist when they need to. But we know that for far too many Kiwis that it is just too expensive.

“The current dental care system in Aotearoa is broken and cruel. This hasn’t happened by accident, but is the consequence of political decisions successive governments have made to exclude dental care from the public health system. This has got to change. That’s why the Green Party promised to make dental care free for everyone and to pay for it with a fair tax system.

“We’re pleased that Labour is picking up our ideas but they need to go further. Labour is unnecessarily constraining itself by ruling out changes to the tax system that would raise enough money from the wealthiest few to support everyone.

“The money we need to provide free dental for everyone is already there. All that’s missing is the political courage to use it. Today’s announcement shows that with a strong Green Party in the next Parliament we can do more.

“By making sure the wealthiest few pay their fair share through a wealth tax, we can not only provide free dental for every single person in Aotearoa, but an Income Guarantee that will give everyone peace of mind they can always cover life’s essentials.

“The most important thing for people to remember is that they get to decide what is on the table after the election. If they want free dental for everyone paid for with a wealth tax, then that’s a vote for the Green Party” says Ricardo Menéndez March.

August 31, 2023

Parliament Hansard Report – Thursday, 31 August 2023 – Volume 771 – 001211

Source: New Zealand Parliament – Hansard

ORAL QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS TO MINISTERS

Question No. 1—Finance

1. HELEN WHITE (Labour) to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he seen on the New Zealand economy?

Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): Mr Speaker—

Hon Members: Big trouble!

Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: No, just joking. I have today seen the ANZ New Zealand Business Outlook report, which says that business confidence is at its highest level since June 2021. Businesses’ confidence in their own activity is at the highest level since December 2021. This remains a tough time for many New Zealanders, but the economy is turning a corner, there are sunnier days ahead, and, as the ANZ business outlook is titled, “Goldilocks is in the building”.

Helen White: What else did the report say about the economy?

Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Well, what the report said, and I will just quote directly from it: The … “ANZ Business Outlook survey was ‘the best of all worlds’ in terms of the monthly moves.” Economy-wide activity indicators lifted across the board, both forward- and backward-looking, from activity to export investment and employment intentions, to profitability expectations and anticipated ease of credit. This has been a difficult time for many businesses, but they are looking on the upside, as is this Government.

Helen White: What other reports has he seen on the economy?

Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Well, I have seen reports coming forward of international indicators of the economy, and that includes from Moody’s Investors Service, who reaffirmed the stable outlook for New Zealand’s triple A rating, and Fitch Ratings, who also reconfirmed their rating and said that it was the Government’s policy framework and attention to making sure that we supported New Zealanders that has got us through the last few years.

Helen White: What reports has he seen on the impact of the labour market on the economy?

Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Well, employment in New Zealand continues to grow, and we have seen the labour market supporting the economy. Unemployment is at 3.6 percent, compared with 4.6 percent when we took office. The New Zealand economy has delivered eight quarters of unemployment below 4 percent—only the second time in our recent history that that has occurred. We’ve added 322,000 jobs since 2017, and average hourly earnings have risen 29 percent over the same period. We know that many Kiwi families have done it tough in the face of cost of living pressures, but they’ve done so while in paid work, with their wages rising.

Helen White: What other reports has he seen on proposals to support the economy?

Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Well, the Government is taking a balanced approach to supporting New Zealanders in dealing with the cost of living, while investing in strong public services in a financially sustainable and responsible manner. Alternatively, there are proposals that I’ve seen that involve dodgy costings for new taxes and billions of dollars of cuts to the public services that New Zealanders rely upon. If these proposals were adopted, the impact on future Budgets in the economy would be significant, making life much harder for New Zealanders, shutting out first-home buyers, and ending investment in climate action. But the good news is it ain’t gonna happen!

August 31, 2023

Parliament Hansard Report – Prayers/Karakia – 001210

Source: New Zealand Parliament – Hansard

THURSDAY, 31 AUGUST 2023

The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.

KARAKIA/PRAYERS

Hon JACQUI DEAN (Assistant Speaker—National): Almighty God, we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed on us. Laying aside all personal interests, we acknowledge the King and pray for guidance in our deliberations that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom, justice, mercy, and humility for the welfare and peace of New Zealand. Amen.

August 31, 2023

Parliament Hansard Report – Petitions, Papers, Select Committee Reports, Bills for Introduction – 001209

Source: New Zealand Parliament – Hansard

PETITIONS, PAPERS, SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS, AND INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

SPEAKER: A petition has been delivered to the Clerk for presentation.

CLERK: Petition of Millicent Dickenson requesting that the House subsidise New Zealand citizens taking a degree that leads to a mental health job.

SPEAKER: That petition stands referred to the Petitions Committee. Ministers have delivered papers.

CLERK:

Government response to the report of the Petitions Committee on the petition of Amy Blaikie.
2023-24 statements of performance expectations for Drug Free New Zealand, Sport New Zealand

SPEAKER: Those papers are published under the authority of the House. A select committee report has been delivered for presentation.

CLERK:

Report of the Social Services and Community Committee on the petitions of Rosalina Ngakopu and Brett Rawnsley.

SPEAKER: The Clerk has been informed of the introduction of bills.

CLERK:

Digital Services Tax Bill, introduction
Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) (Improving Mental Health Outcomes) Amendment Bill, introduction
Electoral (Equal Protection of Māori Seats) Amendment Bill, introduction
Employment Relations (Trial Periods) Amendment Bill, introduction.

SPEAKER: Those bills are set down for first reading.

August 31, 2023

National needs to come clean about climate cuts

Source: Green Party

The National Party needs to come clean about the impact of its plan to raid the climate budget and cancel $2 billion of investment in action to cut emissions.

“National’s plan to rip billions of dollars out of climate action in a climate emergency is dangerous and grossly irresponsible,” says the co-leader of the Green Party, James Shaw.

“National’s so-called ‘climate dividend’ is a sleight of hand designed to slow climate action. It’s climate denial dressed up as a tax cut. That’s it.

“I find it insulting, frankly, to the thousands of people who dedicate their lives to fighting for faster climate action. For the National Party to co-opt the language of climate action to justify delay is appalling.

“National’s plan is a climate change turbo-changed perfect storm of tax cuts for property speculators, rising rents and house prices, and climate inaction.

“On the very same day National said it planned to rip billions of dollars out of climate action, its coalition partner, the ACT Party, said “there’s no point” reducing emissions.

“National and ACT are as unscientific as they are dangerous – and they have proven themselves to be utterly out of touch with the needs of the people they claim to represent.

“I cannot think of a greater danger to our country than a National and ACT government. They are disingenuous, harmful and acting in bad faith.

“If National is going to play fast and loose with our future, they need to come clean about exactly what they are planning to cut from the climate budget.

“In the two years since I helped set it up, the Climate Emergency Response Fund has allocated over $4billion into action to reduce emissions, all of which has been raised directly from our biggest polluters.

“We already know National wants to double the price of catching the bus or train for people on the lowest incomes. What else is on the chopping block?

• New walking and cycling routes
• Investment in clean, affordable renewable energy
• Community energy projects
• Improving the pay of bus drivers
• Action to ensure the transition to a low carbon future is fair and equitable
• Cutting emissions from carbon-intensive process heat
• Māori climate action
• Low- and zero-emissions buses
• Reducing emissions from waste
• Decarbonising freight transport

“I set up the Climate Emergency Response Fund so money raised from our biggest polluters could be recycled into climate action. I will fight every step of the way to make sure National does not get its hands on it,” says James Shaw.

August 31, 2023