Category: Political Parties

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Power of the people on full display as hīkoi approaches Parliament

Source: Green Party

Today, Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrived in Wellington, with thousands gathering to march in unity against the divisive Treaty Principles Bill.

“Tens of thousands have marched from Te Rerenga Wairua to Pōneke, with a force that has shaken the ground and filled the atmosphere with the strength of our people,” says Green Party MP for Wellington Central, Tamatha Paul.

“The energy, the power—it’s palpable here on the ground. 

“We have seen, time and again, where the current Government has led us—and it’s clear they are trying to take us down a path of division, not unity. One leader claims he wants to bring people together but supports policies that drive us further apart. Another leader throws around terms like ‘equality,’ yet seems to misunderstand its very essence. And the third? Where is he on all of this?

“Politicians come and go. Governments come and go. Te Tiriti o Waitangi endures.

“Today, we’re here to show those in power exactly where the true mana of this land lies – with the people.

“Today, we have shown that when we stand together, we are a force that cannot be ignored. We carry the voices, the hopes, and the future of Aotearoa. The power of the people is alive and unstoppable, and we are here to make that loud and clear. Toitū Te Tiriti!” says Tamatha Paul.

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Submissions open: All Kiwis encouraged to finally have a say on the Treaty

Source: ACT Party

With public submissions now open on the Treaty Principles Bill, ACT Leader David Seymour is encouraging all New Zealanders to have their say.

“Since 1975 when the Waitangi Tribunal decided the Treaty has ‘principles’, the job of interpreting those principles has been left to unelected judges. That changes today,” says Mr Seymour.

“For the first time, Kiwis of all backgrounds are now able to tell Parliament what they think the Treaty means for future generations of New Zealanders.

“Are we a ‘partnership’ between two different groups with different rights? Or are we a modern multi-ethnic democracy united by common humanity, where each person has the same rights and duties?

“This fundamental question needs to be answered if we are to move forward and solve our problems together.

“Thousands of New Zealanders are marching in Wellington today to make their feelings known. I hope they will now read the Bill and engage in the substance of the debate via the select committee process.

“Many more New Zealanders in the rest of the country are going about their day as normal, working to provide a better future for themselves and their loves ones. I hope they will also make their voice heard by making a submission when they have the time.”

Submissions to the Justice select committee close on 7 January.

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RNZ host needs to at least give pretence of impartiality

Source: ACT Party

An RNZ host is exploiting her taxpayer-funded platform to support protests against ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill, says ACT Public Service spokesman Todd Stephenson.

“Mihingarangi Forbes is a co-host of RNZ’s Saturday Mornings and hosts the RNZ podcast Mata. She has joined the hīkoi, posing for photos with protest leaders and using official RNZ social media channels to post in support,” says Mr Stephenson.

“Much of the media has already dropped any pretence of impartiality when it comes to reporting on the Treaty Principles Bill and the hīkoi. TVNZ chief content officer Nevak Rogers has also joined and supported the hīkoi.

“The difference with RNZ is that it’s funded by the taxpayer, and Forbes’s show Mata has received close to a million dollars in additional funding from NZ on Air.

“As a public sector agency, RNZ is subject to integrity and conduct standards, including those of impartiality.

“It’s time these standards were enforced. RNZ bosses should give Forbes an ultimatum: stop your political campaigning, or face the same sanctions anyone else would.”

Notes to editors: If the Instagram posts are removed, screenshots are captured here and here.

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Fare-dodging leads to violence. Auckland Transport must take a tougher line

Source: ACT Party

ACT is calling on Auckland Transport to stop tolerating fare dodging, with a major contractor saying lax enforcement is leading to antisocial behaviour and even serious assaults on buses.

“Antisocial fare dodgers discourage Aucklanders from using public transport. They deprive AT of revenue and load costs onto rule-abiding ratepayers. They are threatening, stealing from, and assaulting bus drivers and passengers,” says Auckland-based ACT MP Dr Parmar.

“In September, I met with a bus driver seriously assaulted by fare dodgers and relayed his concerns to AT. Since then, I have been told by a bus contractor that AT has been repeatedly warned that its lax policy on fare dodging is leading to violence.

“In 2020, AT introduced a de facto ‘travel for free’ policy when it removed cash from buses and advised operators that passengers without balance on their HOP cards should be allowed to travel regardless.

“The contractor tells me AT’s policy means some people now believe they are entitled to take the bus for free. This results in disputes with bus drivers, and it means that unstable or intoxicated individuals use the bus as a free ride or shelter. These situations increase the risk of attacks on drivers and passengers.

“We shouldn’t expect bus drivers to be responsible for dealing with fare dodgers. AT needs to take responsibility for a culture it has created that invites free riders to take advantage of the rest of us.

“When we turn a blind eye to repeated fare-dodging, we send a message that rules – and basic respect – don’t matter. Is it any wonder this then leads to violence?

“There are many possible solutions here. First, AT needs to publicly change its free ride policy. Next, whether it’s sterner ‘no fare, no ride’ signage, a mobile squad of AT officers responding to fare dodgers, or greater support Police and private security guards, it is clear we need stronger security measures. AT needs to sit down with bus contractors, drivers, and Police to agree on firm actions.

“I have requested a meeting with AT to discuss these issues, and I am ready to facilitate a meeting between all affected groups if that’s what’s needed.”

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School kids should not be pushed into political activity

Source: ACT Party

“ACT has been approached by parents and students who are alarmed at school leadership abandoning political neutrality and pushing children into protest activity,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“We are aware of several schools, particularly in Wellington, formally endorsing the hikoi and encouraging students to participate, to the point of organising buses. Some students are missing exams to attend hikoi activities with the approval of school leadership.

“Schools are funded by all of us to equip young people with the knowledge to face the world with an intelligent and open mind. The school system should never be weaponised for indoctrination or to prop up one side of a political debate.

“If the Treaty Principles Bill passes into law, every young person can hope to grow up in a society that recognises them above all as a person with equal rights, not as a member of an ethnic group.

“The Bill does not harm anyone, but taking kids out of school and exams will harm their future prospects.

“ACT understands the Ministry of Education is reminding schools of their obligation to be politically neutral. We also encourage concerned parents to write to their school board reminding them of these obligations under the public service’s Integrity and Conduct standards.

“Parents may also consider whether their representatives on their school’s board deserve re-election.”

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Government’s move to monetise access to nature a slippery slope

Source: Green Party

The Green Party is voicing serious concerns over the Government’s proposal to charge for access to public conservation land, released today.

“Commercialising our environment risks transforming nature from being accessible to all to a privilege afforded to a select few,” says Green Party Spokesperson for Environment, Lan Pham.

“Aotearoa’s parks, forests, and wildlife are taonga—treasures—that everyone should enjoy. We should be investing in a conservation system which protects our unique natural ecosystems for generations to come.

“This proposal, however, takes us down a troubling path where access to nature and conservation are being pulled into this Government’s relentless cycle of commercialisation. We should be encouraging people to access nature, not creating barriers to block them from enjoying it. 

“Instead of prioritising trickle-down tax cuts and treating our natural world as a business, the Government should prioritise investment in conservation so future generations will be able to enjoy our environment.

“Last week we learned DOC has had to resort to calling for private donations for specific causes, such as protecting rare limestone ecosystems, and the critically endangered Alborn skink and tara iti (New Zealand fairy tern). Conservation is not a charity; it is a bottom line. 

“This piecemeal approach risks turning New Zealand’s conservation priorities into a pick-and-choose catalogue, dictated by private interests rather than comprehensive, government-backed stewardship.

“The Government’s proposals also include some extremely concerning suggestions for the conservation system–such as exchanging public conservation land. 

“The Green Party urges the government to fully resource DOC, enabling free and equal access for all to the lands that support all of our mental and physical wellbeing,” says Lan Pham.

Note: Submissions on the Government’s proposal close on 28 Feb 2025 and the Green Party is encouraging the public to submit their thoughts

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Green Party condemns the passage of Treaty Principles Bill

Source: Green Party

The Green Party condemns the passing of the Treaty Principles Bill at first reading, and is clear that the fight is not over. 

“Today a majority of powerful people prioritised cynical politics, fanning the flame of a culture war, over the truth and the needs of our nation,” says Green Co-Leader, Chlöe Swarbrick.

“The Prime Minister has told us that there’s nothing that he likes about this Bill, calling it ‘divisive’ himself. He has told us the National Party do not support this Bill, as did every other National MP who spoke today. Then they whipped their MPs to vote against what their consciences were telling them.

“You are what you do, and today Government MPs showed us who they are. When you wear the mask for a while, it becomes your face.

“Politicians come and go. Governments come and go. Te Tiriti o Waitangi is forever.

“Yesterday, the Harbour Bridge literally swayed with the power of the people as thousands marched for Te Tiriti, and for a system of governance that supports people and planet, instead of exploiting both at the same time.

“Despite the best efforts of some to divide our nation, people are organising themselves against this Government in unity on a scale that I have never seen in my lifetime.

“The Greens are more hopeful than ever about the future we can and will create together. Toitū Te Tiriti!” says Chlöe Swarbrick.

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Greens join King’s Counsel in calling for Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned

Source: Green Party

The Prime Minister must answer the call from a group of senior lawyers of the King’s Counsel to abandon the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. 

“It’s time to be brave and back our founding agreement over the dirty deal you made with a coalition partner, Christopher. Abandon the Bill and honour the Treaty,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Justice, Tamatha Paul. 

“Aotearoa as we know it was built on Te Tiriti. Te Tiriti affirms the rights of Māori to continue to care for their people and their taonga. It provides the foundations for an enduring relationship between tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti. It is a blueprint for all of us to thrive.  

“Te Tiriti is something thousands across the country feel incredibly strongly about, so much so that they have taken to the streets and joined the hīkoi descending on our Parliament. 

“We have had the Waitangi Tribunal, religious leaders and now senior lawyers publicly condemn this Bill and forewarn of the damage it will inflict upon our nation. It is deeply concerning that our country’s most senior lawyers, who will be charged with interpreting the Bill in question, have sounded the alarm.

“At Waitangi, Christopher Luxon told Māori that Te Tiriti was our past, present and future. At the tangi of Kiingi Tuuhetia, he spoke to the importance of kotahitanga and the need to honour the legacy of the late Kiingi. If his words are actually worth anything, he would not allow legislation that aims to completely corrupt and defile the defining essence of our nation to progress any further in our Parliament.

“This Bill does not deserve to progress an inch further in our Parliament. Governments are temporary, Te Tiriti is forever. This is something all Prime Ministers need to take note of, especially Christopher Luxon as he contemplates whether to allow this assault on our founding agreement to advance or not. 

“We call on the Prime Minister to do the right thing and uphold the dignity, meaning and integrity of our founding agreement and abandon this Bill. We will also continue to push for this to be a conscience vote. It’s time for the 123 Members of this Parliament to take personal, individual responsibility for whether this Treaty Principles Bill nonsense goes any further,” says Tamatha Paul.

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Fast Track Bill threatens environment, climate and reputation

Source: Green Party

The fast-track legislation passing its second reading in Parliament is another step towards environmental ruin. 

“This flawed legislation poses a huge threat to our environment, and spells bad news for our climate and international reputation,” says the Green Party Spokesperson for the Environment, Lan Pham.

“The environment provides the basis for life itself. We must be responsible stewards of the natural world which sustains us, and ditch the regressive exploitative and extractive approach that benefits an already wealthy few at the expense of all of us. 

“This Bill in its current form would push our climate targets even further out of reach while threatening the progress we have made so far. 

“The sheer lack of environmental protections in this fast-track regime, and the absence of scrutiny around the projects it will allow, breaches a bottom line for New Zealanders who do not want to see our natural world bulldozed for private gain.

“Despite the vast majority of submitters opposing this Bill, the Government is ignoring the voice of the people and ploughing ahead with this reckless legislation. 

“The Government should dump this Bill which is geared towards helping a narrow group of business interests. We note that the Auditor-General is investigating how ministers have handled conflicts of interest in the fast-track regime.

“It is outrageous that prohibited activities, projects that have been strongly opposed by communities or ‘zombie projects’ previously rejected by the courts could be given a lifeline under what is currently drafted. 

“Any companies thinking of taking advantage of a fast-track process that shortcuts our democracy and overrides environmental protections should be well aware that a Green Government could result in a loss of consent, without compensation,” says Lan Pham.

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ACT calls for an end to taxpayer-funded election ads

Source: ACT Party

ACT is calling for an end to the “broadcast allocation” for election campaigns that sees taxpayer money given to political parties to buy television and radio ads.

ACT MP Todd Stephenson suggested this in the Justice select committee’s inquiry into the 2023 election, and the report has been made public this week.

The committee resolved to recommend that the Government “consider” whether the broadcasting allocation be removed, although this was opposed by Labour and the Greens.

“Taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to pay for the election campaigns of parties they oppose,” says Mr Stephenson. “Democracy is healthier when political parties have to go out to supporters and make the case for voluntary donations.

“Ditching the broadcast allocation would save taxpayers around $4 million every three years. This would show respect for the priorities of households who would rather pay their own bills than those of political parties.

“The broadcast allocation is also unfair in how money is allocated based on past performance. This favours major parties over challengers.

“It was disappointing but not surprising to hear Labour and the Greens defend their parties’ taxpayer funding. They want to take your taxes to pay for ads to convince you to vote for higher taxes. What a rort.”