Category: Politics

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Pasifika justice as Member’s Bill passes final reading

Source: Green Party

Teanau Tuiono’s Member’s Bill, the Citizenship (Western Samoa Restoration) Amendment Bill, has passed its third reading and will become law.

“This is a huge, historic win for Pasifika Justice, one that offers our country an opportunity for healing,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Pacific Peoples, Teanau Tuiono.

The legislation restores the right to citizenship for people from Western Samoa who despite being eligible for New Zealand citizenship were stripped of that right due to a cruel and targeted law in 1982.

“Those affected people will be eligible for citizenship as of right, instead of having to go through the standard residency and citizenship application processes. Successful applicants will also be refunded for the costs involved in the process.

“More significantly, an injustice has been addressed and this anti-Pasifika, discriminatory law has been struck from our books. This offers us all, not just those directly affected but also the wider community, a chance for healing as we reconcile with the wrongs of our country’s past.

“This Bill couldn’t have made it through without the intergenerational efforts of the Samoan community who mobilised for extensive consultations and came to share their stories with the Parliament select committee. This is what people power looks like. 

“I also mihi to the cross-party efforts of MPs in deliberating on this Bill in good faith. MPs listened to the voice of constituents and understood the need for justice.

“This has been a special week at Parliament. Yesterday, we saw the immense hope of people power with the Hīkoi against the Treaty Principles Bill. Today, we see how MPs of different political stripes can work together to fix injustice. More wins are possible when we all work together. 

“I hope this law change goes some way towards atoning for the mistreatment the Samoan community was subject to. It follows on from the Dawn Raids apology as another big step on the journey of healing that our country had to embark on,” says Teanau Tuiono.

Additional information:

  • New Zealand citizenship wasn’t created until 1948. Before then, New Zealanders were British subjects
  • At the time citizenship was created, New Zealand was administering present day Samoa (known until 1997 as Western Samoa)
  • In 1982, Falema‘i Lesa, a Samoan citizen living in New Zealand, was prosecuted for overstaying. She argued she wasn’t overstaying, as she said she was a New Zealand citizen.
  • The Privy Council ruled that, because earlier NZ legislation had treated those born in Western Samoa after 13 May 1924 as “natural-born British subjects” for the purposes of NZ law, that cohort of people received NZ citizenship when NZ established its own citizenship in 1948. 
  • The Muldoon Government acted swiftly and in 1982 passed the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982. 
  • The 1982 Act removed NZ citizenship from those people who, under the earlier NZ legislation, had NZ citizenship because they were born in Western Samoa between 13 May 1924 and 1 January 1949, and those claiming citizenship through those people by descent or marriage. 
  • The Citizenship (Western Samoa Restoration) Amendment Act would mean that a person whose NZ citizenship was removed by the 1982 Act will be eligible for citizenship as of right, instead of having to go through the standard residency and citizenship application processes.
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Kinleith workers angry about proposal to cut 230 jobs – E tū

Source: Etu Union

Workers at OJI Fibre Solutions’ Kinleith mill in Tokoroa are hugely disappointed to learn today about a company proposal to end paper manufacturing, which would result in the loss of 230 jobs.

The workers, who are members of E tū, FIRST Union, and AWUNZ, were told about the proposal in a meeting this morning. Head delegate Ian Farall says the proposal demonstrates the failures of the company.

“I think it’s been a long time in the making, but the company has known it was going to get to this point, and have mismanaged the whole process,” Ian says.

“We’re all very disappointed by their inability to turn it around. They can’t control what the market does, but they could have been much better prepared for this point in the cycle.

“There have been many problems at the mill, they have not kept up with maintenance, and they have not made the right investments to secure a future for paper production.”

Ian says all members are feeling let down.

“There were a lot of angry people in the meeting this morning. People were speaking from the heart, about how disappointed they are. Union members had a near-unanimous vote of no-confidence in the management, to show how frustrated we are. Many chose to simply walk out.

“It’s not just the directly impacted workers who are angry. We’re in unity here, and we know the downstream effects will harm the whole community. It’s the truck drivers, the local cafes and other businesses – many people locally rely on the mill as the heartbeat of south Waikato.”

E tū Negotiation Specialist, Joe Gallagher, has been meeting with the members and management this morning. He calls on the company to do better by their workers.

“OJI have got themselves into this situation, and they can’t just hang the workers out to dry,” Joe says.

“We don’t believe the company has done everything they can to avoid this outcome. It’s a hell of a thing to tell people with Christmas just around the corner, and we need a longer period of consultation to really understand the potential alternatives to stopping paper production completely.”

Joe says the Government must also step up to support domestic manufacturing.

“The crisis in manufacturing is not simply about unstoppable global market forces. It’s the result of an ineffective energy market, a lack of planning for a Just Transition, and a Government asleep at the wheel.

“We will not become a high-skill, high-wage economy while our political leadership continues with such a hands-off approach to our industries. Kinleith is not the first plant to be in this position recently and it may not be the last.

“Now’s the time for both businesses and the Government to get real about the crisis before us and work to reverse it. That’s the leadership communities like Tokoroa deserve.”

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Pike River: 14 years on and far too many of us are being injured at work – E tū

Source: Etu Union

Statement by Mark Anderson, E tū Engineering, Infrastructure, and Extractives Industry Convenor

E tū acknowledges the anniversary of the 29 workers killed at Pike River. Today in Parliament the Minister of Workplace Relations, ACT MP Brooke van Velden, read out a statement commemorating the miners. While it is right that the House took time to recognise the hurt and pain caused by the explosion and its aftermath, the Government needs to do more honour the legacy of Pike River.  

The Minister’s actions on health and safety show the Minister has failed to understand the lessons of Pike River. Instead of boosting health and safety at work, her party and her Government are looking for ways to water down the protections it has delivered.

The Minister’s motion moved was:

That this House notes that today in 2010, 29 miners lost their lives while at work in the Pike River Mine: express its condolences to family and friends who will forever be profoundly impacted; and thank rescue and support teams for their service on that day and the days that followed.

If we want to honour the workers who died at Pike River, then let’s remember that WorkSafe and the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 were an outcome of the Royal Commission of Enquiry. The true legacy of Pike River is that 14 years on we have managed to reduce serious injuries and deaths at work. But more is needed. The level of danger to workers is still far too high.

According to Stats NZ, last year a quarter of a million people were injured at work with 43,200 serious injuries or deaths. That is 120 serious injuries every day. There were 54 fatal work-related injuries. This is down from the 81 New Zealanders killed in 2022 but it is a fact that workers are still dying and that 43,200 serious injuries is still too many. One worker a week is dying at work in New Zealand.  

Pike River happened because the owners of the mine put potential profit before worker safety. They failed to be good managers. They blew up their business. They killed 29 miners and devastated the West Coast community.

The explosion in the mine was a brutal reminder that health and safety is not a barrier to business and economic progress. Better health and safety protects workers and it improves business productivity. We will have a better economy when we stop killing and injuring people at work.

The Health and Safety at Work Act is a good piece of legislation. It works because it requires everyone at work play a role in health and safety and it because ensures workers have a voice in how health and safety is practiced. Spending more on Worksafe and doing more to improve the Act and improve the guidelines, training and regulations that bring the Act to life must be a priority for every government. We owe it to the miners who died at Pike River to do more.

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Release: Smoking numbers up under Costello’s watch

Source: New Zealand Labour Party

National’s repeal of Labour’s smokefree legislation has taken New Zealand further away from achieving a Smokefree 2025 and a smokefree generation.

The NZ Health Survey shows both smoking and vaping rates have increased in the last year, with the number of daily smokers increasing from 284,000 to 300,000.

This follows more than a decade of consistent decreases in the number of adults smoking.

“One of the first things the National Government did was overturn laws that were helping kiwis get off cigarettes and preventing young people from taking up smoking in the first place,” Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said.

“Scrapping our legislation was done to advantage the tobacco companies and retailers, not to protect New Zealanders’ health. Now we’re seeing the results of that.

“The Government should never have repealed the groundbreaking laws that we passed in government, which would have created a smokefree generation.

“Instead, National and its coalition partner New Zealand First agreed to side with the tobacco industry and stub out those laws in favour of tax cuts.

“There is a mountain of evidence that smoking is harmful, that it is New Zealand’s leading cause of premature death. And yet the Government chose to put tax cuts ahead of health and protecting our kids from harmful tobacco.

“Just last month, Christopher Luxon said his associate health minister Casey Costello is very focused on lowering smoking rates, and that he was “comfortable.” However, rates are up and it’s clear Costello hasn’t delivered.

“The only thing she has delivered is a $216 million tax break to tobacco company Philip Morris flog its heated tobacco product which will make no difference to smoking rates and won’t reduce the harm of tobacco for users,” Chris Hipkins said.

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Release: Call for Palestine recognition by NZ, Australian and Canadian MPs

Source: New Zealand Labour Party

Parliamentarians from Australia, Canada and New Zealand have written an open letter to their respective Prime Ministers calling on them to recognise Palestine.

More than 100 members of Parliament from nine political parties say it is time for their governments to follow Ireland, Norway, Spain, Slovenia and Armenia who recently joined the 146 nations that recognise Palestine.

Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese (Australia), Justin Trudeau (Canada) and Christopher Luxon (New Zealand) have come together three times over the last year to make joint statements on Gaza but not yet recognised Palestine diplomatically.

The MPs who organised the open letter say they hope the three governments will together decide to announce recognition to signal the urgent need for a negotiated peace that includes the establishment of a viable Palestinian state.

“New Zealand’s foreign affairs minister said recognition was a matter of when not if,” New Zealand Labour’s associate foreign affairs spokesperson Phil Twyford said.

“Surely the ongoing slaughter in Gaza, and Israel’s refusal to heed repeated international calls for a ceasefire, mean it is time for this move by countries like New Zealand.”

The open letter cites the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) recent advisory opinion that declared Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian Territories to be illegal, and says Israel’s devastation of Gaza has accelerated the urgent need for diplomatic recognition.

Canadian MP and NDP foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson said the conditions for a two state solution are increasing threatened by illegal settlements and state-sanctioned violence – it is urgent that Canada recognize the State of Palestine before it is too late.

The MPs note the ICJ’s ruling that all states are under an obligation “to ensure that any impediment resulting from the illegal presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to the exercise of the Palestinian people of its right to self-determination is brought to an end.”

Australian Labor MP Maria Vamvakinou said only self-determination for the Palestinian people can bring stability and peace to the region.

“Recognising a Palestinian state should happen as a part of a two state solution process, it should not necessarily come at the end of the process,” said Ms Vamvakinou.

The open letter says recognising Palestine will benefit both Palestinians and Israelis: “The recognition of Palestine as a state is a step towards restarting rights-based peace talks and will reinforce the moderate voices on both sides who seek a peaceful and political solution in line with the requirements of international law.”

Attached: Open letter to Prime Ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

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Justice Select Committee opens floor for Treaty Principles submissions

Source: Green Party

Today, the Justice Select Committee has decided to officially open submissions for the controversial Treaty Principles Bill. 

“It is time for our communities to translate the energy harnessed over the course of the hīkoi into action, and bring their voices to the political table,” says Green Party MP for Wellington Central, Tamatha Paul.

“Making our opposition heard is crucial to upholding Te Tiriti and the deep commitment it represents to every one of us in Aotearoa. This Bill challenges the very foundations our nation was built on, we need our communities to stand up against this attempt to re-write our history. 

“Time is of the essence. The Government has only given us until January 7 to be heard on this divisive Bill. This is a chance for tangata whenua and tangata tiriti to show our unity.

“For decades, Te Tiriti has provided a framework to address injustices and build a fairer society. Our founding agreement is not about division— it’s about honouring commitments made in good faith and ensuring everyone is looked after and nobody is left behind. 

“At its core, this Bill is a reset button that will undermine generations of progress that we have made together–tangata whenua and tangata tiriti, alike.”

“In introducing this Bill, the Government has done major harm to its Treaty partners. The approach to this Bill deepens mistrust and misunderstanding while sowing the seeds of division.

“Let’s not let this moment drive us apart. Instead, let it be an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to Te Tiriti and the vision that our ancestors aspired to when they signed it,” says Tamatha Paul.

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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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Hypocrisy as Te Whatu Ora contractor bill balloons

Source: New Zealand Labour Party

Te Whatu Ora’s bill for contracting and consulting staff has ballooned by nearly 20 percent under the National Government, breaking a promise they made during the election campaign to cut contractors.

“While Te Whatu Ora has been ordered to make $2 billion in cuts and has frozen hiring to front line roles the bill for contractors has soared. At the same time key support staff are being offered redundancy and hospital builds are downgraded,” Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. 

Data released under the Official Information Act shows that costs for contractors and consultants at Te Whatu Ora have risen overall by 18 percent between Q4 2022/23 and Q4 2023/24. But this is minor compared to the eye-watering increase in People and Communications functions, the bill for which grew from $8.5 million to nearly $30 million – an increase of 243 percent.

The Prime Minister has said, “We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors”, but the opposite has happened under his watch.

“His government has cut vital support staff, which means stressed front line staff like clinicians are tied up in paperwork. Their solution is increasing contractor spend to cover the shortfall, taking total spending on contractors in last financial year of $680 million. 

“An $84m year-on-year spike in contractor and consultant costs demonstrates that this Government relies on desperate short term fixes for long term problems – an approach that will leave New Zealanders poorer and sicker in the long run.

“It’s galling that Health New Zealand has spent more on communications contractors while being less transparent in their communication with the public. They have not published their turn around plan, a workforce plan or the statutorily required Health Plan. 

“There is nothing normal about the increased contractor costs in hospital and specialist services. The hiring freeze has resulted in greater use of more expensive locums.

“The Government’s cuts are taking our health system backwards,” said Ayesha Verrall.

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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.