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Latest Politics Headlines [Page 3]
Dunne's Weekly: Taiwan Earthquake A Wake-Up Call For New Zealand
Monday, 8 April 2024, 5:43 pm | Peter Dunne
Taiwan and New Zealand are two small island states with much in common. Both are vibrant, independent democracies, living in the shadow of an overbearing neighbour. (Admittedly, Taiwan’s overbearing neighbour has far more aggressive tendencies ... More >>
Our Intentions: Cyber Security Governance In Public Organisations
Monday, 8 April 2024, 5:41 pm | Office of the Auditor-General
We have published some information about work we are carrying out to examine whether cyber security risks are governed effectively in selected public organisations. This work was signalled in our 2023/24 annual plan . Effective cyber security is essential ... More >>
Kahungunu Iwi Condemns Weekend Violence
Monday, 8 April 2024, 3:47 pm | Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc
Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Chair, Bayden Barber has condemned the shooting that took place after a rugby game between Tamatea and the Young Māori Party (YMP) over the weekend, “This sort of behaviour has no place in our community. Our sports ... More >>
Green List Changes Disrespectful And Ignorant – MTA
Monday, 8 April 2024, 3:05 pm | Motor Trade Association
The Government’s axing of key automotive roles from the immigration Green List is a shock and an insult to the collision repair industry, the Motor Trade Association (MTA) says. The Minister of Immigration announced yesterday that the roles of Panel ... More >>
Revealed: Callaghan Innovation Wastes Over $170,000 On Rebrand As Staff Call Out Job Cuts.
Monday, 8 April 2024, 3:01 pm | Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Callaghan Innovation has blown $170,000 on a rebranding exercise at a time when taxpayer-funded agencies were being told to curb spending. Information obtained under the Official Information Act reveals that ... More >>
Personal Grievance Filed Against IRD For Suppressing Employee’s Speech
Monday, 8 April 2024, 2:50 pm | Free Speech Union
The Free Speech Union has supported a member in filing a personal grievance against IRD with the Employment Relations Authority after an employee was threatened with disciplinary action for sharing particular opinions in a social media chat, says ... More >>
Now Tax Cuts Put Ahead Of Climate - Jobs To Go At Environment Ministry
Monday, 8 April 2024, 2:16 pm | PSA
Job losses at the Ministry for the Environment to meet the Government’s cost cutting drive risks New Zealand’s ability to manage our many environmental challenges. Today the Ministry for the Environment called for voluntary redundancies across the ... More >>
Court Of Appeal To Consider Whether Hate Speech Law Is Discriminatory
Monday, 8 April 2024, 1:56 pm | Human Rights Commission
On Tuesday 9 April 2024 the Court of Appeal in Wellington will hear a case brought by Russell Hoban against the Crown in Hoban v Attorney General . Mr Hoban is seeking a declaration that New Zealand’s hate speech law under s 61 of the Human Rights ... More >>
New Report: Fire And Emergency Levy Increase Unjustified, Performance Review Needed
Monday, 8 April 2024, 1:16 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is today releasing a r eport highlighting the significant failure of Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) to realise the expected efficiency gains following the 2017 mega-merger of fire services. The report concludes ... More >>
#Notatarget: Humanitarian Organisations Call For Upholding Of International Humanitarian Law In Gaza Crisis
Saturday, 6 April 2024, 12:24 pm | Council for International Development
With over 32,000 Palestinians killed and more than 100,000 wounded since the crisis began, and an estimated 1.1 million individuals on the brink of famine, urgent action is imperative. A permanent ceasefire is the only way to prevent further atrocities. More >>
Government Cuts Reduce Staff Working On MBIE’s "Frontline Information Channels"
Saturday, 6 April 2024, 12:15 pm | Public Service Association
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has proposed reducing its Information and Education (I&E) team by 30 roles, out of approximately 120 roles covered by its change proposal released on Thursday (April 4). More >>
New Zealand Government Must Stand Up For Humanitarian Law
Saturday, 6 April 2024, 5:43 am | Child Fund
If the staff who work for charities like ChildFund and their partners in-country are to continue doing the vital work of getting aid into places like Gaza, then governments like New Zealand must be prepared to stand up for the rule of law that protects humanitarian ... More >>
Queer Theologian Russell Hoban To Tackle Aoteraoa New Zealand’s Discriminatory Hate Speech Laws At The Court Of Appeal
Friday, 5 April 2024, 2:35 pm | Anton Blank
Hoban is asking the court to declare that the legislative exclusion of hate speech protection on the ground of sexual orientation (in the Human Rights Act 1993) is inconsistent with the right to be free from discrimination (in the NZ Bill of Rights ... More >>
Government Puts An End To Labour’s Hijack On Local Democracy
Friday, 5 April 2024, 1:40 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
“Electors should be able to vote on, and veto, fundamental changes to their local voting system. It’s refreshing to see the new Government restoring this necessary democratic convention. More >>
CTU Stands In Solidarity With Public Service Workers
Friday, 5 April 2024, 11:03 am | Council of Trade Unions
“It is the role of government to invest in services and prevent rising unemployment. Yet here we have a government that is actively pushing people into unemployment in their ideological pursuit of tax cuts for landlords and high-income earners. More >>
Draft Voluntary Lobbying Code Of Conduct Lacks Substance | Lobbyists Prove The Need For Regulation
Friday, 5 April 2024, 8:47 am | Transparency International NZ
Transparency International New Zealand says that it is so watered down from an initial reasonable Ministry draft, to now totally lack substance, even though it is voluntary and non-binding. More >>
Māori Wards Improve Our Democracy, Say Advocates
Friday, 5 April 2024, 7:01 am | ActionStation
Advocates from people-powered organisation, ActionStation condemn the recent announcement by National Party’s Simeon Brown that the Coalition Government will re-introduce referendums for Māori wards at local councils. More >>
Complete Overreach By Govt On Māori Wards And Constituencies
Thursday, 4 April 2024, 3:05 pm | Local Government NZ
“Empowering local government to make decisions about their own communities is what this Government campaigned on and is not being delivered today. More >>
Farmers Replace Teachers In NZ Parliament, But White-collar Professionals Dominate
Thursday, 4 April 2024, 12:49 pm | BlacklandPR
Analysis of Members of Parliament’s careers has revealed that although farmers have replaced teachers in the new Parliament, office work and politics remain the dominant career experience of the 54th Parliament. More >>
Kiwi MPs “highly, But Disproportionately, Educated"
Thursday, 4 April 2024, 12:26 pm | BlacklandPR
A new analysis of MP qualifications reveals New Zealand’s Parliament is highly educated, in disproportion to the public, and with arts and law, and private schooling, over-represented. More >>
Voluntary Redundancies At MSD Will Make It Harder For Clients And Communities
Thursday, 4 April 2024, 11:29 am | PSA
The opening of wide scale voluntary redundancies at MSD to meet the Government’s cost cutting drive means thousands of New Zealanders are likely to have the service they receive from MSD compromised. Today the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) ... More >>
NZDF Contingent Arrives In Solomon Islands For Election Support
Thursday, 4 April 2024, 11:24 am | New Zealand Defence Force
“New Zealand has always had a close relationship with Solomon Islands - most recently when the country hosted the Pacific Games last year, as well as our ongoing Solomon Islands assistance mission. More >>
Unelected Commissioners Need To Learn Their Place
Thursday, 4 April 2024, 10:28 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
“If Anne Tolley and the other commissioners believe they are running the city well, they should stand for election and put their case to the voters rather than trampling over local democracy.” More >>
National Action Plan Against Racism Must Include Māori Experiences Of Racism
Thursday, 4 April 2024, 10:03 am | Te Kahui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission
“Racism in Aotearoa has deep historical economic, cultural, social, political, and spiritual roots, enabled by individuals and within institutions. The ongoing harms to and losses for Māori, must therefore be addressed in a NAPAR if we truly ... More >>
Gang Patch Ban Further Erosion Of Kiwis’ Speech Rights: FSU Submits To Justice Select Committee
Thursday, 4 April 2024, 5:20 am | Free Speech Union
Banning gang patches and insignia may be a politically popular decision in some communities, but is a troubling precedent further eroding Kiwis’ freedom of expression. More >>
Public Webinar: The Crisis Of Political Perspective Of The Gaza Protests
Wednesday, 3 April 2024, 11:25 am | IYSSE
Online public meeting - 6:00 pm April 16 | This public Zoom webinar is being held to outline the socialist and internationalist perspective required to stop the unfolding genocide. More >>
National Iwi Chairs Tangata Whenua Caucus Withdraws From National Action Plan Against Racism
Wednesday, 3 April 2024, 6:07 am | National Iwi Chairs Forum
The Tangata Whenua caucus will still carry on with an independent anti-racism plan that it intends to bring out to communities in the near future, noting that anti-racism action at the community level need not wait for the government. More >>
Gaza Famine March Silences Queen Street
Wednesday, 3 April 2024, 4:54 am | Palestinian Youth Movement
Auckland, New Zealand – On Sunday 31 March at 3 pm, over a thousand protesters with empty plates marched in silence along Queen Street to raise awareness for the 2.2 million people in Gaza facing imminent famine and highlight the widespread suppression ... More >>
Petition Challenging Midwifery Scope Of Practice Heads To Parliament
Tuesday, 2 April 2024, 6:02 pm | The Conservative Network
A petition asking Parliament to investigate the New Zealand Midwifery Council’s removal of the words ‘woman’ and ‘baby’ from the revised Scope of Practice for Midwives is being presented to Parliament at 1pm, Tuesday, 9 April. More >>
Taxpayers’ Union Welcomes Government’s New Action Plan
Tuesday, 2 April 2024, 5:20 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Responding to the Government’s 36-point action plan for the second quarter, Taxpayers’ Union spokesman, Alex Murphy, said: “It's refreshing to see the Coalition sticking to their guns on the issues Kiwis voted them in on, like delivering tax relief, cutting ... More >>
Fast-track Approvals Bill A Threat To Public Health, Warn Researchers
Tuesday, 2 April 2024, 2:48 pm | Public Health Communication Centre
Public health researchers are raising concerns over the implications of the Fast-track Approvals Bill saying it will put Aotearoa New Zealand on the wrong track, circumventing legal protections for the environment and threatening public health. More >>
New Tools Strengthen Immigration Law Enforcement
Tuesday, 2 April 2024, 2:24 pm | MBIE
Starting 11 April 2024 Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will be able to issue infringement notices to employers with the aim of addressing lower-level immigration non-compliance and deter those who take advantage of migrant workers. More >>
Auckland Cafe Owner Imprisoned On Tax Evasion Charges
Tuesday, 2 April 2024, 2:15 pm | Inland Revenue Department
Elizabeth Juilian Tangikau was sentenced to two years and three months imprisonment at the Auckland District Court on March 26, 2024. More >>
Consultation Opens Proposing More Time To Comply With Plumbing Products Changes Under The Building Code
Tuesday, 2 April 2024, 2:07 pm | MBIE
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has today opened a consultation proposing to extend the transition period end date for the lead and dezincification plumbing product provisions published last year, from 1 September 2025 to 1 May 2026. ... More >>
Luxon Bulldozes On In War On Nature With 90-day ‘Hit List’
Tuesday, 2 April 2024, 1:58 pm | Greenpeace
Greenpeace is calling the Government’s new policy priority list "the next onslaught in the war on nature" following Christopher Luxon's announcement this morning. Greenpeace spokesperson Amanda Larsson says, "Luxon’s 90-day hit ... More >>
NICF Meeting With Indigenous Rights UN Special Rapporteur to discuss Indigenous Rights in Aotearoa
Tuesday, 2 April 2024, 6:18 am | Pou Tikanga NICF
The meeting will be an opportunity to discuss iwi concerns about the climate crisis, threats to the environment, and social development concerns, especially Māori health and economic development, including our right to adequate housing. More >>
CTU Calls On NZ Govt To Exclude Myanmar Junta From ASEAN Meeting
Tuesday, 2 April 2024, 5:10 am | Council of Trade Unions
NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff is supporting the 33 Myanmar community organizations in NZ who are calling on the New Zealand Government to reverse the invitation to the Myanmar military junta to join the ASEAN-NZ Dialogue meeting scheduled for 18-19 ... More >>
Government Has Yet To Explain Why Hate Speech Legislation Has Been Abandoned
Tuesday, 2 April 2024, 5:05 am | FIANZ
Our suggestion is that robust community conversation is more productive than simply ignoring the issues. We trust the Minister will agree., said the FIANZ spokesperson. More >>
New Zealand Labour Party Leader Feigns Concern About Inequality
Saturday, 30 March 2024, 7:14 pm | Socialist Equality Group
New Zealand’s opposition Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins delivered a “state of the nation” speech on March 24, in an attempt to resuscitate the party after it lost power in a landslide defeat in the October 2023 election. The speech was ... More >>
Empty Plates Highlight Gaza Famine
Saturday, 30 March 2024, 6:26 pm | Palestinian Youth Aotearoa
Sunday 31 March at 3 pm, protesters with empty plates will march from Aotea Square in a silent protest to raise awareness for the 2.2 million people in Gaza facing imminent famine. The March calls for urgent government action to avert further suffering ... More >>
70,000 Sign Petition To Keep School Lunches
Thursday, 28 March 2024, 4:45 pm | Health Coalition Aotearoa
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ... More >>
Seabed Miner Quitting EPA Hearing Highlights Danger Of Luxon’s Fast-track
Thursday, 28 March 2024, 4:41 pm | Greenpeace New Zealand
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ... More >>
TTR Abandons Seabed Mining Application, KASM Labels It A Cowardly Move To Get Onto Fast-track
Thursday, 28 March 2024, 4:38 pm | Kiwis Against Seabed Mining
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ... More >>
Taxpayers’ Union Make Formal Request To Chinese Government For MP Spending Information
Thursday, 28 March 2024, 2:56 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ... More >>
Scrapping Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary A ‘Huge Blow’ For Marine Protection
Thursday, 28 March 2024, 1:03 pm | World Wide Fund For Nature
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ... More >>
Mass Protest Planned To Urge Action On UN Ceasefire Resolution
Thursday, 28 March 2024, 11:55 am | Justice for Palestine
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ... More >>
Government’s Disability Spending Changes Endangering Lives Of Children And Health Of Parents
Thursday, 28 March 2024, 11:14 am | AUT University
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ... More >>
Too Many Employers Still Asking For “proof” Of Domestic Violence
Thursday, 28 March 2024, 10:18 am | Shine
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ... More >>
Have Your Say On The Budget Policy Statement 2024
Thursday, 28 March 2024, 10:01 am | The Finance and Expenditure Committee
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ... More >>
Brutal 40% Cuts Will Have Huge Impact On Pasifika People
Thursday, 28 March 2024, 9:17 am | PSA
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ... More >>
Government Must Not Continue Labour Legacy Of Special Treatment For DJs
Thursday, 28 March 2024, 6:09 am | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ... More >>
Customs Investigation Sends Waikato Man Behind Bars On Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges
Wednesday, 27 March 2024, 5:10 pm | New Zealand Customs Service
He has been jailed for three years, following conviction on 11 charges of possessing, exporting and making child sexual abuse material following a Customs investigation. More >>
Please Submit On The Draft Government Policy Statement On Land Transport - Submissions Close At 12pm On 2 April 2024
Wednesday, 27 March 2024, 5:02 pm | Living Streets Aotearoa
Why it's important to submit As we told you in our March eBulletin, the new Government's Draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (PDF, 2.3MB), known as the draft GPS, is a big disappointment for pedestrians. Newsroom covered some of the key problems: ... More >>
Unions Deliver MPs Petition To Stop Real Terms Cuts To The Minimum Wage
Wednesday, 27 March 2024, 4:20 pm | New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
Today a delegation from the union movement delivered a petition of nearly 9,000 people calling on the Government to commit to annual minimum wage increases that keep up with rising costs. “This Government is effectively cutting the wages of ... More >>
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back For Taxpayers
Wednesday, 27 March 2024, 3:24 pm | Taxpayers' Union
Reacting to the Government’s bill to increase the trust tax rate to 39% passing its third reading today, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “National have just passed into law yet another of Labour’s tax increases. Rather ... More >>
Waitaki Landowners Call For Help As Land Grab Expands
Wednesday, 27 March 2024, 3:09 pm | Groundswell NZ
Just when you thought the coalition government had put the kibosh into the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) land grab, things are about to get worse. The Waitaki District Council are taking destruction of private property rights to a completely new level. ... More >>
Govt’s Billion-dollar Tax Take On Rates Must Be Returned
Wednesday, 27 March 2024, 3:04 pm | LGNZ
Local Government New Zealand is again swinging behind a chorus of Mayors around New Zealand asking the Government for all GST on rates to be returned to councils. This is a funding lever LGNZ has heard and advocated for over many years. Based on ... More >>
Government Must Cut Spending And Provide Permanent Tax Relief
Wednesday, 27 March 2024, 2:50 pm | New Zealand Taxpayers' Union
Responding to the release of the 2024 Budget Policy Statement, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “We welcome today’s commitments to fiscal responsibility and reduced spending, but it must be backed up by real action. “At ... More >>
Budget Policy Statement Still Missing In Action
Wednesday, 27 March 2024, 2:48 pm | New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
The Government has released its Budget Policy Statement today, showing worsening economic forecasts with inflation falling more quickly than expected, caused by unemployment rising and growth stalling. However, the statement lacks information on what the ... More >>
Australian Govt Sentences Kiwi Vapers
Wednesday, 27 March 2024, 2:24 pm | CAPHRA
In a bold stance against Australia's stringent vaping regulations, the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) today laid bare the reality of Australia’s appalling approach to regulating vaping – it will make vapers' ... More >>
