Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Release: Govt funding needed to combat invasive seaweed

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The Government must support Northland hapū who have resorted to rakes and buckets to try to control a devastating invasive seaweed that threatens the local economy and environment.

“The Government’s expectation that local Bay of Islands hapū fight a tsunami of caulerpa, a pest seaweed species, with garden rakes is unrealistic,” Labour biosecurity spokesperson Jo Luxton said.

“Government funding of $15 million to combat caulerpa in Northland is not enough. Tonnes of it have washed up on shores following Cyclone Tam.

“Caulerpa is a seaweed that smothers the seafloor and competes with other species for space. It could potentially devastate the local aquaculture industry, and stifle opportunities for the local Māori economy and jobs.

“Local hapū are crying out for government resourcing to control the weed but are being ignored. Instead, they must resort to rakes and buckets to clean up a multimillion-dollar mess.

“Overseas, infested areas have halved local fish stocks and heavily affected tourism jobs.

“Māori aren’t after compensation but want their efforts to be resourced and to be involved in decision making. By ignoring their calls, this is just another kick in the guts for Māori from this government. 

“There are opportunities for the local Māori economy and jobs that could be lost because of this Government’s incompetent response,” Jo Luxton said. 

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Release: Labour marks the passing of Pope Francis

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Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins joins those mourning the passing of Pope Francis.

“I’m very sad to hear of Pope Francis’ passing. We honour the life and service he gave to people around the world, not just of his own faith, but to all people.

“Throughout his papacy, he showed deep compassion and an unwavering commitment to social justice, inclusion and the dignity of every person.

“He stood up for action on climate change, championed peace through his diplomacy, and advocated for the rights of migrants and refugees.

“His leadership challenged us all to build a fairer and more caring world,” Chris Hipkins said.

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Release: Boot camps blog post fails to provide clarity

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After stonewalling requests for information on boot camps, the Government has now offered up a blog post right before Easter weekend rather than provide clarity on the pilot.

“It’s been almost a year since Christopher Luxon and Karen Chhour celebrated the announcement of their boot camps experiment, and yet, we still don’t have any clarity on what exactly is going on,” Labour’s children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said.

“What’s also worrying is the lack of transparency around a participant running away from the pilot. What went wrong – what lessons were learned? We still don’t know.

“The Government was widely warned this experiment would fail. Decades of evidence shows this, and the Royal Commission uncovered the severe harm that’s happened before.

“When questioned last month, Karen Chhour effectively confirmed her office has been instructing officials to withhold information about the boot camps, which explains the empty update.

“Christopher Luxon and Karen Chhour celebrated the pilot when it was first announced, and now that it’s failed, it’s been radio silence.

“The Minister must stop stonewalling while she is pushing through legislation that will launch boot camps throughout the country.

“If this pilot has failed, New Zealanders deserve to know – it’s their money being spent and their safety that’s at risk,” Willow-Jean Prime said.

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Release: Inflation rises and families feel the squeeze

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Inflation is rising again and it’s landing hardest on families already stretched thin.

“For the second time this week, families already stretched by rising costs are hit with the news that prices are going up again,” Labour finance and economy spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said.

“It’s not just grocery prices that are high, it’s rates and rents too.”

On Tuesday, figures from Stats NZ showed food prices up 3.5 percent over the past year, with butter up a staggering 64 percent, milk up 16 percent, and meat up more than five percent. Now, new figures show that inflation is up across the board, including rates which have gone up 12.2 percent and rent, up 3.7 percent.

“With the shift to final year fees-free, prospective students are also being hit with a 22.6 percent increase in the cost to study right now. Coupled with rents and food prices, it’s a particularly hard time to be a student,” Barbara Edmonds sai

“The Government has spent billions on tax cuts but made life more expensive for people at the same time. The small amount each week is quickly eaten up by rising costs.

“They scrapped free prescriptions, cancelled half-price public transport, and chose not to lift the minimum wage in line with inflation. These are their choices, and it’s made life harder for New Zealanders.

“Nicola Willis also won’t say if she’s about to cut the Best Start or Winter Energy Payments. These are vital safety nets which help new parents pay the bills and older New Zealanders heat their homes in winter.

“These price hikes occurred before U.S. tariffs hit and there’s a lot of uncertainty ahead. Families need reassurance and real support, not more cuts and complacency,” Barbara Edmonds said.

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Release: Govt doesn’t know how to fund new hospitals

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The Government’s health infrastructure plan is big on promises but coy on where the money is coming from.

“Simeon Brown says that more than $20 billion is needed but says nothing about where that will be magicked up from,” Labour leader Chris Hipkins said.

“Labour had a plan to fix Nelson Hospital’s infrastructure woes, but the National Government kicked that down the road, and is doing it again. Meanwhile, patients put up with wasps in the wards.

“Work was underway on building Dunedin’s much needed new hospital, but National paused it and cost Dunedin residents years of better care because of it.

“The National Government broke the promise it made to New Zealanders that its cuts wouldn’t affect doctors and nurses providing care for communities. But we’ve seen the impact of chaotic cuts all over the country, most recently in Gisborne and Nelson Hospitals, where staff are stretched thin.

“The plan emphasises car parking but there’s very little new infrastructure focussed on improving health for rural communities.

“Labour is the party that invests in health care and health infrastructure, National is the party that makes chaotic cuts, breaks promises, runs our hospitals down and takes New Zealand backwards,” Chris Hipkins said.

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Release: $10 million for only 215 students in charter schools

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That equates to about $46,500 per student in charter schools compared to about $9000 per student in a state school.

“Only in David Seymour’s world does it make sense to pour millions into a failed experiment for a couple hundred students yet restrict funding for school lunches for hundreds of thousands of other students,” Labour’s education spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said.

“Each student in a charter school is costing the taxpayer more than five times what it costs per student in state schools. This is what happened last time. Yet again we are watching public education money being siphoned off into private hands with little transparency.

“This is an insult to the many schools throughout the country who are strapped for cash and sending kids home hungry because of David Seymour’s ideological choices.

“We know from the past failures of charter schools that the high cost does not improve results for students and only puts profits before kids.

“Schools are relying on Erica Stanford to take a stand against these bad ideas, but her silence is deafening.

“Labour has abolished charter schools before and will do so again. They’re a waste of time and money,” Willow-Jean Prime said.

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Notification: E tū Special Conference – E tū

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E tū is calling for a Special Conference to be held online on Thursday, 26 June 2025, at 6:00 PM.

Purpose of the Special Conference

E tū is required under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 to register a new set of rules. The National Executive established a Constitutional subcommittee in late 2023 to review and draft a new Constitution. This draft was subsequently approved by the National Executive.

The goal of this review is to ensure compliance with legislative requirements while maintaining the existing powers and obligations under our current rules. Notable changes required by law include:

  • A register of interests for governance members,
  • Inclusion of a National General Meeting, and
  • A disputes-resolution process.

To finalise the adoption of these new rules, E tū will hold a special conference on 26 June 2025, where delegates will vote on the draft constitution.

Who is eligible to attend?

Only delegates who attended the 2024 E tū Conference are eligible to participate in this special conference. This includes:

  • Delegates who were physically present at the 2024 Conference.
  • Delegates who were elected but were unable to attend the 2024 Conference.

Eligible delegates will be contacted by email with more information, including the links to attend the online Special Conference, closer to the time.

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Government plan to scrap the Living Wage for contracts “abhorrent” – E tū

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E tū is furious to learn that the Government is proposing to scrap the Living Wage for workers employed by government contractors.

Currently, contractors who deliver cleaning, security, and catering services for government agencies are required to pay at least the Living Wage ($27.80 at present time) to all their workers. In a media release today, Nicola Willis has announced a proposal to scrap that requirement altogether.

E tū National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh says the proposal is cruel.

“It is heartless to consider taking away this important protection for workers, which will categorically mean their lives will become much harder,” Rachel says.

“The affected workers, once celebrated as essential workers during the Covid-19 pandemic, are employed by contractors to do crucial work keeping our public buildings clean and secure. They are the same workers who are often ignored by governments and exploited by businesses.

“The Living Wage requirement in the procurement rules gives these workers some much-needed reprieve. Our members have reported the huge difference the Living Wage makes in their lives, like allowing them to do the basics – pay the bills, put food on the table, buy clothing for their kids, and spend more time with their families.

“Proposing to end this support for these workers is frankly abhorrent.”

Rachel says the Government’s justification is completely inadequate.

“Nicola Willis says this is to “simplify the process” of procurement for businesses.

“Basic human dignity is not an obstacle to delivering services. Spinning this as some kind of streamlining process is disgusting – in reality, this is a proposal to make cleaners, security guards, and catering staff even poorer so the National-led Government can give more to their rich mates.

“Even more galling is Willis’ claim that this is “part of [their] plan to increase jobs and incomes” – you don’t have to be an economist to understand that you do not increase incomes by cutting them.

“Nicola Willis should face up to affected workers and justify herself to them. Why does she think they shouldn’t be able to put food on the table? Why does she want to make it harder for them to pay for their kids’ school uniforms?

“She will not face the workers. This Government has refused to engage with unions on these issues, so they can keep living in complete ignorance of the damage they are causing.”

Rachel says it’s not too late to change course.

“These changes are now open for public consultation, and if the Government has any regard whatsoever for the essential workers employed by contractors to look after government buildings and provide key services, they will keep the Living Wage requirement in their procurement rules.”

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Deep concerns about undue influence at NZME – E tū

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E tū is deeply concerned by comments made by NZME investor and billionaire James Grenon, that he wants to replace the board of directors with four new people – including himself.

Grenon owns a 9.3% stake in NZME, and has been a controversial figure in the media landscape.

NZME delegate Isaac Davison said the takeover proposal created significant uncertainty about the company’s potential direction and the newsroom’s editorial independence. 

“Our top priority is preserving the impartiality of our journalism and the independence of the newsroom,” Isaac says.

“E tū journalists follow a code of ethics which includes a commitment to reporting and interpreting the news with “scrupulous honesty” and without fear or favour. 

“While the intentions of the potential new board members remain unclear, we are concerned about an apparent record of backing news ventures which lack transparency. 

“Further, NZME is in the last stages of a major change process which has had a profound impact on staff morale. We believe it is a time for consistency and stability rather than more uncertainty.”

E tū Director Michael Wood says that Grenon has a clear agenda to use NZME for his own interests.

“Mr Grenon clearly wants to use his financial clout to steer the editorial direction of one of New Zealand’s largest and most important media networks,” Michael says.

“While changes to media ownership in New Zealand are common, there is not any recent example of an extremely wealthy individual seeking to use an ownership stake to steer public discourse in the way that Mr Grenon, based on his track record, seems to be attempting.

“These concerns are heightened by a lack of transparency. When his initial stake in NZME was revealed, Mr Grenon indicated that he was not intending to make any further moves, yet within a week it has been reported that he is working closely with an NZ On Air board member and a high-profile businessman to take over the board.

“The idea that a shadowy cabal, backed by extreme wealth, is planning to take over such an important institution in our democratic fabric should be of concern to all New Zealanders.”

Michael calls on the current board to re-affirm its commitment to the editorial independence of NZME’s publications.

“While there is clearly a commercial process to play out, we must protect the rights of NZME journalists to report free from undue interference. We urge other shareholders to think carefully about the impact on the value and standing of NZME if they allow it to be turned into a plaything for the agendas of billionaires like Mr Grenon.”

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NZ Post cost-cutting another blow to Kiwi employment – E tū

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Workers at NZ Post’s call centre have been told their jobs are being gradually moved to Manila, in the Philippines, as part of NZ Post’s need to cut costs.

While workers’ jobs are safe for now, they will be replaced by workers in Manila by attrition, with people not being rehired in Aotearoa New Zealand when one leaves.

NZ Post worker and E tū delegate Samatha Boe says the move is out of line with NZ Post’s values.

“I find it disappointing a government-owned business is looking to send jobs offshore, thus taking away from everyday New Zealanders trying to earn a living in a difficult economic climate,” Samantha says.

“The Government should be prioritising having Kiwis in jobs. They might save in some running costs, but they’ll lose out in tax revenue and unemployment benefits.

“One of NZ Post’s values is ‘stronger together’ – we should be keeping these values here in Aotearoa.”

E tū Negotiation Specialist Joe Gallagher fears this is just another signal of the Government’s overall goal of preparing NZ Post for privatisation.

“Our postal network is core infrastructure designed to help our communities and businesses, not just another thing to make a quick buck on,” Joe says.

“We’re deeply concerned that the Government is allowing NZ Post to make these kinds of changes in preparation to sell off this service to the highest bidder.

“The state-owned enterprise model has been appropriate for NZ Post, and we have worked very constructively with the company through some significant changes, always putting the interests of workers and the wider community who use the services first.

“Offshoring work, inadequate government support, and the talks of privatisation all point to an abdication of responsibility for both New Zealand’s workforce and the services we need.”

ENDS

For more information and comment:
Joe Gallagher, 027 591 0015