Category: Politics

Source: Radio New Zealand

National is pledging to further increase the default KiwiSaver contribution rate if re-elected at the next election.

The policy is the first firm National policy ahead of the election, which is still around a year away.

At the Budget, the government confirmed an increase to the default contribution from 3 percent to 4 by 2028.

In a speech to National Party members in Upper Hutt, Christopher Luxon said even after those changes, KiwiSaver contributions would still be lower than Australia’s equivalent scheme and he wanted to aim higher.

“For Kiwis working in New Zealand, that means smaller KiwiSaver balances and less financial security than friends or family working and saving in Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne.”

Luxon said if re-elected, National would continue to gradually increase the default contribution rates by 0.5 percent a year until 2032, when both employees and employers would pay in 6 percent each.

As the government is the country’s biggest employer, it was estimated that the policy would cost around $90m a year for each 0.5 percent increase.

National said it expected that this would be met within agencies’ baselines, although some funding for cost pressures “could become available for certain agencies”.

Unlike Australia, the scheme would not be compulsory.

Also at the Budget, the government halved its annual contribution to a maximum of $260.72, and removed it for anyone earning more than $180,000 a year.

The speech was to mark two years of the coalition, with the anniversary coming up on Thursday.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is due to speak from the Silverstream Retreat Centre in Lower Hutt just after 11.30am today.

Policy announcement season has begun, with Labour last month proposing a capital gains tax on investment properties as part of its election campaign, following leaks to RNZ.

Luxon’s announcement comes on the same week New Zealand was given the ‘Fossil of the Day’ award at the COP30 global climate summit, for its decision to weaken methane emissions policies.

Earlier, the prime minister declared the soaring prison population to be a “good thing”, characterising it as the price of restoring law and order.

He also conceded the government was running behind on its promise to boost police numbers by 500, despite previously insisting the target would be met by next week.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Ngāpuhi’s general manager says they are insulted Te Pāti Māori leadership is refusing to participate in a hui after expelling its local MP.

A hui is taking place in Kaikohe on Sunday with Te Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi after she and Te Tai Tonga MP Tākutai Ferris were expelled from Te Pāti Māori last week.

Te Pāti Māori said they had been advised by “multiple rangatira of Te Tai Tokerau” not to attend “at this time”.

Te Tumu Whakahaere, or general manager, of Te Rūnanga-ā- iwi o Ngāpuhi Moana Tuwhare told Saturday Morning, there had been a lack of transparency from those opposing Mariameno Kapa-Kingi.

“We don’t know who those people are. We didn’t know who the ones were saying Mariameno is a no-show on the ground up North, which was a complete lie.

“We have seen her turn up time and time again to support kaupapa in Te Tai Tokerau.

“Whichever of these so-called Te Tai Tokerau iwi leaders who have been complaining that she doesn’t show up, I’m not sure who they are or what events they’re talking about. But she’s certainly at Ngāpuhi ones on a regular basis.”

Tuwhare said a change in the party’s leadership was needed to have the iwi’s support moving forward.

“It’s hard to reconcile the fact that they’re called Te Pāti Māori but are refusing to turn up to hui Māori.

“The contradictions are rife at the moment from our perspective, and we were not happy about it, to be frank.”

Tuwhare believed Te Pāti Māori had “some massive problems in the hierarchy.”

“The way that this whole issue has played out has shown that there is a lack of constructive leadership and that some of their processes also look pretty wanting from what we have seen in the written record that has been well and truly out there.”

Tuwhare said she was unsure if the fault lies with the Parliamentary leaders.

“The layers in terms of the decision making here, it seems to have got quite blurred. I just think there needs to be a reset.

“It’ll be for certain people within the party to really state clearly who is responsible for which decisions, and how those decisions have come about.

“From where we are sitting it looks like a shambles.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Former Labour cabinet minister Michael Wood has confirmed his re-entry into politics, announcing he will stand again in the Mt Roskill seat at the next election.

In 2023, Wood lost the electorate to National’s Carlos Cheung, the first time Labour had lost since the seat was created in 1999.

In a video posted to his Facebook page, Wood said 2023 was a “difficult” year for him, and he made some “real mistakes”.

Those mistakes ended his ministerial career.

Three years ago, Wood was stood down as transport minister for failing to disclose shares in Auckland Airport.

He then resigned from his remaining portfolios, including immigration, after it was discovered he had shares in Chorus, Spark, and National Australia Bank through a trust.

The incidents saw him referred to Parliament’s privileges committee, and he was ordered to apologise to Parliament.

“I own my mistakes from that period. The approach I take is that if you mess something up you don’t shift the blame to others, you own it, you take responsibility, you try and improve yourself and then come back and keep contributing,” Wood said in his video.

In a statement posted alongside the video, Wood said he understood people would have had concerns about his resignation, which he understood.

“I made an error and there are no excuses. I apologised, accepted the consequences, and I’ve taken that lesson seriously.”

Wood first won the seat in a 2016 by-election, defeating National list MP Parmjeet Parmar by 6852 votes.

He increased his margins in 2017 and 2020, with Parmar not placed high enough on National’s list to return in 2020.

Parmar returned to Parliament in 2023 with the ACT Party.

Wood said he was standing again because he felt many people in the electorate were feeling “forgotten and neglected,” and needed someone “experienced and hardened enough” to fight for them.

The Mt Roskill boundaries have been redrawn ahead of the 2026 election, with parts of Wesley and Balmoral going to Mt Albert, while it gains Blockhouse Bay from the New Lynn seat (which is set to be disestablished for the election).

Wood is currently a director at union E tū.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

The Defence Force has released more details of its new planes, including what they will look like.

The Airbus A321XLR planes will replace the Boeing 757 fleet.

The planes are primarily used as transport, for military personnel and equipment, as well as for diplomatic and trade missions.

The investment was announced in August, following the release of the Defence Capability Plan in April.

The planes have been acquired on a six-year lease to buy arrangement with the US-based Air Lease Corporation, with $620 million in capital costs and $80.86m in four-year operating costs.

The new planes can travel further than the 757s, carry around 9000kg of cargo, and accommodate around 120 passengers.

The Defence Force said the livery had been designed to match the RNZAF’s current livery.

“A range of options were considered before settling on the grey with a prominent Kiwi roundel, sending a clear signal that they are military aircraft and are also instantly recognisable as being from New Zealand, no matter the environment,” a statement said.

Air Vice-Marshal Darryn Webb, the chief of Air Force, said the new planes would play a key role in ensuring the Air Force could deliver on government tasks, and maintain the “highest levels” of interoperability and dependability.

“Strategic air transport plays a vital role for a country like New Zealand – responding to events of any description, whether humanitarian recovery, defence personnel deployments or important trade delegations will continue to enhance New Zealand’s interest,” he said.

“The extra-long-range capability of the Airbus A321XLR will also improve our ability to conduct key missions to Antarctica with greater safety and surety.”

He expected the planes would be fitted out and ready to operate soon after they arrive in 2028.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Analysis: New Zealand politics has long acknowledged a truth of coalition life – sooner or later, everyone swallows a dead rat. Less examined is the art of spitting one back up.

This term has already delivered its fair share of deceased squeakers. National had to stomach the Treaty principles debate. ACT swallowed some corporate subsidies. And now NZ First has gagged its way through the Regulatory Standards Bill.

Expired vermin are a built-in feature of MMP, as every party makes compromises for the greater governing good.

In 2018, the Green Party found itself voting for the waka-jumping bill despite years of opposition because of an agreement secured by NZ First during coalition negotiations with Labour.

(Ironically, the Greens later used the law to eject one of their own, but that is beside the current point.)

As the 2020 election grew closer, then-co-leader James Shaw sensed an opportunity. He pledged a new intention to repeal the law and then teamed up with National in an unsuccessful attempt to do just that. NZ First leader Winston Peters was furious, labelling the Greens “unstable and untrustworthy”.

In response, Shaw said his party had kept its word by voting for the legislation, but had never promised not to later revoke it if the opportunity arose.

Asked whether he was playing political games, Shaw grinned: “I learn from the master.”

Five years on, the master is performing his own version of rodent regurgitation.

Peters initiated the disgorgement on Thursday, suddenly announcing NZ First would campaign next year on repealing the Regulatory Standards Act – the very law the party had voted for just a week earlier.

The position was not entirely a surprise. NZ First had not been quiet about its disquiet over ACT’s flagship bill, believing it to be anti-democratic.

And the bill’s critics were aware of the dynamic too. Greenpeace last week issued a statement headlined: “Winston Peters and NZ First hand victory to ACT over corporate Bill of Rights.”

Still, the speed of the turnaround was stunning.

Just days earlier, NZ First’s Casey Costello had stood in the chamber to deliver the party’s votes, declaring “no hesitation” in supporting the bill.

With hindsight, she should’ve perhaps demonstrated a hint of hesitation.

“No hay problema,” Peters told reporters on Thursday. “We’ll fix it.”

But ACT’s leader David Seymour certainly regarded it as quite the problema. Speaking to media shortly after the news broke, Seymour fired back, reviving memories of the old acrimony between the two.

It was not quite the venom of name-calling past – not crook, nor cuckold – but it does not get much more serious than an allegation of coalition disloyalty, or at least future disloyalty.

“It sounds like he’s getting ready to go with Labour again,” Seymour said. “He seems to be lining up for a different kind of coalition.”

The sharp rebuke should be seen in light of recent polling. In recent months, NZ First has surged past ACT in popularity, each trending in opposite directions.

Both parties are hunting a similar pool of voters: those frustrated with the status quo but not prepared to entertain the left.

It does Seymour no harm to remind those voters that Peters has gone with Labour before, and could do so again. Just the seed of doubt could be enough to win some over to the ACT camp.

The prospect is not entirely outlandish either.

Yes, Peters has said he will not work with Labour under its leader Chris Hipkins. Asked about the prospect on Thursday, Peters chuckled: “Don’t make me laugh.”

Likewise, Hipkins has said such an arrangement would be “very unlikely”.

But the polls are tight, and if voters deliver a hung Parliament on election night, be sure all sorts of conversations will be happening between all sorts of parties.

Reinforced narrative

For National, the coalition contretemps are a more serious problema. They reinforce the narrative that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon lacks firm control over his warring offsiders.

As well, it undercuts National’s arguments that a Labour-Green-Te Pāti Māori arrangement would be chaotic, when its own side is hardly serene.

Visiting New Plymouth on Thursday, Luxon waved away RNZ’s questions about the infighting, suggesting it was simply normal pre-election positioning. The coalition was “absolutely not” falling apart, he said.

But the increasing feuding does put National in an awkward spot.

On Thursday, campaign chair Chris Bishop refused to say whether National would or would not repeal the Regulatory Standards Act in future, a bizarre spectacle given it had just voted it into law.

“Peters has set out his stall,” Bishop said. “We will set out our stall in due course.”

This is not what National wants to be talking about right now. Like the rest of us, its MPs saw the latest IPSOS survey.

They need to be talking about the economy, the cost of living and health if they are to win back the public’s trust. Coalition squabbles only muddy the message.

None of it bodes well for an easy final year of governing. Both Peters and Seymour need to take care. They can exchange a few blows here and there, but neither can afford to burn the relationship.

All signs are that all three coalition parties will need each other again if they are to hold on to power next year.

And no dead rat is as hard to swallow as a return to the opposition benches.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The coalition says its tough on crime approach is working as a new survey reports 38,000 fewer victims of serious violent crime.

The figure is close to double the government’s target of 20,000 fewer victims of assault, robbery or sexual assault each year by 2029.

The Justice Ministry’s latest Crime and Victims Survey has reported 147,000 victims of serious crime in the 12 months to August.

That’s 38,000 fewer than the last year, and 9000 fewer than the last update in May.

The government banned gang patches in public places and gave police more powers to disrupt gatherings this time last year.

Justice Minster Paul Goldsmith said decreasing victim numbers showed the coalition’s tough approach to law and order was working.

“That’s 38,000 families and individuals that don’t have to go through the trauma and horror of violent crime, so it’s good,” Goldsmith said.

“We’ve made good progress but obviously there’s still a long way to go.”

Quick statistics since the Gangs Act (2024) came into effect:

• 182 patches seized
• 643 insignia items seized
• 178 firearms seized
• 856 charges for Prohibited Display of Gang Insignia in Public Place
• 255 finalised charges, 188 convictions.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell said he made no apologies for getting tough on law and order.

“One year ago, gangs were confronted with a new harsh reality – one where they can no longer behave as if they’re above the law by taking over our streets, intimidating the public, and making a mockery of our criminal justice system,” he said.

“This is tough legislation. That is the point. Gang members make up less than one quarter of one percent of the New Zealand adult population, yet are linked to about 18 per cent of serious violent crime.”

“The few examples where patches have been returned to gang members is not at all representative of just how successful these laws have been. The numbers speak for themselves.”

Goldsmith said the changes to gang laws were part of a broader crime strategy.

“The most important thing about the gang patch ban is that it has greatly reduced the intimidation and presence of gang members in public.

“There was a sense of them taking over some parts of the country, some small towns, and a sense of their presence was concerning to many New Zealanders.

“So, that’s helped on that front but the gang patch is one part of many different tools we’ve given the police to deal with gangs, which is also one part of a broader strategy, which is about restoring consequences for crime and holding people to account.”

He said victim numbers were still too high for his liking.

“I’m extremely mindful that we still have far too many New Zealanders being a victim of crime so we want to keep going much further and keep driving that level of crime down so that New Zealanders feel safe in their communities.”

Asked if it was time to set a new target, Goldsmith said it might be something he considered in the New Year.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Te Pāti Māori’s youngest MP has broken her silence, following the expulsion of her former colleagues, saying it has felt like “a divorce between two parents.”

“My answer to both sides face to face has been that you are all in the wrong.”

Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke says she’s “watched, listened and observed” over the past six months, since Takutai Tarsh Kemp’s passing, and observed the “division” of Te Pāti Māori.

“I’ve heard both sides – trust me, I’ve heard it all,” she said, “sometimes I’ve wanted to give them all a hug and a hiding at the same time – all sides.”

Te Pāti Māori has been in a period of turmoil culminating in the expulsion of MPs Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris.

The remaining MPs – Oriini Kaipara and Maipi-Clarke – had stayed silent, until Maipi-Clarke made her remarks at Parliament on Thursday.

Kaipara was yet to speak publicly, but attended a meeting with the ousted MPs last week.

Maipi-Clarke spoke on Thursday, firstly acknowledging the passing of Kemp and what followed.

She said she’d heard from “both sides” in the party’s split, and understanding both sides were “valid.” She wanted to bring the party together and figure out how she could be on both sides “without splitting.”

She said she wanted to take accountability, but acknowledged she didn’t have all the answers.

She said she wasn’t disrespecting any individuals, whānau or iwi, but it was “about having an honest conversation when we’re at fault, and so far, no one has taken ownership for the situation.”

The reality of the situation was that it was “a divide and conquer tactic, and there are no winners.”

She also acknowledged many significant movements, like the Kiingitanga for example, hadn’t come about without “challenges and differences.”

She referenced the Toitū te Tiriti hīkoi arriving at parliament in the tens of thousands, saying the next phase of that was “how can we work together, knowing that we all have unique differences, and actually accepting and embracing.”

She said both sides needed to be left to sort themselves out, and what was needed now was accepting, shifting and adapting to “new systems that can work with us and accept each other in differences, but the same purpose.”

“In a perfect world” she said she’d like to see Kapa-Kingi and Ferris returned to the party, but she also maintained confidence in Te Pāti Māori’s leadership.

Maipi-Clarke said Christmas was coming, a “real tough time” where people are thinking about grocery prices and gas prices and “this is definitely not what we need.”

She said she had “work to do” here at Parliament, “there’s collaborations with foundation for kids in need, for Christmas, bills that protect Tiriti o Waitangi that need to be signed, letters to select committees that need to be written.”

She said she would be meeting with her electorate in two weeks time, who will “determine” her future in politics, “whether I’m still the right voice and whether this is still the right waka and movement.”

“In a place of power, the greatest move you can do is give it to your people to decide and direct the next course we take.”

Te Pāti Māori’s AGM will also be taking place early next month in Rotorua.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has vowed to repeal the Regulatory Standards Bill (RSB) if re-elected next year.

It’s prompted the bill’s key proponent, ACT leader David Seymour, to warn Peters could be jumping ship to Labour.

Peters told Radio Waatea’s Dale Husband he wanted the bill gone earlier on Thursday, having voted it through its third reading this time last week.

“It was their deal, the ACT Party’s deal with the National Party. We were opposed to this from the word go but you’ve only got so many cards you can play.

“We did our best to neutralise its adverse effects and we will campaign at the next election to repeal it.”

The Bill is the brainchild of ACT Party leader and Minister for Regulation David Seymour, who says it will “help New Zealand get its mojo back”.

It seeks to limit future lawmakers from introducing what Seymour considers unnecessary red tape into legislation, prioritising private property rights.

As part of this, it proposes establishing a Regulatory Standards Board, which would assess whether proposed laws align with several principles outlined in the Bill.

The Bill has faced fierce pushback from the public, with more than 98 percent of public submissions opposed.

Its critics say the principles are ideological, could favour big corporations, and would add delays and cost to lawmaking.

Speaking at Parliament on Thursday afternoon, Peters said he had done his best to “fix” the bill up.

“That sort of intervention in the democratic process is not fit for a modern democracy.

“It was in the coalition agreement but we will campaign against it in 2026.”

‘Sounds like he’s getting ready to go with Labour again’ – Seymour

Seymour said it was a “pretty worrying” development.

“That’s Labour’s position. It sounds like he’s getting ready to go with Labour again.

“This is a landmark piece of legislation that ACT would never vote to get rid of so if he wants to do that, he’s got to go with Labour.

“What’s more, for the best interests of New Zealand, we need to get on top of red tape and regulation. It’s making us poorer. It’s ruining lives. It’s ruining our country and the Regulatory Standards Act is there to do exactly that; cut the red tape long term.”

Asked if he thought Peters was respecting the conventions of Cabinet, Seymour said it was an interesting question.

“Frankly, the government’s position is to have the Regulatory Standards Act and continue to develop it.

“I would have thought of all the things we could be focused on right now for New Zealand, it would be how do we get the cost of living under control, get some economic activity back, rather than speculating about what you might do in another scenario that the voters haven’t even had a say on yet.”

Seymour said the RSB was non-negotiable for his party.

“We’ve worked on this for 20 years because red tape is strangling our country, and the regulatory standards act is the way to deal with it.”

Asked if he was gearing up to work with Labour next year, Peters laughed.

“Don’t make me laugh,” he said.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

A government bill will stop schools opting out of international maths and reading tests and speed up intervention in failing schools.

It will also give a new property agency the power to force schools to spend money on building works.

The Education and Training (System Reform) Bill was introduced to Parliament this week.

Education Minister Erica Stanford said the bill would ensure the education system supported the government’s priorities.

She said a key aspect was raising the quality of initial teacher education.

That part of the bill would enable changes to the Teaching Council announced earlier in the month.

They included shifting the council’s responsibility for teacher education and teachers’ professional standards to the Education Ministry, and changing the make-up of its governing body to include only three representatives elected by teachers and four to six ministerial appointees.

The bill would require the Education Review Office to notify the ministry and minister within two working days if it decided a school “may be of serious concern”, followed within 28 working days by a report and recommended statutory interventions.

It would establish a new Crown agency, the New Zealand School Property Agency, to manage school property.

The agency’s powers would include recovering costs for maintenance and repairs and requiring boards to take action.

The bill would require the Education Ministry to review curriculum areas on a rolling basis and allow different curriculum statements to be made for different groups of schools.

It would remove the requirement for school boards to consult their communities about the health curriculum – something the Education Review Office recommended last year.

The bill would remove the ability of state, charter and private schools to opt out of studies such as the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment – a change apparently responding to a high refusal rate in the 2022 tests.

The Educational Institute, Te Riu Roa, warned the bill was a bulldozer that significantly increased ministerial control over the school system.

It said the bill would politicise education.

“What we are seeing is what we’ve seen in the curriculum changes – a government hell-bent on making a one-size-fits-all education system and controlling it in its entirety, without thought for the diversity and needs of our tamariki and our communities. We cannot see in any of the proposed changes a world where tamariki, kaiako or their whānau will be better off,” it said.

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