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Nicola Willis announced that funding for almost every Government department will be frozen in this year’s budget, costing jobs, making access to public services harder, and fuelling an exodus of nurses, teachers, and other public servants.

“Nicola Willis’s slash-and-burn budget is dangerous and reckless,” Labour finance and economy spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said.

“This Government is hanging out a very clear sign that there’s no hope here. They may as well book tickets to Australia for nurses, teachers, police officers, and other public servants who are already struggling, and who will now find it untenable to stay in New Zealand.

“This Government had no problem doling out billions to landlords and the tobacco lobby, but when it comes to what Kiwis care most about—jobs, health, and homes—it’s just one cut after another.

“But the biggest cuts are to investments in our future. In last year’s budget the Government set aside $1.4 billion from Budget 25 just to keep the lights on in our health system. Today’s announcement leaves nothing for new investments, meaning any so-called ‘new’ spending will be funded by cuts elsewhere.

“Last year we saw $12 billion in borrowing for tax cuts, First Home Grants scrapped and $1.5 billion cut from public house building and maintenance, while they froze hiring for frontline health roles and thousands of Kiwis lost their jobs. Every dollar they promise now comes at the cost of something else, and Kiwis deserve to know what’s on the chopping block.

“This is about the Government’s choices. New Zealanders depend on their public services for jobs, good quality healthcare, and access to an affordable home with a good school down the road. Their budget chooses short-term savings at the expense of long-term prosperity, and it’s New Zealanders who will pay the price,” Barbara Edmonds said.

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This Anzac Day, Labour recognises veterans and the service they have given to our country.

“We back the people who have served our country, on deployment or supporting operations here at home,” Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said.

“On this day we recognise the sacrifices they have made and acknowledge there is still work to do.

“Our current system still treats veterans differently based on when they served. The law says that those who served after 1974 aren’t entitled to the same support as those who served before that date, creating a two-tiered system. Meanwhile, in Australia they have a much more consistent veterans’ support system.

“Anzac Day is a reminder that our armed forces serve together, regardless of the decade or deployment. Let’s make sure our support for them reflects that same spirit of unity.

“I know Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Chris Penk shares the same commitment, and I want to reiterate Labour’s willingness to work across the aisle to deliver better outcomes for those who have worn the uniform.

“I remain ready to support meaningful change that gives veterans the support and dignity they deserve,” Greg O’Connor said.

This Anzac Day, Greg O’Connor will attend the Dawn Service and the National Commemorative Service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park. He will also attend the Atatürk Memorial Service in the afternoon. 

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After promising $250 a fortnight to many families, the Government has been forced to admit just a couple hundred families are receiving it.

In a response to a written parliamentary question on their flagship FamilyBoost policy, the Revenue Minister has admitted that so far just “249 households have received the full $975 for both Q3 2024, Q4 2024, and Q1 2025.”

“This means only up to 249 families are receiving the full $250 tax cut that Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis promised during the election campaign,” Labour finance and economy spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said.

“That tax cut was made up of income tax cuts, plus the FamilyBoost childcare rebate. While many people have found their tax cut was less than promised and is quickly being eaten up by rising costs, now we discover that people aren’t getting as much as promised in childcare either. 

“Nicola Willis promised 100,000 families would get FamilyBoost, but barely half that are actually getting childcare support, and as at 9 April just 249 families have received the full amount over the three quarters since the policy was introduced.

“We’ve been asking the Government to make the policy easier for families to access, because it currently requires families to keep invoices and make claims retrospectively which can be a bureaucratic nightmare for busy parents. We’ve also been asking them to consider an end of year wash-up, so people get what they’re entitled to over the year rather than different amounts each quarter.

“But so far they’ve refused to budge. Costs are piling up on families under this Government and people are not getting what they were promised.

“Nicola Willis needs to stop blaming officials for her own failure to make good on her election campaign promises. People voted for her based on this, she should take responsibility for it,” Barbara Edmonds said.

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The Government is putting children at risk in early childhood education (ECE) by proposing to loosen the requirement for qualified teachers.

“David Seymour should focus on growing the number of qualified teachers so more children get the support they deserve,” Labour’s early childhood education spokesperson, Jan Tinetti said.

“What’s worrying about this announcement is how little it tells us about what changes are actually in store.

“Instead of hiding behind vague statements, David Seymour needs to be transparent about what his plans are and whether they will come at the expense of our children’s learning and wellbeing.

“A review into the sector is certainly warranted. It’s important we’re always improving and future-proofing the sector. It’s why we undertook our own review in Government and were clear about what we were modernising.

“We’ve already seen David Seymour butcher the school lunches programme, I’d hate to see the same done to our ECE sector,” Jan Tinetti said.

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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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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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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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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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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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