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Politics and Business – Pay equity improvement supported – BusinessNZ

Source: BusinessNZ

BusinessNZ supports amending the pay equity process to make it more transparent, evidence-based, and more able to achieve robust settlements.
BusinessNZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich says the current process is bringing large anomalies between the public and private sectors, in effect leading to new equity problems – between those employed in the public sector and those in the private sector.
“Increases in public health sector remuneration have created difficulties in the private sector where they can’t afford those pay rates. Where those private sector employers receive government funding for some services, it is not enough to cover the contracted services they provide. As a result, they are losing staff, suffering from industrial action and face problems in delivering their contracted work.
“These outcomes indicate that the pay equity process needs attention.
“Current problems include unclear evidence for some pay equity claims, a lack of transparency around choice of comparators for the pay equity process, and insufficient incentives for the bargaining parties to resolve pay equity claims themselves, without recourse to the government.
“BusinessNZ supports a review of the settings for pay equity claims, in the interests of fairness and a more balanced economy,” Mrs Rich said.
The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central, Business Canterbury and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.
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Politics and Health – Pay equity changes an attack on women: NZNO

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Changes by the Government to make pay equity claims harder to lodge and resolve are an attack on women, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says.
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke Van Velden today announced changes saying they will “significantly reduce costs to the Crown”.
NZNO chief executive Paul Goulter says nurses will be outraged that historical gender discrimination will not be addressed so the Government can save money.
“This is a blatant and shameful attack on women.
“Women in workforces predominantly performed by female employees have been underpaid and undervalued for generations. That is what pay equity claims seek to rectify.
“This move by the Government will widen the pay gap between men and women,” Paul Goulter says.
NZNO has at least 10 pay equity claims being progressed across branches of the health sector including Aged Care, Primary Health Care, Hospices, Plunket, Community Health and Laboratories covering many nurse and support worker roles.
Paul Goulter says some of these claims have been going on for years.
“Our members will be devastated that after years of waiting for settlements, the Government is now pulling the rug out from under their feet.
“This move is particularly unfair to primary health and aged care nurses who are being denied the opportunity to close the pay gap with their hospital counterparts. Our Plunket and hospice members now face the injustice of having to redo their pay equity claims,” Paul Goulter says.
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Local News – Pacific Language Weeks has new addition for 2025 – Porirua

Source: Porirua City Council

Bislama, the official language of Vanuatu, has been added to the list of Pacific Language Weeks to be celebrated in Porirua in 2025.
Language weeks are important to our city as they highlight the diversity, language, heritage and identity of our many Pacific communities.
After Rotuman Language, from 11-17 May, we recognise and celebrate the languages of Samoa, Kiribati, Vanuatu (Bislama), Cook Islands, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, Fiji, Niue and Tokelau and Solomon Islands.
The overarching theme for the 2025 series of Pacific Language Weeks across New Zealand is ‘preserving Pacific languages for the future’, following on from previous years’ of protecting heritage and culture through sustainability – the United Nations has said recently that 40 per cent of the world’s 7000 languages are in danger of being lost.
Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says flag-raising and other events across each language week represent a chance to share the vibrancy of our Pacific people, who make up nearly 27 per cent of the city’s population.
“It’s well-known that Porirua is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the country, and I love that we highlight and celebrate that,” she says.
“To see people, young and old and everywhere in between, getting out and learning and developing relationships in our community brings us all closer together. It’s wonderful to witness and aligns with our Pacific Strategy Ola Kamataga – Beginning of Life, which we adopted in 2023.
“It’s more important than ever before for everyone to be proud to live in Porirua and be proud to celebrate their own ancestry and culture.”
Individual language week themes will be announced closer to each celebration. Keep an eye on Council’s website and social media pages as we announce and highlight flag-raising and other Pacific Language Week activities. There is also information at mpp.govt.nz.
Pacific Language Week dates for 2025:
Rotuma: 11-17 May
Samoa: 1-7 June
Kiribati: 6-12 July
Vanuatu: 27 July-2 August
Cook Islands: 3-9 August
Tonga: 17-23 August
Papua New Guinea: 7-13 September
Tuvalu: 28 September-4 October
Fiji: 5-11 October
Niue: 19-25 October
Tokelau: 26 October-1 November
Solomon Islands: 23-29 November
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Government Cuts – Dark day for women as Government slams brakes on pay equity to save money – PSA

Source: PSA

The Government’s proposed changes to the Equal Pay Act will severely limit people in female-dominated professions to be paid fairly, said the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi (PSA).
“The new legislation announced today throws away all the work that has been done to date solely to save the Government money,” Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons says.
“Women across the country will pay the price for this.
“The Government’s changes today are a dark day for New Zealand women as the Government says it will repeal the pay equity law and extinguish 33 existing claims in a constitutional overreach.
“The PSA is exploring all possible avenues to oppose these unconstitutional amendments and stop this attack on women. We will not be deterred in our fight to achieve pay equity for all.
“The Government is taking money out of the pockets of women. It’s denying justice, it’s denying hard work and dignity to women who for years have been underpaid by reinventing the process on specious grounds to save money.
“This is a complete back-down from any attempt to eliminate pay discrimination in this country,” said Fitzsimons. “The Government is telling us who it thinks is disposable: women – especially women who also face pay discrimination based on their ethnicity.”
The PSA is involved in 15 pay equity claims. This includes 65,000 care and support workers, who have lost about $18,600 each due to pay discrimination while they have waited for the Government to fund their claim.
“It is now Government policy to keep sexist pay discrimination entrenched in the fabric of this country. It talks a big game about how we all need to ‘tighten our belts’, but it is women who will bear the brunt because of this decision.
“For workers with claims, pay equity would mean they could put money aside and save for emergencies, holidays, or retirement. They wouldn’t have to stress about essentials like dental check-ups and GP visits.
“The Government is snatching this justice from these women and using it to line landlords’ pockets. It spits on this country’s supposedly proud history of advancing equal rights.”
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Police stress safety to heavy vehicle drivers

Source: New Zealand Police

Southland Police are reminding heavy motor vehicle drivers of the importance of road safety as the country makes its way towards winter.

“There have already been a couple of crashes involving trucks and I want to remind drivers to manage their fatigue and drive to the conditions for this time of year, particularly in early morning,” says Senior Sergeant Scott Mackenzie, Southland Road Policing Manager.

Colder months bring more dangers to the country’s roads.

“In winter the sun sits lower in the sky and sun strike becomes a more common occurrence. Surface conditions, particularly on rural roads become less predictable, and slow-moving tractors and silage wagons are more prevalent at this time of year,” he says.

“All of this makes it even more important to practice appropriate following distances.

“I’m asking drivers to make sure they are getting a good night’s sleep, taking regular breaks, checking their speed, and wearing their seatbelts.”

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Team.

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Witnesses sought after suspicious fire in Bluff

Source: New Zealand Police

Police are appealing for information following a suspicious car fire in Bluff on Sunday 4 May.

About 3.40pm, a Ford Courier ute was set alight while it was parked on Marine Parade. The vehicle suffered substantial damage.

Senior Constable Pete Jenkins says a man carrying a red petrol can was seen running away from the vehicle after it was set on fire.

“This person was last seen running south on Henderson Street, where he was picked up in a dark-coloured vehicle.

“We want to talk to this man, and also need to hear from anyone who has information that could help our enquiries. If you saw suspicious activity in the Marine Parade area on Sunday, please contact us.”

Information can be reported to Police online, or by calling 105. Please use the reference number 250504/8027.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

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Pinnacles Hut, Summit Track set for improvement

Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house

Date:  06 May 2025

The Pinnacles Hut is an 80-bunk hut, located in the Kauaeranga Valley. Built in 1994, the hut offers expansive views across the southern Coromandel Peninsula.

The Pinnacles Hut and Summit Track are often used by international tourists visiting Coromandel and is one of DOC’s busiest with 15,000 bednights per year.

DOC Hauraki Senior Ranger Karen Ismay says the hut refurbishment project will start on Monday 12 May and run for six weeks until 21 June.

“The work on the hut involves installing insulation, false ceilings and double-glazed windows – all of which will mean a warmer, drier and more comfortable hut for our visitors.

“We know that a significant proportion of tourism is based in, on or around our unique natural environment and this part of a wider drive to make DOC’s hut buildings more environmentally sustainable for future generations to enjoy,” Karen says.

“This hut is particularly popular with international visitors enjoying what the Coromandel has to offer.”

With the work underway, the hut becomes an active worksite – which means it is off-limits to the public and cannot be booked for the duration of the refurbishment project.

Alongside the hut project is an improvement project on the Summit Track, which is accessed from the Pinnacles Hut.

The Summit Track project focusses on improving the track surface, with boardwalks set to be installed to prevent the spread of kauri disease.

With more than 50 per cent of international visitors and 80 per cent of New Zealanders visiting protected natural areas every year, improvements like these are vital for future-proofing our assets.

Drainage work will also improve management of rainwater on and around the track.

The track will be closed to the public from 7am Monday to 3pm on Friday, but will be available for weekend walkers. The track upgrade project is expected to be completed by 21June.

“We understand there may be some disappointment about these closures, but we’re confident our visitors will appreciate the improvements – particularly on chilly winter nights in the hut,” Karen says.

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz

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Kiwis dig deep to help DOC save world’s rarest dotterel

Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house

Date:  06 May 2025 Source:  Department of Conservation and New Zealand Nature Fund

Pukunui are the world’s rarest wading bird. A year ago, there were just 101 left on Earth. This year, flock counts showed a population increase of four birds bringing the total to 105.

It’s a small lift, but hugely significant, says DOC pukunui ranger Dan Cocker.

“Pukunui only breed on Rakiura/Stewart Island and some of them migrate to Awarua Bay in Southland to feed. If they don’t survive in these places, they’ll be gone for good.”

Pukunui numbers have fluctuated over the past 30 years due to different predators, but especially feral cats. The population hit an all-time low of 62 birds in 1992 and bounced back to 290 after intensive predator control in 2009, before rapidly declining again despite continued pest control efforts.

DOC has a dedicated ‘Pukunui Recovery Team’ who work hard on bird monitoring, banding, and predator control at breeding sites and surrounding areas.

“We’re thrilled the April flock counts showed a population increase,” says Dan, “But 105 is still a perilously low number for this one-of-a-kind bird. We can’t take our foot off the gas.”

In 2023 the New Zealand Nature Fund launched a campaign in partnership with DOC to raise funds from donors to support DOC’s Pukunui Recovery Team to protect pukunui from predators.

NZ Nature Fund CEO Sarah Lyttle says over 600 people have already contributed to the pukunui campaign with more than $400,000 raised to date including $200,000 from an anonymous party and $20,000 from the Southland branch of Forest and Bird.

DOC has used funds from these donations to boost the Pukunui Recovery Programme by employing additional trappers to target feral cats at nest sites, adding cameras around key breeding sites to monitor feral cat numbers, buying extra feral cat kill traps, and supporting more helicopter flights to monitor remote pukunui nesting sites.

“Enabling people to invest directly in projects that prevent extinction is our mission and it’s wonderful our donors have made a very tangible difference to the pukunui this season,” says Sarah.

“I hope this encourages more Kiwis to dig deep and invest directly in this precious endangered species.”

“Donations to New Zealand Nature Fund’s campaign boosted our ground trapping efforts, resulting in 64 feral cats being trapped across our predator control zones, that’s almost double what we caught last season,” says Dan.

“While the extra trapping efforts have benefited pukunui, we’re barely holding the line for this species. We need to control feral cats across a much larger area where pukunui breed.”

DOC is currently considering a proposal for an aerial 1080 operation to protect nesting pukunui ahead of the 2025/26 breeding season.

The goal of the Pukunui Recovery Team is to increase pukunui numbers to at least 300 birds by 2035.

“We still have a long way to go to reach this goal,” says Dan. “The good news is if we work together, we can create safe havens for our taonga species by removing pests and restoring ecosystems.”

You can donate to help the plight of pukunui/southern NZ dotterels here:

Southern Dotterel / Pukunui | NZ Nature Fund

Background information

DOC is considering a proposal for an aerial 1080 operation prior to the upcoming 2025/26 breeding season to protect nesting pukunui by targeting possums and rats and feral cats as they eat poisoned rats and possums.

The longer-term goal is to remove rats, possums, feral cats, and hedgehogs from Rakiura to enable nature and the community to thrive together. See Predator Free Rakiura.

Posted on

Local environment prioritised, thanks to targeted rate

Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

A targeted rate that protects and restores Auckland’s environment is delivering beyond its investment, thanks to the support of partners and volunteers.

Auckland Council’s environmental services team delivers natural environment and climate outcomes Auckland-wide, through a programme that delivers great value at community level.

At April’s Revenue, Expenditure and Value Committee, chaired by Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, the division’s financial performance review highlighted its multi-pronged approach.

“Protecting our unique natural environment requires ongoing management of pressures, such as pest plants and animals. Through the targeted rate, it receives dedicated investment so, ultimately, we have an Auckland we are proud to call home,” says Cr Simpson.

“The environmental programme is delivering great results region-wide and in our local communities too, thanks to key partnerships, co-funding, new tools to lift productivity and volunteers.

“The natural environment programme is 97 per cent rates funded, which is around $43 per year per ratepayer through the Natural Environment Targeted Rate (NETR) and some general rates.

“That investment delivers good value for money,” says Simpson. “In some cases, it delivers a quantifiable $6 return for every $1 invested.”

How we’re investing for the natural environment

NETR and general rates funding delivers and supports a range of environmental activity, including community-led initiatives across all Auckland Council wards.

Auckland Council environmental services general manager Samantha Hill says environmental protection and restoration is a long-term game and the focus is on delivering on commitments that will have enduring future impact.

“We are here to protect, improve and minimise risks to the natural environment and we can’t do this alone. It is important to recognise and acknowledge the tireless commitment and support from our partners and communities,” says Ms Hill.

“The NETR-funded work has enabled a wide range of community-led action and youth involvement. At the same time, key partnerships and regularly assessing opportunities to improve, such as new technologies and tools, means we continue to deliver value for money.”

Rates funding helps contract specialist environmental services; enables partnerships with investors to deliver even greater value; and helps activate community-led conservation, including around $2 million per year in contestable grants.

Community grants, technical advice and training is funded by both the NETR and general rates, helping deliver proactive action at local level but also added value.

For example, the Community Coordination and Facilitation Grant saw $1 million in funding shared across 36 local community groups in 2024 – ultimately resulting in over 276,000 volunteer hours and third-party funding on projects benefiting the natural environment.

It also delivered a $6.10 return for each $1 of grant funding invested.

Environmental services work closely with local boards to design and deliver locally driven initiatives, supporting over 110 local board projects worth $4 million in 2023-2024.

Additional strategic partnerships with business, mana whenua, central government, community and private investors, and other groups, are also adding value to the programme.

For example, over $2 million has been sourced so far from central government and private investors for the first phase of the Kawau Island multi-species pest eradication project. Private sector business and philanthropic funding has also been secured for other projects.

Detailed information on NETR-funded activity delivered in each local board can be found on this PDF [7.77MB].

To find out more about Auckland Council’s environmental programme, visit www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/environment

What the Natural Environment Targeted Rate (NETR) delivers

The current priorities:

  • upgrade and re-open tracks in the Waitākere Ranges in accordance with the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park 2019-2024 Track Reopening Programme

  • control possums across the region, in high priority sites

  • adequate control of pest plants for 66 per cent of significant ecological sites within council parks by 2028

  • work in partnership to achieve pest mammal eradications on Kawau, Aotea and Waiheke islands

  • protect regionally threatened species and high priority ecosystems

  • support community-led action through the provision of advice, grants and tools

  • deliver in partnership with mana whenua

  • implement a comprehensive Pest Free Warrant programme to reduce pest spread to islands by the full range of high-risk businesses.

What’s been achieved to date:

  • thirty-three tracks upgraded in the Waitākere Ranges

  • Hūnua Ranges Regional Park remains free of kauri dieback disease

  • Hūnua and Waitakere Ranges regional parks are kept free of feral deer and goats

  • 30 per cent of rural mainland Auckland has possum populations maintained at/below target densities for biodiversity protection (at June 2024)

  • Kōkako populations in the Hūnua Ranges have increased from 106 pairs in 2018 to 259 in 2024, as a result of possum and predator control

  • regional conservation status assessments have been completed for freshwater fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, bats and vascular plants

  • 51 per cent of priority native habitats in regional parks have pest plants being effectively controlled towards, or managed below, target densities for biodiversity protection (at June 2024)

  • partnerships are underway with Ngāti Manuhiri, Department of Conservation, Predator Free 2050 Ltd, Ministry for Primary Industries and the Kawau community to eradicate possums and wallabies on Kawau Island

  • the council is also partnering with Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai ki Aotea to eradicate rats, cats and pest plants on Aotea. Alongside Te Korowai o Waiheke, the council is supporting the eradication of stoats and the trialling of rat eradication on Waiheke Island

  • around 800 scheduled and unscheduled vehicle and passenger ferry sailings are inspected for pests each year. As a result, all Hauraki Gulf Islands where non-native predators such as rats and stoats have been eradicated remain free of these pests.   

Posted on

Local environment prioritised thanks to targeted rate

Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

A targeted rate that protects and restores Auckland’s environment is delivering beyond its investment, thanks to the support of partners and volunteers.

Auckland Council’s environmental services team delivers natural environment and climate outcomes Auckland-wide, through a programme that delivers great value at community level.

At April’s Revenue, Expenditure and Value Committee, chaired by Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, the division’s financial performance review highlighted its multi-pronged approach.

“Protecting our unique natural environment requires ongoing management of pressures, such as pest plants and animals. Through the targeted rate, it receives dedicated investment so, ultimately, we have an Auckland we are proud to call home,” says Cr Simpson.

“The environmental programme is delivering great results region-wide and in our local communities too, thanks to key partnerships, co-funding, new tools to lift productivity and volunteers.

“The natural environment programme is 97 per cent rates funded, which is around $43 per year per ratepayer through the Natural Environment Targeted Rate (NETR) and some general rates.

“That investment delivers good value for money,” says Cr Simpson. “In some cases, it delivers a quantifiable $6 return for every $1 invested.”

How we’re investing for the natural environment
NETR and general rates funding delivers and supports a range of environmental activity, including community-led initiatives across all Auckland Council wards.

Auckland Council environmental services general manager Samantha Hill says environmental protection and restoration is a long-term game and the focus is on delivering on commitments that will have enduring future impact.

“We are here to protect, improve and minimise risks to the natural environment and we can’t do this alone. It is important to recognise and acknowledge the tireless commitment and support from our partners and communities,” says Ms Hill.

“The NETR-funded work has enabled a wide range of community-led action and youth involvement. At the same time, key partnerships and regularly assessing opportunities to improve, such as new technologies and tools, means we continue to deliver value for money.”

Rates funding helps contract specialist environmental services; enables partnerships with investors to deliver even greater value; and helps activate community-led conservation, including around $2 million per year in contestable grants.

Community grants, technical advice and training is funded by both the NETR and general rates, helping deliver proactive action at local level but also added value.

For example, the Community Coordination and Facilitation Grant saw $1 million in funding shared across 36 local community groups in 2024 – ultimately resulting in over 276,000 volunteer hours and third-party funding on projects benefiting the natural environment.

It also delivered a $6.10 return for each $1 of grant funding invested.

Environmental services work closely with local boards to design and deliver locally driven initiatives, supporting over 110 local board projects worth $4 million in 2023-2024.

Additional strategic partnerships with business, mana whenua, central government, community and private investors, and other groups, are also adding value to the programme.

Over $2 million has been sourced so far from central government and private investors for the first phase of the Kawau Island multi-species pest eradication project. Private sector business and philanthropic funding has also been secured for other projects.

Detailed information on NETR-funded activity delivered in each local board can be found here.

To find out more about Auckland Council’s environmental programme, visit www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/environment

What the Natural Environment Targeted Rate (NETR) delivers

The current priorities:

  • upgrade and re-open tracks in the Waitākere Ranges in accordance with the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park 2019-2024 Track Reopening Programme
  • control possums across the region, in high priority sites
  • adequate control of pest plants for 66 per cent of significant ecological sites within council parks by 2028
  • work in partnership to achieve pest mammal eradications on Kawau, Aotea and Waiheke islands
  • protect regionally threatened species and high priority ecosystems
  • support community-led action through the provision of advice, grants and tools
  • deliver in partnership with mana whenua
  • implement a comprehensive Pest Free Warrant programme to reduce pest spread to islands by the full range of high-risk businesses.

What’s been achieved to date:

  • thirty-three tracks upgraded in the Waitākere Ranges
  • Hūnua Ranges Regional Park remains free of kauri dieback disease
  • Hūnua and Waitakere Ranges regional parks are kept free of feral deer and goats
  • 30 per cent of rural mainland Auckland has possum populations maintained at/below target densities for biodiversity protection (at June 2024)
  • Kōkako populations in the Hūnua Ranges have increased from 106 pairs in 2018 to 259 in 2024, as a result of possum and predator control
  • regional conservation status assessments have been completed for freshwater fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, bats and vascular plants
  • 51 per cent of priority native habitats in regional parks have pest plants being effectively controlled towards, or managed below, target densities for biodiversity protection (at June 2024)
  • partnerships are underway with Ngāti Manuhiri, Department of Conservation, Predator Free 2050 Ltd, Ministry for Primary Industries and the Kawau community to eradicate possums and wallabies on Kawau Island
  • the council is also partnering with Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai ki Aotea to eradicate rats, cats and pest plants on Aotea. Alongside Te Korowai o Waiheke, the council is supporting the eradication of stoats and the trialling of rat eradication on Waiheke Island.
  • around 800 scheduled and unscheduled vehicle and passenger ferry sailings are inspected for pests each year. As a result, all Hauraki Gulf Islands where non-native predators such as rats and stoats have been eradicated remain free of these pests.