Employment law changes are a setback for NZ workers
THREE KEY FACTS
So many employment rights regressions, so little time. To start, this month the Government rammed through the Equal Pay Amendment Bill under urgency, gutting a law that helped women challenge entrenched pay discrimination.
The new Equal Pay law reverses 2020 changes that streamlined
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Scoop
25 minutes ago
- Scoop
Love Taupō Supports New Visitor Charges
Press Release – Destination Great Lake Taupo Love Taup General Manager Patrick Dault believes the extra funding provided will deliver positive results for regional tourism for both visitors and locals. Love Taupō supports the Government's announcement of a plan to charge overseas visitors for the privilege of visiting some of New Zealand's most iconic and popular conservation areas. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is one of four high-visit conservation locations featured in the initial scheme. Revenue gathered by these visitor charges will go back into Department of Conservation work at the same locations. Love Taupō General Manager Patrick Dault believes the extra funding provided will deliver positive results for regional tourism for both visitors and locals. 'More money to sustainably manage our treasured conservation estate is a positive for every Kiwi because we all get to benefit from a safe and healthy environment,' Dault says. 'Any investment in improving and developing new infrastructure on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing should be good news for both visitors and local communities as it will ultimately offer an enhanced experience.' 'A large proportion of our international visitors visit the region for the purpose of exploring the Unesco World Heritage Park and the Tongariro Alpine Crossing remains one of the destination drivers.' adds Dault. 'This aligns perfectly with Te Ihirangi — the Taupō Regional Destination Management Plan, a common vision for a more regenerative approach to tourism. It puts people and place, communities and the environment first, ensuring tourism adds true value to the destination.' The watchout for the tourism sector, he said, would always be the challenge of keeping costs within the reach of visitors. While a small extra charge might not be much for some market segments, it could represent a deterrent for a different group. The Government is looking initially at applying charges to four locations: Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Cathedral Cove/Te Whanganui-a-Hei, the Milford Track and Aoraki/Mount Cook. Foreign visitors account for up to 80% of visitors to these places. Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said the charges would range from $20 to $40 per person, with the goal of raising up to $62 million per year to be reinvested directly into those same areas. Entry for New Zealanders would remain free. Up to 105,000 visitors used some, or all, of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in the 2023/24 season (1 October 2023 to 8 April 2024), according to the Department of Conservation. Booking data shows that 80% were international visitors. Up to 1500 to 2000 people visited the track on the busiest days.*
NZ Herald
an hour ago
- NZ Herald
Education Minister Erica Stanford says pupils sitting NCEA in final years not disadvantaged
She also told Herald NOW's Ryan Bridge that the new curriculum would not 'sacrifice' the needs of students who have learning challenges. 'We are keeping that flexibility of having and that balance of having internals and externals, which caters for lots of different learners. So it's not just exam-based, but we do want to make sure that children do sit their exams.' Stanford said we can not 'cotton wool our kids' and having 'rigour' sets students up for success. 'When you live your life, you have to sit a driver's [test]. 'If you're going into the trades, you'll need to sit your trades exams. There are always going to be those sorts of situations.' On raising the age to be able to leave from 16 to 17, Stanford said although she would like to see kids in school 'till the very end' it is not something they have considered at this point. She said it did feature in the proposal, but only because it is something they wish to address in the future. Labour leader Chris Hipkins said he was concerned about the disruption to students still sitting NCEA and whether or not they were supported through the transition. 'I think they're a bit anxious about this because they're sort of thinking, 'What does this mean for the qualification that I am going to get and that I'm going out into the world with?' 'I think we just need to always keep that in mind.' He told Bridge the 'devil will be in the details', and although this is a promising start, it was too soon to say if the changes would actually work. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford at yesterday's qualifications announcement. The proposal, which is open for consultation until September before final decisions are made, represents the most significant update to secondary school assessments since NCEA was introduced more than two decades ago. Under the new scheme, Year 11 students will face what is being called a 'Foundational Skills Award' with a focus on literacy and numeracy. English and mathematics will be required subjects for students at this year level. The intent of removing the Year 11 qualification is to give students time 'to focus on deep learning of foundational skills and knowledge before undertaking high-stakes assessments in Years 12 and 13'. Year 12 and 13 students will seek to attain the New Zealand Certificate of Education (NZCE) and the New Zealand Advanced Certificate of Education (NZACE), respectively. This will replace the current standards-based assessment system with a structured approach that requires students to take five subjects and pass at least four to receive the Year 12 and 13 certificates. The assessments will have a clear 'out of 100' marking system alongside A to E letter grades that the Government hopes will make sense to parents and students. The Government will seek to implement the changes over the next five years alongside a refreshed curriculum. The Year 11 foundational award will be introduced from 2028, the Year 12 certificate in 2029, and the Year 13 certificate in 2030. The discussion document being released yesterday also posed the idea of potentially lifting the school leaving age from 16 to 17 if that is what is necessary to encourage students to get a school certificate. In the first instance, the Ministry of Education will consider targeted support to get students to stay until the end of Year 12.
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Dead public service boss's remains brought into office
The National Library was originally going to be closed for the service, before it was moved to the Department of Internal Affairs' Wellington office. Photo: Google Maps A senior public servant's remains were taken to his Government department's office for a memorial service, after initial plans for them to be taken to the National Library were abandoned. Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says neither scenario was appropriate. The Department of Internal Affairs confirmed staff came together last week to farewell Deputy Secretary of Policy and Te Tiriti, Michael Lovett, in the department's Pipitea Street offices. Lovett's remains were brought onsite for the service. A spokesperson said: "Michael Lovett, Deputy Secretary at the Department of Internal Affairs, passed away last week after a short battle with cancer. "Michael made a significant contribution during his eight years at the Department and his loss is keenly felt." They said that on 1 August, staff from the Department and other colleagues came together at the DIA office to farewell Michael at a private event. Michael Lovett died last week after a short battle with cancer. Photo: LinkedIn Van Velden confirmed the service was originally planned to be held at the National Library and would've necessitated its temporary closure. "Firstly, my heart goes out to the grieving family and friends of the deceased - it is no doubt a very difficult time for them with the passing of a loved one. "I have expressed my view to the chief executive that I do not believe it was appropriate to plan to close the National Library for this purpose, nor for a deceased person to be present at the department's offices, and he has assured me that it will not happen again. Van Velden said the National Library remained open and the service ended up being held in a meeting room - in Internal Affair's central Wellington office - which was not open to the public. "I appreciate that staff may wish to mourn and express grief after the passing of a colleague, but I have asked the chief executive to review what occurred and look to alternatives that may be considered in future," van Velden said. A spokesperson for the Department of Internal Affairs said Lovett - who spent eight years at Internal Affairs - "passed away last week after a short battle with cancer". The Public Service Commission has been approached for comment but directed enquiries to the Department of Internal Affairs. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
