Immigration Minister quizzed over deportations, parent visas and Gaza
Scrutiny week is in full swing, and MPs have been quizzing the immigration minister, Erica Stanford. Gill Bonnett reports.
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RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Curfew lifted in LA as Trump battles for control of California troops
By Ben Turner , AFP Photo: SCOTT OLSON Calm appeared to be returning to protest-hit Los Angeles as the mayor lifted a nighttime curfew , while President Donald Trump battled to keep control of California troops he deployed to the city. A fraction of the sprawling US city had been off-limits from 8pm to 6am to most people for a week after instances of looting and vandalism during demonstrations against Trump's immigration raids . Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the curfew had been "largely successful in protecting stores, restaurants, businesses and residential communities from bad actors who do not care about the immigrant community." However, she added that, "as we continue quickly adapting to chaos coming from Washington," she was prepared to reissue a curfew if needed. Bass and other California officials have accused Trump of inflaming tensions by sending 4,000 of the state's National Guard troops - as well as 700 Marines - to the second-largest US city. In a show of political muscle, Trump ignored the objections of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom , who would usually oversee the Guard. A judge said Thursday that the Republican president's actions were "illegal" and ordered that he return control of the force to Newsom. But a higher court paused that ruling after the Trump administration lodged an appeal and slammed the judge's order as an "extraordinary intrusion on the President's constitutional authority as Commander in Chief." At an appeals hearing Tuesday, the Justice Department argued that Trump needed to keep control of California's troops to ensure federal immigration officers could carry out arrests without threats from the public . "Unfortunately, local authorities are either unable or unwilling to protect federal personnel and property from the mob violence ongoing in Los Angeles today," said Brett Shumate, representing the Trump administration. California officials have rejected that charge, insisting that Trump's use of the military has escalated demonstrations that Los Angeles that law enforcement could have handled. LA Mayor Karen Bass said she was prepared to reissue a curfew if needed. Photo: PATRICK T. FALLON Samuel Harbourt, representing Newsom and California, pointed out that local authorities in Los Angeles have made around 1,000 arrests during the disorder. "Are we in a world that's so different from normal conditions as to justify an extreme measure like militarizing the situation and bringing in the National Guard?" he said. Harbourt urged the San Francisco court to lift the pause on the original order, meaning Trump would have to concede control of the Guard. "Every day that this order remains in effect it is causing harm for our nation's broader democratic tradition of separation of the military from civilian affairs," he said. That, he added, "sets a precedent for this president, and future presidents, to take similar actions going forward." Trump has been accused of inflaming tensions by sending 4,000 of the state's National Guard troops - as well as 700 Marines - to LA. Photo: SAUL LOEB / AFP The fatigue-wearing guardsmen have been tasked with protecting federal property in Los Angeles, stationed outside buildings with helmets and large shields. US law restricts them from arresting citizens, though some guardsmen have fired tear gas and non-lethal rounds towards protesters, according to local media. It is the first time since 1965 that a US president has deployed the National Guard without the express wishes of a state's governor. Trump has been unrepentant , taking credit for making Los Angeles "safe" and declaring that Newsom - a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028 - had "totally lost control." Trump ignored the objections of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who would usually oversee the Guard. Photo: JUSTIN SULLIVAN / AFP The dispute mirrors multiple other tussles over Trump's attempts to expand the limits of presidential power, but is the first to involve troops. Like other cases, it could go all the way to the Supreme Court, where conservative judges hold a 6-3 majority. Many in Los Angeles are angry about immigration raids carried out as part of Trump's ambition to deport vast numbers of undocumented migrants around the country. Outrage at the use of masked, armed immigration agents has also sparked protests in other cities , including San Francisco, New York, Chicago and San Antonio, Texas. - AFP
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
Saying Yes To Housing Growth
Minister of Housing Minister for RMA Reform New Zealanders have an opportunity to help shape the new planning system replacing the Resource Management Act (RMA) through public consultation on removing unnecessary barriers to housing growth, says Housing and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. 'New Zealand's house prices are among the most expensive in the developed world – a direct result of our current planning system making it too hard for our cities to grow up and out. 'Fixing our housing crisis involves fixing the fundamentals of our housing market - freeing up land for development and removing unnecessary planning barriers, improving infrastructure funding and financing to support urban growth, and providing incentives for communities and councils to support growth. 'Next year we'll replace the RMA with a new planning system that makes it easier to plan and deliver the housing and infrastructure New Zealand needs. 'The new planning system is an enormous opportunity to create a planning system that enables and encourages housing growth. 'Last year I announced the Government had committed to six major legislative changes to help free up land for housing and let our cities grow: The establishment of Housing Growth Targets for Tier 1 and 2 councils New rules making it easier for cities to expand outwards at the urban fringe A strengthening of the intensification provisions in the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) New rules requiring councils to enable a greater mixed-use zoning across our cities. The abolition of minimum floor area and balcony requirements New provisions making the Medium Density Residential Standards optional for councils. 'The discussion document I'm releasing today provides further detail on how these changes will operate in practice, and how they'll integrate into the government's resource management reforms. Feedback through the consultation process will be used to shape the development of the new planning system. 'The NPS-UD was a good starting point for strengthening housing growth in cities, but the government is committed to going further to help create competitive urban land markets and abundant development opportunities. The discussion document proposes a range of changes to strengthen the existing rules. 'As I indicated last week, the government is no longer proposing to make the MDRS optional for councils. This is because most councils (with three exceptions) have already changed their plans to include the MDRS, and so it would be inefficient and a waste of time and money to make them potentially change their plans in 2025 and 2026 when the new resource management system will go live in 2027. 'Bespoke legislative solutions have been designed for Auckland and Christchurch, reflected in the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill recently reported back to Parliament. In Auckland's case, it allows the Council to withdraw their existing plan change (PC78) and replace it with a new one, which provides the same level of capacity (or greater) in PC78, as well as strengthened density provisions around City Rail Link stations. 'The discussion document canvasses a range of important issues, including future development strategies and spatial planning, housing growth targets, responsive planning and rural-urban boundaries, intensification, enabling a mix of uses across urban environments and minimum floor area and balcony requirements. 'I encourage New Zealanders to share their views on these important issues by making a submission.' Public consultation on the Going for Housing Growth discussion document opens today at and will run until 17 August 2025. This is early non-statutory consultation and public feedback on will be used to shape the development of the new resource management system. Note:
Otago Daily Times
2 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Dunedin Airport lashes out at government
Dunedin Airport has accused the government of double-dipping and questionable law-making in a submission calling on it to abandon a move which raises the cost of bringing back international flights. Under the new legislation, airports that intend to start or restart international services will be required to pay for the establishment costs for border services. The new regulations are expected to come into force shortly, but Dunedin Airport's chief executive Daniel De Bono argued it was tantamount to double-dipping from the government, as the costs of processing international travellers would be funded from the existing border processing levies. In the letter to Parliament's regulation review committee, Mr De Bono said: "We cannot comprehend why a government that is focused on economic growth would make new regulations that are targeted at regional airports and severely inhibit their ability to develop international connectivity." Dunedin Airport had international flights from 1995 until Covid-19 hit the industry in 2020. It resumes international flights this month, with a JetStar connection to the Gold Coast. "As with all international routes at smaller airports, the economics are finely balanced," Mr De Bono's letter said. "When negotiating and agreeing terms, Dunedin Airport and JetStar did not anticipate that the government would take steps to impose significant additional costs on the venue. "The wider effect of cost recovery ... is to create a real constraint on regional tourism and economic growth." Mr De Bono said he did not believe the original intention of the Act was to "unexpectedly be used to impose more levies". This would lead to "serious unfairness and unreasonableness" for airports attempting to re-establish international travel and would have immediate effect on Dunedin Airport, he said. Mr De Bono also provided a legal letter from law firm Russell McVeagh. The legal letter also cast doubts on the government's approach. "Our view is that the proposal to now recover costs under the Airports Act is legally unnecessary," it said. "In pursuing options for recovery under the Airports Act, Cabinet and officials appear to be relying on a mistaken view of the law, leaving their decisions open to legal challenge. "It cannot be correct that there is a presumption in favour of using the Airports Act for new international airports simply because it exists." In response, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard told the Otago Daily Times customs screening at airports had been cost-recovered for decades. "Cost recovery is for the actual and reasonable cost of providing biosecurity and customs services. "In relation to Dunedin International Airport, the Ministry for Primary Industries [MPI] has worked hard to ensure the establishment costs are fair and reasonable, including reusing existing equipment where possible. "Under the Airports Act, if an airport chooses to start or re-start international air services, the costs incurred by the MPI and New Zealand Customs to establish a traveller processing capacity (establishment costs) and the processing of travellers (operating costs) can be recovered from the airport." Mr Hoggard said cost recovery for establishing or re-establishing international flights was "reasonable" as "the benefits from these flights are received by the airport and those who use the airport".
