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RNZ News
10 hours ago
- RNZ News
Pay equity: Five unions to take government to court over law changes
Pay equity protesters voice their opinions outside Parliament in May. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi Five unions are taking the government to the High Court over changes to pay equity laws. The sudden and controversial changes cancelled existing claims from mostly female-dominated jobs and made it harder for new claims to succeed . Workplace Minister Brooke van Veldengave a figure of 33 current claims that would be stopped, as the legislation was put through under urgency in May. The Nurses Organisation, Tertiary Education Union, Educational Institute, Post-Primary Teachers' Association, and Public Service Association argued the new rules breached the Bill of Rights Act. "The legal challenge argues the coalition government's legislation breaches three fundamental rights: freedom from gender-based pay discrimination, the right to natural justice, and the right to fair legal process," the unions said in a joint statement. "The case gives workers who have been denied their right to challenge gender-based pay discrimination a chance to challenge the government in court. If successful, a Parliamentary Select Committee must consider the declaration of inconsistency and a Parliamentary debate must occur. The government is then required to formally respond." The claim would be formally lodged on 29 August at the High Court in Wellington following a rally by women whose pay equity claims had been cancelled, the unions said. A spokesperson for the office of Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told RNZ: "The Bill was considered for consistency with the Bill of Rights Act before introduction, and the Acting Attorney-General concluded the Bill appeared to be consistent with the Bill of Rights Act". Public Service Association national Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the government avoided proper scrutiny, bypassing consultation. "We are asking the High Court to declare that the government's actions are inconsistent with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 because of the discrimination New Zealand women will face as a result of the government's action," she said. "The government silenced women but we know the High Court will listen to our claims. This is just the start of our campaign for pay equity for New Zealand women and we will be leaving no stone unturned to achieve pay equity. "The decision to cancel claims that were about to be heard by the Employment Relations Authority is inconsistent with the constitutional foundations of New Zealand which do not provide for the government to interfere with the judicial system in this way." Educational Institute national secretary Stephanie Mills said the government did not follow a democratic process. "The scrapping of the teachers claim without consultation and under urgency was a kick in the guts for our teacher members after years of blood, sweat and money getting the claim moving," she said. "We'd had five years of work on it with hundreds of interviews with members about their work, and it was a genuinely joint process with the Ministry of Education and their pay equity team." NZNO delegate and Plunket nurse Hannah Cook said nurses and care workers were devastated by the scrapping of their pay equity claims. "Plunket nurses were so close to finally having our hard work recognised. Nurses and care workers are the backbone of a caring society and the coalition government needs to value us. These changes don't just impact us. They impact our families, our livelihoods and our quality of life," she said. "The coalition government has shown it doesn't value us nurses and those of us in women dominated workforces. It is 2025 for goodness sake. We shouldn't still be paid less than those in male dominated occupations." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
11 hours ago
- RNZ News
Pay equity: Five unions take government to court over law changes
Pay equity protesters voice their opinions outside Parliament in May. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi Five unions are taking the government to the High Court over changes to pay equity laws. The sudden and controversial changes cancelled existing claims from mostly female-dominated jobs and made it harder for new claims to succeed . Workplace Minister Brooke van Veldengave a figure of 33 current claims that would be stopped, as the legislation was put through under urgency in May. The Nurses Organisation, Tertiary Education Union, Educational Institute, Post-Primary Teachers' Association, and Public Service Association argued the new rules breached the Bill of Rights Act. "The legal challenge argues the coalition government's legislation breaches three fundamental rights: freedom from gender-based pay discrimination, the right to natural justice, and the right to fair legal process," the unions said in a joint statement. "The case gives workers who have been denied their right to challenge gender-based pay discrimination a chance to challenge the government in court. If successful, a Parliamentary Select Committee must consider the declaration of inconsistency and a Parliamentary debate must occur. The government is then required to formally respond." The claim would be formally lodged on 29 August at the High Court in Wellington following a rally by women whose pay equity claims had been cancelled, the unions said. A spokesperson for the office of Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told RNZ: "The Bill was considered for consistency with the Bill of Rights Act before introduction, and the Acting Attorney-General concluded the Bill appeared to be consistent with the Bill of Rights Act". Public Service Association national Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the government avoided proper scrutiny, bypassing consultation. "We are asking the High Court to declare that the government's actions are inconsistent with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 because of the discrimination New Zealand women will face as a result of the government's action," she said. "The government silenced women but we know the High Court will listen to our claims. This is just the start of our campaign for pay equity for New Zealand women and we will be leaving no stone unturned to achieve pay equity. "The decision to cancel claims that were about to be heard by the Employment Relations Authority is inconsistent with the constitutional foundations of New Zealand which do not provide for the government to interfere with the judicial system in this way." Educational Institute national secretary Stephanie Mills said the government did not follow a democratic process. "The scrapping of the teachers claim without consultation and under urgency was a kick in the guts for our teacher members after years of blood, sweat and money getting the claim moving," she said. "We'd had five years of work on it with hundreds of interviews with members about their work, and it was a genuinely joint process with the Ministry of Education and their pay equity team." NZNO delegate and Plunket nurse Hannah Cook said nurses and care workers were devastated by the scrapping of their pay equity claims. "Plunket nurses were so close to finally having our hard work recognised. Nurses and care workers are the backbone of a caring society and the coalition government needs to value us. These changes don't just impact us. They impact our families, our livelihoods and our quality of life," she said. "The coalition government has shown it doesn't value us nurses and those of us in women dominated workforces. It is 2025 for goodness sake. We shouldn't still be paid less than those in male dominated occupations." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Who's running for Auckland's mayoralty?
Eleven people are going up against incumbent Wayne Brown to be the mayor of Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski Eleven people are going up against incumbent Wayne Brown to be the mayor of Auckland this local elections. While Auckland councillor Kerrin Leoni has emerged as Brown's main challenger, there are still a number of lower-profile candidates vying for the city's top job. This year's contenders include a former political party leader, someone who is running for mayor in Auckland and Christchurch, and a university student. RNZ asked lower-profile candidates, who could be contacted, for one sentence explaining why they want to be mayor and one sentence stating a policy of theirs they want Aucklanders to know about. Six responded. Eric Chuah. Photo: Supplied Dr Chuah, a former strategist for Peter Dunne and the United Future Party, stood as a candidate in the Auckland electorate of Maungakiekie in the 2023 general election. He told RNZ he is over 61. He now had his sights set on the Auckland mayoralty and was going after what he considered to be unnecessary spending, like the CBD's million-dollar Christmas tree . Why do you want to be mayor? "Ensure reduction of excessive spending, transparency and accountability in council tendering process and staff recruitment where proper systems of management, operational and decision making are implemented to ensure fulfilment of Auckland Council's Long-Term Plans and not reacting to situations with ad-hoc solutions and stop gap measures creating long term problems as Auckland Council debt has increased from $11 billion to $14 billion, a $3 billion debt increase in 3 years and rates have increase [sic] 40% in 3 years where a house priced at $1.4 million has a $4000 rate and $1000 water rates with a projected 48% increase in 2026, stated by an Auckland Councilor [sic] in last Governance meeting on July 31st 2025." Policy "Reviewing, auditing past expenditures in contract awards, tendering systems, allocation of ratepayers monies via adopting and implementing, transparency, accountability systems of staff recruitment, management systems of the various CCOs (Council Controlled Organizations) such as AT (Auckland), so as to reduce unnecessary operational costs while maintaining jobs, unnecessary expenditure such as $1 million Christmas tree (Dec.2024), $1 million toilet and $1.2 billion road cone spent from 2020-2025 of which $400-$500 million could be overspent." Ted Johnston. Photo: Supplied The lawyer and former leader of the New Conservative Party is having another crack at the mayoralty after getting hit with an egg during a mayoral candidate debate in 2022. This time around, the 64-year-old has honed in on the city's traffic woes. Why do you want to be mayor? "I am seeking the Mayoralty as, no other candidate has solutions for Auckland's growing problems, and I cannot implement these crucial reforms, otherwise." Policy "A vastly expanded, efficient and inexpensive public rail system is crucial to bolster Auckland's economy and development, as well as to lower congestion and costs for all Aucklanders." Rob McNeil. Photo: Supplied McNeil is running under the Animal Justice Party banner. On the party's website, it stated the animal advocate loved long walks on the Auckland CBD waterfront. Why do you want to be mayor? "I will ensure animals have a voice in Auckland's decision-making, recognising the intrinsic link between animal welfare, environmental health, and human well-being. Lasting progress begins with local councils committed to protecting the interconnected web of all life." Policy "Among other policies for Aucklanders, we're fighting for mandatory funded desexing of dogs and cats - to stop the preventable deaths of thousands of animals while reducing council costs and community." Ryan Pausina. Photo: Supplied Pausina was an Auckland mayoral candidate in 2022. He told RNZ he is 48-years-old and a product developer. Why do you want to be mayor? "For starters, I have defined for the first time in history who should be the mayor of Auckland, out of all of us, who should be the mayor is determined by expertise in the fields of science relative to city works, city management and city civics, of which, that one person is required to serve for that role." Policy "Static speed-bump phase-out is a fun one, every time a vehicle slows down and passes over a speed bump, then accelerates away, a tiny teaspoon of petrol is wasted and in Sweden, they have created a speed bump technology to govern speed without wasting fuel or energy and annoyance in the process." Jason Pieterse. Photo: Supplied Pieterse told RNZ he is a 24-year-old engineering student doing his honours at AUT, making him the youngest of the bunch. Why do you want to be mayor? "I am running for mayor because I want to drive forward changes that support and improve the lives of every resident that calls this city home." Policy "I would have to say my most interesting policy is a housing proposal that would make near all housing costs much more affordable and accessible." Peter Wakeman. Photo: Supplied The 64-year-old described himself as a former passenger jet pilot. He is also running for mayor of Christchurch this local elections. A candidate with his name has run for mayor of Christchurch in almost every election since 1998. Why do you want to be mayor? "Wakeman is standing for Mayor in Auckland and Christchurch to be more effective in achieving Government policy that puts more money in everyone's pockets." Policy "Get more money into circulation by getting central Government to replace GST with Financial transaction tax (FTT) to reduce all of our costs of living and creation of debt free money by RBNZ." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
