Chlöe Swarbrick booted from House during Palestine speech
During a speech following the Government saying it would consider the recognition of Palestine over the next month, she said Government MPs who did not want further sanctions on Israel
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Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
Government Must Come Clean On Plans To Restrict Public Sector Collective Bargaining
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is calling on the Government to come clean on plans to undermine the rights of public sector workers, after Judith Collins hinted the Government was looking at options to restrict collective bargaining and the right to strike. In comments made on Radio NZ this morning, the Public Service Minister suggested the Government was exploring "a lot of options" for public sector workers when it comes to collective bargaining. "The PSA is seeking an urgent assurance the Minister will not be restricting the fundamental right of workers to collective bargaining and the right to withdraw their labour," PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said."The right to strike is a cornerstone of our democratic workplace relations system and the Government must come clean on any options they are looking at that could undermine this right." This Government has already demonstrated a pattern of undermining workers' rights without proper notice or consultation. It removed pay equity rights with no warning, changed the law to financially penalise workers for taking partial strike action, and Minister Collins has already deployed replacement labour during the Defence Force strike. "We're seeing a concerning escalation in this Government's anti-worker agenda," Fitzsimons said. "The timing of these comments comes as bargaining is underway in health and the public sector and the Government is offering below-inflation pay offers. "This is the same Government that recently increased board directors' pay by 80%. If the Government wants to avoid public sector strike action then it should negotiate in good faith and offer fair pay increases that recognise the rising cost of living and the valuable work our members do." The PSA is seeking an urgent meeting with Minister Collins to discuss these concerning comments and the Government's intentions regarding public sector workers' rights. "We call on Minister Collins to clarify exactly what options the Government is considering and to rule out any moves to restrict the right to strike," said Fitzsimons. "The right to strike is protected under international law and is a fundamental principle of free and democratic societies, for workers in both the private and public sectors. Any attempt to restrict this right would be a backward step for working New Zealanders." Transcript from RNZ interview: COLLINS: "...we're fully aware that the unions have said that they are going to continue strikes and they want to have strikes that we'll see across the public sector and that's probably more political than it is in the interests of their members because don't forget these partial strikes bring about a partial drop in wages as well. DANN: "… do we just need to cut to the chase and get back to arbitration and leave it to an independent panel to make the call and then move on?" COLLINS: "Well I think there's going to be a lot of options that we're looking at as a government as to how to move away from this basically yearly attack on students and also what we're seeing with the..."
Scoop
3 hours ago
- Scoop
UN Says Sri Lanka Has ‘Historic Opportunity' To End Impunity, Deliver Justice
13 August 2025 The 26-year conflict, from 1983 to 2009, pitted Government forces against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) – more commonly referred to as the Tamil Tigers – who sought an independent state for the island's Tamil minority in the north and east. The civil war claimed an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 lives, and thousands more were forcibly disappeared, their fates still unknown. Hundreds of thousands were also displaced from their homes. The final months were among the bloodiest, with tens of thousands of civilians killed in indiscriminate shelling, extrajudicial executions, and other violations of international law committed by both sides. Turn pledges into results In a new report issued on Wednesday, UN human rights chief Volker Türk said the Government's pledges to deliver justice, restore the rule of law, and eliminate discrimination and divisive politics must finally yield concrete results. ' Today, an opportunity presents itself for Sri Lanka to break from the past, ' he said. ' It now needs a comprehensive roadmap to translate these commitments into results. ' The report follows Mr. Türk's recent visit to Sri Lanka, where he met officials, civil society, victims' groups, political parties and religious leaders, and travelled to Trincomalee, Jaffna and Kandy – among the worst-affected areas. It calls for a clear acknowledgment of the violations, abuses and crimes committed – including during the civil war – and recognition of the State's responsibility and that of its security forces personnel as well as non-state armed groups, including the LTTE. ' The pain and suffering of victims remains palpable and their demands for truth and justice must be addressed, ' Mr. Türk stressed. Call for sweeping reforms The report recommends comprehensive security sector reform and broader constitutional, legal and institutional changes to meet international human rights obligations. It welcomes the planned creation of an independent Public Prosecutor's office. It also urges the establishment of a dedicated judicial mechanism, including an independent special counsel, to handle cases involving serious human rights violations and grave breaches of international humanitarian law. Other recommendations include the release of military-held land in the north and east, repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), and the release of long-term PTA detainees – some imprisoned for decades. The report further calls for amendments or repeal of several restrictive laws, including those relating to data and online safety, NGOs, and civil and political rights. International support While the primary responsibility for investigating and prosecuting crimes lies with the Government, the report calls for complementary international support. It urges UN Member States to contribute to accountability and reconciliation efforts, leveraging OHCHR's strengthened capacity to undertake related work. ' These measures are crucial to realizing the Government's vision of 'national unity' and above all ensuring there can never be recurrence of past violations, ' Mr. Türk said.
RNZ News
7 hours ago
- RNZ News
'It doesn't cost the government anything' - Wayne Brown calls for bed tax rethink
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown is at odds with the government over a bed night levy. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi Auckland's mayor Wayne Brown is renewing his call for a bed levy for the supercity , as it deals with some serious economic troubles . Its unemployment rate of 6.1 percent is the highest of any region. National Minister and Auckland-based MP Paul Goldsmith told Morning Report on Wednesday there's been a long Covid hangover. "The economy's flat, everybody's feeling it. Of course there's two speeds, down in the south and in rural New Zealand we're getting some growth and some upbeat economic news from the regions but of course it's a real struggle in Auckland so that's what our real focus is on." Brown agreed the government would be focused on the city because it was where the election in a year's time would be decided. He was adamant that what he was advocating for was a bed levy - not a tax - and it wouldn't go to the government. "They [the government] use the word tax so they can say no more taxes. It's just dumb, it's not a tax any more than it would be a targeted rate. The people who've asked for it are the industry it would be collected from." He wanted it to be set at 2.5 percent which would raise $27 million which would be enough to attract the likes of a Taylor Swift concert or a State of Origin match. Cities need around $3 million to $4m to attract concerts by artists such as Taylor Swift, the Auckland mayor says. Photo: AFP Cities needed to pay upfront around $3m-4m to bring in each major event. It would enable Auckland to compete against the likes of Sydney which has a bed night levy, he said. "It doesn't cost the government anything. ... It doesn't make sense ..." When Auckland held large events and the hotels filled up, another $100 could be added to the cost of a hotel room "so noone's gonna miss it". It was also "bollocks" for the government to blame the cost of living crisis, Brown said. Those most affected couldn't afford $500 Taylor Swift concert tickets or to stay at the top hotels. He said the government was focused on tourism but had raised the international tourist levy so it was "cheeky" to deny Auckland a bed levy. Brown believed the government would "cave" on the issue, in part because Auckland was the region that decided the fate of the government at elections. He had built a good working relationship with some of the ministers, such as Chris Bishop and Shane Reti. "We have had a number of wins." He believed it was ACT that was the main handbrake on the government agreeing to the bed levy. Councillor Kerrin Leoni, who is standing against Brown in the city's upcoming mayoral election, said she also supported a bed tax. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
