Letters: We need cross-party agreement to create the health system that is the best for our people
Health should not be a political football. Like what is trying to be achieved with infrastructure, there should be cross-party agreement to create the health system that is the best for our people.
Bruce Owen, Drury.
Waring a woman of wisdom
Thank goodness for Dame Marilyn Waring, a woman who has the integrity, wisdom and commonsense to state publicly what many of us are thinking; that you should not rush through Parliament without consultation a pay equity bill that affects all the low-paid women in New Zealand. And she is doing something about it.
I wonder what the well-paid women MPs in the National, Act and NZ First parties are thinking now, being shown up for their lack of solidarity.
Of course, they have to toe the party line... and all three party leaders are men.
M Minson, Highland Park.
A reminder for drivers
With speed limits in the headlines, it could be an opportune time to remind drivers that when using state highways or other roads with a 100km/h limit, that unless a right turn provision is marked on the road, it is illegal to slow down and turn right.
The rule is to pull to the left of the road and wait for clear passage.
I recently nearly ran up the back of a driver sitting stationary in the middle of the single lane with a right indicator going while I rapidly approached him at 100km/h.
A road safety campaign seems prudent to draw this rule to the attention of some ignorant drivers putting others at risk.
Margaret Anderson, Whitianga.
Beware of the bill
The Regulatory Standards Bill sounds boring and harmless, especially compared to the recent Budget, but it is, in fact, even more dangerous than the defeated Treaty Principles Bill.
The Waitangi Tribunal has already identified the lack of consultation with Māori as 'a breach of the Te Tiriti/Treaty principle of partnership'. Worse, the bill surrounds future legislation with a large set of bureaucratic constraints clearly intended to lock in Act's neoliberal principles everywhere. It even creates a powerful Regulatory Standards Board.
If this wasn't such a serious matter, I'd be tempted to compare the bill's impact with that of the fictional Department of Administrative Affairs in the BBC's Yes, Minister.
But this is the real world, and the bill must be stopped. Submissions are open on the parliament.nz site and close at 1 pm on June 23.
Brian Carpenter, Auckland.
Some advice for the Speaker
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Bruce Cotterill's Opinion piece in Saturday's Herald (May 24) and thought it was a superb take on just how low our parliamentarians have stooped in their demeanour and lack of respect for each other and, ultimately, New Zealand.
They are not setting good examples of behaviour to our young people and I would hesitate to take a class to watch a parliamentary session as they would be left totally bewildered by the stupidity and rudeness they were witnessing.
I suggest that our Speaker of the House contacts Sir Kerry Burke, a former Speaker of the House, and get some wise advice from him on how to sort out this current mess.
Andrea Dorn, St Heliers.
True nature of protests
Israel's actions, in basically destroying Gaza, have been the subject of global horror and condemnation. That has led to the protests at various American universities for which the Trump administration has labelled the same as 'anti-Semitic' and then set about to punish those universities and the protesting students. The level of punishment has been extreme, including the withholding of federal grants to certain universities and the incarceration/exclusion of certain students, and in particular those from outside the United States.
Trump's actions (labelling the protests as anti-Semitic) is contrived and is false. What is occurring in Gaza is not and never has been the fault of the Jewish community. The singular responsibility for the destruction of Gaza and the merciless harm being inflicted on the Palestinian people lies with the state of Israel and its far-right Government.
The protests taking place in America and elsewhere are anti-Israel; they are not anti-Semitic (meaning anti-Jewish).
Raymond S. Walker, Auckland.
Children paying the price
Israel attempts to deflect attention from the atrocities it is committing in Gaza each day by accusing Hamas of staging deaths and turning children into weapons of propaganda. Meanwhile, what is Israel turning children into? Bodies.
Michael Rovers, Laingholm.
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Universities Will Be Weakened By Budget Focus On STEM And Science
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"You'll just see small losses here and there and everywhere else and at the end of it all it's very difficult to predict what that leads to but perhaps the loss of a university." Marshall said the latest decisions meant universities would struggle to offer some humanities courses and students would start to vote with their feet. "What we're starting to see is students instead of coming to universities in New Zealand from school, they'll go to universities overseas. They see that as a better outcome," he said. "Increasingly, students opt now for postgrad graduate training outside of New Zealand, rather than in New Zealand. Some of the universities will be weakened, some may be fatally weakened." Marshall agreed the government was unlikely to let a university to go under, but one or more could lose the ability to provide the research-informed teaching that fostered critical thought - in which case it would cease to be a university in all but name. Universities New Zealand chief executive Chris Whelan said the long-term trend for university funding was poor, but none of the eight institutions was close to failing. "It's becoming challenging to basically retain our position internationally. We shouldn't care about things like international rankings, but the reality is they do send quite important signals to academic staff, to people that want to do research collaborations with New Zealand researchers and to international students," he said, referring to league tables in which New Zealand universities had been falling. "There is a tipping point where if funding got so low we were not able to maintain that quality, we would have a problem. But I don't think we're anywhere near that." However, Whelan said the net effect of the Budget was no increase to total university funding next year. He said that was about as good as the sector could have expected under the circumstances. But he said the government's decision to favour STEM subjects over humanities was mistaken. "It's an unfortunate message. There seems to be a belief that somehow universities, if they're given more funding for science, technology, engineering, maths-type subjects, can persuade students to drop doing the liberal arts or social sciences and shift across. The reality is that's just not the case," he said. Whelan said all fields of university study contributed to the skilled workforce the government said it wanted. Universities minister Shane Reti told RNZ that was correct but STEM subjects were more closely linked to productivity. "The message we're sending is that we're particularly investing and funding those courses that clearly have a pathway to productivity and economic gain and these are generally the science and the STEM subjects," he said. Reti said enrolments in those subjects had been increasing and the funding decision should encourage universities to increase the breadth and depth of their STEM programmes. He said universities were not sliding toward failure. "Across the sector, there are some who are doing well and some who are struggling and indeed have been struggling for some period of time and and are receiving extra attention support and monitoring from TEC," he said. "But if we look at the big picture, there's a significant increase in student numbers this year... It's quite a change in trend from over the previous few years where student numbers have been falling away." Reti said the government had allocated $111m over the next two years to cover growing university enrolments. He confirmed that the government had allocated enough funding to cover 99 percent of expected enrolments next year and the Tertiary Education Commission would be expected to cover the remainder from its reserves. Changing shares of the enrolment pie Education Ministry figures show the sciences have lost ground against other subjects in terms of enrolments in Bachelors degrees in the past 10 years. Considered by predominant field of study, the percentage of students enrolled in the "natural and physical sciences" dropped from 14 to 13 percent between 2024 and 2015. Health enrolments rose from 17 to 20 percent while education, management and commerce, and the creative arts all dropped slightly. Predominant field of study for 120,995 domestic students enrolled in Bachelors degree programmes in 2024 and 127,705 in 2015. Subject 2015 2024 Sciences 14 percent 13 percent IT 6 percent 7 percent Engineering 3 percent 3 percent Arch and building 2 percent 3 percent Ag, envmnt 2 percent 2 percent Health 17 percent 20 percent Education 8 percent 7 percent Mngmnt, commerce 20 percent 18 percent Society and culture 33 percent 33 percent Creative arts 11 percent 10 percent
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Chris Bishop Frustrated By 'Politicised' Stan Walker Aotearoa Music Awards Performance
Senior government Minister Chris Bishop says he was frustrated by the politicisation of Stan Walker's performance at the Aotearoa Music Awards, when he said "what a load of crap". During Stan Walker's performance of Māori Ki te Ao, performers took to the stage with flags displaying Toitū Te Tiriti, a movement borne out of opposition to the Treaty Principles Bill and other government legislation. Bishop, who was in attendance, was seen criticising the performance, and has since said he should have kept the comments to himself. On Tuesday, Bishop told reporters his comments were not directed specifically at Walker. "I was frustrated and annoyed by the sort of overt politicking around it," he said. "It's not about Stan Walker, I actually quite like Stan Walker, actually quite liked his performance. It was just the sort of politicisation of it that frustrated me," he said. Bishop singled out the Toitū Te Tiriti "banners and paraphernalia" as the source of his frustration, not the performance itself. He said he would not be apologising to Walker. "It's not clear what I'd be apologising for." His comments led to backlash from other performers, including Don McGlashan, who was seen on video confronting Bishop. The minister said the irony was he was a "huge" Don McGlashan fan. "I love the Mutton Birds. But Don McGlashan is a noteworthy non-supporter of the National Party. People might remember the 2008 election, in which he expressed some frustration at 'Anchor Me', which is a great Mutton Birds tune, being used by TVNZ on the election night coverage," Bishop said. "His political views are quite well-known, but look it is what it is, he's entitled to his views in the same way I'm entitled to mine." Arts, culture and heritage minister Paul Goldsmith, who was also at the event, brushed off whether the performance was controversial. "There's always controversy at music awards. It goes without saying," he said. Māori Crown relations minister Tama Potaka said he disagreed with Bishop's comments, but they were for Bishop to respond to. "I absolutely love Stan Walker and his commitment to te reo, and the mahi that he does particularly in his engagement with Ratana, the hāhi. I don't agree with minister Bishop's comments, however those are a matter for him to comment on," Potaka said. Labour's Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said Bishop, as a music fan, should know that music had always been political. "He should know music better than anyone. Look around the world, people have been doing that for years. Whether it's Bob Marley, Bono, whatever, it's been happening, it's not like something new. He should talk to his Shihad heroes, cos the lead singer there's got pretty good politics too." The Prime Minister told Morning Report he was comfortable with Bishop's response, and had spoken to him over the weekend. "I just got his side of the story about what he said and it was exactly as reported. He corrected it well before I got to him... he just acknowledged he should have kept his thoughts to himself," Christopher Luxon said. "The bottom line is your listeners aren't losing a lot of sleep over what a politician sharing his opinion on some music was about." Labour leader Chris Hipkins said Bishop's behaviour was disappointing, but it was for the Prime Minister to bring his ministers in line. "You've got to remember when you're a government minister that you're on public display all of the time."
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Iwi Chairs Launch Anti-Racism Website
Press Release – PAPARA The launch of the PAPARA website provides a much-needed, community-driven response a living toolkit to challenge racism, amplify resistance, and help hold institutions accountable. The Iwi Chairs Forum-led People's Action Plan Against Racism Aotearoa (PAPARA) Launches Timely Website to Tackle Racism Head-On From harmful policy being pushed through Parliament, to Māori artists facing public ridicule for using haka on national and international stages — racism in Aotearoa is constant, visible, and intensifying. These experiences are headline news, viral content, and a daily reality for our people. The launch of the PAPARA website provides a much-needed, community-driven response — a living toolkit to challenge racism, amplify resistance, and help hold institutions accountable. The National Iwi Chairs Forum's antiracism working group Maranga Mai will launch the website for PAPARA – the People's Action Plan Against Racism Aotearoa on Wednesday 4 June at 7:00pm with an online webinar open to the public. The launch of signals a new chapter in Aotearoa's response to racism, led by iwi and communities, after the Government abandoned its own commitments to a national action plan. PAPARA is a living, independent movement and resource hub designed to track, challenge, and respond to racism in all its forms – especially colonial and institutional racism. The website features: A public repository of resources for communities, educators and researchers Advice on staying safe during times of racial hostility Updates on the racist impacts of policy and legislation A reporting and contact tool for public input into the action plan The working group includes a rangatahi caucus to support strong youth input into the plan, and is overseen by Kahurangi Dame Naida Glavish, Rahui Papa and Pou Tikanga co-chairs Professor Margaret Mutu and Aperahama Edwards. Both Dame Naida and Rahui Papa have expressed their deep concern at the direction of the current government and the continued and urgent need for this kaupapa. 'When a government turns its back on a commitment to eliminate racism – a commitment made not only to Māori, but to the world through the United Nations – it becomes our responsibility to step forward,' said Dame Naida. 'This plan is not just about responding to racism – it's about confronting its root: colonisation, and restoring the dignity of tangata whenua and all communities impacted.' 'PAPARA is one of our many responses to political neglect,' added Rahui Papa. 'We will not allow silence to be mistaken for consent. This kaupapa will gather stories, evidence, and solutions from the ground up. It is by the people, for the people – and it will endeavor to hold power to account while educating and informing communities.' The Ministry of Justice, in partnership with the National Iwi Chairs Forum, began developing a national action plan against racism in 2022, following recommendations under the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It was also a key response requested by the working group on the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the 2019 Attack on Christchurch Mosques. However, in early 2024, after attempts by Minister Paul Goldsmith to diminish the plan's focus on colonial and institutional racism, the Tangata Whenua caucus to the action plan withdrew from the process, declaring the partnership untenable. From that point on, the government has failed to progress its own action plan against racism, abandoned all action on hate speech and hate crimes, and has concluded its response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry, leaving multiple recommendations unmet. These matters have become even more relevant in light of the Regulatory Standards Bill currently being advanced by the Government. The bill has raised alarm for its potential to undermine Te Tiriti o Waitangi and roll back protections against structural racism. This is just one attempt of many by this government to try and erode human rights in Aotearoa. A draft of the independent People's Action Plan Against Racism is expected to be completed by October 2025. To attend the launch webinar on 4 June at 7pm and learn more about PAPARA, register at
