Ray Chung's Email About Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau 'Absolutely Disgraceful'
Labour leader and member for Remutaka Chris Hipkins said Chung's comments were "absolutely disgraceful" and it was "undoubtedly true" that women in politics were subjected to more abuse than men in politics.
"Women of colour are subjected to a degree even more of abuse, denigration and disrespect, and it isn't acceptable," Hipkins said.
"Regardless of someone's party political affiliation, regardless of whether you agree with them or not, there are ways to have these debates that still actually respect the person, and I hope that we can get back to that."
Hipkins said social media played a role and people felt more emboldened to make comments from the "protection of their own living room".
"When you're sitting at home in your living room, commenting on other people's social media posts or engaging in this sort of debate, ask yourself the fundamental question, 'would I say this to the person if they were standing right in front of me?'"
"If the answer to that is no, why are you writing it down?" he said.
Hutt South MP Chris Bishop said he felt "embarrassed as a Wellingtonian" and the whole affair was "pathetic".
"It really saddens me that local government in, what is New Zealand's second biggest city and a really important city, and my hometown, has descended into this level of ridiculousness," Bishop said.
"The city has really big challenges around housing, around transport, around fiscal rectitude, and we spent the last week talking about everything other than those issues."
Bishop said Chung was a "rogue" councillor acting in the "most weird way possible".
Asked why Wellington struggled to put up credible right-wing candidate, Bishop said he thought there needed to be some "soul searching".
Speaking to Labour in the debating chamber, Bishop said he told media six weeks ago mayoral and former Labour MP Andrew Little was a "solid" candidate and would most likely win the election.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis said it was the "most stupid, silly email".
Labour's Wellington Issues spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said the comments were "absolutely disgusting" and ultimately, Wellingtonians would make up their own mind's about Chung's mayoral hopes.
"The bigger issue is, who on earth is going to vote for this guy?" Verrall said.
"It's so important that Wellingtonians and other New Zealanders feel that there's good representation on offer to them. For the vast majority of elected people, you see people diligently going about their job. Ray Chung is well way out of line with norms in terms of how other politicians behave."
Labour's Ginny Andersen said the email was "unprofessional" and "unneeded".
"It's good that he has, I understand, apologised to Tory Whanau. That sort of politics is not necessary."
Andersen said she was seeing an increase in personal attacks on female politicians and Chung's behaviour looks like "gutter politics".
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Scoop
13 hours ago
- Scoop
New Zealand First's Cash Transactions Protection Bill - What It Is And What It Could Do
Explainer - Cash is king, some people say - while others wouldn't be caught dead without their PayWave and Apple Pay. But a new members' bill put forward by New Zealand First would protect cash as a key option in transactions, requiring stores to take it for purchases up to $500. If drawn from the ballot and passed, NZ First leader Winston Peters said it would "provide for the enduring use of cash as a private, accessible, and reliable method of payment". The party cited rural communities, the elderly and low-income earners as being disproportionately affected by businesses that don't accept cash. As a members' bill, lodged 14 July in the name of NZ First MP Jamie Arbuckle, it's still a long while from possibly becoming law, but it does propose sweeping changes in how businesses treat cash and looks at who gets left out in a digital economy. Here's what you need to know. What does the bill propose? The Cash Transactions Protection Bill would mandate businesses in trade accept cash payment for goods valued up to $500. "The bill ensures that New Zealanders maintain freedom of choice in how they pay, preserving cash as what it should be: an enduring private and reliable option", Peters said in introducing it. "By protecting the sanctity of cash transactions, the bill upholds personal privacy, maintains sovereign control over New Zealand's monetary system, and lessens the risks posed by digital-only payment systems." There are some exceptions given to the bill's requirements, including online retailers and land purchases. The bill also would propose that "payment in cash must be accepted for essential goods or services" - which it defines as food, water, fuel, health care and household utilities. Another part of the bill would require businesses to keep cash on hand for emergencies: "A vendor must ensure they have sufficient access to cash to allow them to continue to trade in the event of a digital or electrical outage that lasts longer than 24 hours." In the introduction, the bill says it "preserves cash as an explicit privacy-preserving payment method, ensuring both freedom of choice and freedom from unwarranted surveillance in financial transactions". "It puts New Zealanders' interests above global trends toward digital currencies, maintaining sovereign control over New Zealand's monetary policy and mitigating the risks associated with digital-only financial systems, like restricted access to funds." The bill also calls for fees or fines from $1000 to a maximum of $5000 for infringements. Will it become law? It's quite a long way from that, actually. As a members' bill, it's not yet guaranteed it will ever go to the House for a vote. The bill first will have to be randomly drawn from the ballot to be considered at all in the House, and then undergo the same process of debate and referral to select committees as any other bill. While it's on the members ballot, MPs are allowed only one bill in the lottery at any given time. NZ First has swapped out its bills on several occasions this term, so there's also no guarantees over how long this legislation will remain in the ballot. Speaking to Checkpoint recently, Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young said she wondered if the bill was "kind of a sledgehammer for a small problem". Marisa Bidois, chief executive of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand, said the bill ignored realities many businesses deal with. "We understand the intent behind the proposed bill - no one wants to see people excluded from accessing essential goods and services. However, requiring all businesses to accept cash for transactions under $500 doesn't reflect the operational realities many businesses face. "We believe businesses should be trusted to make the right decisions for how they operate and serve their customers." Members' bills are often used to float an idea or gauge public reaction to it, Parliament's website notes. Can a business really refuse to take cash? Yes, as long as they "clearly inform customers in advance that they don't accept cash before you start shopping or receive services from them", the Reserve Bank of New Zealand said. They can do that with a sign on the premises or telling you in person before you pay. "Most hospitality businesses still accept cash, but a small and growing number are moving away from it, particularly in busy urban areas," Bidois said. "Some customers do push back when cash isn't accepted, especially if they haven't been informed ahead of time. That's why we encourage clear communication." You're also only allowed to pay so much of a bill in coins, by the way, in case you're thinking of clearing out that piggy bank - you're allowed up to $5 of 10 or 20 cent coins, $10 of 50 cent coins or $100 worth of $1 and $2 coins. Who uses cash now, anyway? According to the Reserve Bank's latest data released in June, 45.8 percent of the population are still using cash sometimes in "paying for everyday things" - although 79.1 percent are using debit cards/EFTPOS also. Only 3.6 percent of people say they "never use cash," while 33.2 percent said they hadn't used cash at all in the past seven days. Cash isn't quite the king it once was. "We know that less than 10 percent of transactions that happen across New Zealand throughout the year now happen in cash," Retail NZ's Young said. "In the cities a lot less cash is used and in rural areas and areas of deprivation there is a higher percentage of cash that is used." Bidois said in the Restaurant Association's latest survey, 40 percent of respondents said cash made up just 5 to 10 percent of their transactions. Still, when it comes to essentials, "there's no supermarket that doesn't take cash," Young said. On Peters' Facebook page, the post announcing the bill has gathered nearly 3000 comments and 15,000 likes, with many expressing support for the idea. "Thank you! I use cash as a way to keep within my budget, as my mother did," one wrote, while another said it was "an essential bill - especially for many of our elderly population". What are the benefits and downsides of electronic payments? On the other hand, Young said that electronic transactions are often easier for businesses to deal with. "Electronic transactions are much safer for a wide number of reasons," she said, including less chance of being targeted by thieves or counterfeit money, and less time for staff dealing with transactions. "For many retailers and for hospitalities, cafes and things, cash is not always their favoured method of payment because of those challenges." However, frequently complained-about surcharges such as those for PayWave are "not ideal", she said. Many also have concerns about the privacy and security issues around digital payments and the records they leave behind. Are some people being left out with a shift away from cash? Cash also comes back to the table during disasters, such as Cyclone Gabrielle, which saw infrastructure knocked out widely. "We do know that when the cyclones happened in Auckland and Gisborne and Hawke's Bay 18 months ago that the supermarkets were really critical for being able to, especially in those provincial areas … they really provided the cash that people needed to be able to pay for goods and services," Young said. Bidois said that while there was a clear shift toward digital payments, it was all about striking the right balance for businesses. "Many businesses are finding that tap-and-go is what most customers expect, and it makes day-to-day operations simpler. "That said, our members care about customer experience, and most continue to accept cash to accommodate older New Zealanders, tourists, or regulars who prefer it."
Newsroom
15 hours ago
- Newsroom
Why Auckland's 2027 America's Cup bid never stood a chance
Auckland's unsuccessful five-month bid to secure the hosting rights for the 2027 America's Cup appears to have been doomed almost before negotiations started with the Government. Documents released to Newsroom show that Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown's insistence that the Government allow his council to bring in a hotel bed levy as a funding source, was an early and significant hurdle. The Government had already refused the bed levy request, and Auckland's failure to have any other way of co-funding the event was highlighted repeatedly in advice to Cabinet ministers from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). The city's hopes to stage the 38th cup regatta were extinguished on April 1, when Auckland Council's culture and economic agency announced the Government had declined to co-fund it. Following the failure to strike a deal with Auckland and the Government for 2027, the cup defender sold the hosting rights to the Italian port city of Naples. Team New Zealand had revived hopes of a 2027 home defence in October 2024, soon after winning the cup for a third consecutive time in Barcelona. Documents sought by Newsroom from the council agency Tataki Auckland Unlimited, and MBIE, show a five-month negotiation that began with enthusiasm, but that soon ran into difficulty. Four months into that process, Grant Dalton, the chief executive of Team New Zealand, expressed frustration that no one from the Government had been in touch with him. It was 10 days after Team New Zealand's unprecedented third consecutive cup win, that Auckland officials began moves to secure the 38th running of an event the city had last hosted in 2021. Barcelona hosted the 37th cup, after the Labour-led government and Auckland Council, which backed the 2021 Auckland regatta, made an offer to Team New Zealand that fell short of the defender's needs and was rejected. Unusually, Dalton began talking about what a post-Barcelona future might look like, even before the team had secured the Auld Mug in late 2024. At first, Auckland didn't seem to be a part of it. 'Whether New Zealand could host the (next) Cup would be for politicians to decide and make a bid, rather than the team actively seeking a deal,' he told Stuff in a September interview. But on October 27 more than a week after victory, Dalton told this writer, in Barcelona, that confidential talks were underway to explore a joint public-private sector hosting bid in Auckland. 'We are completely genuine in terms of – if we can get this (event) home, we will,' he said. Two days later, inside Auckland Council's culture and economy agency, that work began under a code name. 'We will refer to it from now on as the 'Special Project' or SPWG, rather than the America's Cup,' wrote Tataki's head of major events Michelle Hooper to a chosen group of 10 agency staff on October 29. 'There is stiff competition from other cities to host this event, so we need to move swiftly and with focus to pull together a winning bid to present to Team New Zealand,' Hooper wrote. Tataki Auckland Unlimited (TAU) met in person with Dalton and his chief operating officer Kevin Shoebridge a month later. Notes prepared by TAU have all dollar references redacted, but noted 'there is potential private sector funding interest from a consortium of wealthy benefactors to the tune of (blacked out).' 'This sum could be doubled with the right structure, support and campaign, based on discussions with the representative of this group,' said TAU. Newsroom understands the hope was that private backers could provide as much as half of the media-reported hosting sum of $150 million. Barcelona's late and successful hosting bid for the 2024 cup was made possible only when wealthy individuals in just 15 days agreed to underwrite $44.8 million of revenue, kickstarting the formal bid. TAU provided 'high-level' information to MBIE in November and more detail in December, outlining the case for hosting, and some of the key elements in a bid. All the infrastructure was already in place in Auckland, said the local officials, following the investment made for the 2021 Cup, creating space for bases and public viewing. A total of $348.4m of ratepayer and taxpayer money went into permanent infrastructure on Auckland's waterfront, and event-running costs. A TAU briefing prepared for Cabinet ministers in December 2024 doesn't reveal the hosting fee sought by Team New Zealand, but Newsroom understands it was around $40m. An initial cost-benefit analysis commissioned by TAU put the net benefit at up to $1.19 for Auckland, for each dollar invested, and up to $1.15 at a national level. The briefing also outlines what would soon appear to become a significant hurdle for MBIE and the Government. 'The mayor is clear that Auckland's financial contribution is dependent on the introduction of a visitor levy,' said TAU. Brown appeared to be using the cup hosting as a lever to get government approval for a nightly bed levy – something the government had already ruled out. Under Brown, Auckland Council significantly reduced ratepayer funding for major events, in the expectation the government would agree. Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is adamant the Government allow his council to bring in a hotel bed levy as a funding source. Photo montage:Before TAU's first detailed pitch went before Cabinet ministers, MBIE's Kylie Hawker-Green wrote back to the Auckland officials to ensure she would be accurately conveying the city's stance on its funding contribution. 'I will be stating that Auckland's cash contribution is contingent on the establishment of an accommodation levy of some form being established prior to the event delivery window,' she put to TAU. She intended to tell ministers that: 'If no accommodation levy is established, Auckland Council will not be in a position to contribute a direct cash contribution to AC38.' Two days later, Hawker-Green presented a 23-page briefing to the Major Events Ministers Group, made up of eight ministers, Sport and Recreation's Chris Bishop, Melissa Lee for Economic Development, Finance Minister Nicola Willis, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, Minister for Auckland Simeon Brown, Paul Goldsmith for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Trade Minister Todd McClay, and Tourism and Hospitality's Matt Doocey. Hawker-Green outlined Auckland's dependence on a future bed levy, under a section entitled. 'Funding sources are highly speculative'. To that same meeting, TAU argued benefits that would flow into the marine and technology sectors concluding the event would 'provide Auckland and New Zealand with an unparalleled opportunity to showcase its marine and technology prowess'. 'By hosting the event, Auckland cements its position as a world-class destination for innovation, sport sustainable technologies and cultural celebration.' A potential event programme submitted to MBIE by TAU in November 2024, outlined cup events in Auckland spanning a year, from a women's and a men's regatta in February 2026, through to the challenger series and the cup itself from October 2026 to almost March 2027. The December ministerial briefing paper included MBIE's 'preliminary views' such as this fleeting reference to the upsides of hosting. 'Crown investment in an event of this significance and scale presents a strong signal of New Zealand's ability and willingness to host mega events and would catalyse direct economic activity for Auckland.' A subsequent MBIE paper from February 12, 2025, included an ominous line about that multi-minister briefing. 'Pre-Christmas engagement on the opportunity drew mixed views from the MEMG (Major Events Ministers Group). MBIE's advice to ministers in a range of papers provided to Newsroom, highlights what it saw as risks, and downsides for the Government. Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown's insistence that the city be allowed to introduce a nightly bed levy was repeatedly cited as a hurdle. 'Local government investment remains unconfirmed,' was one sub-heading on a topic MBIE officials would underline repeatedly. The other cash problem was that the undisclosed amount being sought from the Government's coffers outstripped what was available in its Major Events budget, where some money was already ring-fenced for unnamed possible events. 'The Crown would need to establish a new appropriation to provide investment in the AC38,' wrote officials in a March 4 briefing. In short, the Government had no earmarked funds available, nor had Auckland Council. On February 28, TAU lodged a formal application for Major Events funding with MBIE. Along with the formal document, the Auckland agency forwarded an email it had received from a clearly frustrated Grant Dalton. 'To date, in the four months since Emirates Team New Zealand won the America's Cup, I/we have not had any direct contact or indication at all from central government level (PM, ministers or even MBIE) if they are even interested in the America's Cup being hosted in Auckland,' Dalton wrote. 'It is of paramount importance and necessity to have a firm indication from the Government on the extent of their desire to host AC38 before this can progress any further with meaningful direction.' 'In response' noted an MBIE ministerial update on March 4, 'the Minister for Sport and Recreation (by then, Mark Mitchell) contacted Mr Dalton directly to discuss the Crown's consideration of the investment opportunity.' Dalton had wanted faster progress, and had told TAU in late 2024 that if a business case for local hosting was submitted by the end of that year, he would halt negotiations with other potential venues, until the bid process concluded. Seemingly unaware of the skeptical tone in MBIE's briefings, TAU was pressing on. On March 25 it asked the ministry to agree to a timeline in which the Government's decision on funding would be made by April 18. But by the time that email from TAU's Michelle Hooper landed in MBIE's inbox, the hosting bid was dead. A week earlier, in the MBIE briefing to the Minister of Finance, and Economic Growth, Nicola Willis, the ministry said: 'Noting ETNZ's upcoming end of April 2025 deadline, the significant risk around Auckland not having identified a funding source, and the opportunity cost of an investment of this quantum in the present economic climate, we present two options for you to consider'. Willis chose the second: 'instruct officials to cease work on the proposition now, noting risks, and advise TAU accordingly.' On February 21, four days before Hooper's last nudge to MBIE, Willis' private secretary emailed the ministry: 'The minister has signed the paper (attached), agreeing to cease work and notify TAU.' The final six-page paper from the ministry to Willis – which presumably outlines the final view on the merits of funding a cup hosting – has been withheld from Newsroom, by MBIE. Over the following week, much of the material released by MBIE to Newsroom, is about the preparation of a communications plan around the decision being announced. On March 27, MBIE's chief executive Carolyn Tremain broke the news to TAU's chief executive Nick Hill in a phone call, who then told Dalton. The formal letter from the Government came the following day. 'We acknowledge that events like the America's Cup can deliver a range of significant benefits,' wrote Tremain. 'However, Auckland Council's contribution was based on the introduction of a new 'accommodation levy' or similar funding mechanism, which is not a priority for this Government,' she wrote. 'Additionally, the investment risk would require government to identify and ring-fence new money at the expense of other funding priorities such as health and education.' In a statement publicly ending the hosting hopes, TAU's Hill wrote: 'This situation again illustrates the need for a long-term sustainable funding model in New Zealand to support major events.' A month later, further underlining Auckland's shrunken funding for major events, Hill in a memo to local politicians, informed them that an advanced bid to host the Gay Games had been strapped, and a lean funding pipeline also put at risk Lions rugby tours in 2027 and 2029, and an ICC Tour cricket World Cup in 2028. Team New Zealand continues to negotiate with challengers, to agree a protocol – a set of event and design rules – for the Naples cup regatta in 2027.
NZ Herald
17 hours ago
- NZ Herald
NZ First bill seeks to protect cash payments up to $500
Winston Peters pushes bill to ensure cash acceptance in stores. Photo / Mark Mitchell As a members' bill, lodged July 14 in the name of NZ First MP Jamie Arbuckle, it's still a long while from possibly becoming law, but it does propose sweeping changes in how businesses treat cash and looks at who gets left out in a digital economy. Here's what you need to know. The Cash Transactions Protection Bill would mandate businesses in trade accept cash payment for goods valued up to $500. 'The bill ensures that New Zealanders maintain freedom of choice in how they pay, preserving cash as what it should be: an enduring private and reliable option,' Peters said in introducing it. 'By protecting the sanctity of cash transactions, the bill upholds personal privacy, maintains sovereign control over New Zealand's monetary system, and lessens the risks posed by digital-only payment systems.' The bill aims to protect cash use, citing impacts on rural communities, the elderly, and low-income earners. Photo / Dean Purcell Exceptions given to the bill's requirements include online retailers and land purchases. The bill also would propose that 'payment in cash must be accepted for essential goods or services' – which it defines as food, water, fuel, health care and household utilities. Another part of the bill would require businesses to keep cash on hand for emergencies. 'A vendor must ensure they have sufficient access to cash to allow them to continue to trade in the event of a digital or electrical outage that lasts longer than 24 hours.' In the introduction, the bill says it 'preserves cash as an explicit privacy-preserving payment method, ensuring both freedom of choice and freedom from unwarranted surveillance in financial transactions'. Critics argue the bill doesn't reflect business realities, with a shift towards digital payments. 'It puts New Zealanders' interests above global trends toward digital currencies, maintaining sovereign control over New Zealand's monetary policy and mitigating the risks associated with digital-only financial systems, like restricted access to funds.' The bill also calls for fees or fines from $1000 to a maximum of $5000 for infringements. But as a members' Bill, it's not yet guaranteed it will ever go to the House for a vote. The Bill first will have to be randomly drawn from the ballot to be considered at all in the House, and then undergo the same process of debate and referral to select committees as any other Bill. While it's on the members ballot, MPs are allowed only one Bill in the lottery at any given time. NZ First has swapped out its Bills on several occasions this term, so there's also no guarantees over how long this legislation will remain in the ballot. Speaking to Checkpoint recently, Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young said she wondered if the Bill was 'kind of a sledgehammer for a small problem'. Carolyn Young, CEO of Retail NZ. Marisa Bidois, chief executive of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand, said the bill ignored realities many businesses deal with. 'We understand the intent behind the proposed bill – no one wants to see people excluded from accessing essential goods and services. However, requiring all businesses to accept cash for transactions under $500 doesn't reflect the operational realities many businesses face. 'We believe businesses should be trusted to make the right decisions for how they operate and serve their customers.' Can businesses refuse cash? Yes, as long as they 'clearly inform customers in advance that they don't accept cash before you start shopping or receive services from them', the Reserve Bank of New Zealand said. They can do that with a sign on the premises or telling customers in person before you pay. 'Most hospitality businesses still accept cash, but a small and growing number are moving away from it, particularly in busy urban areas,' Bidois said. 'Some customers do push back when cash isn't accepted, especially if they haven't been informed ahead of time. That's why we encourage clear communication.' You're also only allowed to pay so much of a bill in coins, by the way, in case you're thinking of clearing out that piggy bank – you're allowed up to $5 of 10 or 20 cent coins, $10 of 50 cent coins or $100 worth of $1 and $2 coins. According to the Reserve Bank's latest data released in June, 45.8% of the population are still using cash sometimes in 'paying for everyday things' – although 79.1% are using debit cards/Eftpos also. Only 3.6% of people say they 'never use cash', while 33.2% said they hadn't used cash in the past seven days. Cash isn't quite the king it once was. 'We know that less than 10 per cent of transactions that happen across New Zealand throughout the year now happen in cash,' Retail NZ's Young said. 'In the cities a lot less cash is used and in rural areas and areas of deprivation there is a higher percentage of cash that is used.' The bill aims to protect cash use, especially for rural and elderly populations. Photo / Chris Tarpey Bidois said in the Restaurant Association's latest survey, 40% of respondents said cash made up just 5 to 10% of their transactions. Still, when it comes to essentials, 'there's no supermarket that doesn't take cash', Young said. On Peters' Facebook page, the post announcing the bill has gathered nearly 3000 comments and 15,000 likes, with many expressing support for the idea. 'Thank you! I use cash as a way to keep within my budget, as my mother did,' one wrote, while another said it was 'an essential bill - especially for many of our elderly population'. On the other hand, Young said that electronic transactions are often easier for businesses to deal with. 'Electronic transactions are much safer for a wide number of reasons,' she said, including less chance of being targeted by thieves or counterfeit money, and less time for staff dealing with transactions. 'For many retailers and for hospitalities - cafes and things - cash is not always their favoured method of payment because of those challenges.' However, frequently complained-about surcharges such as those for PayWave are 'not ideal', she said. Many also have concerns about the privacy and security issues around digital payments and the records they leave behind. Cash also comes back to the table during disasters, such as Cyclone Gabrielle, which knocked out infrastructure. 'We do know that when the cyclones happened in Auckland and Gisborne and Hawke's Bay 18 months ago that the supermarkets were really critical for being able to, especially in those provincial areas, … provide the cash that people needed to be able to pay for goods and services,' Young said. Bidois said that while there was a clear shift towards digital payments, it was all about striking the right balance for businesses. 'Many businesses are finding that tap-and-go is what most customers expect, and it makes day-to-day operations simpler. 'That said, our members care about customer experience, and most continue to accept cash to accommodate older New Zealanders, tourists, or regulars who prefer it.' - RNZ
