Latest news with #GreenBudget
Scoop
a day ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Rich Get Much Richer, Driving Inequality And Poverty
Press Release – Green Party Poverty and homelessness doesnt come from nowhere. They are created by inequality. Christopher Luxon has put his foot down on the accelerator. By design, the rich are getting much, much richer while the poor are getting much, much poorer,' says Chle … The 2025 NBR Rich List makes immediately obvious the need for a fair tax system, says the Green Party. 'The rich list is now worth more than one hundred billion dollars, while the Government has chosen to cut support to tens of thousands of the lowest income New Zealanders. It's time to tax wealth, and build a country where all of us can thrive,' says the Green Party's spokesperson for Finance and co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. 'Poverty and homelessness doesn't come from nowhere. They are created by inequality. Christopher Luxon has put his foot down on the accelerator. By design, the rich are getting much, much richer while the poor are getting much, much poorer. 'We already know that the wealthiest households are able to arrange their finances to pay half the effective tax rate of regular New Zealanders. That means, proportionally, teachers, nurses, builders and firefighters pay more of their income to support our country's infrastructure than the billionaires the Prime Minister has chosen to celebrate today. 'The Greens are ambitious for an Aotearoa New Zealand where everyone has what they need to thrive. We can have free GPs, free early childhood education, free dental care and rapidly reduce climate changing emissions – if the rich pay their fair share. 'A wealth tax on just the ten wealthiest rich listers alone would pay for free GP care for all New Zealanders. 'Don't let the people laughing their way to the bank while everyone else suffers tell you what is possible. We all deserve so much better, and our Green Budget shows how,' says Chlöe Swarbrick.
Scoop
a day ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Rich Get Much Richer, Driving Inequality And Poverty
Press Release – Green Party Poverty and homelessness doesnt come from nowhere. They are created by inequality. Christopher Luxon has put his foot down on the accelerator. By design, the rich are getting much, much richer while the poor are getting much, much poorer,' says Chle … The 2025 NBR Rich List makes immediately obvious the need for a fair tax system, says the Green Party. 'The rich list is now worth more than one hundred billion dollars, while the Government has chosen to cut support to tens of thousands of the lowest income New Zealanders. It's time to tax wealth, and build a country where all of us can thrive,' says the Green Party's spokesperson for Finance and co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. 'Poverty and homelessness doesn't come from nowhere. They are created by inequality. Christopher Luxon has put his foot down on the accelerator. By design, the rich are getting much, much richer while the poor are getting much, much poorer. 'We already know that the wealthiest households are able to arrange their finances to pay half the effective tax rate of regular New Zealanders. That means, proportionally, teachers, nurses, builders and firefighters pay more of their income to support our country's infrastructure than the billionaires the Prime Minister has chosen to celebrate today. 'The Greens are ambitious for an Aotearoa New Zealand where everyone has what they need to thrive. We can have free GPs, free early childhood education, free dental care and rapidly reduce climate changing emissions – if the rich pay their fair share. 'A wealth tax on just the ten wealthiest rich listers alone would pay for free GP care for all New Zealanders. 'Don't let the people laughing their way to the bank while everyone else suffers tell you what is possible. We all deserve so much better, and our Green Budget shows how,' says Chlöe Swarbrick.
Scoop
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Pay Parity Back Pedal A Kick In The Teeth For ECE Kaiako
Press Release – Green Party Driving down wages means more teachers walking away, and its our tamariki and their whnau who will pay the price. We cant gamble with their futures by short-changing the very people who shape them,' says Early Childhood Education, Benjamin Doyle. The Government's latest move to unwind the 'pay parity' regime carefully negotiated between government and the sector is a kick in the teeth for already undervalued and underpaid kaiako. 'Make no mistake, this is a move by the Government to ensure that pay increases for teachers stay low, while cutting costs to employers,' says the Green Party spokesperson for Early Childhood Education, Benjamin Doyle (they/them). 'Today, the Ministry of Education announced that, following a decision by Minister Seymour, centres in the pay parity scheme don't have to offer new teachers pay parity rates. So while they can't cut the pay of their existing workers, they don't have to maintain these rates for new employees – meaning reduction in wages over time. 'This is another blow to kaiako – already undervalued and let down by this government by the pay equity debacle. Slashing pay sends a clear message that teachers don't matter. 'Driving down wages means more teachers walking away, and it's our tamariki and their whānau who will pay the price. We can't gamble with their futures by short-changing the very people who shape them. 'This news comes less than a fortnight after we learned the dire state of sector's confidence in the direction the Government is taking ECE, with 82 per cent of those at the coalface saying it's going in the wrong direction. 'Every child in Aotearoa deserves the best start in life. That demands an ECE system that places tamariki at its core by supporting and valuing the important work of teachers and educators. 'Our Green Budget has shown that we can pay every ECE teacher fairly—if we make the sector not-for-profit, public, and community-led. 'Take out the corporate greed and put every dollar into tamariki and kaiako – that's how we can lower costs for parents and pay teachers what they deserve,' says Benjamin Doyle.
Scoop
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Pay Parity Back Pedal A Kick In The Teeth For ECE Kaiako
The Government's latest move to unwind the 'pay parity' regime carefully negotiated between government and the sector is a kick in the teeth for already undervalued and underpaid kaiako. 'Make no mistake, this is a move by the Government to ensure that pay increases for teachers stay low, while cutting costs to employers,' says the Green Party spokesperson for Early Childhood Education, Benjamin Doyle (they/them). 'Today, the Ministry of Education announced that, following a decision by Minister Seymour, centres in the pay parity scheme don't have to offer new teachers pay parity rates. So while they can't cut the pay of their existing workers, they don't have to maintain these rates for new employees – meaning reduction in wages over time. 'This is another blow to kaiako - already undervalued and let down by this government by the pay equity debacle. Slashing pay sends a clear message that teachers don't matter. 'Driving down wages means more teachers walking away, and it's our tamariki and their whānau who will pay the price. We can't gamble with their futures by short-changing the very people who shape them. 'This news comes less than a fortnight after we learned the dire state of sector's confidence in the direction the Government is taking ECE, with 82 per cent of those at the coalface saying it's going in the wrong direction. 'Every child in Aotearoa deserves the best start in life. That demands an ECE system that places tamariki at its core by supporting and valuing the important work of teachers and educators. 'Our Green Budget has shown that we can pay every ECE teacher fairly—if we make the sector not-for-profit, public, and community-led. 'Take out the corporate greed and put every dollar into tamariki and kaiako - that's how we can lower costs for parents and pay teachers what they deserve,' says Benjamin Doyle.
Scoop
25-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Greens Find Over Half-A-Billion Dollar Hole In Govt Budget
Press Release – Green Party If the Government doesnt front up with the funds between now and April next year when the first set of changes come into force, Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis will be forcing immediate cuts directly to frontline services in health, education … The Green Party has found that the Government has not accounted for its own increased costs as an employer incurred by the KiwiSaver changes rushed through under Budget urgency last week. 'There's anywhere between $633 million to $714 million of costs to the Crown unaccounted for in the Government's Budget, as a result of its rushed changes to KiwiSaver contribution rates,' says Green Co-Leader and Finance spokesperson, Chlöe Swarbrick. 'The Finance Minister must have been aware of this, but despite incurring a legally required and quantifiable cost, she has failed to put aside funds to meet it. If the Prime Minister and Finance Minister knew about this better part of a billion dollar hole in their budget, they have deliberately decided not to be upfront and honest about it. New Zealanders are over it. 'If the Government doesn't front up with the funds between now and April next year when the first set of changes come into force, Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis will be forcing immediate cuts directly to frontline services in health, education and social services to pay for their fiscal hole. 'Nicola Willis and Christopher Luxon have almost copy-pasted the John Key Government's 2011 KiwiSaver changes by halving Government contributions and increasing default contributions for employers and employees – but Bill English and John Key accounted for the increased employer contributions for our teachers, nurses and officials by establishing a special fund to pay for it. Willis and Luxon have chosen not to. 'The Minister will no doubt say these extra staffing costs must be met within departmental baselines. If she's honest with New Zealanders, that means the Government has intentionally hidden more than half a billion dollars extra in public service cuts to come. 'New Zealanders deserve so much more than this Government patronising about 'growth' while cutting the very investment and public services necessary not only for people's wellbeing, but for that very growth. New Zealanders deserve honesty and transparency about who's paying the cost of this Government's cruel decisions. 'It is possible to reduce the cost of living, increase our quality of life and rapidly reduce climate changing emissions. We produced our costed and transparent Green Budget to show how, and it's clear, after the Prime Minister spent half his Budget speech talking about us, our plan scares those profiting from the economic misery they've created,' says Chlöe Swarbrick. Note:
