Latest news with #NewZealandNationalParty
Scoop
2 days ago
- General
- Scoop
National Party Bill To Crackdown On Anti-social Behaviour
Press Release – New Zealand National Party Our Government has made significant progress in restoring law and order. Violent crime, victimisations, assaults and serious assaults are all down, and weve put more cops on the beat to make Kiwis feel safe, Hamilton East MP Ryan Hamilton says. A Member's Bill entered into the biscuit tin will provide Police with new powers to crack down on anti-social behaviour and those who intimidate their fellow New Zealanders, Hamilton East MP Ryan Hamilton says. 'Since the election, our Government has made significant progress in restoring law and order. Violent crime, victimisations, assaults and serious assaults are all down, and we've put more cops on the beat to make Kiwis feel safe. 'However, communities across New Zealand are sick of having to put up with those who continue to engage in persistent anti-social behaviour, intimidation, and public disturbances in key community spaces. Kiwis shouldn't have to face this nonsense in their town centres, transport hubs, parks and schools. 'Current enforcement tools available to Police can either be too limited or overly formal for early intervention. There is a need for a more proportionate, flexible tool that empowers Police to take swift, preventative action before more serious offences occur and harm escalates. 'That's why my Bill would allow Police to direct a person or group to move on from a specified area and not return for up to 24 hours where their presence or behaviour is causing, or likely to cause: Harassment, alarm, or distress to members of the public A public nuisance Disorder or anti-social behaviour. 'A direction may be issued verbally or in writing, and failure to comply would be an offence, unless the person had a reasonable excuse for non-compliance. 'Comporable legislation is used successfully throughout Australia, and local Police that I have talked to in Hamilton are hugely supportive of these changes. 'I'm hoping that my Bill is pulled from the biscuit tin, so I can continue this important conversation with New Zealanders.'
Scoop
2 days ago
- General
- Scoop
National Party Bill To Crackdown On Anti-social Behaviour
Press Release – New Zealand National Party Our Government has made significant progress in restoring law and order. Violent crime, victimisations, assaults and serious assaults are all down, and weve put more cops on the beat to make Kiwis feel safe, Hamilton East MP Ryan Hamilton says. A Member's Bill entered into the biscuit tin will provide Police with new powers to crack down on anti-social behaviour and those who intimidate their fellow New Zealanders, Hamilton East MP Ryan Hamilton says. 'Since the election, our Government has made significant progress in restoring law and order. Violent crime, victimisations, assaults and serious assaults are all down, and we've put more cops on the beat to make Kiwis feel safe. 'However, communities across New Zealand are sick of having to put up with those who continue to engage in persistent anti-social behaviour, intimidation, and public disturbances in key community spaces. Kiwis shouldn't have to face this nonsense in their town centres, transport hubs, parks and schools. 'Current enforcement tools available to Police can either be too limited or overly formal for early intervention. There is a need for a more proportionate, flexible tool that empowers Police to take swift, preventative action before more serious offences occur and harm escalates. 'That's why my Bill would allow Police to direct a person or group to move on from a specified area and not return for up to 24 hours where their presence or behaviour is causing, or likely to cause: Harassment, alarm, or distress to members of the public A public nuisance Disorder or anti-social behaviour. 'A direction may be issued verbally or in writing, and failure to comply would be an offence, unless the person had a reasonable excuse for non-compliance. 'Comporable legislation is used successfully throughout Australia, and local Police that I have talked to in Hamilton are hugely supportive of these changes. 'I'm hoping that my Bill is pulled from the biscuit tin, so I can continue this important conversation with New Zealanders.'
Scoop
27-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Labour In Economic Chaos As Hipkins Announces Fifth Position On Pay Equity
Press Release – New Zealand National Party At first, they said they would reverse the changes, then they wouldnt, then they would at a cost of almost $13 billion, then they would wait until next year to say what they would do, and today Chris Hipkins has told RNZ he would reverse … Labour Leader Chris Hipkins has this morning committed to funding the reversal of pay equity changes no matter the cost, laying bare the party's economic incompetence, says senior National MP Chris Bishop. 'This is Labour's fifth and most expensive position on the issue,' says Mr Bishop. 'At first, they said they would reverse the changes, then they wouldn't, then they would at a cost of almost $13 billion, then they would wait until next year to say what they would do, and today Chris Hipkins has told RNZ he would reverse the changes, regardless of the cost. 'For Labour to spend weeks flipflopping between positions on this issue before suddenly promising an open cheque is bizarre and reveals Labour's fiscal and economic competence is at rock bottom. 'It's incompatible with basic logic for Labour to make open-ended fiscal commitments while refusing to say where they stand on spending, debt and taxes. 'New Zealanders trying to interpret Labour's economic position will rightly make the point that if you're comfortable with making promises like this, you must have done at least some work on how you'll pay for it. 'It's clear Labour will increase taxes, spend more and take on more debt, which would drive up interest rates, stunt economic growth and leave working Kiwis falling behind again.' Notes: Chris Hipkins on RNZ's Morning Report today: INGRID HIPKISS: Well, you would change- you would reverse the pay equity changes regardless of the cost? CHRIS HIPKINS: Absolutely. We've said that we will make sure that women get their pay equity. The reason we're not putting a dollar figure on it is we don't know what the Government's dollar figures have been arrived from. So, you know, they need to release the information about, A, how much is still left in that contingency, and B, you know, how they arrived at that very large sum. … INGRID HIPKISS: Sure. But you're saying you will make the change, you will reverse those pay equity changes regardless of the cost? CHRIS HIPKINS: Yes, because women deserve to be properly paid for the work that they're doing.
Hindustan Times
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
New Zealand immigration minister says she never replies to emails from Indians
New Zealand's Minister of Immigration Erica Stanford has come under fire for comments that appear to stereotype Indians. Stanford was responding to a question in parliament on May 6 when she made a passing reference to Indian migrants. Her remarks may have flown under the radar, if not for Priyanca Radhakrishnan, an India-born Labour MP, who called Stanford's remarks 'careless at best and prejudiced at worst'. According to a report in The Indian Weekender, Erica Stanford recently admitted to forwarding official correspondence to her personal gmail account. The New Zealand National Party cabinet minister was responding to a question in parliament about this misstep when she made a remark about Indians that many found distasteful. The Kiwi immigration minister said she never opened emails from Indians, comparing them to spam. 'I have complied with the Official Information Act. I have also made sure that everything is available to be captured and have forwarded everything that I've needed to to my parliamentary email address,' said Stanford. 'I will acknowledge, though, in a very similar case to Kelvin Davis, I receive a lot of unsolicited emails like, for example, things from people in India asking for immigration advice, which I never respond to. I almost regard those as being akin to spam, and so there are those ones.' Chennai-born Radhakrishnan accused Stanford of playing up negative stereotypes about Indians. 'Comments like these serve to reinforce negative stereotypes against an entire community of people,' Radhakrishnan told The Indian Weekender. She added that it was unacceptable for a minister to single out people from one ethnicity. Stanford, however, has defended her remarks, claiming she was misunderstood. 'I did not say it is automatically considered as spam,' she clarified. 'I said 'I almost regard those as being akin to spam'.'
Scoop
20-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Questions Piling Up About Labour's Debt And Tax Approach
Press Release – New Zealand National Party Labours fiscal position is becoming less clear by the day. Theyve opposed every savings measure weve undertaken and committed to expensive promises like reinstating locally made school lunches, reinstating half-price public transport and reversing … Labour Leader Chris Hipkins has this morning refused to commit to the 50 per cent debt ceiling, just days after his Finance Spokesperson did exactly that, says National Party Finance Spokesperson Nicola Willis. 'It's hard to know where Labour stands on basically anything, with Chris Hipkins constantly changing position and undermining his own Finance Spokesperson. 'This morning on RNZ, the Labour Leader refused to commit to the same debt ceiling Barbara Edmonds committed to just a few days ago. Even Grant Robertson recognised this was the highest debt should go. 'Labour's fiscal position is becoming less clear by the day. They've opposed every savings measure we've undertaken and committed to expensive promises like reinstating locally made school lunches, reinstating half-price public transport and reversing changes to pay equity laws. 'At the same time, they're claiming they will spend more on health and education and won't cancel any projects this Government starts, while committing to a debt cap, refusing to commit to a debt cap and declining to tell Kiwis which taxes are on the table. 'Just last week in his pre-budget speech, Hipkins attacked those who argue for a more sensible approach to debt and said we need a 'more mature conversation about debt.' 'He could start with a conversation with his own caucus about what on earth Labour's position is. Then he can start being upfront with New Zealanders about exactly how much debt a Labour-Greens-Te Pati Māori Government would take on and which taxes it would hike.' Barbara Edmonds on the debt cap, May 17, 2025 Chris Hipkins on the debt cap, May 20, 2025
