Latest news with #Seymour
NZ Herald
4 hours ago
- Politics
- NZ Herald
David Seymour resurrects idea of migrants signing NZ ‘values statement'
'These sorts of things are values that we need to stress. If you don't subscribe to that, don't come here,' he said. Asked about immigration concerns on Newstalk ZB this week, Seymour noted that in 2016 he had made the point that 'we should actually have a New Zealand values statement'. 'That's not the Government's policy. But I suspect it should be,' the Act leader said. He said that 'if you want to be part of New Zealand', people should 'sign up to' ideas such as 'men and women are equal', 'someone's sexuality or religion is a private matter', 'we have certain rights before the law' and 'we have free speech'. The Act Party's constitution makes mention of this idea as an example of a policy that reflects its principles. 'Any person seeking New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency should be required to affirm that they subscribe to the democratic and civil rights enunciated in sections 12-18 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.' These sections of the Bill of Rights Act relate to the likes of freedom of peaceful assembly, expression and association. Act's David Seymour has again raised the idea of a New Zealand values statement. Photo / Michael Craig A spokesman for Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said a values statement is not something the minister has raised with officials or been advised on. 'The minister's work programme has been focused on restoring stability and predictability to the immigration system – getting net migration under control, prioritising higher skilled migrants, reducing migrant exploitation, speeding up visa processing, supporting additional foreign investment for New Zealand, and fit for purpose settings across work, study and visitor visas.' Unlike New Zealand, Australia does have a values statement that most temporary, provisional or permanent visa applicants must sign or accept. This includes confirming they understand 'Australian society values', like 'respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual', 'freedom of religion (including the freedom not to follow a particular religion), freedom of speech, and freedom of association', and 'commitment to the rule of law'. The Australian Home Affairs Department says by accepting the statement, migrants are 'undertaking to conduct yourself in accordance with Australian values and to obey Australian laws during your stay in Australia'. In 2016, Peters, who is now in a coalition Government with Seymour, suggested the Act leader was stealing NZ First's policy. 'Being a secretive admirer of New Zealand First is no excuse for plagiarising that party's leader's statements,' the Herald reported Peters as saying at the time. He also described Seymour as a 'toy MP'. Peters said at the time that migrants should be interviewed at the border to ensure they respect New Zealand 'views'. Two years later, then-NZ First MP Clayton Mitchell proposed the Respecting New Zealand Values Bill, which would have required refugees and migrants to sign up to New Zealand values. These were identified as including respect for gender equality, religious freedom and New Zealand law. NZ First leader Winston Peters also believes migrants should subscribe to New Zealand values. Photo / Mark Mitchell While speaking with Newstalk ZB, Seymour also said there were some people who say, 'immigration is terrible, vote for me [and] I will get rid of it'. 'But they don't actually stop immigration when they get into power,' he said. Seymour said he believed the reason for that was because business owners know 'you can't succeed when you only have 5 million people to pick from when your competitors around the world are operating in labour markets of half a billion'. Peters last week told the Herald he was concerned with the number of migrants entering New Zealand and said it remained NZ First's view that immigration shouldn't be 'an excuse for our failure to train, skill and employ our own people'. His comments about the 'alarming development' overseas of 'careless immigration policies transforming cities' received criticism from Opposition parties. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Monday said Peters was entitled to have his own views. 'What I am focused on is making sure I advance New Zealand's national interests, economic and security. Immigration will always be on our terms and in the interest of New Zealand,' Luxon said. 'He is entitled as a political party leader to make comments about his observations of other countries. My job as Prime Minister of New Zealand is to say I am focused on making sure we have the right immigration settings for ourselves in order for us to grow our economy.' Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald press gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub press gallery office. In 2025, he was a finalist for Political Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards.
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Jackson accuses govt of rigging next election
By Craig McCulloch of RNZ Labour MP Willie Jackson has accused the government of trying to rig next year's election through its move to block people from being able to enrol for 12 days before voting day. The claim - made during Parliament's general debate today - goes further than Labour's official position which has been that electoral changes would make it harder to vote. Jackson also used his speech to criticise Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour as the "biggest dropkick of all" following Seymour's use of the term to disparage late enrollers. "I don't know what's more offensive," Jackson told MPs. "The gerrymandering of our voting rules to rig the election, or the deputy prime minister referring to 600,000 people as dropkicks." Seymour last week told reporters he was "sick of dropkicks that can't get themselves organised to follow the law". More than 600,000 people enrolled or updated their enrolment details after writ day in 2023, including 110,000 on election day itself. In a fiery speech today, Jackson poured contempt on the "disgraceful, rotten, useless government", accusing it of actively suppressing the vote and "vandalising democratic participation". He pointed to official advice which noted that young people, Māori, Pasifika and Asian communities would be disproportionately affected by the changes. "It's racist disenfranchisement," Jackson said. "It's a breach of democracy... this government risks being accused of rigging the next election." Jackson commended Attorney-General Judith Collins as "one of the most principled National Party members" for standing up to her "weak and useless leader" by warning that the voting changes breached human rights. "She's had the courage to call these voter suppression powers what they are: discriminatory." Jackson concluded his speech by taking at aim at Seymour, calling on him to apologise for his "disgraceful" description of some voters as dropkicks. "He's the most dangerous politician of the last generation... not only a disgrace as the deputy prime minister, but surely the biggest dropkick of all." Ministers brush off Jackson comments Speaking to RNZ, Seymour laughed off Jackson's description of him as a dropkick: "To be honest, I was always an open side flanker. Didn't really do a big drop kick, although, on a good day, I could nail one from just outside the 22." Seymour said Jackson's claims were "wrong and insane" but he could not help but like the man because "you know he doesn't mean it". "He's more a figure of fun for me," Seymour said. "Although I do worry a little bit about - you know - a man of his age - the old ticker can give out if he hyperventilates too much at work in the House." In a statement to RNZ, a spokesperson for Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said Jackson was prone to "hyperbole and mangling of the facts". "People are not being disenfranchised, they are merely being required to enrol," the spokesperson said. The government's legislation banning same-day voter enrolment passed its first reading in Parliament on Tuesday and will now be considered by select committee. During the debate, Goldsmith told MPs the change was required because the increasing number of special votes was delaying the final vote count. "The final vote count used to take two weeks. Last election, it took three," Goldsmith said. "The advice I received is that if we leave things as they are, it could well take even longer in future elections." Goldsmith flatly rejected the claim that people were being disenfranchised, saying the 110,000 people who updated their details on election day in 2023 only did so because they had been told they could. "The message will be different this election. People will be told they need to be enrolled well before voting starts. It's not that hard, and people are capable of doing these things." Justice officials, however, recommended against the move and warned it could result in lower turnout and reduce confidence in the electoral system. "Its impact on reducing special votes is uncertain, while its impact on democratic participation could be significant," officials said. The move has also been criticised by the Chief Human Rights Commissioner and electoral law experts Andrew Geddis and Graeme Edgeler. Since 2019, voters have been able to turn up to the booth at any time during the advance voting period and enrol at the same time, as well as on election day, with their vote being counted as a special vote.
RNZ News
a day ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Labour MP Willie Jackson accuses government of rigging next election
Willie Jackson said "the gerrymandering of our voting rules to rig the election" was offensive. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Labour MP Willie Jackson has accused the government of trying to rig next year's election through its move to block people from being able to enrol for 12 days before voting day . The claim - made during Parliament's general debate on Wednesday - goes further than Labour's official position which has been that electoral changes would make it harder to vote. Jackson also used his speech to criticise Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour as the "biggest dropkick of all" following Seymour's use of the term to disparage late enrollers. "I don't know what's more offensive," Jackson told MPs. "The gerrymandering of our voting rules to rig the election, or the deputy prime minister referring to 600,000 people as dropkicks." Seymour last week told reporters he was "sick of dropkicks that can't get themselves organised to follow the law". More than 600,000 people enrolled or updated their enrolment details after writ day in 2023, including 110,000 on election day itself. In a fiery speech on Wednesday, Jackson poured contempt on the "disgraceful, rotten, useless government", accusing it of actively suppressing the vote and "vandalising democratic participation". He pointed to official advice which noted that young people, Māori, Pasifika and Asian communities would be disproportionately affected by the changes. "It's racist disenfranchisement," Jackson said. "It's a breach of democracy... this government risks being accused of rigging the next election." Jackson commended Attorney-General Judith Collins as "one of the most principled National Party members" for standing up to her "weak and useless leader" by warning that the voting changes breached human rights. "She's had the courage to call these voter suppression powers what they are: discriminatory." Jackson concluded his speech by taking at aim at Seymour, calling on him to apologise for his "disgraceful" description of some voters as dropkicks. "He's the most dangerous politician of the last generation... not only a disgrace as the deputy prime minister, but surely the biggest dropkick of all." Speaking to RNZ, Seymour laughed off Jackson's description of him as a dropkick: "To be honest, I was always an open side flanker. Didn't really do a big drop kick, although, on a good day, I could nail one from just outside the 22." Seymour said Jackson's claims were "wrong and insane" but he could not help but like the man because "you know he doesn't mean it". "He's more a figure of fun for me," Seymour said. "Although I do worry a little bit about - you know - a man of his age - the old ticker can give out if he hyperventilates too much at work in the House." In a statement to RNZ, a spokesperson for Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said Jackson was prone to "hyperbole and mangling of the facts". "People are not being disenfranchised, they are merely being required to enrol," the spokesperson said. The government's legislation banning same-day voter enrolment passed its first reading in Parliament on Tuesday and will now be considered by select committee. During the debate, Goldsmith told MPs the change was required because the increasing number of special votes was delaying the final vote count. "The final vote count used to take two weeks. Last election, it took three," Goldsmith said. "The advice I received is that if we leave things as they are, it could well take even longer in future elections." Goldsmith flatly rejected the claim that people were being disenfranchised, saying the 110,000 people who updated their details on election day in 2023 only did so because they had been told they could. "The message will be different this election. People will be told they need to be enrolled well before voting starts. It's not that hard, and people are capable of doing these things." Justice officials, however, recommended against the move and warned it could result in lower turnout and reduce confidence in the electoral system. "Its impact on reducing special votes is uncertain, while its impact on democratic participation could be significant," officials said. The move has also been criticised by the Chief Human Rights Commissioner and electoral law experts Andrew Geddis and Graeme Edgeler. Since 2019, voters have been able to turn up to the booth at any time during the advance voting period and enrol at the same time, as well as on election day, with their vote being counted as a special vote. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Government eyes more spending cuts as patience with economic strategy frays
Seymour said the Government was getting a few 'whispers' about the next Budget. 'Last year, we saved $115 million. [The] year before that, half a billion,' Seymour said, referring to the savings attributed to him personally. 'Let's see if we can't save more next year,' he said. Seymour said Budget 2026's savings exercise would not be 'radically different'. He said there was still wasteful spending to be found, noting the last Labour Government had inherited core public spending of about 28% of GDP and left behind a state spending about 33% of GDP a year. Even accounting for increases in superannuation spending and debt servicing for the pandemic, Seymour reckoned there was still a large portion of spending that could be trimmed. Seymour said Finance Minister Nicola Willis had put pressure on Treasury to 'upgrade the supply of information', allowing better quality budgeting. Finance Minister Nicola Willis said more savings could be found. Photo / Mark Mitchell Willis said funding new spending initiatives by cutting spending the ministers deemed less essential was important, given the size of the Government's deficit, which Treasury forecasts to be $14.1b this year, or 3.1% of GDP. 'The Government's got a great track record of reprioritising funding so that we can put more investment into the things Kiwis care about: schools, hospitals, roads, police,' Willis said. Willis said the Government's first Budget found $23b in savings and the second found $21b. These figures are calculated over multiple years. 'What the number will be in our next Budget is yet to be worked out,' Willis said. When asked whether a similar dollar figure of savings could be found for the 2026 Budget, Willis said, 'we'll see'. Willis said she did not think all the low-hanging fruit had been found when it came to savings. 'There are always areas where we should be demanding better value for taxpayers' money and I always ask myself, 'can I really justify spending that money when a New Zealand household could probably do with it in their wallet?'' Willis said. Willis said each Budget approach was similar. She sat down with the Prime Minister and her associate Finance Ministers, Seymour, Chris Bishop, and Shane Jones. 'We sit down together. We identify key themes where we think that there is room to find value. We also identify programmes of work that we think ministers should undertake to find savings,' she said. Willis said it was 'far too soon' to describe the nature of the savings programme. It is not uncommon for a Government to cut spending it no longer thinks is valuable, to pay for something else. The last Finance Minister, Grant Robertson, also undertook reprioritisation exercises prior to his budgets although these were far smaller in quantum. In 2018, word of Labour's Budget 2019 reprioritisations exercise leaked to National, who accused Labour of covert spending cuts. Asked whether three successive savings programmes in a row risked prolonging negative economic sentiment, Willis accused people who made that argument of being 'fiscally and economically ignorant'. 'We have one of the largest deficits in the OECD, which is to say we are spending billions more than we are earning as a country. Compared to many countries around the world, we are in a more deficit position than they are. 'To say that when we are running a deficit ... is economically ignorant. I have heard that ignorance from our political opponents. They need to get a maths textbook,' Willis said. Labour leader Chris Hipkins compared Luxon and Willis to a washing machine. Photo / Mark Mitchell Earlier this year, the Herald spoke to the big three ratings agencies for their view on the public finances. New Zealand maintains a high credit rating. While the agencies said they were not alarmed with the fiscal situation at the moment, they wanted to see evidence of improvement. S&P's primary analyst for NZ, Martin Foo noted that NZ's general government balance, his company's preferred metric for whether the Government was in surplus or deficit, showed a deficit greater than 6% of GDP - putting NZ in the realm of France and the United States, countries known for running huge deficits. The Government's fiscal and economic strategy is partly to reduce the deficit to help put downward pressure on inflation and interest rates, stimulating confidence and economic recovery. Month after month of gloomy economic data, only partly offset by a recovery in the primary sector, has frayed voters' patience in that strategy, polling suggests. The most recent Ipsos Issues Monitor Poll found voters trust Labour more on the cost of living, the first time Labour has come ahead in that poll since before the last election. Voters still trust National more on the overall economy, according to that poll. In a speech ahead of his post-Cabinet press conference on Monday, Luxon said the Government needed to 'double down' on its economic strategy. 'The most important thing we can do to make you better off is to double down on our economic plan,' he said. 'Spending more, taxing more and borrowing more as Labour and other parties advocate for didn't work in the past and it won't work in the future,' Luxon said. Labour leader Chris Hipkins shot back, noting the length of Luxon's post-Cabinet speech, which he gave alongside Willis. 'I think we should start calling them Fisher and Paykel because they've got more spin than a front-load washing machine,' Hipkins said, referring to Luxon and Willis. Hipkins has come under pressure from the Government for Labour not releasing policy of its own. He defended this on Tuesday morning, saying 'we will be doing policy'. 'But some of those bigger issues around spending, borrowing, taxation, many of those will have to wait until closer to the election,' he said, noting National finalised its tax policy less than two months before the election date in 2023 - although it published a version of its tax policy about a year earlier.
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Dropkicks? Shouldn't we make it easier for people to vote?
This week, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith announced what he described as a 'significant, but necessary change' to New Zealand's electoral laws. He said this will address 'strain on the system'. The most controversial of these changes is stopping same-day enrolment for voters in a general election. Same-day enrolments are counted as special votes, which can take about 10 times longer to count than ordinary votes. Special votes have become more common in recent elections and a Regulatory Impact Statement from the Ministry of Justice said there had been an explosion as more people enrolled or updated their details on the day they voted. There were about 300,000 to 350,000 same-day special votes cast at the last election. The total number of special votes was 602,000, or about 20.9% of all ticks made. The Electoral Commission forecasts this will rise to 739,000 special votes in the 2026 election. So, to ensure the final results for our election don't take too long, the ability to enrol to vote will stop 13 days before election day. Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour said anyone who can't get their A into G in time was a 'dropkick'. 'I'm a bit sick of dropkicks who can't get their lives organised to follow the law, which registering to vote is a legal requirement. Then going and voting to tax away hard-working people's money and have people that make laws that restrict their freedoms.' After his somewhat partisan comment, Seymour went on tell reporters, 'If you can't be bothered doing that, maybe you don't care so much.' But it is obvious these people – hundreds of thousands of Kiwis – do care. They care enough about our democracy and the future of this country to go to a polling station on election day, register and vote. The Act leader also said people are fighting around the world for the chance to vote in a democracy. This is true, but the irony appeared totally lost on Seymour as he argued about the merits of a law that would restrict the opportunity for people to do just that. This country loves a battler and treating thousands of everyday New Zealanders with disdain rarely returns a positive result. Seymour might be well served to dropkick his descriptor quickly, or the battlers may dropkick him at the polls. Along with concerns about turnout, the Electoral Commission advised that special votes are more likely to come from areas with high Asian, Māori and Pacific communities. Younger people are also more likely to cast special votes – particularly first-time voters. Labour leader Chris Hipkins called the proposed changes 'draconian'. That is hyperbole. But he is right that it's anti-democratic. Perhaps any law that restricts a person's opportunity to vote should require a supermajority in Parliament? This might also stop the ridiculous see-sawing we see every government cycle around prisoner voting. Sign up to the Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
