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NZ Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Why a new slave labour commissioner won't change anything
Of course, this comes hard on the heels of a select subset of our politicians jumping up and down about Israel's mistreatment of people in Gaza and Russia's attacks on Ukraine. I am yet to see either Israel's or Russia's reaction to our protests. Probably because they didn't take notice. Perhaps we could introduce a tariff on products imported from those economies who don't abide by our anti-slavery policies? Of course, no one would take notice of that either. The reason the US can introduce tariffs is because the world cares about what they think. They're the world's biggest customer and they have the biggest defence force. But us? Get real. In a radio interview on Newstalk ZB this week, Belich suggested that if appointed, the new commissioner will not focus his or her efforts on small business. Only those with revenues of over $50 million per annum will be targeted. Excuse me? Firstly, my hazy recollection of New Zealand's issues with slavery and labour exploitation suggests that the problems have been detected in small businesses. One case that I recall involved workers doing domestic and orcharding work. Another higher-profile case involved an Auckland restaurant and migrant workers from India. Yet another saw an investigation into a bowling alley. Let's be clear, these are small businesses with revenues substantially less than $50 million. Secondly, there are plenty of privately owned businesses with perfectly good recruitment and employment records, with no historical examples or even suspicions of anything resembling slavery or labour exploitation, and with turnovers of $50 million or more. And here is a suggestion that, not content with the time wasted in those businesses responding to anti-money laundering requirements, health and safety stupidity, environmental nonsense and climate reporting, we are now going to ask them to bow to the needs of a slavery commissioner! During the radio interview, Belich admitted that she had no idea of how big a problem slavery is in New Zealand. Elsewhere, I noticed that an accompanying statement said the proposed policy was a response to a World Vision initiative urging us to do something. And so the truth comes out. The proposal to appoint an anti-slavery commissioner is yet another sop to an overseas organisation that wants to tell us how to live our lives. Labour's anti-slavery bill misses the mark. writes Bruce Cotterill. Photo / 123rf Deep down, New Zealanders are good people. We don't like the thought of labour exploitation any more than other decent human beings. But we can stand on our principles all day long. It doesn't mean those in lofty positions of power elsewhere will take any notice. But let's not underestimate the cost of taking our arguments to the world. The last time we appointed a commissioner, it was to oversee the cost of groceries. From the moment he was appointed, this writer has been highly sceptical of any benefit at all being delivered to the average New Zealand household as a result. But there he is, sitting in an office within MBIE with a 30-strong staff costing us millions. And this one would be no different. Then there is the fact that we have a very good police force. Is it not their job to sniff out criminal behaviour, including anything to do with labour exploitation or slavery? New Zealand currently criminalises slavery and trafficking under existing legislation. That legislation should be enough for the police to act where necessary. If it's not, let's upgrade the legislation instead of creating another government office. There is something sadly lacking in New Zealand political circles at present. It's called common sense. We seem to be damn keen to jump on board any bandwagon, cause, or worse, gravy train, that pops up without any logical thought about our priorities, potential outcomes, or financial cost. I'd like to suggest that our politicians would be better to focus on the things that can make a difference to our troubled little economy. New Zealand has a whole lot of challenges that I'd like to see our elected representatives focusing on. At the top of that list is this. Stop wasting money. At all levels of government, including local government, we continue to press the case to spend more money. The recent rates increases tell us that Auckland's mayor is one of the few who focuses heavily on costs. And yet it should be the job of every politician to work out what our priorities are, and then tell us how they can do more with less. But no, projects run over time and budgets are blown. Annual forecasts allow for increasingly eyewatering sums of money for what should be relatively simple and straightforward services. When you're broke, you have to focus on the things that really matter. That's where the attention goes. And that's where the funding goes. In government terms, we're not really broke, but we're not exactly flush either. The Greens will tell us that we can borrow more money and still have less debt than other nations. But they're overlooking the fact that our low productivity environment makes borrowing a lot easier than paying it back. And our interest bill is already our fourth biggest cost. We'd be foolish to allow it to go any higher unless that debt supported increased income, greater productivity or both. It's no secret that our problems are plenty. The usual suspects, Health and Education, seem well-funded but poorly resourced. What does that mean? It means there's plenty of money allocated, but not enough of it lands at the coalface. Elsewhere, our infrastructure deficit is massive and we need different thinking to work out what to do about the inadequacies of our power, water and transport infrastructure in particular. Then there are our people who can't look after themselves and those who can't cope in today's society. Not looking after those people properly leads to downstream effects, including increasing burdens from health and crime. Right now, New Zealand is not doing well enough on any of these measures. If we want to aspire to become a country that's respected and listened to internationally, we would do well to remember the following. The country that can do most to help those less advantaged, including victims of war, famine and yes, even slavery, are those countries with strong economies. Before we start telling the rest of the world how to behave, we need to build an economy that can afford to offer help, rather than just cheaply throwing words around telling others how to live their lives. As it turns out, we do have room for a new commissioner. I'd like to think we could appoint a commissioner who would make a real and substantive difference to New Zealand. Firstly a difference to the outcomes for our people but also a difference to our international standing. Fixing this one would give us greater license to tell others how to behave. Currently, that license is weakened because of our own inadequacy. You could call that person the Commissioner for our Greatest Embarrassment. But in reality, they would be a Commissioner for Child Safety. In other words, something or someone that provides a massive focus on preventing us from killing our kids. Can you believe that we have a Ministry for Children, a Social Wellbeing Agency, and ministerial portfolios for Child Poverty, and for the Prevention of Family Violence? I wonder what all that costs. And yet here we are, ranking 35th in the OECD for the wellbeing of our children. In case we've forgotten, on average, one child dies every five weeks in New Zealand at the hands of someone responsible for their care. Of the 127 children murdered between 2007 and 2020, three-quarters were under the age of 5. Let that sink in for a moment. Then tell me that the slave trade in China, Nigeria or India is more important. I'd like to think we have bigger priorities than the opposition's latest bill. Our parents used to say, worry about your own backyard first. That sounds like great advice.
ABC News
4 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Australian aid projects in limbo after Trump administration scrapped USAID, FOI reveals
Two Australian-backed aid projects were left in limbo when the United States government cut USAID funding, slashing billions of dollars of aid worldwide. Freedom of Information (FOI) documents obtained by the ABC show Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) officials sought details on what projects would be affected by Donald Trump's decision to close USAID. The documents show USAID was "holding funds" paid by Australia for two separate aid projects. A total of $1.5 million given to USAID to help deliver a clean drinking water project in Indonesia was returned to DFAT on June 12 this year. Details of the other project were redacted from the documents obtained by the ABC due to including "material in the nature of opinions and recommendations in relation to the department's deliberative processes", DFAT said. Former World Vision Australia CEO Reverend Tim Costello said he was "so glad that Australian taxpayers' money came back" but said the situation had been a close call for DFAT. "[Donald] Trump and [Elon] Musk destroyed USAID and it is going to cost 15 million lives by 2030. Having Australian taxpayers' dollars lost in that would have been an insult to injury," he said. The ABC's FOI request to DFAT specifically asked for: "All documents relating to the transfer of DFAT funds to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)." The Indonesia water project was set up as a Delegated Cooperation Arrangement, DFAT said. These arrangements allow governments "to delegate support to another donor partner", while "the lead donor holds the contractual relationship with the implementing partner for the program, and funds them directly", DFAT added. In this Indonesia project, Australia contributed more money but USAID took the lead on the ground, the FOI documents show. DFAT told the ABC that such arrangements were "common practice". But Rev Costello said he wasn't aware that direct funding being made to USAID was common practice. "I was surprised by that," he said, but added "there is a lot of cooperation between them [DFAT and USAID]". "I didn't know that we directly funded USAID but I assume it's joint projects and I know that the humanitarian sector see many donor governments working in cooperation," he added. Rev Costello said it would have been a "sobering lesson" for DFAT to have to ask for the money to be returned. Research Associate at the Lowy Institute's Indo-Pacific Development Centre, Grace Stanhope, said financial cooperation with other bilateral government agencies was "really quite rare". "I suspect we do cooperate fairly often with the US but it just happens through a third-party," she added. Ms Stanhope said $1.5m was a small amount of money in the context of Australia's total aid spending. But she said it was important it was returned. DFAT acted as co-donor for the Indonesia Urban Resilient Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Activity, which was also known as IUWASH Tangguh. The project aimed to increase access to "poor-inclusive, climate-resilient, safely managed drinking water and sanitation services" in Indonesia. USAID was the lead donor, which meant it took the lead in implementing the project and agreed to "administer and manage the contribution of DFAT", according to the signed arrangement document. As seen in the plans in the FOI documents, Australia agreed to commit a total of $2.9 million ($US1.9 million) while USAID agreed to pay $US408,861.96. Only $1.5 million was ever actually sent to USAID from DFAT. The second payment of $1.4 million was cancelled following USAID's shutdown. USAID made the privately held development company Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI) the implementing partner for the project. A spokesperson from DAI confirmed to the ABC that the "IUWASH Tangguh was among those DAI projects terminated". The spokesperson added the project was scheduled to run until March 2027, but was unable to comment on the amount of funds unspent. This program was one of "many programs in the region that have been impacted by USAID cuts", chief of policy and advocacy at Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), Jessica Mackenzie, said. ACFID is an Australian non-government organisation involved in international development and aid. "Water, sanitation and hygiene programs are core to development programming and help change lives," Ms Mackenzie added. Ms Mackenzie added that Australia often worked with like-minded partners on development programs and "Australia has jointly funded numerous development projects with USAID, especially in the Pacific". She added that there has been a shift away from joint funding in recent years as countries are "driven by a desire for more direct control over aid delivery". "Though with decreasing humanitarian funding in 2025, after significant donor cuts, we may see more pooled funds emerging soon," Ms Mackenzie added. Ms Stanhope said that while this incident would likely make DFAT "pause before doing joint projects bilaterally" going forward, she "wouldn't want this to become a reason for DFAT to do less co-financing". "I think the bigger picture is that especially in Asia and the Pacific, lots of donors doing lots of small projects leads to aid fragmentation and inefficiencies and duplication of projects," she said. "Something that we should be doing more of is co-financing with other implementing agencies and only when it's sensible."
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Bradford man to cycle coast-to-coast for World Vision charity
A Bradford man is set to cycle from coast to coast, from the west to the east of the country, to raise funds for charity. Bob Marshall will ride from the mouth of the river Esk at Ravenglass (in Cumbria) to the mouth of the Esk at Whitby, in aid of international development charity World Vision. Mr Marshall will arrive in Ravenglass this Saturday (July 19), where he will stay at Eskdale Youth Hostel, before tackling the Hardknott and Wrynose passes the following day. He is using a Swytch electric motor, but expects to push his bike at the top of both hills, and plans to stop in Elterwater to recharge the battery. Mr Marshall will spend a night at Kirkby Stephen hostel and then continue through Swaledale to Richmond and Osmotherley on the Monday. After a night at Cote Ghyll Youth Hostel, he will cycle along Eskdale to Whitby. Mr Marshall has sponsored a child in Zambia through World Vision for five years, and, in August, will visit Zambia to see two community development projects and to meet his sponsored child. He is covering his own travel expenses for the Zambia trip, with all money raised to go to World Vision. To sponsor Mr Marshall, visit
NZ Herald
14-07-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Real Life: Jon Hartley, Kiwibank chair and priest - ‘There's more to life than the corporate world'
'I went through a period of disillusionment with that corporate world, predominantly triggered by an incident where I encountered lying in the boardroom which I knew was lying, and it just shook me. 'And then I started to work through in my own mind, who did I want to be around? What sort of organisations did I want to be involved with? And, most importantly, a faith started to emerge.' The re-emergence of his Christian faith, which by his own admission had laid dormant for many years, would ultimately lead Hartley to make big changes to how he operated in his career. He became more selective with the organisations he served on the board of, effectively 'gave away' two days of work a week to focus on causes that matter, and later, opted to join the Anglican priesthood. Hartley told Real Life it was a combination of his wife Chris' strong faith, and searching conversations with a vicar friend, that led him to start asking the big questions about life. '[This friend] introduced me to having conversations about faith without trying to persuade me about what I should do,' he said. 'It was really introducing you to the idea that there's more – a mystery, a bigger transcendent component in life that we're invited into if we choose to be walking that path. 'I naively thought that, having given my life to Jesus, that was a hard decision. Actually, that was what led to all the hard decisions, because that then causes you to recalibrate all that's going on in your world.' Hartley was inspired by Bob Buford, a US entrepreneur who was compelled by his faith to pivot from a life of pursuing profits to one where he could use his considerable business acumen for good. It was the final push Hartley needed to change course. 'I literally stopped working for money for two days a week and gave those two days a week away,' he told Cowan. 'I didn't know where they were going to go, and that's when I found myself invited into the City Mission in Wellington where I spent 15 years, the last six as chair. Then World Vision involved me in their economic development [and] microfinance, using commercial skills for social purposes. 'That broadened my outlook in terms of outworking my faith, which was to use the skills that I had from the first 50-odd years of my life in ways which expanded me into touching the lives of people.' This work saw Hartley recently awarded the Queen's Service Order, in recognition of his decision to volunteer his skills in business, strategy governance, leadership development and transformative change management in the service of those living in poverty locally and internationally. Hartley is now retired, but continues in his roles as chair of Kiwibank and director of Ngāi Tahu Holdings, two organisations he says are 'systemically important' to New Zealand. He is also an Anglican reverend, a position that came about upon the recommendation of the Bishop of Wellington, who had noticed work he had been doing helping Christian leaders remain true to their faith in whatever sphere of influence they found themselves in. 'It's a discernment process, it's not a recruitment process,' Hartley says of the path to priesthood. 'One thing led to the other – and I have to say, I was only persuaded that it was the right thing for me after it happened, when I took my first communion.' Hartley told Cowan the role has opened doors for him to be able to help people in a new way. 'It invites questions, certainly, but I'm much more about doing things than trying to explain things, and so, certainly in places like World Vision, it's been instrumental in helping grow my faith – but also helping others grow their faith,' he said. 'I find myself now drawn into places like the Wellington Cathedral, where I help run services and I preach, and that is [about] connecting and bringing the real world into the church.' Hartley says the boards he's appointed to understand who he is and what he stands for, and that, 'as a consequence, you get the whole package.' 'There will be times where you will ask questions which may seem strange to others, but you know why you're asking them or you're making observations. But at the core of the gospel are principles which it's really hard to argue against in the way people live,' he told Real Life. 'I recently spoke at the cathedral and lamented the way we now speak of peace as an absence of war rather than a way of living. Those are the sort of insights which I personally feel I need to and should offer to share, to try and move people a little bit away from our neo-liberal world.' Despite the perception the church and the boardroom are worlds apart, Hartley says he doesn't live a compartmentalised life, instead allowing the purpose and values of all he's involved in 'seep across' into other places. 'It's interesting how many times that seepage actually leads to a much richer set of engagements and relationships around boardroom tables or on a field visit or within the church,' he says. 'Bringing the real world into the church – as well as bringing the church or the gospel into the real world – is part of the challenge I try and set myself.' Real Life is a weekly interview show where John Cowan speaks with prominent guests about their life, upbringing, and the way they see the world. Tune in Sundays from 7.30pm on Newstalk ZB or listen to the latest full interview here. Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Thousands Of Teens Plead For Government To Take Action On Modern Slavery
This week more than 2,000 letters from New Zealand children and young people will be presented to MPs calling for urgent action on modern slavery. A delegation of World Vision youth Advocacy Ambassadors will present the letters to MPs on Parliament's Steps at 12.30pm on Wednesday July 16. National MP Greg Flemming and Labour MP Camilla Belich will be there to receive the submissions. The letters were written and collected at a series of World Vision New Zealand Youth Conferences and universities earlier in the year where thousands expressed their dismay at New Zealand's lack of laws to address modern slavery. World Vision Advocacy Ambassador 19-year-old Lily Murphy says New Zealand young people are passionate about the need for action on modern slavery. 'It is disgraceful that New Zealand has failed for so long to introduce any form of regulation against using modern slavery in Kiwi production lines. 'Young people are calling for a system where doing the right thing isn't optional, it's the law,' the Dunedin student says. Messages contained in the letters to MPs include: 'I don't want my belongings created by someone whose human rights are ignored.' 'As a country we have a responsibility to ensure that our goods and services are not supporting exploitation, to prevent abuse, and support victims of slavery.' 'New Zealanders deserve to know that our goods and services are not built on the backs of exploited people.' Fellow World Vision Advocacy Ambassador, 19-year-old Breanna Rickman, says she hopes MPs will take heed of the collective call from young people for a Modern Slavery Act. 'Young people all over New Zealand care about addressing modern slavery because they can see and understand the harsh effect it has on millions of people. 'We want the MPs to receive these letters and understand that there are so many people who are passionate about making this change for our country. This is a plea from New Zealand young people for our MPs to act as the representatives we voted them to be and back a Modern Slavery Bill,' she says. There is currently a Private Member's Bill from National MP Greg Flemming in the ballot while Labour was preparing to introduce a Modern Slavery Act when it was in Government. World Vision National Director, Grant Bayldon, who will also be at parliament for the handover of the letters, says there is cross party support for a modern slavery act. 'We know both Labour and National support some form of regulation to address modern slavery. Let's capitalise on that consensus! We need our MPs to put the politics aside and to come together to protect the millions who are affected by modern slavery,' he says. Notes: The following MPs will meet with the World Vision Advocacy Ambassadors as they present their letters: Rachel Brooking (Labour) Shanan Halbert (Labour) Ingrid Leary (Labour) Tamatha Paul (Green) Suze Redmayne (National) Tom Rutherford (National) Jane Tinetti (Labour) Ryan Hamilton (National) Debbie Ngarewa-Packer (Te Pati Maori) Miles Anderson (National) Menéndez March Ricardon (Green) Wedd Catherine (National) Willis Scott (Green) Camilla Belich (Labour) Greg Fleming (National)
