Louise Upston’s first action as Minister for Disability Issues should be to apologise to disabled people & their carers for the way they have been treated & the derogatory things that have been said about them by the govt. As LV Martin said “It’s the putting right that counts”

The current government’s decision to invite political donors to participate in the fast track consenting process stinks, particularly as ministers propose to give themselves the power to make arbitrary decisions. Ethical standards are an endangered species under this govt.

Despite the shambles of the government’s Fast Track Consenting bill they’re actually slowing down infrastructure investment. Over 40% of infrastructure companies expect to lose staff overseas in the next year. So far this govt has proved it can stop things, not get things done.

Protecting our border is a frontline service, protecting Kiwis from online scammers is a frontline service, fighting money laundering is a frontline service. This govt are slashing frontline services to pay for unaffordable tax cuts. It’s reckless.

The Luxon/National govt are hanging out a great big “open for business” sign to money launderers, online scammers, loan sharks, drug traffickers organized crime and child exploitation. This is a very dark day for New Zealand.

In 2010 the whole of the public sector made up 19.7% of NZ’s total workforce. In 2023 it made up 18.8%. Claims there has been an explosion in the public sector are pure spin to justify sacking hard working Kiwis to pay for unaffordable tax cuts. This govt has the wrong priorities

Claims of a bloated public service are just nonsense. In 2010 following the GFC the public service was 2.5% of the total workforce. In 2023 following COVID it was 2.6%. As the population has grown, demand for public services has grown too. (1/2)

Telling parents to send their kids to school when they’re sick won’t improve outcomes for anyone. More kids and teachers will get sick, taking bugs home and making others sick. Govt should focus on persistent long-term truants, not kids with a cold.

NZ can be a world leader in renewable energy, we can be one of the world’s most sustainable food producers, we can tackle climate change and create jobs and a better future at the same time. Instead our National govt thinks NZ’s future is about digging up coal. They’re wrong!

Devastating news for staff working with some of our most vulnerable children today. The people losing their jobs at Oranga Tamariki and the Ministry of Education do amazing work. They have homes and families too. Once again we see how wrong this government’s priorities are.

My thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy unfolding in Bondi. I know a lot of Kiwis live in that area. Sending aroha from this side of the Tasman.

The disability community deserve better. The Minister knew about funding issues at Whaikaha last December, didn’t do anything, and then signed off on changes to funding that would hurt people with disabilities and their carers.

It’s disgraceful and she should go.

On becoming govt National scrapped 20 hours free early childhood education for 2 year olds. This week they announced a rebate for ECE that costs $500m less, in other words, they are boasting about a $500million cut to early childhood education funding.

Nicola Willis was scathing when the previous govt adjusted the spending allowance in the Budget. Her solution seems to be to just not set a spending allowance in the first place! It’s easy to see she can’t make the numbers add up. The govts promises are unaffordable.

Using year to Dec figures net migration to NZ under Labour was 135,844 and under the Labour/NZ First govt it was 158,999. Blaming migrants for NZ's current economic challenges is wrong. Migrants work hard and contribute hugely to our economic prosperity. We should thank them!

They are threatening to cut funding for school lunches for hungry kids yet somehow Christopher Luxon’s National government found the money to make a handful of mega landlords tax cut millionaires. Their priorities are simply wrong!

Labour’s first 𝟏𝟎𝟎 days of 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 vs National’s 𝟏𝟎𝟎 days of taking New Zealand 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬.

Very sad to hear of the passing of Rt Hon Jonathan Hunt, former MP, Minister, Speaker, diplomat and lifelong Labour Party member and supporter. Jonathan devoted his life to public service and made a huge contribution. My thoughts are with his family.

A healthy democracy relies on a healthy “fourth estate”. Today’s cuts at TVNZ hot in the heels of Newshub’s imminent demise are another hammer blow. It’s time for the government to show real leadership. Kiwi citizens need and deserve better than this.

The government’s claim we “can’t afford” to continue with the free and healthy school lunches programme rings a bit hollow given their decision to prioritize tax breaks for mega landlords. School lunches are affordable, the National govt is choosing to prioritise other things.