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Labour Party

1,385 posts | 23 images

Joined December 2008
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Crime 1 Aug 2014
Banks Conviction: ACT Should Apologise to Epsom

AUCKLAND CITY — “The conviction of John Banks today is another sad chapter for John Banks and the ACT Party”, says Labour candidate for Epsom Michael Wood.

10,503 views

Politics 9 Apr 2013
Labour alerts Justice Ministry to gaping security hole in its website

Labour’s Information Technology spokesperson, Clare Curran, has today alerted the Ministry of Justice of a serious security flaw in its website.

551 views

Employment 2 Apr 2013
Workers reminded to check payslips

Workers need to carefully examine their payslips as the KiwiSaver employer and employee contribution rate increases from 2% to 3% from today says Labour’s spokesperson, for Labour Issues Darien Fenton.

623 views

Politics 19 Mar 2013
Government must back down on iPad tax too

The National/United Future Government’s plans for its petty iPad and cellphone tax should be dumped following Revenue Minister Peter Dunne’s appalling admission that due diligence for it hasn’t been completed, Labour’s Revenue Spokesperson David Cunliffe says.

512 views

Politics 14 Feb 2013
Dunne must take leadership on overseas tax

Peter Dunne must act on an OECD report that reveals the shocking extent of multi-national tax avoidance, says Labour’s Revenue spokesperson David Clark.

559 views

Politics 8 Feb 2013
Adams' dodgy deals cost Kiwis $400

Amy Adams is taking almost $400 right out of the pockets of Kiwi households with her delaying tactics on the Commerce Commission’s suggested price cuts, says Labour’s Communications and IT spokesperson Clare Curran.

536 views

Politics 8 Feb 2013
Law change needed on airport pricing

Labour says the Government should change the law in response to a damning report by the Commerce Commission into monopoly pricing by Wellington Airport.

517 views

Politics 8 Feb 2013
Please hold, your call is unimportant to us...

The Government knew that the Novopay service centre was not up to the job before the botched teachers’ pay system went live, says Chris Hipkins, Labour’s acting Education spokesperson.

581 views

Politics 8 Feb 2013
Go figure – jobless 'stats' hide real story

The latest Household Labour Force Survey which shows some 30,000 Kiwis have given up looking for work has really put the wind up Paula Bennett, Labour’s Social Development spokesperson Jacinda Ardern says.

501 views

Politics 8 Feb 2013
Fed-up Defence staff join Aussie exodus - 8 February 2013

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman should be ashamed by the number of Kiwi sailors jumping ship and joining the exodus across the ditch, Labour’s Defence spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway.

533 views

Politics 7 Feb 2013
Where are the jobs, Prime Minister?

Today’s unemployment data, which shows that 33,000 people have given up on the labour market altogether, is an indictment on National’s economic failure, says Su’a William Sio.

608 views

Politics 7 Feb 2013
Youth hung out to dry yet again

The Government’s so-called ‘focus’ on youth unemployment has been shown up for what it is – a PR stunt - with figures out today that show the number of young Kiwis not in education, training or work has gone up yet again, says Labour’s Youth Affairs spokesperson Megan Woods.

470 views

Politics 5 Feb 2013
Govt's meddling in schools misses the point

The Government’s obsession with meddling with school funding is hugely disruptive, and is doing nothing to help improve children’s learning, says Chris Hipkins, Labour’s acting Education spokesperson.

467 views

Politics 4 Feb 2013
Dunedin Labour MPs support Presbyterian Support Otago

Dunedin Labour MPs have called on the Southern District Health Board to reassess their decision to exclude Presbyterian Services Otago from their list of providers of home help services for the elderly.

445 views

Politics 4 Feb 2013
Choose consumers over Chorus, Mr Key

Chorus’s deliberate delay tactics with the Commerce Commission are a blow to Kiwi consumers and must be condemned by the Government, says Clare Curran.

458 views

Politics 4 Feb 2013
Public private partnership school costing taxpayers

The Government’s experiment with public private partnerships in schools will end up costing taxpayers $1.5 million more than it claims it will save, says Chris Hipkins.

494 views

Politics 4 Feb 2013
Teachers' pay for Ministers' risk taking

Documentation released today clearly shows that Ministers must have been made aware of the extensive problems with the Novopay payroll system before they signed off its implementation, Labour’s Acting Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

466 views

Politics 4 Feb 2013
Lack of doctors is a major health concern

The report on doctor shortages released today by the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists should be a wake up call to the Government, says Labour's Health Spokesperson, Maryan Street.

394 views

Politics 1 Feb 2013
Funding battles shouldn't hold up transport changes

Lengthy disputes over funding cannot be allowed to stall progress for Christchurch’s new transport system, says Labour’s Christchurch Transport Issues spokesperson and MP for Wigram Megan Woods.

422 views

Politics 1 Feb 2013
Another provincial town reeling under National's inept management

High dollar forces Summit factory closure, 190 jobs cut in Oamaru The crippling exchange rate has caused 192 hard-working Kiwis to lose their job as Summit Wool Spinner is sold, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson David Parker.

415 views

Politics 1 Feb 2013
Novopay review too little, too late

The Government’s plan to hold a ministerial inquiry into the Novopay debacle is a step in the right direction - but ultimately it is too little, too late, says Chris Hipkins, Labour’s acting Education spokesperson.

428 views

Politics 1 Feb 2013
Revenue projections drop by almost $1b a month

The Government’s tax forecasts for 2012 - 2016 have dropped by almost $1 billion a month since the election, highlighting its failure to boost growth and create jobs, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson David Parker.

431 views

Politics 31 Jan 2013
Police budget constraints erode 111 service

National’s erosion of our 111 emergency service is not going unnoticed, says Labour’s Police spokesperson Kris Faafoi.

443 views

Politics 30 Jan 2013
PM must own Hekia's bad karma

Hekia Parata’s glib dismissal of the non-payment of Ministry of Education staff today as “karma” is outrageous, and John Key should tell her to apologise, says Chris Hipkins.

431 views

Politics 30 Jan 2013
Denial doesn't make child poverty go away

The Government doesn’t just have a blind spot when it comes to child poverty, it has a major case of denial, Labour’s Social Development spokesperson and Spokesperson for Children, Jacinda Ardern says.

423 views

Politics 30 Jan 2013
Parents pick up tab for Govt underfunding

At a time when many parents are struggling with the constantly increasing cost of living, John Key’s government is asking them to pay more and more for their children’s education too, Labour’s acting Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

440 views

Politics 30 Jan 2013
$50-million hole in Key's apprenticeship plan

The Government's johnny-come-lately plan to increase the number of apprentices has a more than $50 million hole in it, says Grant Robertson Labour’s Tertiary Education, Skills and Training Spokesperson.

438 views

Politics 30 Jan 2013
Key accuses Kiwis of 'crying wolf' about housing affordability

John Key’s claim that Kiwis scrimping and saving for their first home are just ‘crying wolf’ about the housing affordability crisis shows he’s completely out of touch, says Labour Leader David Shearer.

134 views

Politics 28 Jan 2013
Joyce's charm offensive won't fix Novopay

It will take more than a charm offensive by Steven Joyce to sort out the on-going debacle that is Novopay, Labour’s acting Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

128 views

Politics 28 Jan 2013
Hard sell comes after milk taint hushed up

It is a bit rich of the Government to deny any attempt to cover up the fact chemical  residue has been found in New Zealand-sourced milk given it spent the last three months working out how to ‘sell’ the news to the public, Labour’s Primary Industries spokesperson, Damien O’Connor says.

125 views

Politics 28 Jan 2013
Kiwis deserve a guaranteed break too

New Zealanders deserve time off every year for Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day, regardless of whether they fall on a weekend or on a weekday, Labour MP David Clark says.

79 views

Politics 28 Jan 2013
Speech: New Era - New Solutions

David Shearer Wainuiomata Rugby Football Club Tēnā koutou katoa.

102 views

Politics 28 Jan 2013
Novopay pin may need pulling

As fallout from the sow’s ear that is Novopay continues Steven Joyce should seriously consider pulling the pin on it, Labour’s Acting Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

87 views

Politics 25 Jan 2013
National temporarily stirs from slumber on apprenticeships

One announcement from an under pressure government does not make up for four years of inaction on apprenticeships and skills and training, says Grant Robertson.

119 views

Politics 25 Jan 2013
Red-tape rhetoric no substitute for action

John Key has served Kiwis up another helping of seconds in his ‘scene-setting’ speech today says Labour’s Housing spokesperson Annette King.

112 views

Politics 25 Jan 2013
National Johnny-come-lately to need for apprenticeships

The Government’s new found enthusiasm for apprenticeships would be more convincing if it was not four years late, says David Shearer.

84 views

Politics 25 Jan 2013
A brief history of Hekia's mistakes

In the spirit of bi-partisanship, Labour’s acting Education spokesperson, Chris Hipkins, has today offered to assist the Education Minister, Hekia Parata, remember some of her mistakes from the last year.

76 views

Politics 23 Jan 2013
New Minister needs to tackle housing go-slow

Incoming Housing Minister Nick Smith has a lot of work to do if he wants to convince Kiwis housing affordability is a priority for National says Labour’s Housing spokesperson Annette King.

109 views

Politics 23 Jan 2013
Labour pledges to re-open rail line

Labour in government will re-open the Gisborne-Napier rail line due to be closed under National, the party’s Transport spokesperson Phil Twyford says.

87 views

Politics 22 Jan 2013
English desperate if failed welfare reforms are his answer

Finance Minister Bill English’s startling admission that the Government is relying on its welfare reforms as a cure all for New Zealand’s economic woes should set the alarm bells ringing, Labour’s Social Development spokesperson Jacinda Ardern says.

129 views

Politics 22 Jan 2013
Bumper year for casinos - bad news for Kiwis

News that New Zealand casinos had a bumper year should serve as a warning to the Government says Labour’s Internal Affairs spokesperson Ruth Dyson.

122 views

Politics 22 Jan 2013
Hands-off Government hopeless on housing

The Government’s hands-off approach to the housing affordability crisis is creating a generation of Kiwi renters, says David Shearer.

130 views

Politics 22 Jan 2013
Try a little fairness Mr Joyce

Steven Joyce should do the right thing and extend student allowances to all postgraduate students who are part way through their qualifications, says Labour Tertiary Education, Skills and Training Spokesperson Grant Robertson.

188 views

Politics 22 Jan 2013
Oh goody, another league table from National

“The release of statistics on what graduates from different disciplines earn is hardly a revelation and does nothing to improve the quality of tertiary education or access to it, Grant Robertson says.

900 views

Politics 22 Jan 2013
E-log books for truckies must be considered 20 January 2013

The Government should consider electronic log books as part of a wider investigation into improving the safety of truck drivers and other road users, says Labour Transport Safety spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway.

95 views

Politics 22 Jan 2013
Tolley should break silence on sole-charge stations

Police Minister Anne Tolley needs to take a stand on single-officer stations, says Labour’s Police spokesperson Kris Faafoi.

90 views

Politics 20 Jan 2013
More support for Labour policy – this time CGT

Support for Labour’s major economic policies continues to grow with a new poll showing 55 per cent of New Zealanders support a capital gains tax, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson David Parker.

151 views

Politics 19 Jan 2013
Front-footing Novopay failure not the answer

While problems with the Novopay system get worse rather than better, the Government is still missing in action, Labour’s Acting Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

140 views

Politics 18 Jan 2013
Deflation shows need to reform Reserve Bank's tunnel vision mandate

Prices dropped in the last three months of the year while the housing market took off and the dollar remained stubbornly high, showing the need for monetary policy reform, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson David Parker.

131 views

Politics 17 Jan 2013
New Radio NZ CE must be committed to charter

The replacement for long-serving Radio New Zealand chief executive Peter Cavanagh must have the same commitment to commercial-free public broadcasting and respect for the station’s charter, says Labour’s broadcasting spokesperson Clare Curran.

103 views

Politics 17 Jan 2013
High flyers skew boardroom stats

Government appointments of a small number of high flying women are skewing statistics on female representation in the boardroom says Labour’s Women’s Affairs spokesperson Sue Moroney.

112 views

Politics 17 Jan 2013
More Novopay debacles likely as Govt slashes frontline public services

Cutting frontline public services in order to force Kiwis to interact with the Government online will lead to more Novopay like debacles, warns Labour's State Services spokesperson Chris Hipkins.

81 views

Politics 16 Jan 2013
Hospo industry gets pokie focus wrong

Hospitality New Zealand’s call to allow new bars a share in community pokie profits shows its priorities are all wrong, says Labour’s Internal Affairs spokesperson Ruth Dyson.

125 views

Politics 16 Jan 2013
Rail rethink needs open mind, not eyes closed

The Government could earn some much-needed brownie points if, instead of dismissing out of hand a report into the viability of the Gisborne to Napier rail line out, it looked at its recommendations with an open mind, Gisborne-based Labour MP Moana Mackey says.

156 views

Politics 15 Jan 2013
Kiwis support Labour's savings policy

New Zealanders overwhelmingly support universal KiwiSaver, which is yet another part of Labour’s economic policy favoured by Kiwis, says Finance spokesperson David Parker.

113 views

Politics 15 Jan 2013
Impact of aging population in Ryall's 'too hard' basket

The government is refusing to face up to what officials are describing as "critical" and one of the most challenging issues facing the health sector – the impact of New Zealand's ageing population, Labour's Health spokesperson Maryan Street says.

133 views

Politics 14 Jan 2013
Health Ministry misses the point under Ryall

The Government is failing to tackle the two biggest killers of New Zealanders and is instead obsessed with filling elective surgery quotas for political purposes, says Labour's Health spokesperson, Maryan Street.

115 views

Politics 12 Jan 2013
Charter schools another mess waiting to happen

The Government should be focused on getting the basics in education right, rather than inflicting an ideologically driven charter schools experiment on Kiwi kids, Labour's acting Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

170 views

Politics 11 Jan 2013
Novopay pledge is bunkum, chaos reigns

The Ministry of Education’s pledge to provide 'financial support' to schools who have had bank accounts emptied over the summer break courtesy of the shambles that is Novopay, will be cold comfort to the thousands of school staff forced to cut short their holidays to deal with the on-going mess, Labour's acting Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

98 views

Politics 11 Jan 2013
Unhappy New Year for post-grad students

The Government is sending a clear message to thousands of postgraduate students who can no longer get student allowances- don't try to better yourself or add to our country's health and prosperity, says Grant Robertson, Labour’s Tertiary Education spokesperson.

607 views

Politics 8 Jan 2013
Health cuts start with kids' hearing

Health Minister Tony Ryall’s proposed cuts to funding for children’s grommets will see more kids sitting in class unable to listen and learn says Labour’s Health spokesperson Maryan Street.

135 views

Politics 8 Jan 2013
Govt must engage on quad bike safety

Concerns around quad bike safety, sparked by a number of serious crashes this summer, should be acted on, says Labour’s Transport Safety spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway.

130 views

Politics 8 Jan 2013
Speaker forces Foss to front up on Novopay

Embattled Associate Education Minister Craig Foss has been forced to release more embarrassing details about the botched Novopay system following intervention from Parliament’s Speaker, says Labour’s Acting Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins.

132 views

Politics 8 Jan 2013
Minister needs to be up front on census strategy

Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson needs to be up front about his plans for the national census, says Labour’s Statistics spokesperson Raymond Huo.

89 views

Politics 7 Jan 2013
Report supports Labour's KiwiSaver policy

Research released by the Financial Services Council shows increasing KiwiSaver contribution rates could double Kiwi’s savings to $312 billion and see an extra $93 billion invested in New Zealand companies, says Labour’s Revenue spokesperson David Clark.

144 views

Politics 21 Dec 2012
Dunedin stands in solidarity with Hillside

Hillside’s engineering work may have ended but Dunedin’s solidarity with the former workers reveals a community united in its support, says Labour’s Dunedin South MP Clare Curran.

119 views

Politics 21 Dec 2012
Novopay = holiday from hell for teachers

Hekia Parata may be off enjoying her summer holiday but there’s not much Christmas joy for teachers as they suffer fresh pay problems, says Labour’s Acting Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins.

88 views

Politics 21 Dec 2012
Phil Heatley's hidden housing statistics

Just a few days from Christmas, Housing Minister Phil Heatley appears to be withholding the latest statistics that show the number of families still waiting for state houses, says Labour’s Housing spokesperson Annette King.

98 views

Politics 21 Dec 2012
Brownlee tripped up by rule of law

National’s Minister for Earthquake Recovery, Gerry Brownlee, has been given some food for thought this summer with today’s decision by the Court of Appeal reinforcing the limits on his powers, says Lianne Dalziel.

87 views

Politics 21 Dec 2012
Consultative Assembly successful, says local MP

Labour Associate Spokesperson for Disarmament and Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) President, Ross Robertson, said that the 7th Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Rule of Law (CAP ICC) hosted by the Italian Parliament last week focused on the fight against impunity for the most serious crimes of international concern.

87 views

Politics 20 Dec 2012
NZTA should listen to City Council

Labour MPs Grant Robertson and Annette King are urging the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) to listen to the Wellington City Council which voted last night to investigate alternatives to the Basin Reserve flyover.

101 views

Politics 20 Dec 2012
$1m on consultants and Novopay still doesn't work

The Government spent more than $1,000,000 on consultants as part of the switch over to Novopay including $650,000 on testing of the payroll system, which was completely ignored, says Chris Hipkins.

110 views

Politics 19 Dec 2012
Time for Hekia to go

Hekia Parata should follow Lesley Longstone’s lead, and resign as Minister of Education, say Chris Hipkins.

95 views

Politics 19 Dec 2012
MoBIE a costly experiment at workers' expense

The subsuming of the Department of Labour (including Immigration NZ) into the mega ministry, MoBIE, is a costly experiment that will come at the expense of a focus on workers’ issues, says Darien Fenton.

83 views

Politics 19 Dec 2012
33% super rise shows Labour prudent to raise age

The cost of New Zealand superannuation is forecast to rise by 33% in the next four years, showing the urgent need for the Government to commit to raising the retirement age, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson David Parker.

74 views

Politics 19 Dec 2012
New Zealand Deficit in the danger zone

National’s failed promise to rebalance the economy has been shown in today’s current account figures, with the deficit totalling $9.9 billion in the year to September, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson David Parker.

72 views

Politics 19 Dec 2012
National's 'Zero Budget' = zero jobs

National’s economic failure has been laid bare for all to see with yesterday’s Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update forecasting that overall the economy will add no new jobs in the year to March 2013, says Su’a William Sio.

66 views

Politics 19 Dec 2012
Young learners losing out

Some of our youngest learners are losing out thanks to the Government’s lack of progress in closing the digital divide, says Labour’s Communications and IT spokesperson Clare Curran.

80 views

Politics 19 Dec 2012
Review of OIA process opens way to transparency

The culture of secrecy and suspicion within the public service that has been encouraged by the National Government has to stop, says Labour’s State Services spokesperson Chris Hipkins.

68 views

Politics 19 Dec 2012
No Xmas cheer from Novopay

Schools might be closing their doors for the year, but Craig Foss and Hekia Parata should be cancelling their own holidays until they have fixed Novopay, says Chris Hipkins.

83 views

Politics 18 Dec 2012
Spin masks underlying problems at new surgical centre

Waitemata District Health Board’s insistence on a public-private partnership model for elective surgery at North Shore Hospital flies in the face of strident opposition from the very people who are going to be required to work in it, says Labour’s Health Spokesperson, Maryan Street.

98 views

Politics 18 Dec 2012
A tale of two deficits

104 views

Politics 18 Dec 2012
Xmas Grinch petrol price hike oils the wheels to surplus

The only way that National can reach surplus in 2014-15 is to hammer Kiwi motorists by jacking up petrol prices, says Labour Leader David Shearer.

73 views