A law change that will prevent any future government funding being granted to organised criminal groups and gangs will be debated in Parliament, National’s Police spokesperson Simeon Brown says. The Public Finance (Prohibition on Providing Public Funds to Gangs) Amendment Bill will ensure that any person responsible for the
New Zealand is in the midst of a mental health crisis, what is needed now is action not more vision statements, working groups and nice words, National’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention spokesperson Matt Doocey says. “After four years in Government, Labour has today released another strategy, set up
Using the Covid Response and Recovery Fund to increase Radio New Zealand’s operating budget by $7 million is yet another example of money borrowed on behalf of taxpayers to fund pet projects unrelated to the pandemic response, says Leader of the Opposition Judith Collins. “Yesterday, the Prime Minister defended
Darroch Ball Co-Leader/Spokesperson Sensible Sentencing Trust “The announcement today by the Minister of Police Poto Williams and Police Commissioner Andrew Coster, shows the pressure they have been under to deal with the rise and rise of gun violence – but have failed to deliver anything of any real substance,” says
The Government must clarify why it allowed thousands of Aucklanders to cross into Northland in the six hours prior to New Zealand’s Level 4 lockdown, National List MP based in Whangarei Dr Shane Reti says. Answers to written questions show 3316 vehicles with an Auckland residential address made their
The Prime Minister’s announcement today that she will provide Climate Change Minister James Shaw and his nine officials special allocation in MIQ on return from COP26 in Glasgow doesn’t square with the rules other Kiwis have to play by, says National’s spokesperson for Climate Change Stuart Smith.
Jacinda Ardern’s Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet consulted Northland’s three Labour MPs but not Northland’s mayors before extending the region’s level 4 lockdown. “This was a contentious lockdown for many Northlanders, especially when Northland had no positive cases and many businesses and communities suffered,
Further reports of confusion about whether businesses are entitled to the wage-subsidy at alert level two shows the Government must urgently improve the scheme, National’s Social Development and Employment spokesperson Louise Upston says. “Government MPs have sent mixed messages about whether firms are eligible for the wage subsidy at
If James Shaw was giving consolation gifts to Kiwis desperately trying to get home this Christmas he’d likely give them a lump of coal, having confirmed he plans to take 14 staff with him to the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow, National’s Climate Change spokesperson Stuart Smith says.
The Government must explain exactly what it will do to sort out Transmission Gully’s transmission problems before the expressway opens, says National’s Transport spokesperson David Bennett. “Transmission Gully is the most expensive roading project this Government is responsible for at the moment but Transport Minister Michael Wood clearly
This morning’s debut of the new ‘virtual lobby’ system for MIQ allocation was both depressing and a debacle, National’s Covid-19 spokesperson Chris Bishop says. “The virtual lobby system used for the first time this morning solves nothing and has just created even more angst amongst the thousands of
There is no hard evidence any of the participants in the Mongrel Mob methamphetamine pilot had actually used the drug at all, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti. “The Mob-led pilot – ‘Hawke’s Bay Chaindog Community Methamphetamine Rehabilitation Initiative – Kahukura’ – was described by the Prime Minister as being
The extension of Operation Tauwhiro today is a clear sign that gang violence and the dangers of firearms violence caused by gangs is a far bigger problem than the Government will admit, says National’s spokesperson for Police Simeon Brown. “Operation Tauwhiro was initially supposed to by a six-month operation
The Motor Industry Association’s withdrawal of support for Labour’s Clean Vehicle Bill is yet more reason for Transport Minister Michael Wood to ditch his car tax plan, National’s Transport spokesperson David Bennett says. “Today, the Motor Industry Association has withdrawn support for Labour’s car standard, stating
Confirmation today that Auckland students will spend another two weeks trying to learn from home underscores the need for better guidelines to make sure kids are actually engaged in education, National’s Education spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says. “Rather than shift the school holidays forward, the Government has preferred to carry
National is calling on the Government to extend the Covid-19 temporary loss carry-back scheme to support businesses who are continuing to struggle under lockdown, National’s Shadow Treasurer Andrew Bayly and Associate Revenue spokesperson Simon Watts say. “The loss carry-back scheme allowed businesses that anticipated to run losses for the
