National is committed to ensuring New Zealand shares the same diplomatic tools and capabilities as its Western counterparts, National’s Foreign Affairs spokesperson Gerry Brownlee says. Mr Brownlee’s Autonomous Sanctions Bill would allow a New Zealand government to impose sanctions on foreign individuals, entities or regimes responsible for situations
Prior to Covid-19, New Zealand enjoyed an unprecedented tourism boom, generating foreign exchange earnings, investment and jobs but it has left popular destinations struggling with the impact of freedom campers, National List MP based in West Coast Tasman Maureen Pugh says. Ms Pugh’s Member’s Bill, the Freedom
After nearly a year of charging for MIQ, it’s staggering the Government hasn’t made paying for MIQ easier and made more of an effort to go after those who aren’t paying their fees, National’s Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop says. Answers to written questions show
This Government is proposing a significant tax on Mum and Dad landlords despite promising prior to the election that they would impose no new taxes, National’s Shadow Treasurer Andrew Bayly says. “According to advice from Treasury, IRD, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development dated February 2021, the
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis has not been shy about his aim to rapidly reduce the prison population by 30 per cent and it is perhaps the only target this Government is actually going to meet. However, Labour’s ‘Hate-Speech’ law changes might put a spanner in the works, National’
Bruce Welsh New Conservative Board Member Let’s think again about lockdowns and their widespread impact. After one couple caused 500,000 people in the wider Wellington region to be in level 2 lockdown for a week, it is time to ask “are lockdowns the best response to Covid?” The
Free Speech Union Dr David Cumin The Free Speech Union is pleased to welcome aboard its newest member, National Party Leader, the Hon Judith Collins, and believe it is the first time a serving leader of the National Party has joined a registered trade union. Free Speech Union spokesman, Dr
The Labour Government’s reset of poverty targets three years later describes an admission of policy failure under rising costs, especially housing, National’s Children spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says. “Of the three targets that the Government has announced, the new ‘before-housing-costs target is unchanged from three years
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins’ comments that ‘there’s no major downside’ to New Zealand’s slow vaccine roll out are staggeringly naïve, National’s Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop says. “There are two ‘major downsides’ to being the slowest in the developed world to roll out the
While there’s a clear case for change in our Three Waters sector the Government’s plan isn’t compelling, and the model of four regional entities comes with several problems, National’s Water spokesperson Simon Bridges says. “The problems with Three Waters are complex, National recognises that, and we
The Prime Minister did not rule out yesterday that potential hate speech crimes will have a more severe maximum prison sentence than the crime of ‘assault on a child’, Leader of the Opposition Judith Collins says. “This is consistent with her Government’s ongoing trend of poor prioritisation and complete
Labour’s Car Tax is not only forcing hardworking Kiwis to pay more because they can’t switch to an electric vehicle, but it’s pushing up the prices of electric vehicles too, National’s Transport spokesperson Michael Woodhouse says. “EV importers have seen the price of a used electric
Andrew Little needs to stop making excuses and take ownership on mental health, says National’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention spokesperson, Matt Doocey. “All we’ve heard from the Minister is how everyone else is to blame for his government’s utter failure to deliver on its promises on
The Education Review Office warning of a ‘slippage of expectations’ in mathematics teaching must be the catalyst to turnaround declining achievement in foundational subjects, National’s Education spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says. “It is critical our education system is internationally competitive so our students are equipped with the knowledge and skills
The Government needs to act with much more urgency to cut through our complex planning rules and free up housing supply, Leader of the Opposition Judith Collins says. “The real risk is that at the end of this process we end up with something that is more costly, complicated and
Free Speech Union The more that our elected lawmakers talk about the proposed ‘hate speech’ laws, the more concerned New Zealanders should become, according to the Free Speech Union. “Over the weekend the Minister of Justice, Kris Faafoi, couldn’t clearly say that millennials wouldn’t be up for possibly
