Good morning, delegates. It’s an absolute privilege to be speaking to you all here today as your leader. I’d like to acknowledge National Party President Peter Goodfellow, regional chairperson Andrew von Dadelszen, my fellow board members, my Central North Island colleagues, and all of you, the members of
Parents and teachers will be disappointed that in a Budget with about $15 billion worth of new spending, so little was devoted to pressing challenges in education, National’s Education spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says. “While a little bit of help was promised for Alternative Education and intensive support for children
David Seymour ACT Leader ACT Leader David Seymour has today announced a new Democracy Policy. This includes a new Member’s Bill which would introduce a four year term to Parliament from 2026, if the Government turns control of select committees over to the opposition. “We need to strengthen the
Budget 2021 showed little aspiration for the almost 200,000 New Zealanders without a job, National’s Social Development and Employment spokesperson Hon Louise Upston says. “Many people are doing it really tough right now. More than 70,000 people have moved onto the Jobseeker benefit since 2017. More New
Thursday’s Broken Compass Budget has revealed the impact the Government’s decision to radically restructure our health sector will have on the health of all New Zealanders, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says. “Labour has allocated almost half billion dollars to ‘begin the transition’ to its proposed
Darroch Ball Co-Leader/Spokesperson Sensible Sentencing Trust In the wake of the coward punch attack on Fau Vake over the weekend, a petition set up by the Sensible Sentencing Trust to bring in harsher sentences for these attacks has already reached well over eleven thousand signatures in less than
Ted Johnston Party Secretary New Conservative The Electoral Commission has impartially recommended a reduction of the 5% MMP threshold to 4%, to improve NZ’s voting system. Justice Minister Fa’afoi’s comment that it would have “significant implications,” amounts to tossing it away for another decade, much to the
Prime Minister’s Office Statement (Communicated by the Prime Minister’s Media Adviser) The Security Cabinet, this evening (Thursday, 20 May 2021), unanimously accepted the recommendation of all of the security officials, the IDF Chief-of-Staff, the head of the ISA, the head of the Mossad and the head
Hamas continues to indiscriminately target civilian populations in Israel while using their own civilians as human shields. Their rockets have killed Israeli Arabs and citizens of Thailand and India who were residing in Israel. In addition, Hamas built an extensive underground tunnel network beneath civilian areas. This network allowed them,
Today’s Budget is an indictment on the Labour Government’s ability to deliver for New Zealanders, National’s Shadow Treasurer Andrew Bayly says. “We are staring down losses for the next five years. We need a plan to grow the economy, to get us back in surplus sooner so
Today’s Budget lacks the plan and ambition this country needs to grow our economy and reduce the debt burden on future generations, Leader of the Opposition Judith Collins says. “This Budget is confirmation of Labour’s inability to deliver. There is nothing in it for middle New Zealand. “It
In a letter to the Prime Minister and other Ministers, Mayor of Auckland Phil Goff has expressed serious concerns over the proposed three waters service delivery reforms. “I have made it clear in Parliament that I am very concerned about the Government’s water reform plans. The Mayor of Auckland
In news that should surprise no one, Labour’s $100 million redeployment scheme has failed to deliver the jobs it promised, National’s Social Development and Employment spokesperson Louise Upston says. “The Government claimed the scheme would help over 300 people in Gisborne, yet it supported just half this number
Embassy of Israel in Wellington The Hamas terror organisation has now launched a total of over 3500 rockets directed at Israeli civilian populations since last Monday. Yesterday afternoon, Hamas terrorists fired mortar bombs, targeting a humanitarian civil aid shipment coordinated by Israel, killing two foreign nationals and preventing Covid-19
The National Party will not support a motion proposed by the Green Party regarding the current violence between Israel and the Palestine Authority (Hamas), National’s Foreign Affairs spokesperson Gerry Brownlee says. The Green Party is proposing a motion for Parliament to recognise and support the right of Palestine to
Health Minister Andrew Little needs to rule out cutting health services to pay for his radical restructuring plans for the health sector, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says. National has a letter from Andrew Little to Finance Minister Grant Robertson, setting out his priorities for Budget 2021. “The
