NZNO says Health New Zealand’s latest pay offer is a “massive backward step” for the health system and patients, and there are “very strong indications” members will want to strike. The amount of money Health New Zealand is spending each year on locum doctors to plug staff shortages is increasing by tens of millions of dollars a year, and could reach $200 million this year. The government is to begin negotiations with councils in Auckland, Otago, and Western Bay of Plenty to set in place so-called city or regional deals. New Zealand has lifted the terrorist group designation from the extremist group the Proud Boys, sparking fears their members may resurface. The maximum length of time someone can be trespassed from a business, as well as the maximum fines, are set to increase, under proposed changes announced by the government.
Union coverage
- NZNO: Nurses union dismisses latest pay offer as ‘massive backward step’
- ASMS: Money spent on locum doctors could be used to attract and retain permanent staff – union
Employment
Politics
- Government begins negotiations with councils for regional deals
- 21,000 more operations will cut surgery waiting times – Simeon Brown
- $22m from international visitor levy to go to killing pests, restoring native wildlife (paywall)
- Citizen’s arrest changes unlikely to materially improve public safety – ministry
- It’s no longer illegal to be a proudly violent Proud Boy
- Government toughens trespassing laws
- Indian business community divided on trespass law reforms
- Oranga Tamariki ‘almost certainly’ won’t cope with child concern reports (paywall)
- E-mail to Youth MPs ‘could have been clearer’ – Ministry
- Te Puni Kōkiri cagey on when funding review will actually be released
- Constitutional complications for Govt’s census shake-up (paywall)
- David Seymour criticises Rawiri Waititi for ‘insane views’ about African leader Ibrahim Traoré
Te Ao Māori
- Māori landowners take Crown to High court over freshwater rights
- Regulatory Standards Bill could be barrier for Māori housing – ministry
- Mātauranga Māori science fair applies traditional thinking to modern-day problems
Economics
- Consumer spending on the rise
- Financial Markets Authority warns it may run out of money for legal cases
- Queenstown landlord with 22 migrant tenants in unlawful five-bedroom home fined over $100k
- NZ-designed apples miss trick by omitting FernMark branding in Canada