The Government is set to unveil their Budget, which is expected to lead to further public service cuts and confirm the end of funding for pay equity claims. The RMTU is calling for tougher laws to protect workers on foreign ships in New Zealand ports, after a stevedore plunged 12m into the sea from the deck of a cargo ship. Some Southland Hospital staff have been told they could only talk to each other for no more than five minutes a day and were instructed not to take their breaks together. Labour says the government’s decision to dump earlier work on a digital services tax is a tax break for tech giants like Facebook and Google. New Zealand has joined 23 other countries calling out Israel and demanding a full supply of foreign aid be allowed into the territory.
Union coverage
- PSA: Employment expert on health staff told no more than five minutes of talking
- RMTU: Union calls for tougher laws after stevedore falls from cargo ship at Port Nelson
- NZNO: NZ Nurses Organisation says it’s gearing up to make new pay equity claims
Employment
- Hospital security increased after student midwife attacked leaving work
- Peters heckling: ‘It is absolutely a sackable offence’ – employment lawyer
- 500 job applications in 12 months – a jobseeker’s struggle
Politics
- Labour slams ‘big tax breaks’ for tech giants as government ditches digital levy
- Winston Peters joins allies in demanding Israel allow aid into Gaza
- David Seymour defends $18m annual cost of Regulatory Standards Bill
- ACT asked for advice on range of punishments for Te Pāti Māori MPs – including imprisonment
- Labour’s Ingrid Leary claims Casey Costello is not doing her job as Minister for Seniors
- New Zealanders across political spectrum want increased spending on public services, poll finds
Budget 2025
- RNZ issued gag order over pre-Budget education story
- Budget Day: Government looks to make its promises add up
- Budget 2025: No more ‘confetti’ as economists look for ‘consolidation’
- Budget 2025: Pay equity change savings to be revealed today
- Budget 2025: Nicola Willis to Labour: ‘Show me the money’
Te Ao Māori
- Around 1000 protested proposed exclusion of Te Pāti Māori MPs
- Te Pāti Māori MP proposes bill requiring MPs to learn about Te Tiriti: ‘This is how we need to move forward’
Economics
- Māori honey producer stung by mānuka rules, fights for future
- Manawatū smokes the rest of NZ in job ad growth, business confidence
- Smith & Caughey’s announces closure of Queen Street and online stores