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New Zealand Labour Party - Latest News [Page 548]
IRD needs to beef up staff to cope with problems
Thursday, 25 June 2009, 10:32 am | New Zealand Labour Party
The Inland Revenue Department needs to be beefing up staff numbers, not looking for voluntary redundancies, as it seeks to manage a growing tax debt problem, says Labour revenue spokesperson Stuart Nash. Stuart Nash says he shares the concern of the Auditor-General ... More >>
Proposed student loan threshold changes harsh
Thursday, 25 June 2009, 10:00 am | New Zealand Labour Party
Labour welcomes Revenue Minister Peter Dunne’s plans to simplify student loan repayments, but believes the proposed changes to thresholds would be harsh and punitive, says the party’s Tertiary Education Spokesperson Maryan Street. “Mr Dunne today released ... More >>
Garrett should apologise to Tongan community
Thursday, 25 June 2009, 9:58 am | New Zealand Labour Party
Labour List MP Carmel Sepuloni MP is repeating her call for Act MP David Garrett to apologise to the Tongan community for the inappropriate comments he made. Carmel Sepuloni, who is of Tongan descent, called on Mr Garrett to apologise two days ago ... More >>
Minister stalls on ACC levy cuts
Thursday, 25 June 2009, 9:55 am | New Zealand Labour Party
ACC Minister Nick Smith appears to have confirmed today that he is stalling changes which would reduce ACC levies so he that can mask cuts to entitlements in the same legislation, says its ACC spokesman David Parker. “Dr Smith has already confirmed ... More >>
Government must step up for the meat industry
Thursday, 25 June 2009, 9:51 am | New Zealand Labour Party
The MAF report on the New Zealand meat industry delivers no radical recommendations but reinforces the need for greater coordination and cooperation among the players at every level of the industry, said Labour’s Rural Affairs spokesperson Damien ... More >>
Nats leave vulnerable open to scams and rip-offs
Wednesday, 24 June 2009, 5:15 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
The National Party’s refusal to impose any form of regulation on the sale of franchise operations means desperate people have been left vulnerable to being ripped off and scammed, Labour’s Commerce Spokesperson Lianne Dalziel says. “People who have ... More >>
Selling off state housing stock not the answer
Wednesday, 24 June 2009, 4:48 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
National’s plan to sell state houses to tenants creates risks to the long-term provision of social housing and could see new tenants pushed to city fringes, Labour’s housing spokesperson Moana Mackey. “Housing Minister Phil Heatley’s plan to allow ... More >>
Collins ducks responsibility for “additional risk”
Wednesday, 24 June 2009, 3:29 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
Police say that the $21 million cut to resources forced on them by National creates “an additional risk” for New Zealanders, but Police Minister Judith Collins is fobbing responsibility off as an operational matter, Labour law and order spokesperson ... More >>
Third time lucky for 9 day fortnight?
Wednesday, 24 June 2009, 2:35 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
The Government is scrambling to patch up its flagship 9 day fortnight scheme for the third time, Labour Leader Phil Goff said today. Documents obtained and released by Labour today reveal Social Development Minister Paula Bennett is having a third ... More >>
Dole Queues To Double As Government Does Nothing
Wednesday, 24 June 2009, 2:09 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
The Government today confirmed unemployment numbers are projected to double to at least 90,000, at the same time as it is slashing training and employment initiatives, say Labour MPs Ruth Dyson and Maryan Street. More >>
Broadband delays starting to look like backsliding
Wednesday, 24 June 2009, 9:22 am | New Zealand Labour Party
The rollout of broadband to New Zealand homes was a central promise in National’s election campaign, but seven months after the election the Government is deferring further announcements for another two months, says Labour communications and IT spokesperson ... More >>
Key not doing enough to keep Kiwis in work
Tuesday, 23 June 2009, 3:35 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
John Key’s admission that unemployment numbers are worse than forecast is further evidence that his Government is not taking the urgent action needed to protect Kiwi jobs, Labour Leader Phil Goff said today. “The Prime Minister promised back in ... More >>
Address to theTelecommunication Summit
Tuesday, 23 June 2009, 1:53 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
We live in an exciting time. Huge technological developments are changing the way we communicate and interact with each other. More >>
McCully winds back clock on sport and recreation
Monday, 22 June 2009, 4:21 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
Sports Minister Murray McCully is winding back the clock with plans to split high-performance sport from the umbrella of SPARC, Labour’s Sport and Recreation spokesperson Chris Hipkins says. More >>
Senior citizens have no voice in National Govt
Monday, 22 June 2009, 2:38 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
Senior Citizens Minister John Carter is gaining a reputation as the “spokesperson who has lost his voice”, says Labour senior citizens spokesperson Ross Robertson. “As far as John Carter is concerned, it is not so much a deafening silence, but ... More >>
Medical students access to scholarships slashed
Monday, 22 June 2009, 9:34 am | New Zealand Labour Party
The Government has cut nearly $100 million worth of scholarships from tertiary education, limiting the financial assistance available for those wanting to train for careers in health, Labour Health Spokesperson Ruth Dyson says. More >>
Government urged to bring back R&D tax credit
Sunday, 21 June 2009, 1:37 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
Finance Minister Bill English needs to listen to the concerns of those in the tradable sector, says Labour's Research and Development, Science and Technology spokesperson Moana Mackey. More >>
Value volunteers, MPs told
Friday, 19 June 2009, 1:54 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
Volunteers need to be valued for the skills they bring to organisations and their community and for the work they do to keep New Zealand running. That was the message delivered to Labour MPs Iain Lees-Galloway and Rajen Prasad at a breakfast meeting ... More >>
$94 million in literacy and numeracy cuts
Friday, 19 June 2009, 12:28 pm | New Zealand Labour Party
John Key’s claims the Government is focusing on lifting educational achievement by investing in literacy and numeracy is a farce given he slashed $94 million from literacy and numeracy programmes in the Budget, says Labour Leader Phil Goff. “Responding ... More >>
National continuing to politicise public service
Friday, 19 June 2009, 9:49 am | New Zealand Labour Party
Parliament's ability to hold the public service accountable for its effectiveness is being sabotaged by the new National Government, Labour's Internal Affairs spokesperson Chris Hipkins says. More >>
