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Incoming law change so MSD can claw back welfare payments off ACC clients

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Minister moved a motion of urgency to introduce the bill. VNP / Phil Smith

The government has introduced legislation so the welfare system can legally claw back payments when someone has been backpaid for an ACC claim.

Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston moved a motion of urgency to introduce the Social Security (Accident Compensation and Calculation of Weekly Income) Amendment Bill shortly after 7.30pm.

It comes after a significant High Court ruling against the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) on the recovery of welfare payments late last year.

The ruling said MSD couldn’t require people to pay back supplementary assistance they’d received (like accommodation supplements and winter energy payments) once they had been paid back-dated compensation from Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).

For context, many people claim support from MSD while they wait on cover from ACC and once ACC grants cover, it then pays the person backpay for weekly compensation.

In the meantime, the person may have received support from MSD while they were waiting on cover from ACC.

In these situations, ACC automatically reimburses MSD for the main benefit and up until now, MSD was also requiring people to repay any supplementary assistance payments received during the backpay period.

At the High Court Justice Grice held that while the law allowed ACC to reimburse MSD for the main benefit, it did not extend to supplementary forms of assistance designed to meet essential costs.

Speaking at the bill’s first reading this evening, Upston said the legislation clarified the law on the impact of ACC payments on welfare entitlements, given the High Court decision conflicted with “long standing policy intent and operational practice”.

She said there were two main main cohorts of ACC compensation recipients in the welfare system: people who receive ACC and welfare assistance at the same time and people who receive welfare assistance while they wait for ACC to decide on their entitlement

“Under the current situation, as interpreted by the courts, the latter group, who receive lump sum payments, are treated more generously than the former.

“They are in effect receiving two forms of income support to address one need. This also means these clients can remain eligible for assistance which only beneficiaries receive, such as the Winter Energy Payment.

“This would not result in fair treatment between these groups and isn’t in line with the policy intent.

“The government has a duty to fix this situation and clarify the law, so it aligns with the longstanding intent of policy,” Upston said.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/17/incoming-law-change-so-msd-can-claw-back-welfare-payments-off-acc-clients/

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Banks Peninsula still cut off after floods hit Canterbury

Source: Radio New Zealand

Little River Cafe and store owner Cameron Gordon RNZ/Nathan McKinnon

The town of Akaroa on Canterbury’s Banks Peninsula will remain cut off overnight, with State Highway 75 closed because of slips and flooding that swamped Little River.

A local state of emergency was in place for the peninsula, where several hundred people remained without power and many more affected by telecommunications outages.

Little River flooding in Canterbury RNZ/Nathan McKinnon

Little River Cafe and Store owner Cameron Gordon has lived in the settlement for 20 years but told RNZ he had never seen flooding so bad.

“This is the worst, significantly the worst by far”, he said.

“It’s the deepest water we’ve had and the most damage around town as well, no doubt.”

Gordon said the cafe had flooded five times, most recently last May when a foot of water washed through some businesses.

Flooding at the Little River Cafe on Tuesday. RNZ/Nathan McKinnon

“We can’t do much yet, everything’s covered in water. We’re just sitting and waiting, feeling very frustrated and just over it. Well and truly over it. We’ve done this too many times,” he said.

“Our house also floods regularly with any heavy rain. We just seem to be in low land with pour drainage and seem to cop it. We’ll see what happens, see what the damage is and just go from there.”

A boil water notice was in place for Little River and Wainui, while about 250 households and businesses were expected to be without power overnight.

A damaged fibre line meant One New Zealand and Spark services were off-line but Two Degrees was working.

Civil defence chiefs said people should still call 111 in an emergency because it would go through the Two Degrees network.

Little River flooding in Canterbury RNZ/Nathan McKinnon

Little River Campground owner Marcus Puentener said more than 300 millimetres of rain had fallen in the area, twice what forecasters had predicted.

“Two bridges are down, the driveway is pretty wrecked. A lot of water has come down off the road, out of the river and through the camp area,” he said.

“We’re trapped in Okuti Valley. There’s no power in Okuti Valley. There are slips on the roads blocking some residents in and at the bottom of the road there’s at least a foot, if not more, of water blocking any exit.”

Some tourists had international flights to catch but no way of making them, Puentener said.

Further down the road in Cooptown, Tim Wilson questioned whether there should have been more warning or greater urgency.

“This is right up there,” the long-time local said.

“Maybe it should have been a red weather watch instead of an orange but I don’t know if that makes any difference to the outcome. It’s going to be a big clean up.”

Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger said the the council was talking to the government about getting a Defence Force Unimog into the area.

“Cars can just not get through,” he told RNZ on Tuesday.

“It’s just a matter of just being able to get there with emergency services and get people out safely as well, so that’s the main concern.

“As well as getting power and comms on. People are feeling really isolated so we’ve got to sort that out as quick as we can.”

Heavy rain also caused widespread flooding in Christchurch, where the Heathcote River broke its banks.

People who lived near the river in suburbs like Opawa and Beckenham said they were used to the river flooding but the water was lapping ever-closer to their homes.

Stacey Hurst was not one of the lucky ones.

For the second time since she moved to Eastern Terrace two years ago she was mopping up in her garage after floodwater rushed in on Monday night.

Flooding in Eastern Terrace. Tim Brown/RNZ

“Once we realised it wasn’t going to slow down we moved everything upstairs to minimise the damage,” she said.

“We had an almost identical experience last year with about a foot of water coming into the shed.”

The wake from cars driving down the road made the problem worse, Hurst said.

“It just sends a big wave in here,” she said.

Hurst’s neighbours had avoided water getting into their homes but were shocked by the speed at which the river broke its banks, especially because last year’s floods followed days of heavy rain and coincided with king tides.

Georgia Sytema said the water rose quickly.

“This morning our whole yard was flooded, which doesn’t usually happen, it was up into the driveway. It’s a lot higher than usual,” she said.

Emeline Sales was also nervous as the water rose on Tuesday morning.

“We woke up to a big moat,” she said.

“This is the worst it’s been. It came all the way up to my husband’s car, it was quite deep this time around. It was cutting it close this time.

“It was the drains that started flooding first before the river actually broke. We haven’t had issues with the drains before but that’s what caused all the quite intense surface flooding and then the banks broke.”

Sam Guerin moved to nearby Hunter Terrace about three months ago.

He knew his home was in a flood management area and it was part of the reason he and his partner planned to knock down the house and rebuild further up the site.

Guerin said the scale of flooding was worse than anything he had prepared for.

“We were told that in one of the worst floods in the last 10 to 15 years, the water lapped at the driveway but it’s quite a lot worse than that and it happened so quickly,” he said.

“We were told the last time it flooded was before the council had done a lot of resilience measures, so it was surprising for the water to get as high as it did.”

The family had returned from a night out to find the river had burst its banks, the road was flooded and water was rising about 100 millimetres every hour.

“It was a bit of a sleepless night because we were coming out to check it wasn’t getting too close to the floor level and throughout the evening it was up on our verandah deck,” Guerin said.

“It was getting quite high, so that was a little concerning. It was under the house.”

Woolston was also affected, with Clarendon Terrace residents nervously watching the water as it washed over the riverbanks, onto the road and towards their properties.

Emily Jensen said she moved her cars on Monday night because the road had already flooded.

“I haven’t seen it that high up. I’m really surprised by how much flooding there is just after a day’s rain,” she said.

“It feels a little scary because if you were to think multiple days of rain and king tides on top of that, I don’t know what we’d be looking at.

“I would love to know the council are thinking about what to do in these areas because with climate change and everything’s that happening, it doesn’t feel so good to be down here. Five or six years ago we had a really big flooding event but the water didn’t come up the driveway at all, but now it’s coming up so it’s getting worse.

“It just creates anxiety about what you’re going to wake up to.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/17/banks-peninsula-still-cut-off-after-floods-hit-canterbury/

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Government to clarify welfare and ACC payments

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government is introducing legislation to clarify the law on the impact of ACC payments on welfare entitlement and ensure the process is fair.

Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says the Social Security (Accident Compensation and Calculation of Weekly Income) Amendment Bill will: 

  • confirm the longstanding policy intent underpinning MSD’s approach to charging income, including income from ACC
  • authorise MSD to retrospectively consider a person a non-beneficiary when their backdated ACC payment reduces their benefit to zero for the applicable period, as is current practice
  • reflect the principles of a targeted welfare system; where the more income you earn, the less assistance you receive from the state
  • provide certainty in the law and remove the potential for interpretations of the law that go further than the policy intent, creating inequities between different cohorts of people receiving ACC payments.
  • people who receive ACC and welfare assistance at the same time
  • people who receive welfare assistance while they wait for ACC to decide on their entitlement 

“There are two main cohorts of ACC compensation recipients in the welfare system,” Louise Upston says. 

“Under the current situation, as interpreted by the courts, the latter group, who receive lump sum payments, are treated more generously than the former. 

“They are in effect receiving two forms of income support to address one need. This also means these clients can remain eligible for assistance which only beneficiaries receive, such as the Winter Energy Payment. 

“This would not result in fair treatment between these groups and isn’t in line with the policy intent. 

“The Government has a duty to fix this situation and clarify the law, so it aligns with the longstanding intent of policy,” Louise Upston says. 

Notes to editors: 

  • The bill will be referred to the Social Services and Community Select Committee for one week
  • The need to amend the Social Security Act comes out of a High Court case known as ‘B’ and an earlier decision by the Social Security Appeal Authority, in which a client received a backdated lump sum payment of weekly ACC compensation and MSD sought to recover supplementary assistance paid for the period covered by the ACC payment

The retrospective effect of the legislation will not apply to a small number of cases that have been filed with the Social Security Appeal Authority or the Courts before 2pm on the day of the introduction of the Bill.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/17/government-to-clarify-welfare-and-acc-payments/

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Wairarapa communities cut off from livelihoods by destructive storm

Source: Radio New Zealand

A large hole has opened up at the Lake Ferry Road bridge cutting off communities in South Wairarapa. RNZ / Mary Argue

Some isolated Wairarapa residents are gutted they are cut off from their livelihoods and emergency services after a destructive storm ripped through the region.

Torrential rain and widespread flooding on Sunday and Monday has washed out the Lake Ferry Road bridge over the Turangaui River – cutting off settlements in Ngawi, Lake Ferry and Cape Palliser.

While crews were preparing to fix the bridge today, the South Wairarapa District Council said that now will not happen today.

Fisherman Lance Maindonald said the timing of the bridge washout could not be worse.

He was meant to be pulling up crayfish, but found himself trapped on the wrong side of the road.

“Bit of a kick in the guts because we’re coming towards the end of crayfish season too, so that costs a lot of money too if you don’t have all your quota caught,” Maindonald said.

Floodwaters have gouged out about a three metre hole in the bridge.

Maindonald spoke with contractors today, and he reckoned repairs to the Lake Ferry Road bridge could take up to three days.

He said this made things difficult for people on the coast.

“I’ve got me son that lives out there in a bach, so we’re just getting them to get their list together, we can chuck supplies over the bridge, keep everyone tickety-boo until we can get access down to the next bridge.”

An RNZ reporter on the scene said this afternoon locals have formed a human chain via a patch of concrete which had not been washed away, and were passing bread, eggs and nappies across the other side.

A South Wairarapa District Council spokesperson said emergency teams were working to get more supplies to the cut off communities.

Ngawi chief fire officer Kerry Hayes said he was concerned about access in an emergency.

“Especially if you need paramedics to come out, how are they going to get here – it’s a helicopter at this stage – so that’s always a little bit of a concern if the roads have been cut off.”

Hayes said residents were a little apprehensive and they needed to be prepared.

Meanwhile, the Hurupi bridge – located further along the South Wairarapa coast – has also been damaged.

Emergency controller Simon Taylor said the main priority for teams today had been contacting isolated residents.

“We just need to understand, are those communities safe? Have they got sufficient supplies to keep them going for seven to 10 days, and until we can actually get roads reopened.”

More than 1000 people are still without power in Wairarapa, and about 2300 in the Wellington region.

In Wellington’s southern suburb of Makara, resident Mike Hanning had his power cut after fierce winds tore down power lines on Takura Gorge Rd overnight on Sunday.

He said the loose lines were dangerous.

“The next pole down three of the four lines are off completely, and are just laying in the paddock, and then we’ve got one line draped across the road that is actually dropped by probably about three metres in the middle, and it’s actually getting hit by the likes of the school bus and trucks that are going passed.”

Hanning said he did not know when his power would be back on, but he had borrowed a generator to get by.

“Thanks to a generous neighbour, we got that last night, otherwise we’d have a freezer full of food that’s going to have to be dispersed.”

Wellington Electricity said it hoped to restore power for most people by this evening.

But it said some fixes to individual properties may not be restored until the end of the week.

Hutt Valley residents spent the morning cleaning up after the Waiwhetu stream became a “raging torrent” yesterday.

On Monday morning, people in nearby Heather Grove people were told to self evacuate if they felt unsafe.

BJ Rauhihi said it was “panic stations” – as the stream broke its banks and water began to swamp the area early in the morning.

“It just started getting worse and worse and then you could see it was starting to fill up the rest of the street but when you look down there, yeah it was like a raging torrent really.”

Chris Kaye said she was helping to clear bark off the street this afternoon.

She said the storm was pretty scary, and scattered a lot of debris on the ground.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/17/wairarapa-communities-cut-off-from-livelihoods-by-destructive-storm/

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‘World Rugby needs to help more’ – Umaga on Moana resources

Source: Radio New Zealand

All Black legend and Moana Pasifika coach Tana Umaga is calling for more financial support from World Rugby. Photosport

The Pacific Islands have long been a breeding ground for some of the world’s greatest rugby players – in Aotearoa alone, 40 percent of the playing pool is Pasifika.

But while other nations are happy to pilfer the Pacific for players, the same level of interest is not always shown when it comes to growing the game in Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.

Moana Pasifika – a franchise born to provide more Pasifika players with another professional pathway – no longer receives any funding from World Rugby, a move which disillusions coach Tana Umaga.

“We just want to be on a level playing field around the funding that goes out to all the teams, you can just see what we bring to the competition, world rugby probably needs to help out a bit more, when you look around the world and how many Pacific island players are playing in all these different countries, you don’t want to lose sight of what we represent and what we can do for this game.”

Umaga pointed to the Pacific renaissance in rugby league as a prime example of how the islands can impact the sporting landscape.

“We saw it with Tonga and Samoa who got their best players playing, our Pacific people will get in behind it. We saw it with Moana Pasifika last year, everyone likes us when we come visit because they get good crowds, we are pulling people, we have pulling power and I think that needs to be supported.”

He said it was critical for Polynesian players to be visible.

“You can talk about it, you can’t watch it on TV but if you can see it, touch it feel it, people that look like me, its easier to believe it and achieve it. A lot of our guys come from the backgrounds these kids come from, they think ‘if he can do it why cant I?’ and there is no reason why they cant, its just about getting onto those pathways.”

The former All Black captain said purpose underpins everything the side stands for.

“I feel like our guys understand why we’re here for, we’re very strong around purpose, be that you know your personal purpose or our collective purpose and how that all aligns. They’re under no illusion about what we represent and who we represent. We talk a lot around Pacific excellence and what it takes. What are those sacrifices that we have to make and we’ve made a lot, and we don’t have to look too far from our parents and those around us who’ve sacrificed a lot to give us this opportunity.”

Moana Pasifika picked up a stunning upset win on Saturday, defeating the Fijian Drua at one of the toughest places in Super Rugby to win – Lautoka.

Their next assignment sees them head to the capital to face the Hurricanes who had the bye in week one.

Umaga and his men are weary of the last time they were in Wellington, where they were hammered 64-12.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/17/world-rugby-needs-to-help-more-umaga-on-moana-resources/

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Father and kids flee large slip under their home

Source: Radio New Zealand

A father shouted to his children to get clear of a large slip as it fell away from the base of his home – rendering it uninhabitable.

People in the lower North Island were confronting the damage to their neighbourhoods after heavy rain and high winds felled trees, flooded homes and closed schools yesterday.

Aaron Pahl said he arrived at his home in Stokes Valley – north of Wellington City – after picking up two of his children when their school was closed on Monday morning.

“I was looking from my path down at my backyard and I’m like ‘something’s not right here’. I looked at the ground and it’s just dropped about a metre and a half.

“About half an hour later, I was outside and I heard it start cracking, like all the trees just start cracking and crunching. So I pretty much screamed out to my kids ‘get your arses up here now!’ and I watched the whole thing just slide down the bank,” Pahl said.

The view from Stokes Valley painter Aaron Pahl’s house after a slip left the house uninhabitable on Monday morning. Supplied

Pahl said it felt like slow motion as his back fence, a green house and a section of scaffolding slid down into the valley behind his property, leaving his deck and the rear foundation of his home hanging above the precipice.

He said he estimated an area of yard about 30 by 10 square metres disappeared over the edge.

“It was a pretty big storm, but we’ve never had anything like that happen to us, never thought it would happen. The bank that slipped away had like 30 metre tall manuka trees on it. They were there for forever, massive trees and the roots must have been huge but obviously not huge enough to retain the bank,” Pahl said.

Stokes Valley painter Aaron Pahl says he shouted to his children to get to safety when a large slip fell away from the base of his home – leaving the house uninhabitable -on Monday morning. SUPPLIED

Pahl said the family only had time to grab a handful of personal belongings before they had to leave the property.

Later in the day he heard from a neighbour that council staff had been at the site.

“I went back and there’s letters all over the door saying damaged buildings, do not enter, stuff like that. And then there’s something that says the remedial work has to be done or the building has to be demolished,” Pahl said.

Pahl said the family was now “in limbo” – staying at his in-laws – as they waited to hear how his insurance company could help with an accommodation supplement to house them ahead of any potential repairs.

“I’ve just spent thousands of dollars doing the house up, new kitchen, new bathroom, recarpeting, redecorating the whole interior.

“I’ve spent pretty much most of my free time, doing up my own house so I can sell it to do better for my family. It’s – hopefully – not all lost, but it’s very unclear right now. If that goes down the drain, I’m pretty much screwed,” Pahl said.

A Lower Hutt City Council spokesperson confirmed Pahl’s home had been issued with a dangerous building notice.

They said the building had been assessed as “damaged enough not to be safe to be in” and details of what next steps had to be taken where outlined in the notice to the owner.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/17/father-and-kids-flee-large-slip-under-their-home/

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T20 World Cup Live: Black Caps v Canada

Source: Radio New Zealand

Follow all the T20 cricket World Cup action as the New Zealand Black Caps take on Canada at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

A win will secure the Black Caps a place in the Super 8s, where they will be divided into two groups of four each, and play each other in a round-robin format.

The top two teams from each Super 8s group will progress to the semi-finals.

First ball is at 6.30pm NZT

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/17/t20-world-cup-live-black-caps-v-canada/

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Political parties already squabbling over infrastructure plan

Source: Radio New Zealand

Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Labour leader Chris Hipkins. RNZ / Marika Khabazi / Reece Baker

Political parties are already squabbling over the extent to which either side will back a bipartisan approach to transport projects.

The first ever National Infrastructure Plan lays out an independent roadmap for infrastructure investment in the coming decades.

Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop said the coalition will consider the plan and report back on its formal response in six months’ time.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said his party had offered to work with the government in the coming months, before criticising the coaliton’s prized Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme.

The plan pointed out the major transport project pipeline had grown much faster than the funding available to deliver it, with government ambition far exceeding the revenue likely to be available over the coming years.

“It is a fairly carefully guarded criticism of the RoNS programme and it’s a legitimate criticism,” Hipkins said.

“Billions of dollars of investment without proper business cases, without real consideration of the benefits and the costs of those projects. We do need to take that seriously.”

Bishop said the 17 Roads of National Significance had been planned to “shape the nation and drive growth and productivity” and would not be rolled out all at once.

“The construction market cannot cope with 17 roads being built all at the same time and some of them aren’t even ready to be built straight away anyway.

“We’ve always said that they will be sequenced and prioritised in a way that is logical for the market and in terms of deliverability and cost benefit ratios. I think the point the commission makes is a really good one.”

On his call for a bipartisan approach to infrastructure, Bishop said any suggestion Labour had been left out of the loop on the the Commission’s plan was untrue.

“It’s been a bit frustrating to be honest to hear Chris Hipkins, he might have said on RNZ this morning, that the government’s developed a plan that the Labour Party has had nothing to do with.

“They have been briefed extensively throughout the plan. No one may have mentioned that to him, which is an issue for him, but there have been extensive engagements with the Labour Party.”

On a second Auckland harbour crossing, Bishop said he was committed to working on a project that would last beyond the three year electoral cycle.

“I’ve said for a year now that we’ll be making that decision as part of a joint approach with the Labour Party because any change of government will want to see that project through.

“I haven’t had formal advice on it but whatever ends up being built, will be tolled. The question is whether or not the existing connection is tolled. That’s a very big decision and we’re taking advice on it.”

Hipkins said a second Auckland harbour crossing was well overdue and his party would work with the government on a long term plan.

“It’s well and truly time for us to be putting in place active plans to do that. We’re talking about a decade or two to do that. This is a long term project so the more we can approach that with bipartisanship the better for the country.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/17/political-parties-already-squabbling-over-infrastructure-plan/

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Eugene Doyle: Silencing Francesca Albanese – ‘Not in our name’ Gaza reflections

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese is again at the heart of a witch hunt over a speech she made at the Al Jazeera Forum last week that was “doctored” by the pro-Israel and anti-United Nations NGO UN Watch to claim falsely that she described Israel as the “common enemy”. Albanese responded — as shown by the original speech recording — that she was referring to “the system that has enabled the genocide in Palestine” as the “common enemy”. Albanese did not make the fabricated statement in the address, but rather criticised Western inaction during the Gaza genocide. This is a flashback to when Asia Pacific Report contributor Eugene Doyle met Albanese in New Zealand in 2023.

COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle

It was with a sense of disgust rather than despair that I read in The Jerusalem Post today [February 2024]: “‘Antisemitic’ UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese banned from Israel.” We’re being gas-lighted again and this is a chance to push back against the narrative that to support victims of Israel is to somehow be antisemitic.

Back in November 2023 as the Israeli exterminations of Palestinians were ramping up, I had the privilege to hear and speak to Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

She visited Wellington as part of a long-scheduled visit to Australia and New Zealand and spoke to government ministers, relief organisations, journalists and packed halls of citizens who shared a sense of horror at what was playing out in Gaza.

Her speeches were filled with knowledge and forensic clarity, only matched by her decency and sense of humanity — which extended to great courtesy shown to a lone and agitated Israeli supporter at a meeting I attended.

In issuing the banning order, two Israeli ministers stated: “The era of Jews being silent is over. If the UN wants to return to being a relevant body, its leaders must publicly disavow the antisemitic words of the special envoy.”

This is of course a vulgar lie told by ministers actively pursuing genocide. These two indeed aren’t silent: the scream, roar and boom of their shells, missiles and snipers’ bullets have shouted to the world how far the Zionist state has descended into the bowels of depravity.

The Jewish diaspora are anything but silent too — I have been immensely impressed by the courage and persistence of Jewish people worldwide who have shunned the fiction that to be anti-Zionist is to be antisemitic. I hear them loud and clear chanting with righteous indignation, “Not in our name!”

[embedded content]
Francesca Albanese rejects false accusations            Video: Al Jazeera

Albanese’s riposte
What really steamed the ministers and momentarily deflected their attention from the slaughter of innocents was Albanese’s riposte to a casual lie by French President Emmanuel Macron: “October 7 was the largest antisemitic massacre of our century.”

Albanese responded, quite rightly, surely self-evidently: “The victims of 7/10 were not killed because of their Judaism but in response to Israel’s oppression.” She also stated her respect for the victims of the attack.

When courageous people are attacked by malign and powerful actors, it takes moral clarity and steely determination to walk into a sea of troubles and oppose the true villains. We all need to do that now — and not remain silent.

In the past couple of months Israel has, with the complicity of the white-dominated Western countries, tried to destroy UNRWA, the primary UN organisation providing relief to the Palestinian people, as they endure this genocidal siege.

Because of Israel’s powerful allies, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has kept mum and ignored the vast number of human rights atrocities committed by Israel. (Editor: The ICC subsequently issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity on 21 November 2024).

The Israelis have also hoicked and spat out their contempt for the International Court of Justice. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir commented, “Hague Smague — The ICJ has only proven what everyone already knew, that it is only seeking to prosecute the Jewish nation”.

Traducing the ICJ in this way is another attempt to gaslight us all. If we can do one decent thing it would be to get our governments to raise their voices in defence of the brutalised and besieged United Nations.

Stuck in settler colonial regime
Albanese told audiences on both sides of the Tasman: “When I speak of human rights, I speak of both the Palestinians and the Israelis, who are stuck in a settler colonial regime; this is what we have to solve together.”

She went on to say, “ I will always stand with the victim.”

There is good reason to try to silence Francesca Albanese. She is an authority in the detail of the dehumanisation inflicted on the Palestinians. She has seen the daily lack of proportionality, the discourse of genocide, the military and administrative controls, the deprivation of sanitary services, food and medicine, the surveillance technology, the casual killings, the financial chocking of a people, the way the Israelis are eating up Palestine inch by inch as the West looks the other way.

In short, more than most people she understands the structural system of oppression that is denying the Palestinians the right to exist as a people — culturally, economically, politically. She is a humanist and the exact opposite of an antisemite.

Albanese is one of legions of good people besieged by Israel and its allies. The racist white elites in Europe and the USA are more than happy to adopt a definition that conflates anti-semitism with criticism of Israel, using the recently-minted International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition as a tool to silence (that word again) defenders of Palestinian rights.

When the right-wing of UK Labour set to work to oust Jeremy Corbyn, they succeeded, deploying an antisemitic slur. By the time the purge had finished, thousands of Labour progressives had been eliminated from the party membership, including large numbers of Jewish progressives.

The Labour Files, a must-see Al Jazeera documentary, based on a data dump of internal Labour files, uncovered the astonishing statistic that if you were a Jewish member of the UK Labour party you were seven times more likely to be expelled for antisemitism than a non-Jew.

Dustbin of dirty tricks
It’s high time we kick this ghastly trope, this despicable manoeuvre equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism into the dustbin of dirty tricks. Jewish people have suffered persecution for their faith over the centuries. It does their memory a huge disservice — not least because now it is quite clear that genocide is the highest stage of Zionism.

For the record: I have Jewish friends who I invite to read and critique my articles before publication. They are not self-hating Jews, they are not antisemitic, and nor am I. We stand shoulder to shoulder with Jewish people worldwide who are appalled at what is being done in the name of Judaism.

Francesca Albanese said something else memorable that evening: “History is also made of watershed moments, when things change. Let’s make this one of them.”

Eugene Doyle is a community organiser based in Wellington, publisher of Solidarity and a contributor to Asia Pacific Report. His first demonstration was at the age of 12 against the Vietnam war. This article was first published by Scoop on 14 February 2024.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/17/eugene-doyle-silencing-francesca-albanese-not-in-our-name-gaza-reflections/

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Auckland woman appears in court for alleged 18-year elaborate romance scam

Source: Radio New Zealand

The 44-year-old Auckland woman appeared in Auckland District Court. Finn Blackwell / RNZ

A woman accused of defrauding a man out of more than half a million-dollars in an alleged 18-year romance scam has appeared in court for the first time today.

The 44-year-old Auckland woman was arrested last week after a search warrant was carried out by the Dunedin Police and assisted by the Auckland City Financial Crime Unit.

She appeared in court on Tuesday charged with obtaining more than $517,000 from the unsuspecting Dunedin man between 2006 to 2024.

Judge Belinda Sellars KC granted her interim name suppression and remanded her on bail. She has been charged with obtaining by deception.

Police said romance scams were usually carried out by offshore offenders, making prosecutions difficult for law enforcement.

They often involved someone falling in love online, and giving the scammer money, without ever meeting in-person.

Speaking broadly about romance scams, head of Auckland’s Financial Crimes Unit Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton told RNZ he had never seen a local perpetrator before.

“I’ve been in this role for three years and I haven’t seen one local as a perpetrator,” he said.

“It’s all offshore, it’s all scam centres around the world.”

Bolton said offshore perpetrators were impossible to catch.

“From New Zealand, impossible, there’s no lines of inquiry, the scam centres use layering through numerous jurisdiction and countries before they actually receive the funds so there’s no way of us following it.”

Detective Bolton warned those online against potential scams.

“If you are falling in love online, highly likely it’s a scam, if you are befriending someone online, highly likely it’s a scam, if you are being convinced to invest online, highly likely it’s a scam,” he said.

“Nearly every single one of these examples starts with online contact. The victims never meet the person in person, it’s all done online and they’re always scams.”

Bolton said scammers made up excuses like being on military deployment or on an oil rig to avoid meeting in person.

He said police were seeing fewer romance scams recently.

“End of last year, there were two or three that we saw, and then this year we haven’t seen one romance scam complaint in Auckland City District.”

They were, however, being replaced by crypto currency scams, he said.

“The scammer is befriending the victim, and/or falling in love with the victim online, and the victim’s being convinced to invest in crypto.”

Bolton said victims were convinced to invest into a crypto wallet controlled by the scammer, where they are tricked into investing more money.

Police saw cases of crypto scams every week, he said.

Offering broad advice, Netsafe chief online safety officer Sean Lyons said romance scams could take many forms.

“They might now look like much more complicated investment scams, that can be in a whole range of different forms, but at some point the original convincer probably was some kind of romantic relationship.”

“Our numbers for those kinds of scams are probably still on the increase, but that straight categorisation as a ‘this is a romance scam’ is possibly falling away,” he said.

Those concerned they were being scammed should take a step back moment to look at the whole picture, Lyons said

“Take a beat and think about what it is that’s happening here, aside from the romantic side of what’s happening, how much risk or how exposed am I in what it is that I’m about to do,” he said.

“If you feel uncomfortable with that, it doesn’t mean the relationship’s over, but it just might mean that you take that kind of power or take that moment to say ‘actually, the relationship aside, I’m not comfortable doing this so I’m not going to do it’.”

Lyons said it could be difficult for people to spot scam flags at the best of times, no matter what they may be.

“Often one kind of flag on its own is easily explained away, or could easily be missed, but it’s often the picture that if people are able to stand back at a period or get another persons view that’s not quite so emotionally invested in the relationship itself, that suddenly these things can become very clear,” he said.

Changing the course of a conversation suddenly to money, often with time pressure, or the speed in which a relationship may be moving could be flags to look out for, Lyons said.

The alleged scammer was scheduled to reappear in court next month.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/17/auckland-woman-appears-in-court-for-alleged-18-year-elaborate-romance-scam/

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Judge deciding whether to overturn Papatoetoe election ruling

Source: Radio New Zealand

A High Court judge in Auckland has reserved her decision on whether to overturn a District Court ruling that voided the outcome of the 2025 local body election in Papatoetoe.

The petition had been filed by the Papatoetoe Ōtara Action Team, which won all four seats on the Local Board subdivision.

Closing proceedings for the day, High Court Justice Jane Anderson said it was a “tricky, conceptual, intellectual exercise”.

The judge promised to deliver the decision as quickly as possible.

Ben Keith, legal counsel representing the winning candidates, called Manukau District Court Judge Richard McIlraith’s decision in December “neither fair, nor sound”.

In his submissions, Keith said the District Court appeared to accept the argument presented by former Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board member Lehopoaome Vi Hausia that a 7 percent increase in voter turnout could only be explained by misconduct.

However, Kieth argued the court should have considered other possibilities, pointing to a lengthy list of campaign activities that had been undertaken by the Papatoetoe Ōtara Action Team as well as extra votes that had been prompted by Auckland Council’s “vote on the go” events.

Keith also argued the District Court came to its decision after ignoring demographic changes that had boosted overall voter numbers in recent years, with a greater percentage of Indian households now living in the area.

Simon Mitchell, representing the Labour candidates in the local body election, described the voting irregularities as “significant”.

He dismissed claims the result was due to the winning candidates running a strong campaign or demographic changes in the electorate, describing the irregular special votes in Papatoetoe as an outlier compared to the remainder of Auckland.

Twenty candidates have since thrown their hat into the ring to contest the new Papatoetoe subdivision election that has been organised following the District Court ruling in December.

Voting opens on 9 March and closes at midday on 9 April, with ballots sent by post to all eligible voters.

In December, Judge McIlraith ruled that voting irregularities materially affected the result of the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board election, declaring it void.

Hausia told the court he had received reports of voting papers being stolen from residents and submitted without their consent.

Hausia also argued the election result was inconsistent with historic voting patterns.

At a preliminary hearing, Judge McIlraith ordered five ballot boxes containing votes from the electorate to be scrutinised.

Seventy-nine voting papers were subsequently identified during examination as having been cast without the rightful voter’s knowledge.

Papatoetoe was the only Auckland electorate to record a significant rise in turnout in the latest local body election.

While other Auckland areas saw turnout drop, voting numbers in Papatoetoe increased by more than 7 percent.

All four seats went to first-time candidates from the Papatoetoe Ōtara Action Team.

The Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board has two subdivisions, with the Ōtara having three seats and Papatoetoe four.

None of the previous local board members of the Papatoetoe subdivision were re-elected.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/17/judge-deciding-whether-to-overturn-papatoetoe-election-ruling/

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Marlon Williams announces he’s taking a break from music

Source: Radio New Zealand

Kiwi folk singer Marlon Williams has announced he will be taking a break from performing “for a wee while”.

“For nearly 20 years I’ve explored both the physical and musical world in the company of incredible musicians, songwriters and friends and it’s been an absolute pleasure.

“The catch with it is that because it’s such a blessing to do what you love, it can be easy to overlook the toll it can take over time, on body and soul. So yes, I’m gonna have a cup of tea and a lie down and maybe get a dog.”

Williams’ break will come after a run of shows across Europe and Australia, and a tour of New Zealand at the end of May.

In Australia he and his band the Yarra Benders will play festivals, and in Europe, perform with The Maes in support.

The New Zealand support act will be announced on Thursday, Williams said, alongside the release of presale tickets.

“Please come and join in the fun while it lasts.”

Williams (Kāi Tahu, Ngāi Tai) won the APRA Silver Scroll Award in 2025 for the song ‘Aua Atu Rā’, co-written by KOMMI (Kāi Tahu, Te-Āti-Awa), and in in 2018 for ‘Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore’.

“Like all modern music it is a hybrid, blending elements of country, folk, pop and rock’n’roll, yet it is one that could only come from here, and it’s for all of us. This is the sound of home.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/17/marlon-williams-announces-hes-taking-a-break-from-music/

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A new major streaming service is coming to New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

A new streaming service will launch in New Zealand this year – HBO Max – with Sky TV confirming the end of its deal with the major programme provider.

The HBO Max direct-to-consumer streaming service will be available mid-2026, Warner Bros. Discovery announced on Tuesday.

Details about subscriptions and pricing will be shared down the line, it said in a statement.

Scene imagery from Season 2 of The Pitt, on Neon.

Supplied

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/17/a-new-major-streaming-service-is-coming-to-new-zealand/

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Live weather: Akaroa on Banks Peninsula will remain cut off overnight due to flooding, slips

Source: Radio New Zealand

Follow our liveblog above.

The storm that caused widespread flooding and wind damage in the North Island has moved south, with Banks Peninsula to bear the brunt.

A Local State of Emergency has been declared for Banks Peninsula.

Christchurch’s Heathcote River has breached its banks.

Part of SH75, the main road from Christchurch to Akaroa, is closed and boil water notice is in place for Wainui on Banks Peninsula.

Meanwhile thousands of homes are still without power in the North Island.

Flooding in the Christchurch suburb of Beckenham after the Heathcote River breached its banks. RNZ / Adam Burns

Follow our liveblog at the top of this page.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/17/live-weather-akaroa-on-banks-peninsula-will-remain-cut-off-overnight-due-to-flooding-slips/

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Multiple complaints before woman mauled to death by dogs at house in Kaihu, Northland

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson

A local said there had been multiple complaints about dogs roaming in the area and chasing people before the death of a woman in Kaihu, Northland.

Emergency services were called to the property on State Highway 12 at 11.25am on Tuesday.

Upon arrival, police found a woman dead.

Kaipara District Council’s animal management team confirmed it had responded to an incident involving dogs and a person at a property earlier on Tuesday, and was now investigating.

Do you know more? Email iwitness@rnz.co.nz

The dogs had been secured.

“At this stage we’re unable to provide any further details or comment while a response and investigation is underway.”

Police were carrying out a scene examination and said there was no risk to the public in relation to the incident.

A local told RNZ there were complaints about dogs in the area made by multiple people but nothing had been done about it.

They said the dogs had been at the property for about a year.

In that time, they said they’d complained to Kaipara District Council at least four times about the dogs.

“There’s been so many complaints about them in the last year – the council know and haven’t done anything.

“They run out onto the road all the time. I was really scared about that and somebody getting hurt.”

They believed what had happened could have been avoided.

The local also said the dogs from that property ran after cars, motorbikes and push bikes when they came down the road.

The area was part of the Kaihu Valley cycle trail, and the local said tourists were often the ones on bikes on the road.

They said just a few months ago they’d heard of a couple who’d had to turn around on the road because of the dogs.

“I just don’t know how they can promote it [cycle trail] knowing there’s a dog problem down here.”

Checkpoint asked Kaipara District Council for a response to the local’s comments.

A spokesperson said the council “can’t provide any further information or comment on this incident while an investigation is underway.”

“Our staff are actively working with police now to understand the sequence of events and what occurred on the property today,” the spokesperson said.

St John confirmed an ambulance and helicopter were called to the scene at 11.22am, but referred further queries to police.

The incident comes amid growing calls for an overhaul of dog control laws.

Meanwhile, a Northlander whose relative was killed by dogs said today’s incident showed people needed to take dog ownership more seriously.

Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board member Roddy Hapati Pihema’s aunt was killed by dogs in 2023.

“This is just unbelievable. There’s been a lot of lives taken by dogs, it’s concerning that this issue hasn’t been prioritised as much as it should be. We still have dogs running around on the streets, we still have dogs running through recreation reserves,” he said.

“This continues to be a really concerning space considering we’re not actually learning from the people being mauled, the people who have been unfortunate to lose their lives. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done,” Pihema said.

“The majority of people do [understand the risk of dogs] but there’s quite a large number out there that like to have the puppy but don’t want the responsibility of the dog.”

He said the council was doing what it could to tackle the issue, but there was little they could do if owners didn’t take responsibility.

A Whangārei woman who is trying to change animal ownership laws said she was heartbroken to learn of another fatal dog attack in her region.

Tracy Clarke said she was devastated to learn of the attack.

“My heart absolutely sunk and tears welled up because this has been going on now for far too long, too many people are losing their lives as a result of dog attacks.”

She had a petition before Select Committee to strengthen dog ownership laws.

“The current legislation is out of date and needs to be brought up to today’s dog population and the difference in ownership,” she said.

The petition seeks substantial changes to the dog ownership legislation and council bylaws, in order to end the problem of roaming dogs in New Zealand.

“We’re at crisis point as a nation and it needs to be sorted urgently.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/17/multiple-complaints-before-woman-mauled-to-death-by-dogs-at-house-in-kaihu-northland/

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Gold coins and silver bars stolen from West Auckland home

Source: Radio New Zealand

What the gold coins and silver bars look like. Police / supplied

Police are seeking the public’s help in solving a “high-value burglary” in West Auckland.

A “significant amount of silver and gold” was stolen from a home in Swanson sometime between 14 and 27 January, including one-ounce (28.3g) gold coins and 1kg silver bars.

“Each of the bars is imprinted with ‘MW’ (Morris & Watson) inscription,” Detective Shaun Galbraith said.

The combined value was “significant”, he said, but admitted the police needed help.

“We would like to hear from anyone who may have seen any suspicious people or vehicles around the Swanson Road and Christian Road areas between 14-27 January.

“If you noticed unusual activity near rural driveways, gate areas, or properties backing onto the Swanson rail corridor then please reach out.”

Anyone offered the purchase of gold and silver “in unusual circumstances” should get in touch he said, via 105 online or the phone, quoting reference number 260128/8576.

Alternatively an anonymous report could be made through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/17/gold-coins-and-silver-bars-stolen-from-west-auckland-home/

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Government considers $9 Auckland Harbour Bridge toll to help pay for second crossing

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tom Kitchin

The government is seeking advice on whether to bring in a toll on the existing Auckland Harbour Bridge, to help pay for a second Waitematā Harbour crossing.

The Infrastructure Commission has suggested a toll as high as $9, a figure the Transport Minister says would be a “big decision” to make.

The government continues to mull over its options as to what a new crossing would look like, such as a tunnel or second bridge.

In the newly-released National Infrastructure Plan, the Infrastructure Commission said new revenue would be needed to fund the crossing.

High-level analysis suggested a $9 toll “on both new and existing crossings” could raise between $7 billion and $9 billion, depending on the tolling period.

“Higher tolls may not raise more revenue, as they would divert too many users and erode viability, and tolling only the new crossing would sharply limit revenue,” the Commission wrote.

“Other funding mechanisms are possible, but would likely require non-users to contribute funding which may not be considered equitable or favourable.”

When the bridge was first opened in 1959, motorists had to pay 2 shillings and 6 pence, a figure the Commission said equalled around $9 in 2025.

Tolls were removed in 1984.

Transport Minister Chris Bishop said the new crossing would be the biggest infrastructure project New Zealand has ever done.

While the new crossing would be tolled, a question remained over whether the existing bridge would be tolled as well.

“We are working our way through that. That’s a very big decision for the country to make,” he said.

Bishop said he would not get ahead of any decision, and the government was working through it in a “methodical and comprehensive way” as the Commission said it should do.

“We’re working our way through quite a complicated series of funding questions and financing questions around the second harbour crossing. It will be a very large infrastructure project. All large infrastructure projects have to be paid for. So we’re working our way through that.”

He said “in theory,” a new crossing should be able “wash its own face, financially,” due to the number of vehicle movements.

ACT leader David Seymour, an Auckland-based MP, said $9 per trip added up to $90 a week for some people who would already be trying to pay “tough” bills.

“I think you’re going to struggle with that level of price. But you could imagine that maybe at a peak hour, when it was mostly buses and ridesharing, maybe for a part of the day. But I don’t think making everybody pay $9 with no alternative is going to fly.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/17/government-considers-9-auckland-harbour-bridge-toll-to-help-pay-for-second-crossing/

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Infrastructure Plan Contradicts Government Own Spending Priorities

Source: Green Party

The newly released National Infrastructure Plan stands in stark contrast to the Government’s actual spending priorities, the Green Party says. 

“We welcome today’s National Infrastructure Plan, which would take us in the opposite direction of the decisions of Luxon’s Government,” said Chlöe Swarbrick, Green Party Co-Leader and Finance spokesperson.  

“This Plan shows how we can and must invest in resilient critical infrastructure like hospitals and renewables. Yet Luxon’s Government continues to burn taxpayer money on inflaming the climate crisis and inducing congestion through the daft LNG terminal and roads at all costs. 

“Treasury confirmed on Friday that we should be borrowing more to invest in infrastructure that builds real value and expands our productive capacity, which is exactly the vision the Greens have shown can be a reality in our Fiscal Strategy. 

“As parts of our country are underwater in yet another climate emergency, the need for decisive action, leadership and investment has never been more clear. 

“The choice is obvious: invest now in resilience, reducing the cost of living and improving our quality of life – or pay exponentially more for failures and disasters later,” said Swarbrick. 

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/17/infrastructure-plan-contradicts-government-own-spending-priorities/

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Government rams through law attacking workers

Source: Green Party

“The passing of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill is a dark day for Aotearoa, and shows this government is on the side of big corporates and against the workers.” says Green Party Workplace Relations spokesperson Teanau Tuiono.

“Workers have a basic right to seek remedies for unjustifiable and unlawful dismissal. This law effectively destroys that right, leaving workers completely exposed to abuses of power by their employers.”

 

“This law also makes it easier to dismiss workers and gives bosses the ability to mischaracterise employees as contractors, meaning that they miss out on basic rights like sick leave and holiday pay.”

 

“Minister Van Velden has proudly ignored and refused to meet with workers’ representatives, while she’s getting her ideas for reforms from multinational corporations like Uber.”  

 

“New Zealand workers already have significantly less rights at work than Australian workers, and this government is busy eroding those that we have managed to keep. It’s no surprise that young people are flocking across the ditch, and this will only see that flow increase.” 

 

Over 3000 submissions on the Employment Relations Amendment Bill were opposed to it, while only 34 were in favour. Unions, employment lawyers, and academics lined up alongside regular workers to reject this attack on basic rights.

 

“Workers are the backbone of our economy. Instead of protecting and supporting them, this Government is in the pockets of multinational corporates, delivering on their every whim.”

 

“Enhancing the rights of workers to organise collectively is the best to get decent pay and working conditions, and the Greens are committed to strengthening this,” says Teanau.  

 

“We will go further than reversing these changes when we are in government. We will introduce default union membership for all new workers and look to increase the ability for workers to take industrial action to promote their basic rights.”  

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/17/government-rams-through-law-attacking-workers/

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Dark day for working New Zealanders as the Employment Relations Amendment Bill passes

Source: NZCTU

The passing of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill is a dark day for working New Zealanders, says New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi President Sandra Grey.

“This law strips working Kiwis of long-held and fundamental rights.

“Employers will now be empowered to misclassify employees as contractors, stripping from them key entitlements including the minimum wage, sick pay, and Kiwisaver. This threatens entire workforces, particularly in industries where work is already low-paid and precarious.

“With this change, National, ACT, and New Zealand First are once again prioritising profit over people. The National-led Government is shamelessly giving in to Uber and other multinational companies whose business models rely on insecure work.

“The legislation also makes a mockery of the personal grievance system. Workers now face the absurd situation where they could prove in court they were unjustifiably dismissed but not be eligible for remedies for this injustice.

“This Bill was strongly opposed during the select committee process. The Government was warned by employment experts and working Kiwis that it will dramatically undermine job security. It has refused to listen.

“Everyone deserves good work – work that is well-paid, secure, and provides employees with minimum rights and conditions. This Bill does the opposite, eroding fair pay, job security, and basic protections.

“National have let Uber and the ACT Party set the agenda for employment law in this country. They need to grow a backbone and stand up for the interests of New Zealand workers,” said Grey.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/17/dark-day-for-working-new-zealanders-as-the-employment-relations-amendment-bill-passes/