Second term of the Sixth Labour Government of New Zealand
[6][1] On 20 October, Newshub reported that Ardern was not intending to forge a formal coalition with the Green Party but was exploring the possibility of a lower-level support arrangement due to Labour's large parliamentary majority.[9] On 18 November, the Tourism Minister Stuart Nash announced that the Government would introduce legislation to ban tourists from hiring vans that are not self-contained in order to reduce the waster problems associated with freedom camping.Other key issues and promises addressed within the speech included building 18,000 public homes, raising the minimum wage, replacing the Resource Management Act 1991 and promoting economic recovery from COVID-19 through infrastructure investment and training incentives.[16][17] On 17 December, Ardern also announced that the Government had purchased two more vaccines from the pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Novavax for New Zealand, Tokelau, the Cook Islands, Niue and its Pacific partners Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu.[20] From 26 January, the pre-departure test requirement was extended to all international travelers with the exception of those coming from Australia, Antarctica, and most Pacific Island states including Fiji, Samoa, Tokelau, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.[28] On 11 February, Stuff reported that the Government's New Zealand Work Scheme to address the labour shortage in the fruit-picking sector caused by COVID-19 had only attracted 54 people since its launch in late November 2020.[44] This policy announcement followed a report by the Climate Change Commission on 9 June 2021 advocating the reduction of farm animal numbers, a ban on new household gas connections by 2025, and a shift to electric vehicles in order to reduce greenhouse emissions.The Shadow Leader of the House, National MP Chris Bishop, who has been critical of the use of "patsy questions" in the past,[49] said that Seymour was showing "remarkable hutzpah" in complaining about the practice the day after making use of it himself.[68] On 31 August, Speaker Trevor Mallard confirmed that Parliament would continue meeting under Alert Level 4 conditions with only ten MPs and a small number of staff attending the debating chamber.In response, the National Party's mental health spokesperson Matt Doocey criticised the plan, stating that " what is needed now is action, not more vision statements, working groups and nice words.[89] On 25 November, the Government announced it would soon release a new Social Security Insurance scheme, labelled the biggest expansion of the welfare state since ACC, which would be funded by a 1–2 percent tax increase.[91] On 9 December, Associate Health Minister Ayesha Verrall confirmed that the Government would introduce new legislation under the Smokefree 2025 goal that would ban anyone under the age of 14 from legally purchasing tobacco for the rest of their lives.[92] By contrast, ACT health spokesperson Karen Chhour criticised the proposed legislation, stating that prohibition was unworkable and claiming that it would create a black market for tobacco products.During her trip, she urged the Biden administration to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and promoted New Zealand's firearms legislation in response to the Robb Elementary School shooting.[137] On 19 July, the Government extended the 25-cent fuel tax cut and the half price public transportation subsidy until late January 2023 in a bid to combat rising inflation in New Zealand.Greenpeace Aotearoa New Zealand's lead climate campaigner Christine Rose claimed the Government's proposed tax on agricultural emissions was insufficient and favoured dairy producers over beef and sheep farmers and Māori landowners.[158] On 25 November, the Government and the Māori iwi/tribe Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri concluded an "agreement in principle" to settle historical Treaty of Waitangi claims relating to the annexation of the Chatham Islands in 1842.[3] After assuming office, Hipkins announced that the Labour Government would focus on "cost of living" issues such as rising rent, food prices, and building as the "heart of its work program."In addition, Hipkins confirmed that other policies including the social income insurance scheme, proposed hate speech legislation, and the controversial Three Waters reform programme would be delayed or revised.This state of emergency allows for a national coordination of the clean-up response, provide additional resources to affected individuals, and empowers the Government to respond to dangerous situations including restricting travel.[182] On 23 February, the Government ordered a ministerial inquiry into forestry companies' slash practices particularly the stockpiling of discarded branches and "offcuts," which had exacerbated flood damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.The inquiry will be led by former National Party cabinet minister Hekia Parata, former Hawke's Bay Regional Council chief executive Bill Bayfield, and forestry engineer Matthew McCloy.The Government would redirect funding to a NZ$2 billion to a welfare package to provide "bread and butter" support to 1.4 million New Zealanders affected by the ongoing "cost of living" crisis.ACT Party leader David Seymour argued that New Zealanders needed a change in government and stated "that Hipkins U-turning on a tiny handful of policies isn't fooling anyone.[194][195] On 27 June, Tinetti and Robertson announced that the Government would be investing NZ$128 million to increase tuition subsidies at degree level and above by a further four percent between 2024 and 2025 for all tertiary institutions including universities, wānanga and the mega polytechnic Te Pūkenga.[196] On 17 July, Hipkins announced the Government's youth justice policy which included introducing a new measure to punish adults convicted of influencing young people to commit crimes and making the publishing of recordings of criminal behaviour on social media an aggravating factor in sentencing.[197] On 10 July, Hipkins announced that the Government would introduce legislation to make ram-raiding a criminal offence with a ten-year sentence and allowing 12 and 13-year old ram raiders to be tried in Youth Courts.[213] On 17 October, the Government contributed NZ$5 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross's (ICRC) and the United Nations' World Food Programme's humanitarian relief efforts in response to the 2023 Israel-Hamas war.[216] In early November 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Sepuloni along with the National Party's foreign affairs spokesperson Gerry Brownlee represented New Zealand at the 2023 Pacific Islands Forum.[220] By 18 November, Hipkins confirmed that the Government had sent a total of NZ$10 million to support humanitarian activities by the International Committee of the Red Cross and World Food Programme in Israel and the Palestinian Territories in response to the Israel-Hamas war.
Sixth Labour Government of New ZealandLabour Partylandslide victory2020 New Zealand general electionPrime MinisterJacinda ArdernresignedChris Hipkins2023 New Zealand general electionNational PartycaretakerNational–led coalition government2020 general electionMMP systemNewshubwealth taxJames ShawMarama DavidsonTourism MinisterStuart Nashfreedom campingTourism New Zealandvocational educationdisqualification of pro-democracy Hong Kong legislatorsSino-British Joint DeclarationChinese Foreign MinistryZhao LijianFive EyesSpeech from the ThroneResource Management Act 1991carbon neutralityClimate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Acttravel bubblesCook IslandsAstraZenecaNovavaxTokelauTuvaluKris FaafoiCook IslandersNanaia MahutaMāori wards and constituenciesPfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccineMatarikiImmigration New ZealandCOVID-19 pandemic2021 Myanmar coup d'étatTatmadawTe PukePseudomonas syringaeBay of PlentyCourt of AppealMinistry of Primary IndustriesPapatoetoeSouth Aucklandremote workLaw CommissionMegan WoodsNicola WillisLocal Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021PharmacJulie Anne GenterAgricultural MinisterDamien O'ConnorAndrew Littledistrict health boardsHealth New ZealandNational Health ServiceMāori Health AuthorityPublic Health AuthorityPfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccineelectric vehiclesClimate Change CommissionFederated FarmersAndrew Hoggarddawn raidsPasifika communitiesAuckland Town HallMinister for Pacific PeoplesWilliam SioJudith Collins2020 electionDavid SeymourShadow Leader of the HouseChris BishopGroundswell NZHowl of a ProtestUte taxConversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Billconversion therapyNew Zealand Defence ForceKevin Shortevacuate2021 Taliban offensiveUnited Arab EmiratesAustralian Defence ForceInternational Committee of the Red CrossUnited Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesTalibanAbdul Qahar BalkhiDelta variantexodusMinistry of Foreign Affairs and TradeRoyal New Zealand Air ForceC-130 Hercules2021 Kabul airport attacksNew Zealand ParliamentAshley BloomfieldAuckland University of TechnologyWaitematā District Health BoardMatt DooceyRob CampbellSharon SheaCounter-Terrorism Legislation Act 2021Te Kāhui o Matariki Public Holiday BillErica StanfordResource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Billfree trade agreementThree Waters reform programmewater services and assetsMayor of AucklandPhil GoffMayor of ChristchurchLianne DalzielMayor of HastingsFar North District