The beginning of the end

Written By: - Date published: 10:13 am, May 10th, 2025 - 43 comments
Categories: act, national, national/act government, nicola willis, same old national, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, wages, workers' rights - Tags:

When the history of the sixth National Government is written I am confident that the events of this week will be described as the the beginning of the end.

I did not think that a National Government could be so malicious or so completely indifferent or so totally blind to the plight of the working poor. Or that they could have no idea that smashing up the pay equity system so they could afford tax cuts for landlords would be viewed by the vast majority of the electorate so negatively.

Because that is clearly what the motivation is.

As said simply but eloquently by Bernard Hickey:

Retrospective legislation rammed through Parliament [this week] will cost women up to $17 billion of unpaid wages over the next four years, more than paying for $14 billion of tax cuts over the same time.

There is even some money left over for new military helicopters.

The decision itself was incredible. But smashing it through under urgency is draw droppingly mendacious. As said by Dean Knight it was a “calculated and deliberate ambush to deprive claimants and a policy fait accompli”.

Initially it appeared that Act had yet again managed to get another part of its Atlas inspired Project 2025 agenda through.

As said by former National Party Media advisor Janet Wilson in the Press:

It’s hard to know if this act of political expediency is the product of cynicism or idiocy, but once more Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has fallen prey to his junior coalition partner’s whims and in the process stands to lose the gender divide while looking penny-pinching and mean-spirited in the process.

But Nicola Willis then spoke. And confirmed that she was in there boots and all. And budgetary considerations were at the front and centre of her thinking, despite what National MPs are now saying.

From Jo Moir at Radio New Zealand:

Asked whether ACT had strong-armed National on going further on pay equity changes, Willis said “not at all”.

“For a number of months it was becoming clear to me that the way the pay equity scheme had developed had departed from its original, I think, very important intent, which was to correct for gender-based discrimination.

“That is a very important goal. But it had become clear that other market-based factors had entered bargaining, that the incentives on some of the parties in those claims weren’t fully aligned, that the costs had escalated well beyond what people had originally envisaged, and it was clear that those issues would require addressing in some way.”

The Government was worried about the implications of private sector settlements on the Government’s coffers.

But this ignores the fact that most of the affected workers appear to be public servants. And there was a claim for pay equity lodged by Council librarians and librarian assistants. No Government funding would be required to meet this claim. It would be funded out of Council resources including rates.

Discontinuing every single claim was not justified. Doing it under urgency is in constitutional terms atrocious. Doing it to “avoid legal risks” is as cynical abuse of parliamentary power I can ever recall seeing.

Act is celebrating. Winston Peters is ignoring the issue and demanding the power to check on people’s genitalia. They are both intent on shoring up their 5% support.

This week’s events have joined Labour and the Union movement at the hips. It will overshadow and destroy any positive effect the Budget may have had. National’s claims that it is concerned about ordinary kiwis is nothing more than hollow rhetoric.

I can confidently say that this is the beginning of the end for this Government. Such a cynical mendacious abuse of Parliamentary power to take money off poor people to give landlords a cut and to buy new military toys will not go unpunished.

43 comments on “The beginning of the end ”

  1. Bearded Git 1
    10 May 2025 at 10:38 am

    Agree….+1000000.

    A step way too far. As you say an incredibly devious attack on the working poor.

    This is now a one-term government.

    Arguably Willis has out nastied the Mother Of All Budgets.

    Winston knows when to keep quiet.

    Reply
    • Bearded Git 1.1
      10 May 2025 at 1:49 pm

      Audrey Young explains in the Herald that nobody campaigned in 2022 on changes to the pay equity system, and that Winston has been caught out lying about it.

      "Act Workplace Minister Brooke van Velden …..apparently told the Prime Minister when she was made minister that she wanted to work on changes to the pay equity system. She forgot to tell the voters. Nobody campaigned on it.

      The Government clearly believes that there have been too many settlements that have paid too much. They refuse to say which settlements or how much. Winston Peters, answering on behalf of the Prime Minister, yesterday said the move was to restore the regime that had been in place before pay equity legislation was passed in 2020 because no settlements had been made since then. That is not correct. A total of 10 pay equity deals have been settled since the 2020 legislation was passed, establishing the process to be followed. Three pay equity deals were negotiated before the 2020 legislation."

      Audrey Young's article is here (paywalled):

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/robbing-paula-to-pay-paul-pay-equity-ambush-will-come-back-to-bite-national-audrey-young/FVNUNPWPORBT7K76K53SS4OJGA/

      Reply
  2. Reality 2
    10 May 2025 at 12:42 pm

    My fervent wish is that come the next election women, and men, keep this issue to the forefront of their minds whatever spin Luxon & Co come up with. The time between now and the election will hopefully not dull this issue in any way.

    Reply
  3. SPC 3
    10 May 2025 at 1:07 pm

    The Government was worried about the implications of private sector settlements on the Government’s coffers.

    Specifically government funded organisations.

    Labour said they would fully fund the pay equity settlements.

    NACT do not want to do this. They want the funded organisations to say they cannot afford to pay the settlements and defer being required to do so.

    https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/05/08/national-briefed-its-mps-two-days-prior-to-pay-equity-announcement/

    The legislation rushed through under urgency explicitly says that the employer can delay meeting any obligation for a pay equity claim based on hardship.

    If a NACT government does not/will not guarantee to fully fund the pay equity settlement then hardship can be cited to at least delay if not fully obstruct pay increases made on equity grounds.

    Reply
  4. Ad 4
    10 May 2025 at 3:03 pm

    +100

    looking forward to their accelerated decline.

    Reply
  5. Sanctuary 5
    10 May 2025 at 4:55 pm

    Will Luxon even care if they lose next year? He (and the hard core right Willis) give every impression of being a fellow travelers of ACT. If they lose I'm pretty sure he'll just gap it back to USA with a nice enhancement to his CV and believing we don't deserve him anyway.

    Reply
    • Janice 5.1
      10 May 2025 at 5:53 pm

      Don't forget the knighthood. Seems like that is all that matters to him now, how to hang on to the end of term.

      Reply
      • Obtrectator 5.1.1
        10 May 2025 at 11:27 pm

        Does he actually need to hang on to the bitter end? Blinglish didn't serve anything like a full term as PM, but still got his Sirhood all right. Mind you, he'd done a good few hard yards as a minister before then, which is more than can be said for Parachute Boy.

        Reply
    • Peter 5.2
      11 May 2025 at 6:49 pm

      Maybe you all should look at Jacinda she has done exactly what you are all talking about short memory syndrome

      Reply
  6. thebiggestfish7 6
    10 May 2025 at 5:19 pm

    I don't know, it is far enough out from the next election that it will almost certainly be not relevant by then. The next election will be swayed by how the economy is trending and whether the TPM/Green party policies scare too many of the NAT/LBR swing voters towards the NATs. The left still has a men problem like the right currently has a women problem. The other curve ball would be NZF falling below 5%, but would seem unlikely at this stage.

    Reply
    • mickysavage 6.1
      10 May 2025 at 5:21 pm

      "I don't know, it is far enough out from the next election that it will almost certainly be not relevant by then."

      This is going to reverberate for years. Just as the mother of all budgets in 1991 was a rallying call for working class activism for decades this will be the same.

      Reply
      • thebiggestfish 6.1.1
        11 May 2025 at 2:17 am

        I have no doubt it will galvanise a part of the electorate and that it won’t be forgotten. But it wont necessarily lead to election outcomes. National won two elections immediately following the mother of all budgets and Key won three elections. A major issue now is not the same as in 18 months time.

        Reply
        • SPC 6.1.1.1
          11 May 2025 at 3:03 am

          RR's infamous budget was in 1991.

          Benefits slashed, people in state houses paying market rents.

          She used it to afford ending the estate tax in 1993.

          Ruth Richardson was replaced as Finance Minister after the 1993 election. She resigned from Parliament in 1994.

          The National win in 1993 was the one with the least mandate in our history, 35%.

          They were returned in 1996 under 34% only because Peters divided the opposition vote and chose to go into coalition with them – MMP era.

          Pay equity has been an issue for years, it was resolved – NACT undone what was done, so they will be removed.

          Voters drive to voting booths in 2026.

          https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350411114/verity-johnson-kate-sheppard-would-be-rolling-her-grave-after-weeks-drive-political-shooting

          Reply
          • thebiggestfish 6.1.1.1.1
            11 May 2025 at 1:15 pm

            Guess we shall see. The next few polls that cover this period should be interesting.

            Reply
  7. bwaghorn 7
    10 May 2025 at 5:56 pm

    I hope labours taking note national are never afraid to make massive changes by stealth, no honesty in the election period, just get elected then go hard.

    Reply
  8. Patricia Bremner 8
    10 May 2025 at 7:32 pm

    This bill shows Luxon and his party "do not care"

    Men should also be angry at this high handed treatment of women and fair process.

    Many claims had already passed high bars, and were in the throes of being settled.

    To admit National Act NZ First had worked on this bill behind the scenes for a year, indicates the level of devious behaviour involved.

    They would lose an election with such a policy is why they did not let a whisper of such a policy surface beforehand.

    It is similar to Dutton's "No more working from home" Authoritarian attitudes which are 70 years out of date.

    What happens now? All the affected women and their families…

    If you are able, join a union, join a political party on the left, donate for the campaign/election, protest to all participants in this unfair piece of legislation. Most of all work to get this CoC out of office.

    18 months = 18 protests and rallies, building to an election victory, for the many, not the powerful few.

    Reply
  9. roblogic 9
    10 May 2025 at 9:08 pm

    National is the party of fuckery and enriching the landlord class

    They do not care about the cost of living or working people, that was all a smokescreen

    Reply
  10. Trevor Doig 10
    11 May 2025 at 9:47 am

    Totally unacceptable, National have become a bunch of sheep with Trump as their Shepherd !!

    Reply
    • Hamish 10.1
      12 May 2025 at 9:54 am

      what does Trump have to do with anything? National are a bunch of fkwtz by themselves. Trump, on the otherhand is putting Americans first…and that needs to happen in NZ. With out pathetic monopolies and duopolies everywhere fleecing Kiwis daily – our gubmint does not care about the proles living in the land.

      Reply
  11. Nigel Haworth 11
    11 May 2025 at 10:53 am

    Anne Salmond on song in a controlled anger.

    Worth Reading

    Reply
    • Heather Grimwood 11.1
      11 May 2025 at 4:13 pm

      to Nigel Haworth and all: Anne Salmond's song should be made available to all, read daily, made into posters and acted upon until a hopefully early election.

      Reply
  12. Stephen D 12
    11 May 2025 at 12:20 pm

    When Andrea Vance trots out the c word, you know things are bad.

    https://archive.li/NiW6n

    ”And the phalanx of female MPs, a generously-paid, traditionally overvalued trade, shafting the underpaid women doing vital, feminised labour that keeps the country functioning.

    Turns out you can have it all. So long as you’re prepared to be a c… to the women who birth your kids, school your offspring and wipe the arse of your elderly parents while you stand on their shoulders to earn your six-figure, taxpayer-funded pay packet.”

    Reply
    • Patricia Bremner 12.1
      11 May 2025 at 4:48 pm

      Andrea Vance!! Yes That is exactly what those right wing women have done.. 100% Stephen D.

      Reply
  13. joe 13
    11 May 2025 at 1:14 pm

    Time for All women to down tools for 24 hours like the Doctors did.
    Every month for the next 18 months, if need be.

    Reply
    • arkie 13.1
      11 May 2025 at 2:01 pm

      Not trying to suppress the desire for meaningful action against this government however it evidently needs to be repeated that striking is highly regulated in this country; general strikes and sympathy strikes are illegal. Also recent legislative changes allow employers to dock wages during legal, notified strike action and thanks to the 'reforms' of the 80s and 90s, unions don't have the numbers or finances to fund significant numbers of striking workers. We must rebuild and organise the communities of support first so any action can be impactful and sustained.

      Reply
      • Patricia Bremner 13.1.1
        11 May 2025 at 4:53 pm

        So the retired self employed and off duty women need to keep up the pressure, along side their supportive whanau. This is a culture and class strike against wage and salaried workers and their families. Donate to the left party of your choice. even at a cup of coffee cost per week, join your local group. Be proactive. Make the right less certain.

        Reply
      • gsays 13.1.2
        11 May 2025 at 5:18 pm

        "We must rebuild and organise the communities of support first so any action can be impactful and sustained."

        Rightly or wrongly I come back to marae for this purpose. Whether it is the physical place of a marae or at a local sport/community centre where bulk people can be fed, watered, sleep and basic ablutions. I'm thinking pop-up marae.

        Then it's a matter of acquiring food and resources. Where these come from is a bit of a curly one. The coordination of food and resources shouldn't be an issue, my reckons say there is an army of ability and experience amongst our superannuatants.

        Reply
        • arkie 13.1.2.1
          11 May 2025 at 6:58 pm

          A great example of a supportive community system in marae, organising widely so that various marae can meet the needs generated by protractive action needs to happen as soon as possible.

          Reply
      • gsays 13.1.3
        11 May 2025 at 5:35 pm

        As I've observed before where the heart is involved there needs to be a head operating too.

        I get yr point about lots of different strikes being illegal. They aren't unlawful however.

        I'm an individual that has lost faith in the political process because of the recent conduct of politicians (Pay Equity Reforms, Landlording rewarded, renegging on compensation for Victims of Abuse in State Care etc, etc).

        I'm not going to start writing letters to my MP nor join a party in the hope of getting a submission ratified and pushing it through the process of creating policy. (I nearly fell asleep writing that sentence).

        Reply
        • arkie 13.1.3.1
          11 May 2025 at 7:11 pm

          The legal intricacies of industrial action are important to share so that efforts are focused where we can meaningfully change things while minimising the harm inflicted on us. There are a plethora of ways of doing this without engaging directly with representative electoral politics, and a plethora of approaches are needed. All at once. But what needs to happen is the creation of interlocked and overlapping communities that can care for and support all their members, because, ultimately, we look out for us, people and planet.

          Reply
  14. Christopher Randal 14
    11 May 2025 at 3:38 pm

    'The Government was worried about the implications of private sector settlements on the Government’s coffers."

    The implication of private sector settlements were an increased tax take for a Government that is rapidly bankrupting the country.

    Reply
  15. AC 15
    12 May 2025 at 8:09 am

    The echo chamber is resounding loudly hear.

    Noone going to talk about the equivalence of social work and air traffic control? Or that social work is more akin to rubbish collection or other jobs that any able bodied person could do with minimal training (artificial 'qualification' barriers erected by unions interested more in self preservation and membership fees notwithstanding).

    No? Thought not.

    Its an unpopular pov no doubt, among those who 'think' with their virtue signaling bleeding hearts rather than their Grey matter.

    I can hear the howls of protest now… 'the elderly and vulnerable are not trash to be collected!', wilfully missing the point that pay equity is as much about availability of people to do the work and the equivalence of the work involved as it is about the value of the work itself (and if the rubbish started piling up in the streets the importance and value of garbage collectors would soon be realised).

    Collecting trash is an important, valuable job. So is looking after the elderly and vulnerable. Neither involves having the lives of literally hundreds of people hinging on every decision and the consistent execution of the job.

    Reply
    • Macro 15.1
      12 May 2025 at 12:46 pm

      🙄

      Your comment is complete trash. Maybe you would be better employed taking it out to where it belongs in the tip.

      Reply
  16. Cam 16
    12 May 2025 at 9:14 am

    Isn't it funny. Nat/Lab do the same kind of stunt with a different name whenever elected, but the sheep of this country keep signing them back in. This is all on you and you know who you are.

    Reply
  17. Wedged 17
    12 May 2025 at 9:48 am

    History shows what’s required when governments get too authoritarian. This government has just proved to the populace that, irrespective of the populace wants or needs, if government wants something to happen then it’ll happen, thereby proving they don’t work for the nation! Anyone for a nice dose of treason!

    Reply
    • weka 17.1
      12 May 2025 at 10:03 am

      I let this through, but please read the site Policy. You appear to be advocating violence, and we have zero tolerance for that.

      Reply
  18. Melissa L 18
    12 May 2025 at 9:51 am

    The beginning of the end was when this government announced their hundred day plan. This latest atrocity is yet another nail in the coffin.

    Reply
  19. Daz 19
    12 May 2025 at 9:58 am

    Governments should consist of philosophers, phycologists, spiritual leaders & scientists… Or at least being a monster, I mean minister that actually specifically specializes in the field.

    I wonder if people will notice there are those who are not left or right but ambidextrous.

    Hudumbity not humanity, is mad!

    Reply
  20. Daz 20
    12 May 2025 at 10:06 am

    National is a fire sale type, what else did you expect.

    Not my fault! I don't vote and never will. Enjoy the life you live for now.

    Reply

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