ACT's Simon Court

Last week the National Party’s Greg Fleming and Labour’s Camilla Belich put forward a member’s bill to address modern slavery. The bill would require businesses with over $1,000,000 of annual consolidated revenue to generate a report on whether any of their suppliers use modern slavery. 

Despite being a member’s bill, the bill will be heard in parliament next week thanks to gathering support from sixty non-cabinet MPs, the first time this process has been used. The ACT party did not support the bill, with leader David Seymour and deputy leader Brooke Van Velden levying multiple criticisms. 

Also this past week saw an announcement that the prison population in Aotearoa reached an all time high, despite reports of overcrowding and underfunding last year. 

For this week’s catchup with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, Wire host Castor asked about each of these issues, beginning by asking about modern slavery.

After United States forces kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters put out a statement expressing concern over the move and his expectations that countries maintain adherence to international law. New Zealand’s response has been criticised by some, who say it does not go far enough in upholding New Zealand’s independent foreign policy and history of calling out infringements of international law. 

In our weekly catchup with the act party, News Director Castor spoke to MP Laura McClure, filling in this week for Simon Court. They asked about the party’s stance on the developing US/Venezuela situation, and about the party’s campaign plans for the 2026 election.

The government has recently rejected all of the Climate Change Commission’s recommendations regarding strengthening the country’s methane targets recommendations.

The commission’s recommendations include strengthening the county’s 2050 methane emission targets, continuing lowering emissions after 2050, and that international shipping and aviation, which represents 9% of the county’s total emissions, should be included within targets.

Despite the commission saying that there would be upfront costs, many of the changes would result in cost savings over time, however, the government rejected this claim.

For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about the government rejecting these recommendations.

Recently, ACT MP Laura McClure has launched a member’s bill, proposing the disestablishment of the BSA, or Broadcasting Standards Authority.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to The Victoria University of Wellington’s Peter Thompson last week on the bill, who said this bill would “enable private media corporations to operate with impunity in pumping out propaganda and disinformation and the cost of that would be a further erosion of our democracy."

As well as this, Recently, the government has announced it will be halting new prescriptions for puberty blockers for young people with gender dysphoria pending a clinical trial in the UK, with the outcome of this trial set for 2031.

This move has seen backlash from a variety of LGBTQIA+ organisations and health experts working in gender-affirming care, who believe the move goes against the best interests of transgender youth.

For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party, Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about both of these topics, starting with Laura McClure’s member’s bill.