ACT's Simon Court

Last week the government announced a directive to create a public service that delivers based on ‘need not race’ - fulfilling a coalition agreement secured by Act and New Zealand First. 

The Government says it’s concerned that public servants have been using race as a proxy for need.

Despite this the coalition government has introduced things such as free bowel cancer screening for those over 60, but due to Māori and Pasifika’s increased risk of cancer, this applies for those over 50. Completely negating the incentive now being pushed. 

For their weekly catch up producer Evie spoke to the ACT Party’s Simon Court about why what they are calling a ‘colourblind public service’  is being pushed forward. 

They also talked about the Treaty Principals bill which a draft of was tabled in cabinet for the first time last week.

The Minister of Health has admitted that Aotearoa’s Health System is in a ‘crisis’. There are vast staff shortages, many staff raising issues of burnout, long wait times, delayed diagnoses and an increase in telehealth services. 

Last week Te Whatu Ora announced voluntary redundancies for admin and advisory staff, which follows the axing of 268 roles from the organisation's commissioning team. 

For our weekly catch up producer Evie spoke to the ACT party’s Simon Court about how the government is addressing the crisis the health sector faces while continuing to cut roles. 

They also talked about how the government is dealing with the current energy crisis, in which shortages of power are pushing up industry prices. This includes the proposed import of liquified natural gas. 

But she started off by asking him about Te Whatu Ora’s voluntary redundancies.

On Friday the Waitangi Tribunal released an interim report which called for the ACT Party’s controversial Treaty Principals Bill to be scrapped. 

Some of the tribunal’s findings said the bill "is a solution to a problem that does not exist, it is fashioned upon a disingenuous historical narrative ;its policy rationales are unsustainable ; and its current text distorts the language of the Treaty / Te Tiriti.” 

Despite all of this, ACT Party leader David Seymour has welcomed the criticism, saying he’s open to encouraging ‘discussion and debate’ around the topic. 

For the weekly catch up with the ACT Party Producer Evie spoke to Simon Court why the party intends to move forward with the bill, in light of these scathing findings. 

They also discussed new sanctions for beneficiaries announced by the government last week, and why the ACT Party believes these should be even stricter than proposed. 

Earlier this year legislation was introduced to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. Section 7AA emphasises the importance of Māori youth being placed with families that represent their whakapapa, as well as honour principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 

The ACT Party, and Minister for Children Karen Chhour say this section is putting children in danger, removing them from stable families to place them instead with whanau that align with their whakapapa and iwi. 

Oranga Tamariki say there is no empirical evidence to support these claims - causing widespread backlash, with many believing the move is simply pushing the ACT party’s ideologies. 

Today Ngāpuhi, Aotearoa’s largest iwi are on a hikoi to parliament in opposition to this repeal, saying it will disadvantage Māori rangatahi, who make up the majority of those in state care. 

For their weekly catch up producer Evie spoke to the ACT Party’s Simon Court about the intentions of the repeal, and the party’s feelings around the backlash.