Latest news with #SouthAucklanders
Otago Daily Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
'Silly games': Peeni Henare on passport design changes
Tāmaki Makaurau candidate Peeni Henare campaigning at Ōtara Market. Photo: RNZ/Jessica Hopkins The Labour party says Aucklanders are tired of the government's "silly games". The party was drumming up support for their candidate in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election in South Auckland on Saturday. Peeni Henare will contest the seat for Labour against Te Pāti Māori candidate, former broadcaster Oriini Kaipara, after the death of Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Tarsh Kemp in June. Henare, who narrowly lost to Kemp at the last election, spent Saturday morning at the bustling Ōtara Market. He was joined by Labour leader Chris Hipkins and other party members, including Georgie Dansey, who will enter parliament on Labour's party list if Henare is successful. Speaking on the government redesigning New Zealand's passport to place the English words above the te reo Māori text, Hipkins said he was opposed to the change. "It's a massive step backwards. We can be proud to have Aotearoa, New Zealand on our passports. It has been there for decades, and no one has complained about it." Henare said the government was not focusing on what mattered. A 2016 and a 2023 New Zealand passport. The older passport features the English words first - a design the government says it will change back to with new passports from 2027. Photo: Natalie Akoorie "I'm a big advocate for te reo Māori. It's concerning that the government isn't focused on real issues hurting our people, the cost of living. It's absolute silly games... from this government." Henare said he got a clear vibe from South Aucklanders that people wanted a change in government. "The message was very clear as we walked around the Ōtara Market that people want to see the back of this government." Henare said the passing of Takutai Kemp was very sad. But he said that did not mean Labour should not contest the Tāmaki Makaurau seat. "Anybody who thinks a green seat in the chamber of Parliament is a free pass for anybody is absolute folly. "Should I be successful at this by-election, our tuahine Georgia Dansey, a wahine Māori, will be coming into Parliament." He said Labour was seeking a clear mandate to represent Tāmaki Makaurau in the by-election and the 2026 elections. Chris Hipkins said they would be vigourously campaigning for Henare over the next few weeks. Those on the Māori roll will vote in the Tāmaki Makauru by-election is on 6 September, 2025.
Otago Daily Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Peeni Henare says government playing 'silly games'
Tāmaki Makaurau candidate Peeni Henare campaigning at Ōtara Market. Photo: RNZ/Jessica Hopkins The Labour party says Aucklanders are tired of the government's "silly games". The party was drumming up support for their candidate in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election in South Auckland on Saturday. Peeni Henare will contest the seat for Labour against Te Pāti Māori candidate, former broadcaster Oriini Kaipara, after the death of Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Tarsh Kemp in June. Henare, who narrowly lost to Kemp at the last election, spent Saturday morning at the bustling Ōtara Market. He was joined by Labour leader Chris Hipkins and other party members, including Georgie Dansey, who will enter parliament on Labour's party list if Henare is successful. Speaking on the government redesigning New Zealand's passport to place the English words above the te reo Māori text, Hipkins said he was opposed to the change. "It's a massive step backwards. We can be proud to have Aotearoa, New Zealand on our passports. It has been there for decades, and no one has complained about it." Henare said the government was not focusing on what mattered. A 2016 and a 2023 New Zealand passport. The older passport features the English words first - a design the government says it will change back to with new passports from 2027. Photo: Natalie Akoorie "I'm a big advocate for te reo Māori. It's concerning that the government isn't focused on real issues hurting our people, the cost of living. It's absolute silly games... from this government." Henare said he got a clear vibe from South Aucklanders that people wanted a change in government. "The message was very clear as we walked around the Ōtara Market that people want to see the back of this government." Henare said the passing of Takutai Kemp was very sad. But he said that did not mean Labour should not contest the Tāmaki Makaurau seat. "Anybody who thinks a green seat in the chamber of Parliament is a free pass for anybody is absolute folly. "Should I be successful at this by-election, our tuahine Georgia Dansey, a wahine Māori, will be coming into Parliament." He said Labour was seeking a clear mandate to represent Tāmaki Makaurau in the by-election and the 2026 elections. Chris Hipkins said they would be vigourously campaigning for Henare over the next few weeks. Those on the Māori roll will vote in the Tāmaki Makauru by-election is on 6 September, 2025.
Scoop
09-07-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Government Must Save Tōtara Hospice: NZNO
The Coalition Government must provide urgent funding to Totara Hospice to stop it having to cut its services by a quarter from next week, NZNO says. Totara Hospice provides end-of-life care at no direct cost to patients from a diverse and growing community of around 520,000 South Aucklanders and is the subject of a new documentary series called Hospice Heroes. New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) delegate and hospice nurse Ed Boswell-Correa said staff were yesterday told the hospice had to reduce the number of people they actively care for in a month from 420 to 320 because of a lack of Government funding. "This decision is devastating for the local community. It will mean only the sickest people will be able to access our services. "It will force elderly people to remain in aged care facilities when they need specialist palliative care. Other people will be forced to go to Middlemore Hospital for care or worse still, not receive the care they need at all. "These people deserve the dignity they are provided by hospice when they are dying." Ed Boswell-Correa says yesterday's "bombshell announcement" follows a hiring freeze Totara was forced to put in place last month. "Fewer nurses and health care assistants mean less care for our patients. We want to be able to provide our patients and their whānau with the health care they need at this traumatic time in their lives," he says. Sadly, Totara Hospice isn't alone. NZNO is aware of at least four other hospices having to reduce their services. The Coalition Government must provide Te Whatu Ora with the funding it needs to save these services now. A report in March found hospices provide taxpayers with at least $1.59 in health benefits for every dollar of government funding.
NZ Herald
30-06-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Watch live: Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp to be laid to rest today
Hundreds of people are expected to gather in Taihape today to farewell Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp who died last week, aged 50, following a battle with kidney disease. A Rātana service will be held at Ōpaea Marae around 11am before Kemp is laid to rest. All Te Pāti Māori MPs are at today's service, along with a cohort of MPs from Labour, including leader Chris Hipkins. A livestream of the service can be viewed from the top of this article. In the hours after her passing, Kemp's party said they were devastated and heartbroken by the loss. 'Takutai was more than a colleague to us, she was our sister, and we loved her dearly.' Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is not attending the service today but said there had been good representation from his MPs at the marae near Taihape already. That included Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka, Rangitīkei MP Suze Redmayne, New Plymouth MP David MacLeod, Maungakiekie MP Greg Fleming and Whanganui MP Carl Bates. Kemp's passing shocked Parliament. Flags flew at half-mast and flowers were placed on her bench in the House. Tributes from politicians highlighted her dedication to helping young people through dance, particularly in South Auckland. In 2021, Kemp received the New Zealand Order of Merit for her years of services. In her maiden speech at Parliament, Kemp said she had grown so close with many of the young people that they called her 'Aunty' or 'Mum'. Manurewa MP Arena Williams said Kemp 'always had an open door for young people'. 'There will be a lot of South Aucklanders who will really feel this, who will really miss having someone like this.' Labour's Willie Jackson said Kemp was a 'beautiful soul' with a vivacious, passionate personality and an 'absolute powerhouse' in her work for Manurewa Marae. Kemp was the chief executive prior to becoming an MP. 'As the CEO, she was at the forefront of Whānau Ora, rangatahi, Māori development, community development, you name it, and Tarsh was doing it.' Kemp was a first-term MP. She beat incumbent Peeni Henare (Labour) in the Tāmaki Makaurau seat by 42 votes in the 2023 election. Henare was visibly emotional at Parliament in the hours after Kemp's passing, saying the pair had called each other brother and sister. 'It is truly shocking ... when I think about our sister, her passion was for our young people and ... she loved her mokopuna [grandchildren]. We were up at Matariki on Friday and she literally said, 'I can't wait to get home to my mokopuna'.' Te Pāti Māori said 'Takutai devoted every last breath' to the movement for Māori liberation. Kemp was on the front benches at Parliament alongside Te Tai Tonga MP Tākuta Ferris the day before she died. 'Even as serious illness weighed on her, she continued to stand in the House, in our homes, on our marae and in our communities – relentlessly championing the rights and wellbeing of our people." Kemp also worked with the University of Auckland to develop a Rangatahi Mental Health Youth Hub in Manurewa to address the high suicide rates among young Māori.
