Latest news with #WillieJackson
Scoop
17-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Govt Plan For Jobs A Complete Failure
Benefit and jobseeker numbers released today show the Government's plan to grow jobs and address the cost of living is failing miserably. 'The latest June quarter report shows that things are getting worse, not better,' Labour Social Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. 'Jobseeker numbers are up. Homelessness is up and cost of living is skyrocketing. This is not a time for Louise Upston to celebrate. 'Yet, she pats herself on the back for moving people off the main benefit but completely ignores the fact that more and more people are receiving benefits and are out of work. By any measurement, this is a failure. 'For whānau in Tāmaki Makaurau it's even worse. The latest report shows that there are 2,800 more Māori on Jobseeker since the end of 2023. 'The Government has cut Māori trades training, which helped our whānau into jobs and the economy to thrive. If anyone should be sanctioned, it should be this government,' Willie Jackson said.
Newsroom
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsroom
The secret to-do list of David Seymour
Monday * Attend my first press conference as Deputy Prime Minister and speak solemnly about international affairs to strengthen the perception I am a world statesman worthy of respect. * Name some worthy academic no one has ever heard of and hold them to ridicule. * RSVP to the birthday party for a child of an influential donor from the Atlas Project. Tuesday * Take credit for the budget cuts to Radio New Zealand to strengthen the perception that Act is a powerful enemy of state-funded left-wing propaganda that attacks Act at every opportunity and gives Labour, the Greens and old scribble-face a free ride. * Increase state funding of Act's comms department. * Confirm that I will be happy to play pin the tail on the donkey at the Atlas Project children's birthday party. Wednesday * Ridicule Labour MP Willie Jackson for his comments that the Regulatory Standards Bill is set up for my mates from powerful corporations who are following their manifest destiny to despoil the countryside in exchange for massive profits which ought not be subject to tax. * Meet mates for drink. * Draw a line in the stand and decline invitation to actually play the donkey that gets a tail pinned to it at the Atlas Project children's birthday party. Thursday * Give Act's comms department the hard word to find someone who has made ridiculing remarks about me so I can whine and complain about it to strengthen the perception I am constantly under attack by the intelligentsia. * Find a way to undermine Luxon. * Find a way to undermine someone who votes Green and hugs trees. * Find a way to undermine somehow who can be described as a Māori fanatic. * Find a way to undermine someone who performs selfless acts for the betterment of society and gives hope to families doing it hard but who is associated with Labour. Friday * Seek private medical treatment for multiple puncture wounds inflicted by rich little brats wielding really sharp pins who seemed to take great pleasure in pinning a donkey's tail all over my body at the Atlas Project children's birthday party. Their parents seemed to enjoy it too. I can still hear their mocking laughter.
Otago Daily Times
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
The secret diary of . . . David Seymour
There's a lot on the agenda for David Seymour. PHOTO: RNZ MONDAY — Attend my first press conference as deputy prime minister and speak solemnly about international affairs to strengthen the perception I am a world statesman worthy of respect. — Name some worthy academic no-one has ever heard of and hold them to ridicule. — RSVP to the birthday party for a child of an influential donor from the Atlas Project. TUESDAY — Take credit for the budget cuts to Radio New Zealand to strengthen the perception that Act is a powerful enemy of state-funded left-wing propaganda that attacks Act at every opportunity and gives Labour, the Greens and old scribble face a free ride. — Increase state funding of Act's comms department. — Confirm that I will be happy to play pin the tail on the donkey at the Atlas Project birthday party. WEDNESDAY — Ridicule Labour MP Willie Jackson for his comments that the Regulatory Standards Bill is set up for my mates from powerful corporations who are following their manifest destiny to despoil the countryside in exchange for massive profits which ought not be subject to tax. — Meet mates for a drink. — Draw a line in the sand and decline an invitation to actually play the donkey that gets a tail pinned to it at the Atlas Project birthday party. THURSDAY — Give Act's comms department the hard word to find someone who has made ridiculing remarks about me so I can whine and complain about it to strengthen the perception I am constantly under attack by the intelligentsia. — Find a way to undermine Luxon. — Find a way to undermine someone who votes Green and hugs trees. — Find a way to undermine someone who can be described as a Māori fanatic. — Find a way to undermine someone who performs selfless acts for the betterment of society and gives hope to families doing it hard but who is associated with Labour. FRIDAY — Seek private medical treatment for multiple puncture wounds inflicted by rich little brats wielding really sharp pins who seemed to take great pleasure in pinning a donkey's tail all over my body at the Atlas Project birthday party. Their parents seemed to enjoy it too. I can still hear their mocking laughter. By Steve Braunias
RNZ News
24-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
David Seymour rejects claim Regulatory Standards Bill 'set up for his mates'
Labour MP Willie Jackson believed the bill would invite "big business" into the country and take away "community input". Photo: VNP / Phil Smith Labour MP Willie Jackson says he does not "acknowledge", "believe" or "trust" that the Regulatory Standards Bill won't give corporations more power, despite a clause saying it would not impose legal obligations. But ACT Leader David Seymour said Jackson was wrong and "muddying" the waters. In recent days, Seymour HAS made a series of social media posts singling out prominent opponents of the Bill, and accusing them of suffering from "Regulatory Standards Derangement Syndrome ." His targets included Jackson along with academics such as Dame Anne Salmond, Dr George Laking, and Metiria Turei. Wellington mayor Tory Whanau accused Seymour of setting a "dangerous precedent" for how dissenting voices were treated, and laid a formal complaint with the Prime Minister. On Monday, standing in for Christopher Luxon at a post-Cabinet press conference, Seymour dismissed the criticism, and accused the opponents of the bill of making incorrect statements. Speaking to media, Jackson said the bill was set up for "David Seymour's mates" and would invite "big business" into New Zealand while taking away "community input". "It's shocking, the way that he's just incorporated ACT values, libertarian values, at the expense of community values, Māaori values, New Zealand values, it's a shocking bill," Jackson said. Clause 24 of the bill stated that the Act "does not confer a legal right or impose a legal obligation on any person that is enforceable in a court of law". Asked if he acknowledged the bill would not impose legal obligations on people, Jackson said he still did not believe the bill nor Seymour, its architect. "You can tell me what you think. I'll tell you what I think, and that he wants to bring in Act libertarian values. He wants to bring in corporations on boards. He wants to ignore communities. He wants to ignore Māori. He wants to ignore your average New Zealander. "No, don't acknowledge it. Don't believe it. Don't trust it." Jackson said. Speaking to reporters, Seymour said the bill was very clear. David Seymour introduced the Regulatory Standards Bill. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii "It requires makers of laws to be transparent to Parliament what their law does and who it affects." "But it is also explicit that the regulatory standards bill... says that it does not give anybody any additional legal rights." Seymour said people "muddying the water" with misinformation were either not capable of understanding the law or deliberately making mischief. "It's not up to Willie Jackson to interpret the law. It's up to the courts, and I suspect that when they see in black and white, there are no additional legal rights." "The purpose of this law is to increase transparency to Parliament.... the good news is, I don't think Willie Jackson is going to become a judge anytime soon." Seymour said. Seymour said he had taken advice about the "likely" interpretation by the courts and was satisfied there would be a strong guide for lawmakers. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
24-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Labour MP Willie Jackson says Regulatory Standards Bill 'set up for David Seymour's mates'
Labour MP Willie Jackson believed the bill would invite "big business" into the country and take away "community input". Photo: VNP / Phil Smith Labour MP Willie Jackson says he does not "acknowledge", "believe" or "trust" that the Regulatory Standards Bill won't give corporations more power, despite a clause saying it would not impose legal obligations. But ACT Leader David Seymour said Jackson was wrong and "muddying" the waters. In recent days, Seymour HAS made a series of social media posts singling out prominent opponents of the Bill, and accusing them of suffering from "Regulatory Standards Derangement Syndrome ." His targets included Jackson along with academics such as Dame Anne Salmond, Dr George Laking, and Metiria Turei. Wellington mayor Tory Whanau accused Seymour of setting a "dangerous precedent" for how dissenting voices were treated, and laid a formal complaint with the Prime Minister. On Monday, standing in for Christopher Luxon at a post-Cabinet press conference, Seymour dismissed the criticism, and accused the opponents of the bill of making incorrect statements. Speaking to media, Jackson said the bill was set up for "David Seymour's mates" and would invite "big business" into New Zealand while taking away "community input". "It's shocking, the way that he's just incorporated ACT values, libertarian values, at the expense of community values, Māaori values, New Zealand values, it's a shocking bill," Jackson said. Clause 24 of the bill stated that the Act "does not confer a legal right or impose a legal obligation on any person that is enforceable in a court of law". Asked if he acknowledged the bill would not impose legal obligations on people, Jackson said he still did not believe the bill nor Seymour, its architect. "You can tell me what you think. I'll tell you what I think, and that he wants to bring in Act libertarian values. He wants to bring in corporations on boards. He wants to ignore communities. He wants to ignore Māori. He wants to ignore your average New Zealander. "No, don't acknowledge it. Don't believe it. Don't trust it." Jackson said. Speaking to reporters, Seymour said the bill was very clear. David Seymour introduced the Regulatory Standards Bill. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii "It requires makers of laws to be transparent to Parliament what their law does and who it affects." "But it is also explicit that the regulatory standards bill... says that it does not give anybody any additional legal rights." Seymour said people "muddying the water" with misinformation were either not capable of understanding the law or deliberately making mischief. "It's not up to Willie Jackson to interpret the law. It's up to the courts, and I suspect that when they see in black and white, there are no additional legal rights." "The purpose of this law is to increase transparency to Parliament.... the good news is, I don't think Willie Jackson is going to become a judge anytime soon." Seymour said. Seymour said he had taken advice about the "likely" interpretation by the courts and was satisfied there would be a strong guide for lawmakers. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
