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Welcome to Inside Politics. Camilla Belich is one of the most effective Labour MPs, but she has as much luck as talent on her side. A second bill of hers – tackling pay secrecy – has not only been drawn from the members’ ballot, but it is also set to be passed into law with the support of National.
While it won’t oblige workers to reveal their pay, it will no longer be acceptable for an employer to force an employee to keep their pay secret, as is the case at present. The culture of secrecy over pay has increased since the demise of national awards in favour of individual contracts. But, as Belich argues, it is also a way for employers to hide gender pay gaps.
The bill passed its second reading last night with the enthusiastic support of National, and in particular Dr Vanessa Weenink, who wished it would go even further on the basis of “massive variations” she has seen among specialist doctors within a single hospital department.
“I call on the profession to help here and to come clean,” Weenink said. “You no longer have the ability to hide behind pay secrecy clauses. If I have my way, you will all have your own pay on a full transparent basis, which will be open not only to your colleagues, it will be open to the members of all of New Zealand to see, because I believe that transparency is a key part of reducing the gender pay gap.”
Act and NZ First oppose the bill on the grounds that it negates employment contracts with secrecy clauses.
Earlier this year, Belich had another bill passed with the support of New Zealand First, making it a crime for employers to intentionally withhold wages or other entitlements from employees.
It has been the week for bashing local government, although not without cause. Bish-bash might be the best description for a hard-hitting speech to local government politicians at their annual conference this week by RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop.
“You cry out for more financing and funding tools. We’re giving them to you. You ask for a better, simpler planning system. We’re giving this to you, too. We are getting our house in order. It’s time you sorted yours out,” Bishop said.
Local Government Minister Simon Watts reiterated his plans to legislate for a rates cap and this week introduced a bill aimed at getting more discipline into councils to stick to their core functions, such as rubbish, roads and water.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon put the boot in as well to his favourite punching bag, the Wellington City Council, for spending more than $2 million on toilets in the central city, for the Takina Convention Centre, and for the bicycle lane up Molesworth St – not to mention Ray Chung’s “vile” email about Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau.
The best thing the Taxpayers’ Union does each year is to produce a league table on local government rates. This year’s table (which you can find in full at the end of this article) includes both the annual increases and the cumulative increase for the term. The average cumulative increase over three years was 34.52%, compared with cumulative inflation of 13.7%. The average increase for 2025 was 8.39%, compared to inflation of 2.5% for the year to March.
The top 10 cumulative rates increases are:
The top 10 rates increases for 2025 are:
– See the full table at the bottom of this article
The tough-talking minister Bishop featured prominently in a piece I wrote earlier this week on who would replace Luxon if he fell under a bus or down a crevice. It concludes that he has the edge over Nicola Willis, although there are several scenarios that also include the ambitious Erica Stanford and Simeon Brown. Stanford has some support, but more from outside Parliament than in the caucus. The article is not code for saying that moves are being made against Luxon, nor is it a prediction that Luxon will vacate the leadership. But it does show whose stocks have risen within National in the past 18 months, and such considerations are never far from the minds of politicians. Newstalk ZB’s Jason Walls asked Luxon at his post-Cabinet press conference if he had been avoiding buses lately. He did not appear to be amused.
It is hardly surprising that Labour has hit back at ridiculous claims by Te Pāti Māori that Labour is being “greedy” in running a sitting MP in the Tāmaki Makaurau byelection, prompted by the death of Takutai Tarsh Kemp. Labour list MP Peeni Henare is trying to regain his old seat and, if he did, Georgie Dansey would join Labour as a list MP. Henare initially missed out by four votes in 2023’s official result, but after a judicial recount, Kemp’s majority widened to 42 votes.
Te Pāti Māori candidate and former broadcaster Oriini Kaipara has a distinct advantage over Henare, given that he is already in Parliament, not to mention some high-profile support.
Newstalk ZB and Herald NOW host Ryan Bridge raised eyebrows in his upfront support this week for Kaipara, his former Newshub workmate and friend. Explaining his hope that she would win to Barry Soper on Monday, Bridge simply said she was “an absolutely brilliant woman”. Henare was all right, he said, “but I like Oriini more”.
• David Seymour couldn’t help himself during Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi’s questions yesterday to the Prime Minister about the letter on indigenous rights from the UN: “Point of order, Mr Speaker,” Seymour said. “Normally I’d let it go, but seeing as we have guests from the French Senate [in the gallery], can we please have it said ‘rapporteur’, not ‘repertoire’?”
• New Zealand First’s David Wilson was sworn in as an MP this week, bringing to 11 the number of MPs in the present Parliament that can be addressed as “Dr”. There are three medical doctors – Dr Shane Reti, Dr Ayesha Verrall and Dr Vanessa Weenink – and seven PhDs: Wilson, Dr Megan Woods, Dr Duncan Webb, Dr Deborah Russell, Dr Parmjeet Parmar, Dr Tracey McLellan, Dr Hamish Campbell and Dr Carlos Cheung [a previous version omitted Hamish Campbell].
NZ First’s Shane Jones: “I had the privilege of addressing a host of mining investors, professionals in Sydney. They regard the quality of leadership that I have shown on behalf of the Government of such stature, they invited me to be a politician in Canberra.”
Labour’s Duncan Webb: “Take it up!”
There used to be 16 polytechnics before they were amalgamated into a national body, Te Pūkenga, but how many will there be under the new plan to re-establish regional polytechs? (Answer at the bottom of this article.)
Goes to David Seymour for bypassing Foreign Minister Winston Peters and responding himself to a letter to Peters from the UN rapporteur on the rights of indigenous people about three matters, including Seymour’s Regulatory Standards Bill. Manners matter, especially in coalitions.
Goes to Speaker Gerry Brownlee for upbraiding Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds for repeatedly telling Parliament she was not responsible for staffing numbers. “Ministers are responsible for the operational detail of the entities for which they have portfolio responsibility,” Brownlee reminded her.
OPINION – National Party leadership: Audrey Young - Who would lead if Luxon couldn’t?
Youth bootcamps: Reoffending won’t be publicised during future bootcamps as officials prepare for “MSA 2.0”
Minister’s hospitalisation: Judith Collins taken to hospital with “nasty bout of vertigo”
Classroom design: Stanford says Government ditching open-plan classrooms
Council planning: Bishop tells councils to stop plan changes ahead of RMA reforms
UN letter: Peters, Seymour dismiss claims Govt in disarray over UN letter
Tāmaki Makaurau byelection: Te Pāti Māori byelection contender cops flak for supporting Labour candidate
Tāmaki Makaurau byelection: Henare hits back at Te Pāti Māori “greedy” byelection contest claim
Delayed screening: Brown defends rollout of breast cancer screening
UN letter: Seymour criticises UN official over indigenous rights letter
Merger u-turn: Govt restores regional governance for 10 polytechs, unwinds merger
OPINION – Regulatory Standards Bill: Thomas Coughlan – Regulatory Standards Bill shakes coalition and breaks Parliament
Fast-track consents: Seymour wants fast-track law for new supermarket chains
Quiz answer: 10