Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern discusses Labour's election promise to make Matariki a public holiday from 2022.
Labour leader Jacinda Ardern has kicked off her party's election campaign by announcing that if elected, Labour would make Matariki a public holiday.
It would be the first new public holiday in New Zealand in almost 50 years and New Zealand's 12th public holiday of the year.
It would start in 2022 and is Labour's second election policy pitch.
"As I've travelled around New Zealand I've heard the calls for Matariki to become a public holiday – its time has come," Ardern said on the campaign trail in Rotorua today.
Although Labour's policy has no exact date for the holiday, it is expected to be in winter and would always fall within a Monday or a Friday within Matariki.
Ardern and Kelvin Davis in Rotorua today. Photo / Andrew warner
"Matariki will be a distinctly New Zealand holiday and a time for reflection, celebration and to look to the future as we take increasing pride in our unique national identity," Ardern said.
She noted that when compared to other countries in the OECD, New Zealand has fewer public holidays than many of its peers.
In fact, 18 countries have more public holidays than New Zealand.
It would fall within the winter months – between Queen's Birthday on June 1 and Labour Day on October 26.
Ardern said this would be a good way to "break up the long run through winter".
This is Labour's second major policy of the election campaign.
It is Labour's second election policy pitch – the first was at the party's campaign launch on August 8.
Ardern said Matariki has become a time of celebration not just for Māori, but for many New Zealanders across Aotearoa.
Asked about the idea in May, Ardern said it was something that was "on her radar" but it was an idea that had not received "widespread support across the Government".
NZ First leader Winston Peters – whose party is in a coalition Government with Labour – has previously said he is opposed to additional public holidays.
He doubled down on his stance in a press release soon after Labour's policy announcement hit headlines.
"New Zealand First has concerns that an additional public holiday will place undue strain on employers," he said in a statement.
"Covid-19 has drastically affected our economy and businesses shouldn't have to pay for another public holiday."
Act leader David Seymour said Ardern must be "in la la land" promising a new public holiday during a recession.
"If Labour wants Matariki to be public holiday, it should abolish Labour Day so businesses aren't taking on more costs," he said.
Ardern is in Rotorua for the day - her National rival Judith Collins is in Hawke's Bay. Photo / Andrew Warner
Labour's deputy leader Kelvin Davis said the new public holiday would be a good way to give Māori a chance to share their traditions, history and stories.
"None of our current public holidays recognise Māori culture and tradition.
"Making Matariki a public holiday is another step forward in our partnership as a people and a further recognition of te ao Māori in our public life."
He also said it would help New Zealand's domestic tourism and hospitality sectors.
He said the reasons it would not come into force until 2022 was because of the "significant impact" Covid-19 has had on businesses.
Another public holiday, he said, can create additional costs on businesses.
National agreed with this sentiment this morning.
When asked about calls to make Matariki a public holiday, leader Judith Collins said some within National thought it was a great idea.
"The issue is it's another public holiday that employers have to pay for," she said, adding that many are still struggling with economic fallout Covid-19.
The questions were not in relation to Labour's specific policy, rather just questions about whether or not National would support Matariki becoming a public holiday.
The Employers and Manufacturers Association was quick to caution against the idea.
Its CEO, Brett O'Riley, says it will be a cost to business and is unlikely to support increased tourism, which was the original argument for an extra public holiday during Covid-19 alert levels 1 and 2.
"We understand the cultural argument about Matariki being considered important enough for a public holiday, but it could have been exchanged with one of the other public holidays."
Labour's second policy
It is Labour's second election policy pitch – the first was at the party's campaign launch on August 8.
But, because of the re-emergence of Covid-19 in the community, Ardern was forced to push the election – and by extension the election campaign – back.
On August 8, during the launch of her re-election campaign, Ardern announced a $300 million package to protect struggling workers and businesses from the worst impacts of Covid-19.
The new, targeted jobs policy would take a more long-term approach, and built on the existing Flexi-wage scheme - a wage subsidy to help employers hire those on a benefit and/or at risk of unemployment.
Funding will allow businesses a subsidy of on average $7500, and up to $22,000, to hire unemployed New Zealanders.
They would have to prove the job as sustainable in the long term, and would only receive the subsidy once the person had been employed for six weeks.
The total $311m investment is estimated to support up to 40,000 jobs, keeping New Zealanders off the unemployment benefit.
Another $30m would be ring-fenced to help out-of-work Kiwis start a business, providing the equivalent of the minimum wage for up to 30 hours a week.
National also has a policy that would allow recently unemployed withdraw up to $20,000 from their KiwiSaver to start a business.
The party has also pledged a $10,000 subsidy per worker for any business that took on a full-time worker, as part of $500m scheme.
Funding for Labour's policy would come from the Wage Subsidy underspend, with $2 billion of the $2.6b budget spent, rather than the Covid Response Fund, which could be needed to fight the virus again or to reduce debt, Ardern said.
The Flexi-wage scheme was introduced in 2012, but Ardern was at pains to impress it was their policy, not National's.
They were expanding it, because it worked, she said.
Parliament officially adjourned for the campaign period on Sunday.
MPs left the House for the last time this term on Wednesday, but today is where the rubber hits the road for Labour's campaign.
