AM Edition: Top 10 Politics Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for April 19, 2026 – Full Text

Source: Radio New Zealand

Te reo and haka exponent Kingi Kiriona says government “divestment away from kaupapa Māori” initiatives is behind his decision to step into politics and contest the Hauraki-Waikato electorate for Labour.

Kiriona (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Kahungunu) is the founder of Māori education provider, TupuOra, a former journalist and the tutor of Waikato-based kapa haka, Te Iti Kahurangi.

Te Iti Kahurangi are performing at the Tainui Waka Kapa Haka Festival on Saturday, where Kiriona will make the formal announcement to the crowd in what he says will be his first chance to stand face-to-face with the region after becoming a candidate.

He told RNZ if elected his first priority would be re-establishing a focus on Te Tiriti, particularly in education where the government has removed school boards’ legal obligation to give effect to Te Tiriti and cut funding for te reo Māori teacher training.

“It’s policies like that that really hit hard at the spirit of Māori. And as someone that’s always fought for mātauranga Māori and for the place of mātauranga Māori, particularly within education, alongside my partner, Te Waipounamu, our whānau, our colleagues, actually, in TupuOra, it would be remiss of me not to stand up in the way that I’m standing up right now to say enough is enough. It’s time for change.”

He’s seen the effect shifting government investment away from Māori initiatives has on Māori families first hand.

“My wife and I, we run a Māori education business, TupuOra Education and Development Limited. At our peak three to four years ago under the previous regime, we had a complement of 30 staff, as of January this year, we’re now down to five staff.

“So we’ve seen the direct impact of the divestment away from kaupapa Māori, in this instance, kaupapa Māori education. We’ve seen the direct impact on us, but also on the whānau that we employ.”

As for why he went with Labour, Kiriona said it comes down to one word – “friends.”

“People that know me know that I’m fiercely Māori. Everything that I’ve done has been done and achieved and predicated on Māori values and on what’s best for te ao Māori and certainly in the interests of mana motuhake. But we all know in this game that we call politics, you need friends, you need friends to advance, to make policy gains, funding shifts and so I see an opportunity here with the Labour Party.”

Kiriona said he made it clear his candidacy would always be contingent on receiving the blessing of Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po, which he did earlier this year.

“Her words were, ‘Mō te oranga o te iwi me pēwhea e kore ai au e whakaae.’ So for the betterment of the people, how can I not support or agree? So to receive that blessing is huge.”

Kiriona was born and raised in Dannevirke, but has been living in Waikato for close to 30 where he said he has been blessed to be taken under the wing of key people in the rohe, so it means a lot to stand in the region especially with the blessing of Te Arikinui.

Although Te Arikinui was clear she didn’t want to see an adversarial election campaign against incumbent MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, he said.

Kiriona has an existing relationship with Maipi-Clarke having worked with her father during his time as a journalist, that whakapapa drew him to contact Maipi-Clarke ahead of the public announcement of his candidacy.

“Sure we come from different parties, we may represent different policies on behalf of our different parties. But we are Māori, we’re grounded in tikanga, we’re grounded in kaupapa Māori, we are a part of the Kiingitanga, and the Kiingitanga is predicated on te kotahitanga,” he said.

Kiriona is currently the Deputy Chair of Te Māngai Pāho, following three terms as Board Director of Whakaata Māori. He’s also a sitting member of the Waitangi Tribunal and before its disestablishment was the deputy chief-executive of Te Aka Whai Ora.

In the other Māori electorates Labour has selected the former chair of Te Rūnanga o Koukourarata Mananui Ramsden in Te Tai Tonga, former Auckland Councillor Kerrin Leoni in Tāmaki Makaurau and current List MP Willow-Jean Prime in Te Tai Tokerau.

Incumbent MP Cushla Tangaere-Manuel will also be trying to hold on to Ikaroa-Rāwhiti for Labour.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Transport Minister Chris Bishop is playing down political pressure following recent poll results, insisting that he remains focused on the job and confident in the Prime Minister.

Touted as a potential contender for the National Party’s top job amid speculation about Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s job security, Bishop batted down questions of a potential leadership bid.

Bishop also brushed off questions about his marginal Hutt South seat, and said he’s “head down” working for constituents, and will campaign on his record and future plans.

When asked directly, he confirmed he has confidence in the Prime Minister, declining to discuss private conversations but stressing they are in regular contact.

“Look, I’m just head down, bum up on my portfolios and also working hard locally as well.”

“I’ve got a good track record as a local MP, and I’ll be running on that record and also running on my and the government’s plans for the future.”

“You know, Hutt South has always been a closer venture. It always will be. It’s what they call a marginal seat.

“All I can do is put my best foot forward, run on my record, and run on future plans.

“The Prime Minister and I talk all the time… but I’m not going to get into what I’ve said to him or what he’s said to me recently.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

• RSE workers’ costs should be more fairly shared with employers and government, report finds
• Policy being reviewed by MBIE, including workers’ shared accommodation
• Concerns over ‘blacklisting’ of workers who raise grievances

An international report into New Zealand’s seasonal worker scheme says reform is needed to bring down migrants’ costs, and protect them from abuse.

The government says its own review of the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) programme will consider the report’s recommendations, as well as the views of employers and Pacific partners.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) report calls on the government and employers to cut migration costs to shoulder a more equitable share of costs including transport, accommodation and set-up costs.

More than 20,000 workers arrive each year from the Pacific, filling jobs in horticulture and viticulture such as fruit-picking.

The ILO report recommended workers be allowed to change their Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) more easily and have free access to healthcare.

In particular, it highlighted that workers who raised issues were “vulnerable to blacklisting” when it came time for possible re-hiring for another season. It pointed to a previous study which found RSE workers were unlikely to make formal complaints, due to fears of being perceived as troublemakers and out of cultural respect for authority.

RSE workers who were dismissed from employment lost their right to remain in New Zealand, and the report-writers found no information on being able to change employers in material provided to RSE workers.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said that transfers to new employers were possible on a case-by-case basis – if requested by an employer, the labour inspectorate, an engagement partner, or a Pacific liaison officer.

The report questioned how accessible and effective those channels were for workers wanting to report exploitation or other grievances.

Following the release of the previous ILO report four years ago, Australia had adopted a recommendation to disincentivise employers from deducting unreasonable amounts from workers. It now had a minimum take-home salary of AU$200 per week.

The latest report recommended New Zealand should adopt the same policy and also noted labour hire companies were not subject to a general licensing requirement.

It called for a review of the participation of women and other underrepresented groups in both work schemes.

“Further strengthening these schemes in line with international labour standards will help ensure their long-term success and benefit workers, employers and countries of origin and destination alike,” said ILO Pacific office director Martin Wandera.

An unconnected surveyconducted by MBIE and representing a quarter of RSE employers suggested many went beyond their legal and pastoral obligations to help staff. Of the employers who responded to the survey, more than half had helped fund or organise full or partial containers sent back to workers’ home countries.

Supplies included building materials, tools, water tanks, solar panels, generators, school supplies and household goods – and assistance in the wake of disasters was also common.

Accommodation

The ILO report found protections already in place in New Zealand included a ban on charging recruitment fees. But it said many workers were in debt when they arrived – to employers, as well as banks, governments and family back home – because of travel and documentation costs.

“MBIE undertakes direct monitoring of employer deductions, though the details of what is considered ‘reasonable’ could not be found in the documents made available for this review,” it said.

Employers often provided accommodation to their workers, and a new framework set out the basic standards, as well as how much they could charge for better lodging.

The government said in January it was allowing higher rent caps – inflation-increased each year – to encourage employers to invest in better-quality accommodation.

Weekly caps from $150 to $211 had been introduced this month – the maximum rental charge depended on the accommodation quality and features, such as the number of people sharing a bedroom, the age of the building and bathroom proximity.

But in an update last month, INZ said employers would be given a transitional period of up to two years if they were currently charging a higher amount than they would be able to under the new methodology.

“Employers will only be able to recover the actual cost of providing accommodation, and all charges must be reasonable,” it said. “Employers must still comply with employment law, including the Minimum Wage Act and the Wages Protection Act, and employers remain responsible for ensuring accommodation deductions are lawful.”

RSE review

The government-set cap on RSE worker numbers had risen from 5000 when the scheme started in 2007 to 20,750 last year.

Most came from 13 Pacific countries, although latest (pre-pandemic) figures show employers also recruited other nationalities, such as Filipinos and Malaysians.

In 2022, the-then Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Karanina Sumeo said she witnessed slavery-like conditions and said the RSE scheme was being run in a way that allowed modern slavery to take place.

In 2024, the government removed the requirement that RSE workers be paid 10 percent above minimum wage.

They now had to have worked at least two seasons before the additional 10 percent was applied. However, the average number of seasons worked was below three, according to research by the Development Policy Centre’s Charlotte Bedford, who said New Zealand was languishing behind Australia in worker protections and wages for RSE workers.

MBIE said its review was considering the ILO’s report and recommendations, as well as input from employers and Pacific nations to ensure that the RSE scheme continued to benefit workers, their source countries and the horticulture and viticulture sectors.

“The scope of this review is broad, spanning employer and compliance settings, labour market settings and the visa itself,” said its policy manager Sam Foley. “Accommodation quality standards are being considered in the policy review which is currently underway.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

MIL OSI

Source: New Zealand Government

Transport Minister Chris Bishop has welcomed completion of a new roundabout at the intersection of State Highway 2 (SH2) and Wainui Road near Ōpōtiki, making this key corridor significantly safer and more efficient for vehicles and freight.

“There were nine crashes at the intersection of SH2/Wainui Road between 2014 and 2023, three of them were injury crashes, one of which was serious. Delivering safe roading infrastructure is a priority for the Government, and I’m pleased the new roundabout is now completed,” Mr Bishop says.

“Carrying around 5,000 vehicles per day, with 15 per cent of that heavy vehicles, SH2 is a main route for locals, tourists and freight travelling between Tauranga and Gisborne. This new roundabout delivers a practical safety solution to a high-risk intersection that has seen too many preventable crashes.

“There is more work to do to improve safety on this important corridor. With the new roundabout at SH2/Wainui Road finished we are in the home stretch of completing the wider SH2 Wainui to Opotiki safety improvement project.

“In May 2025, around $10 million in funding was confirmed to deliver two new tear-drop roundabouts at high-risk intersections either side of Waiōtahe River Bridge. Construction started in January 2026 and and is expected to be completed in April 2027.   

“Once finished, these roundabouts will complete the overall safety improvement project at a cost of around $37.5 million. In addition to the roundabouts, safety upgrades included road widening, new side barriers, and improved line marking.

“I want to thank local communities and road users for their continued patience while these safety upgrades are being finished, and the strong advocacy of local MP Dana Kirkpatrick. The new roundabout at SH2/Wainui Road will provide a much safer connection and I look forward to the two remaining roundabouts either side of Waiotahe River Bridge being completed as soon as possible.”

Notes to editor: 

At a cost of around $10 million, construction of the SH2/Wainui Road roundabout began in April 2025, taking 12 months to complete. The work was carefully staged to keep traffic moving and maintain access for residents and businesses.
Previous statement on funding and delivery of new roundabout at SH2/Wainui Road is here: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-state-highway-2-roundabout-improve-road-safety-eastern-bay-plenty
Previous statement on funding and delivery of two new tear-drop roundabouts either side of the Waiotahe River Bridge is here: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/funding-approved-two-new-roundabouts-sh2-near-%C5%8Dp%C5%8Dtiki-improve-road-safety

MIL OSI

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has admitted that the costs of running the government’s fast-track process are ”well in excess” of what it expected.

The agency was granted a $10 million Crown loan for the set-up costs associated with running the process.

The loan term was for five years and the EPA had said it would need 50 applications a year until 2029 for it to pay the loan back.

A Select Committee review of the EPA reveals that, between December 2024 and December 2025, 49 applications were lodged.

The report said that ongoing operational costs were recovered by charging applicants a levy and application fee.

”The intention is for the regime to be cost-neutral, so that operational costs are entirely recovered from applicants. Applicants cover actual and reasonable costs incurred by government agencies, local authorities, panel conveners, and expert panels.”

The EPA told Select Committee members that that operational costs were “well in excess of what we first modelled”.

“‘The EPA said that, initially, costs incurred by agencies, local authorities, and expert panels for each application were projected to be around $250,000, whereas now it estimates some applications to incur costs of more than $500,000.”

Some Select Commitee members had heard that some councils felt unable to pass the application fee on to applicants.

“Consequently, councils have absorbed some of the costs. The EPA commented that it has seen councils taking time to adapt to the fast-track regime, and that they are often still approaching applications as if they were under the Resource Management Act 1991,” the report said.

“The EPA told us it has had “reasonably tense” conversations with some councils encouraging them to pass costs on.”

The EPA was approached for comment.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

MIL OSI

Source: New Zealand Government

Note to editors

Background:

• Cyclone Gabrielle hit Hawke’s Bay on 14 February 2023, with record rainfall,
• Six Māori communities in Hawke’s Bay were severely affected by the weather event: Tangoio, Petāne, Waiohiki, Ōmāhu, Moteo, and Pōrangahau.
• Two of the marae in these communities – Petāne and Tangoio, sustained significant damage during the weather event.
• The Petane and Tangoio marae were later assessed as Category 3 — meaning they face unacceptable and unmitigable risk to life from future flooding or landslides. Homes and community facilities in these areas were not considered safe to rebuild.
• As part of the Whenua Māori and Marae Pathway (WMMP) process, trustees for both marae entered into a Relationship and Funding Agreement with the Government and National Infrastructure Funding and Financing (NIFF) to relocate and rebuild the marae.
• The WMMP is jointly overseen by the Ministers of Finance, Emergency Management and Recovery, Māori Development, and Māori Crown Relations. Its purpose is to support the relocation of marae and culturally significant assets that have become unsafe due to land instability, inundation, or structural compromise.

MIL OSI

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Police Association says it’s “extremely concerned” a police memo to staff regarding a pay bargaining campaign was “an attempt to intimidate members”.

The association also says the memo showed the campaign “has hit a nerve and having an impact”.

On Wednesday, the association issued a press release which said that for the first time in its 90-year history it was driving a pay bargaining campaign that included “active and visible advocacy from a workforce that is legally forbidden to strike”.

Bargaining starts on 1 May.

“On that day police officers throughout the country will be making their feelings known by engaging in activities aimed at drawing Police, public and political attention to their bid for remuneration that matches the risks they face in doing their job to keep New Zealanders safe,” the association said.

The campaign slogan was “Repay the Risk”.

Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz

Association president Steve Watt said members were asking police, the Public Service Commission and government to “repay the risks endemic in the role of a police officer”.

“Those risks include exposure to violence and danger, unpredictable and traumatic incidents, increasing complexity in frontline policing, and the responsibility of protecting public safety.

“Members feel that when it comes to their pay negotiations, they are essentially invisible – no ability to work to rule, no marching in the streets, nothing to capture the attention of politicians or the public. That is why we are doing things differently this pay round.”

The press release said a significant part of the campaign strategy was direct engagement with politicians with postcards being sent from members.

.

“We welcome pro-active engagement from MPs who often know the officers in their districts. I urge them to take some time to ask about the pressures driving this unique campaign.”

On Thursday morning, a memo was sent to staff on behalf of Assistant Commissioner Deployment Jeanette Park.

The memo, seen by RNZ, said police had always “positively engaged” with the service organisations and had a “long history” of supporting staff in being able to advocate their position.

“This does not change.”

Park said ahead of bargaining it was “important to remind you that our values continue to be front and centre of how we operate”.

“One of those values is professionalism: look the part, be the part which requires us all to maintain standards and present a professional image to ensure our communities have trust and confidence in us.

“Stickers, decals, ribbons, clasps, lanyards or other non-branded police material are not permitted on uniforms, or any police assets such as police vehicles, equipment, buildings, office spaces and noticeboards.”

Park said it was “essential for us to maintain our professionalism to ensure New Zealanders have trust and confidence in us”.

Following the memo, the association wrote to staff.

The email, seen by RNZ, said the association “rejects police’s view that participation in the ‘Repay the Risk’ campaign is unprofessional”.

“Our view is that it is highly professional to care about your terms and conditions and take collegial action to seek improvements, thereby aiding the viability of your occupation.

“We are extremely concerned that this morning’s Pānui was an attempt to intimidate members and to undermine our campaign.”

The association said it was “vital” members’ right to participate in the union was protected.

“Your employer should respect that and refrain from imposing any restrictions inconsistent with other external material, such as claiming that because our campaign materials – wristbands and stickers etc – are non-Police branded they are not permitted within your workplace or while in uniform.”

Any members who experienced “retaliation” were asked to contact the union.

“Before ‘Repay the Risk’ was under way Commissioner [Richard] Chambers was advised about the material that was to be distributed. No concerns were raised.

“Accordingly, association president Steve Watt has written to the commissioner outlining our concerns. We have also indicated our willingness to take things further if we must.”

RNZ has approached police for comment.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Those living on Aotea/Great Barrier Island fear that overfishing has decimated the kōura population.

Ngāti Rehua – Ngātiwai ki Aotea Trust Board and the Aotea/Great Barrier Local Board are wanting the government to back a plan to manage the population before it is too late.

Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Shane Jones banned rock lobster fishing from the east coast of Northland to the Hauraki Gulf on 1 April, 2026. That connected to an existing closure of the inner Hauraki Gulf on 1 April, 2025.

The former chairperson of Ngāti Rehua – Ngātiwai ki Aotea, Opo Ngawaka, had already noticed the impact on Great Barrier Island since then.

“The main issue is pressure put on Aotea at the moment with closures around in the inner [Hauraki] Gulf and that, and it’s forcing recreational and commercial fisheries out towards our way,” he said. “And I think we’ve struggled a little bit, we’ve struggled quite a lot, actually, with the cyclonic weather we’ve been having in four or five years in the past, which had an impact on our fisheries.”

Glenn Edney is a member of the Tai Tū Moana Steering Group.

Tai Tū Moana is a conservation project by Ngāti Rehua – Ngātiwai ki Aotea and the Aotea Great Barrier Local Board.

“The pressure now on Aotea in particular has just increased dramatically because it’s pretty much the only place that particularly recreational fishers can go.”

Edney did not want the government’s ban to cover Great Barrier Island.

“I think it’s really important to understand that a lot of families out on the island are actually subsistence fishers, so they rely on the fishery for daily and weekly protein sources.”

Instead, he wanted the government to implement a set of local rules devised during a pilot project called Ahu Moana.

“Ahu Moana … was a vision of the marine spatial plan, whereby tangata whenua, along with the wider local community, would co-manage their local marine spaces.”

The rules include lowering the daily bag limit to two, a ban on daily bag limit accumulation, introducing a maximum size limit, having a closed mating season, and several recreational only areas.

“Hapu have been doing this for centuries – where they would restrict their fishing or they would have seasonal closures and manage their activities so that the fishery remained sustainable. So this is nothing new. What’s new about it is that now this is an opportunity for all of our local communities to work together and to be able to do their own monitoring, understand the situation in their local area.

“The reality is that local people are the experts when it comes to a local ecosystem.”

While recreational fisher Ben Chissell opposed the Hauraki Gulf Marine Protection Act he welcomed the proposal.

“I’m all for it, you know, these locals know better than the people making the laws and if they’re noticing an issue, as we have seen them have big issues with over-harvesting and a lot of illegal activity, then yeah, I’m all for them doing that and trying to go about it their own way.”

Ngawaka hoped for the best.

“I don’t know whether that’s the answer or not. But at least you’ve got to try something, you know, and try something to help maintain that, you know, maintain the fisheries out here.”

The team behind Tai Tū Moana expected to meet with Oceans and Fisheries under-secretary Jenny Marcroft soon.

RNZ contacted Marcroft’s office for comment but did not get a response.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand