PARTY VOTE: POLICIES THAT WILL AFFECT PASIFIKA
If you haven't had time to watch the leaders debates or aren't in the loop with what parties have which candidates, let alone what the parties policies are, don't worry! Policy.NZ together with The Spinoff, have put together a comprehensive guide to the 2023 NZ elections.
So if you're still undecided on who you want to vote for, you can see the electorate candidates running in your local area, learn about each political party, its leaders and candidate list and compare the parties positions on key issues this election!
All you need to do is click on this link here
In the meantime we've put together a few of the key issues that we feel impact Pacific Islanders living in New Zealand the most and what each parties policy on these issues are.
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ISSUE: COMMUNITY AND INCLUSION - PASIFIKA
New Zealand prides itself on its history of egalitarianism, from women's suffrage to marriage equality. But the struggle for fair treatment, recognition and inclusion by marginalised groups continues. In recent years, these struggles have overlapped with debates around the limits and responsibilities of free speech.
LABOUR PARTY - Provide visas for overstayers who have been in NZ for more than 10 years.
ACT PARTY - Abolish the Ministry for Pacific Peoples and abolish the Ministry for Ethnic Communities
TE PĀTI MĀORI - Increase diplomatic support for Pasifika leaders
GREEN PARTY - Support Tagata Moana Leadership on climate action, Repeal the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982, replace the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme, deliver housing suitable for multi-generational families and develop culturally appropriate healthcare for Māori and Pasifika members of the Rainbow community
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ISSUE: EDUCATION (Key Policies)
The third biggest chunk of government spending, after benefits and health, goes to education. Parties on the left propose expanding access to free early childhood education. Parties on the right want to introduce more targets and monitoring of student achievement.
ACT PARTY - Reintroduce partnership schools, report daily school attendance records, abolish the Fees Free tertiary education program
NEW CONSERVATIVES - Promote alternatives to mainstream state schools, ban sex education in primary schools and ban education about gender in schools
NZ FIRST - Remove education about gender and sexuality from the curriculum
NATIONAL PARTY - Ban mobile phone use in schools, Set minimum times for reading, writing and maths in schools, introduce standardised twice yearly reports for schools
LABOUR PARTY - Extend 20 hours of free early childhood education to 2 year olds, require financial literacy to be taught in schools and increase the number of dental places at university by 50%
TE PĀTI MAORI - Introduce a universal student allowance, make Te Reo Maori and Maori history core subjects up to year 10
GREEN PARTY - Introduce an income guarantee for all students, improve working conditions and staff-to-student ratios and create school hubs with health and social services.
THE OPPORTUNITIES PARTY (TOP) - Introduce and incentivise a national civic service programme, build a new primary and secondary school in Christchurch and introduce an accelerated post graduate medical programme for people with relevant degrees.
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ISSUE: HEALTH (Key policies)
The current government has reformed the public healthcare system, merging the many district health boards into two national entities – Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand and Te Aka Whai Ora | Māori Health Authority. Parties on the right want to disestablish the Māori Health Authority and reprioritise health spending, including towards specific cancer treatments. Parties on the left defend the reforms and propose expanding free dental access.
LABOUR PARTY - Retain free prescriptions, provide free dental care to Under 30s and make cervical screening free for those aged 25-60years
NZ FIRST - Compensate people who lost their jobs due to Covid-19 vaccination requirements, increase funding for medicines and review Pharmac and abolish Te Aka Whai Ora Māori Health Authority
TE PĀTI MĀORI - Increase funding for Te Aka Whai Ora, Introduce a Maori Health Card and make Māori eligible for cancer screenings 10 years earlier.
GREEN PARTY - Provide free dental health care for everyone, ban most alcohol ads and sponsorships and provide free mental health care
NATIONAL PARTY - Establish a 3rd medical school, create bonding schemes for nurses and midwives working in NZ and increase funding for new cancer treatments
THE OPPORTUNITIES PARTY - Provide free primary healthcare to under 30s, provide free basic mental health care to under 30s and provide free dental care to under 30s
NEW CONSERVATIVES - Ban medical abortions and withdraw public funding for abortion services, ban assisted dying and prioritise funding for palliative care and expand Covid-19 inquiry to examine vaccine injuries.
ACT PARTY - Subsidise common elective surgeries in private hospitals, abolish Te Aka Whai Māori Health Authority and enable physician assistants to take on more tasks.
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ISSUE: MIGRATION (Key Policies)
After grinding to a halt in 2020, immigration levels have now returned to pre-pandemic levels, with NZ gaining over 72,000 people in the year to April. Although not as contentious an issue as in some previous elections, there remain big differences between the parties’ stances. Some emphasise the role of immigration in boosting economic growth, while others emphasise the need to protect the rights of migrants once they’re here.
LABOUR PARTY - Encourage dental clinics to hire workers from overseas, introduce a visa for parents or grandparents of migrants who are NZ citizens and residents.
NEW CONSERVATIVES - Consider reducing immigration to reduce housing dmand
GREEN PARTY - Provide more residency pathways for migrants, ensure individuals with Māori heritage are eligible for citizenship and replace the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme
THE OPPORTUNITIES PARTY (TOP) - Reduce the minimum salary requirement for skilled worker visas and review the Accredited Employer Work Visa
NATIONAL PARTY - Offer automatic six month work visas to qualified nurses and midwives from overseas, relax rules for agricultural workers on the Accredited Employer Work Visa and increase fees for visas
ACT PARTY - Streamline NZ's immigration system
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Check out the Policies for Party Vote - NZ Election 2023 website for the full run down of all parties, candidates and policies
Reminder: Our Pasifika communities and particularly our youth aiga need to vote and be counted!
Check out more info on how and where to vote below -