3 hours ago
Watch: Public Service Association outraged at Government s pay freeze for workers. Credits: Video - Newshub; Image - Getty Images.
OPINION: Is Labour supposed to be the party of labour or of capital? It’s often hard to tell these days, and many in the labour movement and the political left are feeling betrayed this week by the Government’s announcement of a pay freeze for public sector workers.
The Government has essentially directed all their departments and agencies not to give any employees earning over $60,000 any further rises for the next three years, except in “exceptional circumstances”.
It’s effectively a pay cut for the vast majority of public sector workers, as the cost of living and inflation will drive down the value of their incomes during that time. It will apply not just to those in government departments (or the core public service) but also to workers in other government agencies such as schools, hospitals, the police force, prisons, defen
The Week in Politics: High stakes in the health shakeup rnz.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from rnz.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Peter Wilson .
Analysis - A startling revelation shows up cracks in the testing regime just as the vaccine rollout comes under scrutiny, and National faces another bout of leadership speculation.
Chris Hipkins after getting his first jab of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.
Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The government s pandemic response was under stress this week as a series of revelations raised questions about the integrity of its systems.
The most surprising was an admission by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment s chief executive Carolyn Tremain. She told a parliamentary select committee that an MIQ security guard infected with Covid-19 had not been tested since November.
Dr Bryce Edwards
Opinion - Judith Collins National Party leadership is under more scrutiny, with increased talk in the media of her being replaced by brand new MP Christopher Luxon.
Judith Collins and Christopher Luxon
Photo: RNZ
For many commentators it s just a question of when rather than if Collins is replaced. While others ponder whether Luxon really has what it takes to do better than the incumbent.
On Thursday, the
Herald s Claire Trevett wrote about the prospect of Luxon taking over the deputy leader role, with Simon Bridges returning to the top spot - see: Is a Simon Bridges / Christopher Luxon leadership ticket on the cards? (paywalled).