“New Zealanders should not be fooled by National’s attempts to embellish their efforts in the prison sector. The concept of ‘working prisons’ is not new. A full schedule of jobs has always been a part of prisoner rehabilitation,” says Spokesperson for Corrections Asenati Lole-Taylor.

Prisoners doing a full day’s work is nothing new, but National is pretending it’s had an innovative idea to get prisoners working, says New Zealand First.

“Inmates at Mt Eden Prison in Auckland have produced rubbish bags, which gave taxpayers, communities, victims and their families the benefit of purchasing the product more cheaply.

“Last year, a project started to move earthquake damaged homes to Rolleston Prison so inmates could repair them.

“In prisons like Paremoremo and Spring Hill Correctional Facility there is a full range of employment activities like kitchen, laundry and grounds maintenance duties.

“Paremoremo prison has a pre-cast concrete yard where prisoners can earn NZQA qualifications.

“Horticultural nurseries, trades and carpentry have been part of routine prison activities for many years, but the government has never taken the opportunity to fulfil the true intention and potential of these initiatives.

“The Government has no shame in pretending they have achieved something because it’s an election year.

“Working prisons are not a breakthrough innovation – it’s simply common sense,” says Mrs Lole-Taylor.

New Zealand First is concerned more children  are being dropped-off at school because parents believe children are no longer safe walking or cycling to school.

“Many parents believe their suburbs aren’t as safe as they used to be,” says Spokesperson for Social Policy/Welfare Le’au Asenati Lole-Taylor.

“The Ministry of Transport’s latest household travel survey reveals children spend half as much time walking and cycling as they did 15 years ago, which has also contributed to New Zealand’s child obesity problem.

“Traffic and weather were factored into the survey, but the resounding message from members of the public is that the street simply is no longer a safe place to be.

“This is despite National’s ramblings about streets and communities being safer. Their artificial crime rates fail to accurately reflect the social problems facing our communities, and this data needs to be questioned.

“We must ensure the researchers and statisticians are asking the right questions. They need to be involved at a grassroots level if they want to know what is going on because there is already too much out-of-touch commentary coming from the National government.

“How can streets be safer when more than 1000 crimes are recorded every day in New Zealand? It just doesn’t make sense,” says Mrs Lole-Taylor.

Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has defended recent criticisms aimed at staff, nepotism and organizational changes at the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs (MPIA).

Responding exclusively to Pacific Guardians the Minister says he is happy with the way the current Ministry restructure is being handled.

He said the changes are “not intended to achieve savings” but to improve “service delivery and policy advice” by putting in place a “new operating model”.

He emphasised, “The vision for organisational change at the Ministry is about achieving better outcomes for Pacific people, communities, and businesses through better policy engagement and outcomes.”

But accusations about CEO Pauline Winters $30,124.88 travel spend over the past 12 months, and controversial staff appointments of Private Secretary Luc Shorter, executive director Kevin Sua Thomsen and regional manager Paul Stowers, made by Winters last year without the roles being advertised, remain unanswered.

Opposition MPs have stepped up their call for Peseta to step in.

The staff appointments are serious say NZ First Pacific spokesperson Le’aufa’amulia Asenati Lole-Taylor.

“Appointment of staff in senior positions without being advertised or going through the recruitment process can be a serious misconduct,” she told Pacific Guardians.

“The Minister ought to be asked if he can provide assurances that his Chief Executive is performing according to the guidelines of the State Services.”

Su’a William Sio, for Labour maintains the current situation at MPIA is a “shambles” and a reflection of Peseta’s lack of “leadership”.

“The Minister needs to front up and explain how his ‘leadership’ has resulted in the unfolding shambles at the ministry,” said Su’a in a statement.

“Pacific families are being hit with high unemployment, low incomes and unaffordable housing. Now the only ministry charged with advocating for better lives for our people is embroiled in internal staffing issues.”

He added, “The bulk of the extra money Mr Lotu-Iiga crowed about the Ministry getting in this year’s Budget appears to have been for redundancies.”

But Peseta is unperturbed and maintains his position, “It is inappropriate for me to comment on expenditure or staffing matters.  These are operational matters and you will need to contact the Ministry directly for comment.

“However, I have sought reassurances from the State Services Commissioner that the Chief Executive’s expenditure is legitimate.”

He also explained that the increase in the 2014/15 budget of $619,000 was “to support organisational change for the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs.

“The organisational change is not intended to achieve savings; rather it is to improve service delivery and policy advice through implementation of a new operating model.  The Ministry is still undergoing organisational change and staff are in the appointment process and it would be inappropriate for me to comment as Minister on staffing matters.”

In the meantime, Ms Winters has refused media interviews instead preferring to communicate through written ministry statements.

In relation to travel expenditure, Ms Winters said, “My travel spending is appropriate and is entirely related to the core business of the ministry. My travel programme is planned against the ministry’s work programme to assist with keeping the costs as low as possible.”

She added the ministry was going through a “change process” and that a “process of business as usual and consultation” required regular travel between Auckland, where the majority of Pacific Islanders are based, and Wellington.

But the Taxpayers’ Union has called for Ms Winters to front up “or resign”.

Executive Officer, Mr Jordan Williams told media, “Taxpayers fork out $270,000 per year for this Chief Executive and she is refusing to take calls from the media. The Taxpayers’ Union call on Ms Winter to front up, or resign.”

Last week, Mr Williams went with Taxpayers’ Union mascot Porky to see Ms Winters at the MPIA offices.

“For Ms Winter’s gallant efforts to rip off New Zealand taxpayers with publicly funded weekend trips to the exotic capital of the South Pacific known as Auckland, Porky and I visited the Ministry’s offices to present her with the first of our ‘Troughing Awards’.

“Ms Winters was in the office but refused to front-up or speak to media.

“Despite Ms Winter’s expenses being more than $30,000 she chose to hide in her office and send a spin doctor to accept the award on her behalf.

“Ms Winter’s refusal to justify her expense bill is the epitome of arrogance. She should front up, justify her extravagance on the taxpayer purse, or resign.”

PAULINE WINTER SPEND

Spending between July 2013 and July 2014:

Taxis – $5987.24 (around 80 of which were listed as AIRPORT TRANSFERS)

AIRFARES – $17,059.53 (between Auckland and Wellington)

Car rental – $3103.82 (on 10 occasions, over six months, she used a HIRE CAR in Auckland over weekends. The bill came to $2273)

Total travel expenses: $30,124.88.

 

 

 

The announcement by Social Development Minister Paula Bennett of 157 people taking up the Government’s ‘$3K to Christchurch’ scheme is a concern for sectors of the Pacific community.

Last month, NZ First’s Le’au Asenati heard first hand from Pacific people in Christchurch about their concerns.

She told Pacific Guardians, “The message that I was given by the people of Christchurch at a meeting held at Woolston is that: ‘This $3k scheme is an intended and well planned insult to our people. The Minister is telling the rest of New Zealand, that she would rather pay for people from other regions to come and do the work, rather than offering it to 1,000 people in Christchurch’.

“There is quite a mixture of experienced local residents in Christchurch who would like to take up the offer themselves.”

Government figures show that most of the jobseekers are from the Southern, Nelson, Wellington and Bay of Plenty regions. So far the Government’s invested $471,000 since the scheme began on 1 July.

The 157 people announcement said Le’au Asenati “is a stab into the hearts of the Cantabrians who have been fighting for some relief not only on their properties’ insurance, but also for jobs. The $471,000 is a lot of funds that would benefit some of the Christchurch local unemployed residents.”

However, Ms Bennett believes the $3k to Christchurch scheme “is proving a win-win for beneficiaries and the Canterbury region as it rebuilds” but cautions it is early days yet.

She added, “Most of the jobseekers have been employed in construction with 91 jobs. Other industries benefiting from the scheme include retail, transport, manufacturing, administration and support services.”

Another aspect she is pleased about is the number of young people, 50 of them aged between 16-24, taking up the opportunity and making the move to Christchurch.

However, Ms Poto Williams, the MP for Christchurch East told Pacific Guardians there are problems surfacing already.

“It is indeed early days as the Minister states but already we are seeing some problems which were likely not considered when the Minister threw this policy together. Namely what kind of support can these people get when the move to Canterbury does not go well, such as when the employer uses the 90 day bill to end their employment arrangements?

“Many of the people she describes as having taken up this offer come to the region knowing no one and unable to seek the appropriate support, should things not go well.

“And once here, and having used the $3k, there is no offer of money to help return home” if things turn to custard.

Already her Christchurch office has recorded such a case.

“Our office has had one query from a person who took advantage of the $3k to Canterbury and now finds themselves without a job. That’s not the outcome we want for our job seekers and I expect more from the Minister’s department on this.”

Community leader Tuifa’asisina Mea’ole Keil is greatly concerned with a possible fall-out for people in the scheme.

“The Minister does not mention the unemployed people of Christchurch. Outsiders being given a $3K handout to go to Christchurch and compete for their jobs must be going down like another ton of bricks on the unemployed workers in Christchurch.

“We have seen how foreign workers have been exploited in the Christchurch rebuild, stay tune for the next instalment – Kiwi workers exploited, starring the $3K group.”

He told Pacific Guardians the government is trumpeting the logistics of people moving there but silent on their employment status.

“The Minister goes to great length to point out that the people on the scheme have found accommodation, but she is deathly silent on whether these people now have jobs. The omission is deafening.”

Having spent nearly two months camped in the Christchurch region to help Poto Williams win the November Christchurch by-election, Tuifa’asisina knows the mood and situation of the Pacific community well.

He said the $3k scheme and the recent announcements by Ms Bennett would be hard for them to take.

“The earthquake knocked these people down to their knees. Now Minister Paula Bennett is serving them dirt and dust for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is disgraceful  by the Minister not only to the people of Christchurch but the ‘$3k imports’ who are treated like disposable commodities and only to end up dumped and abandoned in Christchurch.”

Three weekends ago in Auckland, Ms Sarai Tepou felt the treatment she got from Newmarket Olympic Pool staff and police was racially motivated.

Mrs Tepou and her children were issued a Tresspass Order by Police based on unsubstantiated information from pool staff. She has lodged a personal grievance with Race Relations Commissioner, Dame Susan Devoy.

Their actions prompted public condemnation by Pacific parliamentarians and candidates.

Labour’s Su’a William Sio vented his anger telling Pacific Guardians two weeks ago, “We’ve put up with all this racial c%$# from day one and we won’t put up with it ever again. This is our country too, and we deserve better than this kind of treatment.”

He challenged Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, the Minister for Pacific island affairs and the Assoc Minister for Local Government [responsible for public facilities like the Newmarket Pool] to intervene.

Said Su’a, “If Peseta does not step in, then essentially it means that his government by being silent about this, is agreeing with this kind of behaviour” that “the staff decision to ban this family from a publicly funded swimming pool, without any evidence to substantiate their allegations, other than the fact they saw it was a brown looking family with a Pacific island name – that it is okay to ban people on the grounds of the skin colour.”

The minister was aware of Ms Tepou’s situation and Su’a’s challenge. Through his staff, he assured Pacific Guardians two weeks ago that an official response will be issued on Ms Tepou’s situation.

More than two weeks later, we have not received any official response from Minister Peseta except promises of a response.

Unofficially, Peseta’s staff told the writer last week, the Minister is taking the case seriously. However, he is taking time over it because Ms Tepou’s children are part of the enquiry.

However, based on the information we have been given, the only explanation for the silence from Peseta and the government is Su’a’s statement, “…it means that his government by being silent about this, is agreeing with this kind of behaviour.”

The type of behavior being condoned according to Su’a “feels like we are back to the bad old days when we were clearly branded as coconuts.”

He further believed the behaviour type is an indicator that the roots of the racial undertones lie deeper than the frontline staff involved.

“This staff behaviour wouldn’t happen if they didn’t get the authority from their seniors,” said Su’a.

NZ First’s Le’au Asenati Lole-Taylor told Pacific Guardians the treatment of Ms Tepou is a result of “institutionalized racism rearing its ugly head”.

She added, “…in this incident she is first and foremost a New Zealander with the same rights as the Prime Minister or anyone else. No New Zealander has to endure this disgusting type of treatment in their own country – full stop.”

While the Vice chairperson for MANA Pasifika, James Papali’i said, ““This type of discrimination, harassment, and judgmental behaviour by people in positions of authority should not be left unchallenged and MANA Pasifka hopes that Ms Devoy investigates the incident further and hold those responsible accountable”.

 

 

Criminals are targeting seniors in South Auckland but the Minister of Police is doing nothing about it, says New Zealand First Associate Spokesperson for Law and Order Asenati Lole-Taylor.

“The Minister of Police, Anne Tolley conveniently played down misreporting of crime figures but she cannot ignore the severity of recent incidents within the Counties Manukau region. The Minister needs to provide reassurance to South Auckland residents, particularly seniors, that police have the resources and numbers to carry out their duties. Is the Minister able to swear that crime rates are down, even when every day we hear about robberies and assaults in our neighbourhoods?

“The Government should not be misleading New Zealanders. Constituents are calling my office on a regular basis. They are upset that a number of  police stations have been closed and they are being told to ring to report incidents. The Government claims that stations were closed and police patrols increased, however many people say they do not feel safe.

“By denying the reality of crime in areas like Counties Manukau, the Government is putting unrealistic expectations on police to keep crime at bay. Freezing the police budget for five consecutive years is a clear sign of the Government’s neglect.

“New Zealand First takes crime seriously and our record speaks for itself. We increased Police strength by 1000 frontline officers, and 235 back office staff, in just three years. New Zealand First wants to see more resources given to police in order to ensure community safety,” says Mrs Lole-Taylor.

New Zealand First is calling for the Government to address high unemployment in the regions.

“Fonterra is laying off 110 workers in Waikato, adding to the 150,000 already unemployed in New Zealand,” says Asenati Lole-Taylor, Spokesperson for Social Policy.

“The Government is not addressing the lack of jobs, particularly in the regions. In fact, the regions have been neglected in every way by National. Workers are being laid off, so where is the rock star economy and its benefits for them?

“New Zealand First wants to see inequality addressed in this country, we have a ‘No Stone Left Unturned’ policy to boost jobs within the manufacturing industry. It is common sense to introduce a lower (20 per cent) business tax rate for exporters, which will boost our own export market and create jobs with better wages.

“New Zealand First is serious about job creation and we are willing to implement effective policies to support New Zealand families,” says Mrs Lole-Taylor.

The policies announced at the New Zealand First party conference in the weekend resonated well with Pacific communities according to the party’s sole Pacific MP, Le’au Asenati Lole-Taylor.

Talking exclusively to Pacific Guardians earlier today, Le’au believes the NZ First policies revealed in the weekend gave her the perfect ammunitions to win the Manukau East electorate battle. Especially with the possibility that a high profiled Pacific islander could join her as a New Zealand First candidate standing in the Wellington or Christchurch regions.

But for the Labour stronghold of Manukau East, Le’au said it became vulnerable when veteran Labour MP Ross Robertson resigned and replaced by a young and untested Tongan candidate recently arrived from the United States.

“I believe that as NZ First candidate for Manukau East, that for people in the electorate, especially our Samoan community, finally they have a party with common sense policies and solutions to bring them out of hardship,” she says.

“I am really excited about that because our policies identify with the needs of our Pacific families and that over the past three years I have been able to voice their concerns in parliament whether its prostitution, legal highs, gambling, unemployment, gay marriage, housing, you name it, I’ve voiced it and then brought the conversation back to them.”

She explains that the collective thrust of NZ First policies “aim to take New Zealand back to the days when families earned enough to take care of themselves and with enough time to nurture and bring up their children.”

Policies that when unwrapped say things such as New Zealand will have two milk prices-a cheaper local milk price and a dearer international milk price. A cheaper power bill because NZ First will buy back the power companies. Cheaper household food items because the GST will be cut from those items. That jobs will be geared to first world wages that will enable New Zealanders to cope with the high cost of living.

That a universal allowance for university students be considered, and the open door immigration policy is wound back so more student jobs are available to Kiwis to help pay their student loans. That loan shark interest rates be capped.

That a person suffering from drugs or binge drinking in public will be penalised $2,000 or serve three months in jail. That government will intervene to get low-income people into their first home. That for Realm countries Niue, Tokelau, and Cook Islands, their nationals can get their superannuation there. That there will be an increase in aid to Pacific countries, and so forth.

Removing GST from all basic household food items will be a winner with Pasifika says Le’au.

“Statistics from the 2013 census show the majority of Pacific workers are in employed in the low income category. Removing the GST will be a big help for them.”

The policy is a bold move and is aimed at the heart of the inequality causing so much hardship, especially for people living on the lower rungs of society she says.

The policy is estimated to cost $3 billion per year and will be funded by “clamping down on tax evasion and the black economy which is estimated to run at $7 billion annually.

“We are very confident about getting that $7billion because there is no other party with a record that’s near New Zealand First for taking on tax evaders and fraudsters and winning.”

It is also a policy that will assist in combating the issue of poverty.

“Our party does not subscribe to the child poverty cause. Instead we say the problem is ‘family poverty’. Simply for the reason that when families are in poverty then the children are in poverty. It means that by addressing the poverty issue based on the family, that when resolved, then the children will, by default be better off as a result of that process. We believe that removing GST from food items is a step in the right direction to start bringing families out of poverty.”

On jobs and wages, the party does not support the Living Wage, “because their rate of $18.40 can be restrictive. What our party is saying is that New Zealand workers deserve to be paid ‘first world wages’, and that means giving the opportunity to employers to pay their workers the right wages whether that be $18, $20, $23, $30 an hour or whatever depending on the job and qualifications.”

On superannuation, the stance by NZ First is the age for eligibility will remain at 65 and paid out at no less than 66 per cent of the net average wage with no means testing.

For Pasifika and Maori people this is important because they don’t live as long as the other ethnic groups so this will give them more time to enjoy the fruits of their labours.

“We remain steadfast on this issue,” adds Le’au “because we know that the reason National won’t touch Superannuation is they are dead scared of the political consequences because NZFirst exists.

“But holding National powerless is not the reason why our policy is such. It’s because at 4.1 per cent Net of GDP, superannuation is affordable. But because of the open immigration policies of this government, we need to look at some changes concerning immigrants and overseas pension.”

Although it wasn’t announced in the weekend, Mr Peters told Pacific Guardians previously that for nationals of the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau, that “if you want your super there, you can.”

According to Mr Peters, “What’s happening in Niue but worse in the Cook Islands is this, a whole lot of people that are good for their infrastructure have to desert that place to get within the 5-year rule. I’m going to abandon that for them. And I’ve calculated it down to the last million what it’ll cost.

“For Niue, it’ll be a big thing to stabilize that population.”

Le’au also mentioned other policies in the areas of Law and Order, Education and Housing that is directly relevant to many of the needs Pacific communities have been voicing and want addressed.

“All our policies at the end of the day are ‘common sense’ and aimed at doing what needs to be done instead of just talk and more talk. Our Pacific communities need to also be aware that people who they vote for must be willing to go to parliament and work for them. They should no longer tolerate people who go there and do nothing.

“And that’s why our campaign slogan is ‘Its Common Sense: Party Vote NZ First’.”

She also repeated that a number of high profiled Pacific islanders have applied to stand for NZ First in electorates outside of Auckland.

“The calibre of these applicants are right up there. Some of them are disillusioned with their former parties and have seen, like Mr Dover Samuels that the most natural, politically wise thing for Pacific islanders and Maori to do is to support and give their party vote to New Zealand First.”

 

The racially coloured public treatment suffered by Pacific islander Sarai Tepou in the weekend exposes the ugly underbelly of New Zealand society.

Mrs Tepou’s treatment is the second time in the space of three days that a Maori and Pacific islands woman has been falsely accused and publically humiliated because of the colour of their skin.

Ms Rikki Cooper was publically hunted over the intercom by Countdown staff at Dinsdale, Hamilton last Thursday. She went to the media with her grievance. While Ms Tepou has taken hers to Race Commissioner, Dame Susan Devoy. And good on them.

For NZ First MP and social policy spokesperson Le’aufaamulia Asenati Lole-Taylor, Mrs Tepou’s public humiliation hits close to home.

“She and I were classmates at school,” she told Pacific Guardians. However, that relationship she said, does not colour her call for fair justice for any other New Zealander who may have suffered similarly.

“The victim may be a Pacific Island woman and a friend, but in this incident she is first and foremost a New Zealander with the same rights as the Prime Minister or anyone else. No New Zealander has to endure this disgusting type of treatment in their own country – full stop,” she said.

In the weekend just passed, Mrs Tupou, a health professional, and her family were ordered out of the Newmarket Olympic pool by police. Talking to One News, Ms Tepou said the police issued them with a trespass order based on information from pool staff.

The reason for the trespass order, Ms Tepou was told, was that property from the locker rooms goes missing when the family visit the pools. The family live close to the pool and are frequent users. However, without any communication or checking the Tepou family belongings by pool staff, they informed the Police. Based on that assumption and without any evidence, the Police carried out a trespass order.

“I was in shock and disbelief. The police said we are here we were advised by the pool staff that you are trespassing, you need to leave the premises,” Ms Tepou told One News. She believes they were targeted because they are Pacific Islanders.

Le’au Asenati said the treatment meted out to Mrs Tepou and her family is devastating because it was poorly handled by both the Newmarket pool management and Police.

“The devastating side of this incident is the extremely poor way in which staff carried out their duties. There is no longer careful discussion to determine that they have the right person, and in using the Police request to override common sense has now led to institutionalised racism and discrimination.

“Many will not necessarily say it, but their approach and mindset clearly portray discriminative communication with a demanding tone of unfairness.”

She says rate payers expect staff working in public facilities to be accommodating and must treat their customers with respect.

“A trespass notice is not only serious, but also very embarrassing for Ms Tepou and her family. Her Pacific community would be so upset at such a demoralising situation that she was subjected to.”

Le’au Asenati demands, “An apology from the Ministers of Police and Local Government should be ascertained at least, and the Council must front-up instead of making silly comments as if the matter is not important enough.”

New Zealand First Spokesperson for Social Policy Asenati Lole-Taylor is concerned that recent reports about spending are masking the grim reality of life on low incomes.

“The Government is relying on spending as an indicator of economic growth when it should be addressing the need for more productive industry in New Zealand.

“We are a country that needs a high level of exports not a high level of consumption.

“Reports from the major banks that there is economic growth because spending is up provide little comfort for families struggling to make ends meet.

“New Zealand First is interested in real results.

“What will make a difference is good jobs and fair wages.

“The Government needs to ensure that the difficult financial situation of low-income New Zealanders is being portrayed fairly, and not being glossed over – especially when a large amount of increased retail spending can be linked to the Christchurch earthquake rebuild.

“Employment is essential to the wellbeing of all New Zealanders. Instead the Government is allowing low-paid casualised work which is less secure than being on a benefit,” says Mrs Lole-Taylor