Dear John --

New Zealanders are being left out of important decisions by the Labour Government as they continue to make policy announcements that were never campaigned on and will have a significant impact on New Zealanders.

From the Car Tax, cancelling promised infrastructure projects, the $785m Auckland cycle bridge, rushed law changes to deliver Māori wards, to the hastily announced oil and gas exploration ban; New Zealanders are starting to feel left out.

Every week, I’m contacted by thousands of Kiwis who are worried they just don’t have a say in the future of their country anymore. They’re being kept in the dark and their questions go unanswered by Jacinda Ardern’s Government.

Today we launched the first in a series of billboard campaigns across New Zealand, and it relates to the Government’s 2019 He Puapua report.

Kiwis were never told about it at the time, and it was never campaigned on by Labour. It has recently been considered by Cabinet and is being consulted on with a select few New Zealanders. You can read more here.

The He Puapua report contains recommendations for fundamental changes to our legal, constitutional, and democratic governance arrangements. Changes like separate health and justice systems, separate RMA rules, and separate electoral arrangements. These proposals must be taken to an election so all Kiwis can have their say.

While they claim publicly it’s not their policy, the Labour Government has already started to implement large parts of He Puapua without the wide-ranging public debate that these changes deserve.

The Government’s parliamentary majority is not a mandate for Labour to promote their ideological wish list.

New Zealanders deserve a say on their country’s future and together we must demand the debate. Don’t be left out.

Kind regards

Judith

Judith Collins
Leader