ACT Party
We might have been in lockdown, but your ACT MPs have been working hard to hold the Government to account and come up with positive policies. This week we proposed a Major Events Insurance Fund, a COVID Tracer app lottery and we launched ACT TV. Plus, our MPs took part in Select Committees – questioning Ministers about the Government’s response to Delta.
In the News
Major Events Insurance Fund
ACT has continued to be here to make constructive criticisms where necessary and helpful suggestions where possible, while asking the questions New Zealanders need answered.
David Seymour was on 1News suggesting a Major Events Insurance Fund.
The events industry, like many businesses, is facing turmoil thanks to COVID-19. They spend months preparing for major events, only for them to be cancelled at the last minute thanks to lockdowns. It’s not just the event organisers who lose out. It’s the hundreds of workers and subcontractors involved in a major event, and often thousands of ticket holders.
ACT is proposing a $50 million Major Events Insurance Fund, so event organisers can go ahead and plan the events our communities value so much, without the fear of financial ruin. The fund would be available to events that host 500 people or more. It would only be paid out if events are cancelled.
The money would come from the Government’s COVID Fund and would be targeted spending, unlike cameras on fishing boats and school lunches which the Government is currently using it for. It will mean event organisers can go ahead and plan things for New Zealanders to enjoy when we’re not in lockdowns, because after the past two years, New Zealanders deserve to have things to look forward to.
COVID Tracer App Lottery
Instead of getting pinged to isolate, you might get pinged that you’ve won $1000. The Government has announced compulsory app usage but the onus to ensure people are using it is on businesses owners. App usage is a crucial tool for contact tracing. Usage has been low and we need ways to incentivise New Zealanders to use it.
Mike Hosking described it as a “sensible idea” and “as has been a bit of theme, ACT have an idea”
ACT is proposing a $5.2 million fund. For each scan, the person would go into the draw to win $1000. There would be 100 prizes of $1000 a week. Anyone who scans in at the same place more than once in 15 mins would be ineligible. Some people might try to record their location more often than they need to just to win the prize, great, it will be easier to trace their location if they are infected.
Businesses have been through enough with multiple lockdowns, as well as a raft of other costs placed on them by Government – like another public holiday and a raise in the minimum wage. Now they have been commandeered as law enforcement for a new rule, under threat of penalties up to $1000, and possibly more once reviewed.
Government Spending
The day has arrived where businesses will rightly need support from the Government after they’ve been forced to close but the rainy-day fund has already been raided.
The Government has been dipping into the $50 billion COVID fund, with $515 million on school lunches, $26.6 million for cameras on fishing boats and the day we went into lockdown it announced $17.1 million from the fund for ‘creative spaces.’
Other spending includes: delivery of a business case for the replacement of Te Papa’s Spirit Collection Area, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the implementation and the Housing Acceleration Fund.
There was $5.1 billion in fund three months ago, but the Government has been doing its best to shovel that out the door. Now, when we really need this fund, the Government needs to answer why it’s been throwing the money around on non-COVID related spending.
ACT’s Alternative Budget, released in May, would have left the COVID Relief and Recovery Fund for COVID right now, drawing it down over four years as conditions improve. That is a responsible way to handle such a fund.
Every extra dollar government spends right now will have to be taxed later. It’s the kids currently at intermediate who’ll lose. They’ll pay higher taxes for fewer services tomorrow because of politicians’ irresponsibility today. Borrowing now and forgetting tomorrow is damaging the next generation.
Whitebaiting and Fishing
Nicole McKee uncovered that fishing and whitebaiting isn’t allowed at Level 4 except for Maori who according to the Police Minister Poto Williams have customary rights. You can hear her interview with Heather du Plessis-Allan on Newstalk ZB here.
ACT believes all New Zealanders should be treated equally. But Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says the majority of New Zealanders are not able to go fishing under Level 4, but exceptions will be made for Maori who have “customary rights.” Maori are not the only people who hunt and fish.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster couldn’t say what the legal definition of ‘customary’ was. He is a trained lawyer and the Commissioner of Police. If he can’t work out what the law means, what hope do the rest of us have?
The Police Minister needs to be clear, the law is designed to keep us safe from COVID and will be enforced without fear or favour. COVID is a virus that does not racially discriminate, and the law should not either.
Health Committee
David Seymour and Brooke van Velden represented ACT on the Health Select Committee.
Questioning by Brooke van Velden uncovered that there was more than one incident where saline was potentially given instead of the vaccine.
David Seymour’s questioning showed how unprepared the Government was for a Delta outbreak.
Justice Committee
On Social Media
Introducing Act TV
The ACT Party has launched its new programme ‘ACT TV’ a limited series hosted by ACT Leader David Seymour.
With Parliament not sitting this week, ACT has found a unique way to connect with Kiwis. The half hour show has run live on weeknights at 7pm on YouTube and Facebook. It’s run from our respective bubbles but has all the bells and whistles of professional graphics and switches between cameras.
So far we’ve heard from Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden about health and housing, Justice spokesperson Nicole McKee about law and order and James McDowall and special guest Alistair McClymont about immigration.
All of the episodes are available on demand on Facebook and Youtube.
Tonight’s episode will be focussed on ACT’s position on Three Waters with ACT MPs Simon Court and Mark Cameron.
Please share so others can discover The BFD.