Letter to the Prime Minister
During the Methodist Conference last November, the decision was adopted to send a letter to the Prime Minister, expressing the concerns Te Hāhi has about policies across government.
The following letter was sent on behalf of Te Hāhi on Friday 17 January 2025:
Rt Hon Christopher Luxon
Prime Minister
Freepost Parliament
Private Bag 18 888
Parliament Buildings
Wellington 6160
Ngā mihi ki a koe e te Pirimia,
Mā te Atua hei awhina, hei tohutohu i a koe i roto i ngā mahi taimaha o te wā, tēnā anō ki a koe.
As the President of Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa Methodist Church of New Zealand, I am writing on behalf of our National Conference, to express our deep concern regarding several pieces of legislation currently before Parliament: the Treaty Principles Bill, the Regulatory Standards Bill, and the broader implications of the coalition government's policies, particularly in the areas of housing, care for the elderly, rangatahi, welfare, and disability services. We are particularly disturbed by the removal of significant supports for the most vulnerable people in our communities in Aotearoa and the extremely divisive policy being considered in relation to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Our Parishes, Rohe and social service entities who offer vital support are witnessing and experiencing the harmful implications of government funding service cuts every day.
Treaty Principles Bill and Regulatory Standards Bill
While we understand the government’s desire to address the ongoing legacy of colonialism and work towards a fairer society, we believe this Treaty Principles Bill presents significant risks. Te Tiriti o Waitangi holds deep historical and cultural significance in Aotearoa, and any legal framework surrounding it must be treated with the utmost care. The introduction of a vague, potentially broad interpretation of Treaty principles could undermine the Treaty’s status as a foundational document, potentially distorting its meaning for political expediency. The Bill’s language raises concerns about the erosion of key legal protections and the destabilisation of existing partnerships between the Crown and Māori communities. Instead of further complicating an already sensitive issue, we urge the government to adopt a more transparent and consultative approach with iwi, hapū, and Māori leaders to ensure any legal developments are beneficial and inclusive.
The Regulatory Standards Bill is another area of concern. The regulatory changes it proposes, intended to streamline processes and reduce red tape, may inadvertently lower standards across critical sectors such as healthcare, education, and environmental protection. A race to deregulate often leaves vulnerable people, such as children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, exposed to risks. We are particularly worried that reducing oversight in sectors that directly affect New Zealanders’ health, safety, and well-being could lead to long-term harm. The government and Aotearoa would be better served by focussing on ensuring that regulatory standards are robust and enforceable rather than looking to weaken essential protections under the guise of efficiency.
Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa Methodist Church of New Zealand
As a Hāhi, we have been engaged in and committed to, being a bi-cultural church for more than forty years. The foundation of our Mission includes Te Tiriti o Waitangi as “the covenant establishing our nation on the basis of a power-sharing reationship”. This means that we are committed to upholding the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and acknowledge the faith and good will of both the Rangatira who signed and the many missionaries who influenced the development of the document through their relationships with Māori.
Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa Methodist Church of New Zealand is strongly opposed to the Treaty Principles Bill. It is unacceptable for the current Treaty Principles Bill to go unchallenged, as it attempts to further undermine the principles of partnership, active protection and redress.
Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa Methodist Church of New Zealand is strongly opposed to the Regulatory Standards Bill that will have serious implications for public and collective rights. The Bill may have major implications for the collective rights and interests of iwi and hapū under Te Tiriti, particularly in relation to whenua (property). We are strongly opposed to any attempts to undermine Te Tiriti o Waitangi and this bill could well do so alongside the Treaty Principles Bill.
We will continue to advocate for justice that seeks healing and restoration, respect for the mana of tangata whenua as kaitiaki of this land and mutual recognition of dignity for all peoples of Aotearoa.
Rangatahi
Major changes in the youth protection space have demonstrably impacted young people’s lives for the worse, despite assurances to the contrary. Changes to the Oranga Tamariki Act are set to disregard the rights of Tamariki Māori, making our mahi with them even more difficult[1]. For rangatahi, we need policies that ensure better access to education, mental health support, and employment opportunities. Yet, the current government’s approach seems to neglect the systemic barriers that many Māori and Pasifika youth face in attaining these opportunities.
Communication with Oranga Tamariki has been patchy at best. In the case of Family Start, contract cuts have led to reduced services for our most vulnerable babies and families. The international evidence is clear that this is the very part of our population that we need to be ensuring get stable and reliable support and services. Failure to do this increases costs over the lifetime. The welfare system is in urgent need of reform. Rather than focusing on punitive measures, we believe the government should prioritise policies that lift people out of poverty, ensure access to dignified work, and provide necessary mental health support.
Housing
Housing affordability is one of the most pressing issues facing New Zealanders today, yet the policies under this coalition have not sufficiently addressed the root causes of housing unaffordability and homelessness. While there have been some attempts at increasing housing supply, these are often undermined by inadequate policy implementation, poor planning, and a lack of targeted support for low-income families. The pausing[2] of publicly funded housing projects is exacerbating the acute housing shortage, particularly in regional areas underserved by major Community Housing Providers. Many CHPs face significant uncertainty regarding their future housing provision, despite a desperate and immediate need for these projects, and the intention of Government to build more social housing.
While we note that the number of people accessing emergency housing has decreased, we share the concerns of advocates who question whether effective, timely support is being provided for those leaving this housing, particularly as contact is often not maintained[3].
Caring for our Elderly
The aged care system is inequitable for those reaching the third age without significant savings. Many fall through the cracks, and our members attempt to fill these gaps, though increasingly it is a losing battle. Moreover, the government’s treatment of elderly care remains woefully inadequate. Many of our seniors live in substandard conditions and face rising costs for healthcare and support services. The budget cuts to essential services for the elderly are particularly concerning, and the government’s lack of investment in this area signals a troubling disregard for the dignity and quality of life for our senior citizens.
Despite promises in the NZ First-National Coalition Agreement, there is no visible progress toward a more sustainable or equitable aged care sector. Many providers are scaling back services or operating at a loss, leaving less capital-rich organisations struggling. Community initiatives supporting independent living for older people are increasingly in demand as people age without traditional support systems of family or community. Services—checking in, attending appointments, and other overlooked tasks—are essential.
While we welcome efforts to enable papakāinga and kaumātua housing, we fear these projects do not cast the net wide enough, leaving many demographics unsupported. The government’s decision to focus on need rather than ethnicity[4] is particularly troubling here. Robust data shows that Māori and Pacific peoples require the most support due to shorter life expectancies and systemic inequities[5]. Ignoring this reality undermines evidence-based policymaking and leaves vulnerable populations at further disadvantage.
With Aotearoa’s aged population projected to grow exponentially, funding and forward-thinking approaches to aged care must be fit for purpose—not only for today, but for the decades to come.
Disability
Tangata Whaikaha continue to be marginalised. Recent policy changes have made accessing support even more difficult[6], and carers remain unrecognised and under-supported. Uncertain communication from government exacerbates the challenge, leaving individuals and organisations to operate on razor-thin budgets.
If government continues to measure people’s value solely by their ability to work full-time, we will lose the immense contributions that people with disabilities make elsewhere. The inclusion of permanently disabled individuals in the Jobseeker category reinforces harmful perceptions, particularly when lifelong conditions are repeatedly reassessed.
Welfare
Jobseekers face immense struggles, compounded by high unemployment. Government policies that intentionally create “friction”[7] for benefit access are punitive and disingenuous, as they ignore the realities of a tight job market[8]and reality of the impact of trauma on parts of the population
Benefit calculations, stricter sanctions, and entitlements that fall far below the minimum wage are pushing people further into poverty, including tamariki and rangatahi. Housing costs consume the majority of income for many unemployed individuals[9], while others forced out of emergency housing have disappeared from services entirely – with no way to measure their need.
Despite expert advice to the contrary, your government persists with punitive approaches that worsen poverty[10]. Targets for reducing child poverty and measuring harm have become mere Key Performance Indicators rather than aspirations[11], and if they appear unattainable, goals are quietly revised downward—forgetting that human lives are at the heart of these decisions.
Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa continues to be steadfast in our commitment to an approach or process that honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It is with this in mind, that we continue to offer awhi and tautoko to those most communities who despite their vulnerabilities are resilient and seek to be life-affirming. As people of faith we are called to serve God in the world, by reflecting and proclaiming the transforming love of God to all in need.
In conclusion, as Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa, we respectfully yet firmly call on the Government to withdraw both the Treaty Principles Bill and the Regulatory Standards Bill, ensuring robust, meaningful engagement with iwi, hapū, and whānau that upholds Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the cornerstone of our nation and protects vulnerable New Zealanders from deregulation that would undermine equity and well-being. We urge the Government to restore and expand housing projects and social services, develop an equitable aged care strategy with increased resources for community-based support, and reconfigure welfare policies to prioritize dignity and adequate living standards for all—recognizing that cost-effective prevention and early intervention save both lives and government expenditure.
Furthermore, we call for urgent reforms to the Oranga Tamariki Act that uphold the mana of tamariki and rangatahi—particularly Māori and Pasifika—while addressing the significant gaps in practical support and resourcing they face as they transition to adulthood. Although the Act is intended to safeguard these young people, recent changes have demonstrably harmed those it was meant to protect, putting many Tamariki Māori at risk and failing to provide the additional, targeted policies needed for equitable access to education, mental health services, and employment opportunities. A He kaupapa Māori framework is essential if we are to truly dismantle the systemic barriers confronting rangatahi.
We stand ready to contribute to these discussions in good faith, sharing a commitment to building a just and compassionate society for all in Aotearoa, and we look forward to your timely response.
Ngā manaakitanga, kia tau te rangimarie ki a tātou katoa
Te Aroha Rountree
President of Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa Methodist Church of New Zealand.
[1] Jarvie. (2024). Submission to the Social Services and Community Select Committee on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. Methodist Alliance. https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/submissions-and-advice/document/54SCSSC_EVI_a5e624c3-c18e-47ed-9ee5-08dc72e77469_SSC6101/the-methodist-alliance
[2] Preston. (2024). Are 1576 new homes heading to the scrap heap? Full list of developments on hold at KO. OneRoof https://www.oneroof.co.nz/news/are-1576-new-homes-on-the-scrap-heap-full-list-of-the-developments-on-hold-at-ko-45971
[3] Crimp. (2024). Hundreds likely sleeping in cars, garages after leaving emergency housing – advocate. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/526596/hundreds-likely-sleeping-in-cars-garages-after-leaving-emergency-housing-advocate
[4] Ensor. (2024). Government directs public service to deliver on need, not race. NZ Herald. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/government-tells-public-services-to-deliver-based-on-need-not-race/3WX4KBSKPFE2RLEY32K2XMUYSI/
[5] Walsh. (2024). Life Expectancy in Aotearoa New Zealand: An Analysis of Socioeconomic, Geographic, Sex and Ethnic Variation from 2001 to 2022. Te Whatu Ora. PP.26.
[6] Sachdeva. (2024) Disabled NZers ‘shut out of care’ after funding freeze. Newsroom https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/10/15/disabled-nzers-shut-out-of-care-after-funding-freeze/
[7]MSD. (2024) Draft Cabinet Papers: Changes to welfare settings to support people into employment and off benefit. https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/official-information-responses/2024/october/24102024-fifteen-reports-covering-a-range-of-topics.pdf
[8] Orr. (2024) Speech at Institute of Finance Professionals New Zealand. NZ Herald. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/economy/official-cash-rate/adrian-orr-beating-inflation-will-mean-higher-unemployment/WO3WLQQUGWEC5NVK3AQTR2BN5A/
[9] Sim, J. (2024) Ka Mākona 2024. Kore Hiakai. https://www.zerohunger.org.nz/kamakona
[10] McConnell. (2024). New welfare sanctions could stop families paying rent, officials warn. Stuff. https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360510261/new-welfare-sanctions-could-stop-families-paying-rent-officials-warn-minister
[11] Chhour. (2024) New performance measures for Oranga Tamariki. NZ Parliament. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-performance-measures-oranga-tamariki