Tēnā koutou e te whānau
Welcome to the kōrero edition of Te Mahinga Ora. We’ve chosen the theme of korero because in these turbulent times we will need to be talking with the Government, employers, and each other more than ever.
The theme (and the beautiful cover) was inspired by the whakataukī: “E koekoe te tūī, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū”, the meaning of which may be understood as “By appreciating all our voices, our different songs, we make good music for the future”. While the tūī, kākā and kererū are all different, each has its own distinctive sound and they are positively different and significant for their own reasons.
The talk we are highlighting leads to new ways of thinking and action. In this edition of Te Mahinga Ora you’ll find plenty of topics for discussion and stories of how we are taking action on behalf of members.
There’s an update on the industrial action at the Crown Research Institute NIWA, which saw pickets outside many of its sites and on a research vessel, and the lodging of more than 180 personal grievance cases.
We also report on the Have Your Say activity at the start of the year which saw delegates, organisers and members doing a great job moving quickly to organise meetings and surveys, and write submissions to public sector chief executives outlining ways for improving things without cutting jobs.
The Government is considering public sector chief executives' plans in the lead up to the Budget on May 30, when we will see for the first time the full extent of how severely they plan to cut public services.
In the meantime, the government has pushed ahead with big changes, often choosing speed over giving New Zealanders a chance to discuss what’s happening. The abolition of Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority, which was rushed through Parliament under urgency is a case in point. The change was hugely significant for the future of Māori health and Crown-Māori relationships but the Government is not engaging with Māori, as our story on page 10 highlights.
In this issue we also look at how the libertarian right seeks to influence the global political discussion, including here in Aotearoa New Zealand in our article on the Atlas Network.
As a union we have a tradition of supporting progressive social causes. In line with this the Kōrero section brings together opinion pieces on a range of topical issues.
You may not agree with all the perspectives but it’s a chance to hear challenging views from members and other informed commentators. The PSA bi-annual Congress at Te Papa in Wellington in September will be an important chance for us to korero as a union in what will be a tumultuous year for the PSA.
I know it’s an anxious time for many but I can assure you everyone is working hard to defend every job, ensure fairness and transparency in any change process, and advocate that any change is consistent with Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
We are ready for the challenges of 2024 as the article on planning for our new campaign supporting public services on page 14 shows.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Benedict Ferguson (He/Him)
President Te Pūkenga Here
Tikanga Mahi | PSA
