The current government are making changes to the Pae Ora Act, the legislation that governs the health system. The new legislation makes four main changes that will hurt health workers and patients:
- Repeals Te Mauri o Rongo: the Health Charter: Te Mauri o Rongo: The New Zealand Health Charter is a commitment to health workers about how they will be treated. It includes values such as Whanaungatanga and principles, such as the right to a safe workplace. The Bill repeals this commitment to health workers.
- Diminishes Māori voice in the health system: The board removes requirements for the health service to be equitable and to enable Māori decision-making and resource services that reflect Māori needs and aspiration. It also limits the roll of Iwi-Māori partnership boards that have been set up around the motu to represent local Māori perspectives.
- Narrows the focus of the health system: The Bill introduces health targets into law and removes requirements that the health system prevent health problems.
- Gives the Minister power over collective bargaining at Health New Zealand: At the moment unions bargain collective with Health New Zealand. The Bill gives Minister the power to take bargaining from Health NZ and give it to the Public Service Commission. Ministers can’t do this for any other crown entity.
Submissions are open
You can make a submission on the Pae Ora Bill. It’s really important that the people making laws about the health system listen to health workers’ voices.
Public submissions are now being called for the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Bill, closing at 1pm on Monday, 18 August 2025. You can submit via the New Zealand Parliament website.
The PSA will be submitting on the Bill. You can share your thoughts about the Bill with us, if you want to contribute to the PSA submission. We will share all PSA submissions, including submissions from health workers’ committees here once they have been completed.
