HOW DO THE PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS JUSTIFY THE 23rd OCTOBER STRIKES

David Farrar (Kiwiblog) stated the facts....

• The fact that public sector employees are paid an average of $2,003 a week compared to $1,592 a week for private sector employees whose taxes fund the public sector

• An offer to primary teachers that would see those paid over $100,000 increasing from 40% to 66%

• An offer to secondary teachers that would see those paid over $100,000 increasing from 60% to 76%

• An average total remuneration package for senior doctors of $343,500 a year, plus six weeks annual leave and a three month paid sabbatical every six years.

• A 2% increase for senior nurses whose average salary is already $125,662

• An offer to graduate nurses whose current salary of $75,773 would see them earning $84,150 by June 2026.

The Unions fund the Labour Party - so this is a direct beat-up of the National Coalition Government, that has nothing to do with achieving a fair outcome for Public Sector employees, and everything to do with weaponising our children, our elderly and our health compromised, to achieve political mischief. This is political hypocrisy at its worst by Labour.

Health Targets starting to work for Nationmal

On 14th October 2025 1Kiwiblog highlighted the latest health target achievement progress.

Health targets data shows that progress (ie being made) after the abysmal performance of the health system under Labour.

National got 90% of patients starting cancer treatment within 31 days. It dropped to 83.5% but has increased by 3% in the last year.

The immunisation rate was close to 95%. It dropped to 74% and is now at 82%.

ED were seeing over 90% of patients within six hours. It dropped to just over 70%. Still a long way to go, but now at 74%.

Seeing a specialist within four months was close to 100%. It dropped to 61.5% and has yet to increase.

A small improvement here.

MOUNT MAUNGANUI AIRSHED - AIR QUALITY HAS IMPROVED MARKEDLY AT WHAREROA MARAE OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS

Sitting Regional Councillors, as well as aspirant candidates have been misinforming the voting public that the Mount Maunganui Airshed is a huge issue. Local iwi want industrial activity within this airshed SHUT DOWN. The science tells a different story – a good story actually. A story of continuous improvement actually. Yes – it did need addressing – and it is happening.

Here is an update on air quality at Whareroa Marae that was recently sent to by Bay of Plenty Regional Council staff to Ngati Kuku representatives (the Marae iwi).

All available data indicates that air quality has improved markedly at Whareroa Marae over the last ten years. 

Table 1 below summarises current levels and standards:

Note: Whareroa Marae air pollutants vs. standards (latest data). Compliance with NESAQ has been achieved in recent years, while WHO’s stricter guidelines (especially for fine particulates) remain a longer-term target.

This is another example of a "loud" group of activists who have stirred up the local community, and yet never give credit to the work undertaken by Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Tauranga City Council and Port of Tauranga (as well as other industry groups in the area - like Ballance Agri-nutrients) who have worked extremely hard to make substantive environmental improvements.

I chaired Plan Change 13 (the Regional Council's Resource Management Air Plan, in 2016 and I have been amazed at the misinformation that minority activist groups inject into the community.

Be careful who you vote for if your want genuine strong governance and financial accountability.