We want a New Zealand where families of people in custody can stay connected safely, without fear, and where tamariki (children) continue to have meaningful contact with their parents. A world where incarceration does not unnecessarily harm children or whānau, and where rehabilitation is supported by strong family bonds. Currently, families often must provide their personal residential addresses to maintain contact with loved ones in prison. This creates significant safety and privacy risks, especially for caregivers and children. Many families are reluctant to communicate regularly because of these risks, leaving children isolated from their parent, and weakening family support structures that are proven to help reduce reoffending. This situation disproportionately affects vulnerable families, creating inequity and stress. For children, inconsistent or unsafe contact with a parent can have lasting emotional and social impacts, including anxiety, disrupted attachment, and increased risk of poor outcomes in education and wellbeing. Research consistently shows that maintaining strong family connections during incarceration: • Reduces recidivism: children and families can be a protective factor supporting rehabilitation.[1] • Supports tamariki wellbeing: consistent contact with a parent fosters emotional stability and resilience.[2,3] • Promotes fairness and equity: no family should have to risk safety to stay in touch. Currently, the lack of a secure, monitored communication platform prevents New Zealand from realizing these benefits. Families must choose between safety and contact, an impossible choice that can harm both parent and child. Implementing a secure electronic communication system: • Allows families to communicate safely without sharing private addresses. • Provides a child-focused option, letting tamariki exchange messages, drawings, or school updates safely. • Supports rehabilitation for people in custody by strengthening family bonds. • Reduces stress and safety risks for caregivers, improving overall family wellbeing. This issue needs to be addressed NOW because children are currently missing out on consistent contact with their parents, and families continue to face unnecessary risk. Modern secure communication systems exist internationally and could be adapted for Aotearoa, making this solution both feasible and timely.[4] References & Supporting Facts: [1] Reducing Re-offending (Corrections NZ): https://www.corrections.govt.nz/resources/strategic_reports/corrections_strategic_plans/creating_lasting_change_2011_-_2016_YR3/reducing_re-offending  [2] Murray, J., & Murray, L. (2010). Parental incarceration, attachment and child outcomes.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14751790903416889  [3] Bowlby, J. (1988). A Secure Base: Parent-Child Attachment and Healthy Human Development.https://www.increaseproject.eu/images/DOWNLOADS/IO2/HU/CURR_M4-A13_Bowlby_(EN-only)_20170920_HU_final.pdf  [4]Secure Video Calls with Prisoners - GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visit-a-prisoner-using-a-video-call 

“"Commit to replacing “inclusion” with “access” that day 3 December, maybe it sticks, maybe it doesn't. Maybe it's the first step in a more equitable and accessible Aotearoa for all" ” WHY you should: Access is a Right, not an Invite. That's why! 3 December 2025 is International Day of Persons with Disabilities and is the perfect moment to flip the script, start with words, and build the access-first Aotearoa we all deserve.  Words shape worlds. Some word history for you! Did you know “Inclusion” comes from Latin - IN = "Into, to add to" and CLUDERE meaning “to shut in, or close off”? Put it together = INCLUDERE, or these days INCLUDE = "Invited or added in to something closed off to you."  So from the very start, it’s been about taking something outside and bringing it inside.  Being invited in, added in, let in to spaces controlled by others.  That’s not equity.  Access comes from ACCESSUS “to enter or pass through without barrier.”  By right. Not invite.  We know this is a tough shift for you. You've grown up with "inclusion" as the go-to word.  Inclusion is soft. Access is hard.  But worth it! Try it, witness the difference. Think of it like this:  “Inclusion is margarine. Access is the real butter! ” WHY Access?   In a world where Access is the start point, not the add-on, people with lived experience of disability live lives of substance, not subsistence. Every space we enter - physical, digital, cultural, and political - is designed from the ground up to be barrier-free, with disabled people leading the decisions that affect our daily lives.  In this space, Access isn’t an afterthought, a workaround. It’s built-in. To our homes, schools, workplaces, marae, churches, theatres, cities, towns and suburbs. Access creates a world where we are Diversity, not Deficit. With dignity, not just diagnosis. Where we are experts on our own lives, not exceptions to be managed.  Where we inhabit time and s p a c e with equity, not as invitees to environments not made for us. Where people are recognised not by labels you place on us, but our identities. Where our unique ways of navigating life are rich with fresh perspectives and added-value.  A world where communities thrive because dignity, respect, and justice aren’t lofty ideals hoped for by generations of lived experience, they’re everyday practice. This isn’t a dream, it’s the Aotearoa for all that we can create when we put Access first.   “Disability doesn't discriminate - our places, spaces and society does.   Every age, gender, culture, and orientation is represented in disability. Every.   We are human beings, here now, not waiting for you to "include us."  ”   The big ACCESS ask - SIGN THIS PETITION, shift the mindset - will you answer the call?   On 3 Dec 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities – we’re asking Aotearoa to give it a try, swap “Inclusion” for “Access.”  “When we say “inclusion,” exclusion still wins. If you can be “included,” it means you've already been excluded.  Access, once embedded, cannot be denied.  ” Let's be clear. This isn’t just about ramps and captions. Access is multi-dimensional. It's physical, cultural, emotional, financial, spiritual, intellectual, collective, and individual.  Swapping “inclusion” for “access” is more than a language fix. It reframes disability not as a problem to accommodate, but as a matter of rights and design. It tells decision-makers that disabled and marginalised people aren’t guests waiting for an invite, we’re already here.  Access vs. Inclusion - so what's the difference?  For example, 8-10 performances season of a Royal NZ show might have 2x Sign language interpreted performances and 1x audio described performance + wheelchair seating for no more than 4 people per performance = that’s Inclusion. The same season with ALL performances NZSL interpreted and audio described and a venue that can adjust its seating configuration to adjust for wheelchair users = Access.  That's the vision. Where disabled people self-determine need and are leaders of the decisions affecting them. Not just the recipients of plans that weren't built for them or invited as a tick-box afterthought.  Inclusion is soft,  and on someone else's terms, there are gatekeepers who 'let' you in, 'invite' you in. Access is hard, but it means you actively make the effort to build the places, spaces and societies for all from the very start, not accommodate after by invite only.   “Inclusion is soft, almost easy, and on someone else's terms, there are decision makers, gatekeepers who 'let' you in, add you in, 'invite' you in.  Access is hard, but it means you actively make the effort to build the places, spaces and societies for all from the very start, not accommodate after by invite only.  ” On 3 December 2025, use Access instead of Inclusion in all official communications, policies, and public events. If you have inclusion in your role title, policies, swap it out for access and witness the shift that happens.   “As we've said, maybe it sticks, maybe it doesn't. Maybe it's the first step in a more equitable and accessible Aotearoa for all.  ”   We say yes to access - every day.   YOU can do it. Even if it's just for one day. Just like these artists and allies here at this link: Yes to Access.  This campaign is disability-led, conceived over two years by disabled artists, researchers and creators with Touch Compass, and supported by allies across Aotearoa.  ✊🏽 Words shape worlds. Swap the word. Shift the mindset. Sign the petition. Share it!  #YesToAccessNZ 

Since October 2023 the world has witnessed the state of Israel perpetrate innumerable war crimes and human rights violations against the people of Gaza [1], while the violence, repression, and forced displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem has escalated [2]. But this violent oppression has been the modus operandi of the decades-long Israeli occupation. The International Court of Justice [3] along with international human rights organisations [4] have repeatedly laid bare the Israeli occupation’s systematic breaches of international law, discriminatory apartheid regime, and abuses of Palestinian human rights. People of conscience in Aotearoa New Zealand have been steadfast in their opposition to Israel’s disregard of fundamental human rights of Palestinians, international legal frameworks and institutions. Across the country we have been standing up for our common humanity and to maintain the integrity of the international law that is meant to keep us all safe. The time of impunity for Israel's occupation and unlawful and dehumanising behaviour must end. We demand that the New Zealand Government impose economic, diplomatic and military sanctions on Israel as a concrete consequence for its breaches of international law and human rights violations.  What action can New Zealand take to stand firmly for justice for Palestine? Just as Russia was swiftly and firmly sanctioned for its unlawful invasion and occupation of Ukraine, sanctions should be applied against Israel for its unlawful occupation of Palestine and its innumerable  breaches of international law and human rights violations. We believe that sanctions are a just, meaningful and non-violent way for New Zealand to: • stand up for the human rights of Palestinians and all people currently suffering under Israel's illegal occupation and apartheid regime; • take concrete legislative action to back up our statements and the UN Resolutions we have supported to advance justice and peace in Palestine and Israel [5]; • comply with our obligations under international law and commitments under international humanitarian law; and • contribute to maintaining the integrity of the rules-based international order and uphold an independent and moral foreign policy. Standing up for the fundamental human rights of Palestinians is a matter of conscience. By delivering concrete consequences to Israel for its actions, our Government can uphold Aotearoa New Zealand’s commitment to the human rights and dignity of all people, adhere to our responsibilities at international law, and stand on the right side of history.  We call on the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs to show moral courage and impose sanctions on Israel without delay and until it complies with its obligations under international law. With integrity to the ethical, non-violent and anti-racist principles of the Palestinian-led BDS Movement, the campaign for sanctions against the Israeli occupation of Palestine seeks to ground these principles in the context of Aotearoa. Alongside rejecting all forms of racism including anti-semitism and Islamophobia, a kaupapa which opposes settler colonialism abroad must respect the authority of mana whenua in our respective rohe. Working alongside iwi Māori to honour, defend and advance Te Tiriti o Waitangi is critical to opposing the colonisation of Palestine.   The campaign for sanctions is the collective effort of the Palestinian solidarity movement of Aotearoa. References [1] https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/10/un-commission-finds-war-crimes-and-crimes-against-humanity-israeli-attacks; https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1164496  [2] https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/01/1159411;  [3] Legal Consequences Arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem (Advisory Opinion) [2024]. [4] Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied Since 1967 (A/HRC/49/87); Amnesty International Israel’s Apartheid Against Palestinians (2002); B’Tselem A regime of Jewish supremacy from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea: This is apartheid (2021); Human Rights Watch A Threshold Crossed Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution (2021) [5]  In September 2024 New Zealand joined 123 other United Nations member states in supporting the United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-10/24, which affirmed the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion that Israel’s presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) was unlawful. New Zealand was also the co-sponsor of UNSC Resolution 2334 which affirmed the Israeli settlements in the OPT were unlawful.

There has been little genuine consultation with schools, whānau, or iwi about what is a major change to what and how we assess. Any changes of this scale needs to be informed by the diverse communities that our education system serves. NCEA is not perfect - but it has proven strengths, flexibility, and the ability to serve all learners across diverse pathways, whether academic, vocational, or community-based. Instead of scrapping it, we call on the Government to work alongside educators, students, whānau, and industry to strengthen NCEA through curriculum alignment, a standards review, and genuine co-design.  Replacing NCEA risks: • Disadvantaging Māori, Pasifika, neurodivergent learners, migrants, second language learners, and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. This has been cited in cabinet papers about the proposal as a likely outcome if NCEA is replaced.  • Narrowing subject choice, creative course design and limiting pathways for students, whether they are university-bound or not, the proposed changes fail to recognise the benefit of a wide range of subjects and assessment opportunities designed to meet the needs and interests of a wide range of learners.  • Reverting to an increased focus on external assessment and exams will have an impact on flexible course design and may negatively impact student wellbeing. We must retain flexibility about how we assess our young people.  • A shift to letter grades and percentages which is a regression to outdated, hierarchical models that will likely lead to scaling, bell curves and league tables.    • More young people will leave school without a meaningful formal qualification. Retaining Level One NCEA as an optional certificate ensures we can meet the needs of more learners.  We believe New Zealand needs an inclusive, future-focused qualification system that values all learners because that is how we build a connected, productive, and ambitious society. That system is NCEA – and it can be strengthened. Replacing it puts all those things at risk. Together, let’s protect NCEA and ensure our qualification system continues to serve every learner in Aotearoa. Please sign this petition so we can make sure NCEA remains and that we focus on strengthening rather than scrapping our national assessment framework. 📢 We also encourage you to have your say by completing the official consultation survey before 15 September 2025: https://www.education.govt.nz/consultation-ncea About Aotearoa Educators Collective Aotearoa Educators Collective is an umbrella collective created to support education thought leaders who share a common interest in promoting progressive ideals in education.  The group includes academics, principals and teachers and is not aligned to any political party. https://www.aec.org.nz/ 

Education is essential to our community’s future. Everyone who wants to increase knowledge and skills should have the opportunity to learn. NorthTec isn't just a campus, this is the heart of our region, upskilling in tertiary and vocational education in Te Tai Tokerau. NorthTec is Under Threat - Te Tai Tokerau Needs Your Voice! NorthTec was built to serve our people, but now our future is on the line. If proposed cuts go ahead, we risk losing: • Teachers/Kaiako - the heart of our classrooms • Librarians - keeping knowledge alive • The Student Café - a hub for connection   • Student Voice - silencing the voices of ākonga • Student Support Services - academic and pastoral • Disability + Health Services  • Administration and support services (ICT, Marketing, Enrollments, Registrar, Business) • Academic Programmes - admin coordination are the heart of front line delivery • Regional Campuses must stay open with support services • International Students  These proposed cuts will isolate learners, strip away support and threaten the mana of vocational education in Te Tai Tokerau. Sign now, share this amongst whanau and friends and stand with us here at NorthTec/Te Pūkenga. Your signature adds strength to our movement, join us.

Restoring this vital rail link would benefit over 750,000 people by providing an affordable and accessible alternative to air travel and long-distance coaches, which older and disabled passengers often find inaccessible. It would reduce reliance on private vehicles, improving road safety. Reintroducing this service would boost regional economies, uplift tourism in one of New Zealand’s most beautiful and under-served regions, and build a more connected and equitable transport network for all.

The Flag of the Kingdom of Tonga is a sacred emblem of our nation’s identity, sovereignty, and unity. It embodies the sacrifices of our ancestors, the pride of our people, and the values enshrined in our Constitution. While the Constitution and the Tonga Royal Arms and Flag Act (1962) protect the flag from alteration, there is currently no law preventing its use on commercial products without the consent of the Government of Tonga. As a result, the flag has been used by private companies, often overseas, for profit, without respect for cultural significance and without benefit to the people of Tonga. Our Concerns • Cultural integrity: The flag is being printed on merchandise that contradicts cultural beliefs and values such as footwear, some apparel, and novelty items, diminishing its dignity. • Economic loss: Profits from these items often flow offshore, with no return to Tonga’s economy or people. • Lack of legal recourse: Current laws do not cover the commercial exploitation of the national flag. We call on the Government of Tonga to: 1. Amend the Copyright Act 2002 to include explicit protection for the national flag, prohibiting its use for commercial purposes without prior government consent. 2. Amend the Tonga Royal Arms and Flag Act (1962) to extend similar protections to the national flag as are afforded to the Royal Ensign and Coat of Arms. 3. Establish a licensing and approval process for any commercial use of the flag, ensuring such use aligns with cultural values and national interests. 4. Introduce enforcement mechanisms and appropriate penalties for unauthorized commercial use, both domestically and internationally, where possible. 5. Launch a public awareness campaign to educate businesses and the public about the proper and respectful use of the national flag. International Precedents Other nations have successfully implemented legal protections for their flags and culturally significant symbols, including: • Australia: Copyright protection and licensing for the Aboriginal flag. • Canada: Prohibits commercial use of the national flag without consent. • South Africa: Trademark protection of the flag’s design. WIPO (SA), Gov.Za, fiav.org Tonga can adopt a similar approach to safeguard our national symbol. The Tongan flag is a national symbol of indigeneity and sovereignty of identity.  This is not a logo for sale; it is a living symbol of our heritage, sovereignty, and shared future. We, the undersigned, urge the Government of Tonga to act decisively to protect it for generations to come.

No matter who we are, or where we come from, people across Aotearoa deserve somewhere safe and dignified to call home. As house prices sky rocket, Aotearoa is plunged deeper into the housing crisis created by this Government, Kāinga Ora have rolled back their commitment to deliver social housing in Rangitata.[1] These homes are desperately needed for our most vulnerable citizens - more and more of whom are forced into rough sleeping as they're priced out of the private rental market and emergency housing options are stripped away. Our construction sector also needs the work it will bring in; over the past year we've lost close to a thousand local jobs with the closing of Alliance Smithfield and the loss of the Antarctica contract as examples, and the recession making times rougher across the board for everyone. We’re calling on you as our representative to ensure Kāinga Ora stays true to their commitment to the Grey Road/Arthur Street development, and to show up for your constituents when it matters not just at campaign time. References: [1] Kāinga Ora cans hundreds of social housing building projects after review, takes up to $180m hit - NZ Herald 

No matter where we live in Aotearoa our communities need access to essential services, education and opportunities to grow and thrive. That includes Tokoroa and other small regional communities throughout the South Waikato.  But as a result of this Government’s decisions Tokoroa’s Toi Ohomai campus is facing closure. The Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology has published a proposal to cut over 160 jobs which would lead to the purpose built campus in Tokoroa being closed. Toi Ohomai has said the proposal was in response to a Government expectation to become “financially viable”. Tokoroa has already faced the devastating blow of Kinleith Mill shutting down one of its plants with 150 people losing their jobs. Families have had to reevaluate their lives in the South Waikato, with many deciding to move out of the district for more job opportunities. Some have decided to stay, looking into retraining at Toi Ohomai or seeking employment in other areas in the district.  The Toi Ohomai campus in Tokoroa is a beacon of light for those who otherwise wouldn't have the means to travel to continue tertiary education in Rotorua, Tauranga or Hamilton. The campus and its courses are an asset to all ages, from young high school graduates to adult learners looking to upskill or retrain. With new housing developments and the Maraetai Road Business Park build, there is a light at the end of the economic recovery tunnel for Tokoroa and the wider South Waikato. If Toi Ohomai remains open in Tokoroa, it has the potential to become a significant economic catalyst for local businesses and the recruitment and retention of young people in the district. If we lose Toi Ohomai in Tokoroa, opportunities for locals will once again become extremely limited and the wider community will be left with the burden to fill the gaps. To creatively and collaboratively invest in our local community and allow time for possibilities to flourish is to contribute to the growth and vibrancy of the South Waikato and provide hope to future generations. "Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet". Sign this petition to signal to Toi Ohomai and the government that the Tokoroa community deserves better and will not stand by as our opportunities for youth and future generations are shortsightedly taken away. Let’s show Toi Ohomai leadership that the Tokoroa campus is a valued asset in the community and it must stay open. 

Because no baby should be discarded and forgotten. Because every pēpi deserves to be honoured. Because silence is not respect — it’s erasure. When a baby like Anahera (Onehunga, 2021) or the Freeman’s Bay newborn (2024) is found alone and abandoned, they deserve more than just a coroner’s report. They deserve love, karakia, and the dignity of being remembered. These cases are extremely distressing and complex, as such they require nuanced approaches. This isn’t just about grief — it’s about how we treat the most vulnerable in our country. It’s about our values as a community, as tangata whenua, as whānau. As a mother, compassion and empathy must be intertwined with care. The more supportive pathways we can extend to the people who are suffering, the greater a chance we have of protecting the safety and wellbeing of children. was found. This petition is my karanga — a call for dignity, justice, and aroha.

Responsible leaders welcome advice from experts when they are creating laws and policies. They know good decision making means planning for the long term, considering diverse points of view and making evidence based decisions. This is also key to a healthy democracy. Which is why Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour’s targeting and harassment of people in academics and officials is so concerning. The Prime Minister has the responsibility to ensure the conduct of Ministers of the Cabinet is fitting of their office and inline with the Cabinet Manual.  The Deputy Prime Minister’s deliberate targeting of academics and the exposure of Christchurch Council staff to ridicule by comparing them to Russian President Vladimir Putin, following their opinions on the Regulatory Standards Bill, appears to be a direct breach of the Cabinet Manual’s standards of conduct. It’s a blatant attempt to stifle academic freedom and any dissenting opinion. For the Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour to lead this online harassment campaign is concerning, as such actions could incite behaviour that spills into real-world violence. This is irresponsible and a clear breach of public trust. We expect our leaders to keep us safe, not throw us into harm’s way. Such behaviour by the Deputy Prime Minister compromises the safety and wellbeing of the targeted individuals and sets a dangerous precedent for how dissenting voices in our society are treated. It also breaches sections 2.53 and 2.56 of the Cabinet Manual. As Prime Minister and Head of the Cabinet, we urge you to immediately investigate this matter and address this serious breach of the Cabinet Manual.  We expect our officials to display the highest standards of conduct and ensure that all members of our community can contribute to public debate without fear of harassment or intimidation. An official letter to this effect has already been sent to Luxon - sign this petition if you want to add your power behind the call!  

A restored Southerner train route offers affordable transport for 750,000 SI residents, bridging gaps where air is too costly for students/low-income, coaches inaccessible for disabled/elderly, and car travel unsafe/expensive. This boosts regional economic development and tourism. Recent rail investments, like Hillside Workshops, new ferries, and Inland Ports, confirm rail's viability in the South Island.