In Aotearoa, tāngata whaikaha (disabled people) experience significant inequalities in healthcare access and quality compared to non-disabled individuals across all stages of life [3]. Similar inequalities are seen within policing systems, where tāngata whaikaha face inadequate support and discriminatory practices [4]. In a report by the Health Quality & Safety Commission Te Tāhū Hauora [3], it was found that:  • Disabled people die from treatable conditions at five times the rate of non-disabled individuals. • Māori disabled people die from treatable conditions at nearly ten times the rate of non-Māori, non-Pacific, non-disabled individuals. • These inequalities are intensified for people with multiple disabilities and for Māori and Pacific disabled people. • Disability is largely absent from health data, as most major health datasets in Aotearoa do not record disability status. Research from the Donald Beasley Institute regarding policing delivery for tāngata whaikaha [4] found that:  • Police in Aotearoa often lack the training to identify and respond to disability (including neurodivergence, psychosocial disability and learning disability). • Disabled people often feel their disclosures of disability are not believed or are ignored by police. • Some disabled people experience escalation of police contact, including use of force due to misinterpretation of disability. • Disabled people may be criminalised for disability-related behaviour instead of receiving appropriate health or disability support. No society should tolerate preventable harm caused by systematic failure. Tāngata whaikaha have a right to be treated with dignity, safety, and respect across all services. References 1. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/547526/11-year-old-put-in-mental-health-facility-given-two-doses-of-antipsychotics-minister-says  2. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/556934/misidentified-11-year-old-injected-with-drugs-rarely-given-to-children-review-finds  3. https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/resources/resource-library/a-window-on-disability/ 4. https://www.donaldbeasley.org.nz/our-projects/understanding-policing-delivery-takata-whaikaha-ddeaf-and-disabled-people 

Context  April 15 marked three years since the outbreak of war in Sudan. The crisis has escalated into one of the most severe humanitarian emergencies globally, with over 33.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance; more than half the country’s population. Approximately 25 million people face acute food insecurity, while more than 14 million children require urgent humanitarian support.¹ Sudan is also experiencing the largest displacement crisis in the world, with more than 12.4 million people forcibly displaced, including approximately 8.6 million internally displaced people and millions seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.² The conflict continues to involve widespread violence against civilians, including documented reports of systematic sexual violence against women and girls, particularly in Darfur.³ United Nations Independent Fact-Finding Mission reports (2026) identify hallmarks and indicators consistent with genocide in Darfur, including ethnically targeted violence and atrocity crimes.⁴ Despite the scale of the crisis, Sudan remains significantly underrepresented in global media and public discourse. This petition responds directly to the urgent humanitarian realities impacting Sudanese communities globally and within Aotearoa New Zealand. Policy and Human Rights Context New Zealand is a signatory to: • The 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights • The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) • The Convention Against Torture These frameworks affirm: • The right to seek asylum • Protection from refoulement • The right to family unity • The obligation of states to respond to mass displacement and humanitarian crises This petition is further grounded in the Global Compact on Refugees (2018), which calls for expanded pathways to family reunification, increased international responsibility-sharing and strengthened protection mechanisms in contexts of large-scale displacement. These commitments are reinforced by Te Tiriti o Waitangi-informed principles of equity, active protection, and partnership, which require that state systems operate in ways that uphold dignity and fairness for all communities in Aotearoa. The scale, duration, and severity of the conflict in Sudan warrants a targeted humanitarian response, similar to pathways previously extended to other conflict-affected populations. In particular, there is an urgent need to prioritise family reunification pathways for Sudanese communities already living in Aotearoa, including extended family members, as part of a rights-based and humanitarian response consistent with international obligations. References ¹ UNICEF Sudan Humanitarian Situation Reports (2025–2026); World Food Programme Sudan Emergency Updates (2025–2026). https://www.unicef.org/sudan/reports/unicef-sudan-humanitarian-situation-report-2025 https://www.wfp.org/news/joint-news-release-wfpfaounicef-risk-famine-persists-nearly-195-million-people-face-acute-food ² UNHCR Sudan Emergency and Regional Refugee Response (2025–2026). https://www.unhcr.org/emergencies/sudan-emergency https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/sudan ³ UN Women Sudan Crisis Reports (2025–2026); Human Rights Watch Sudan Documentation Reports (2025–2026). https://www.unwomen.org/en/articles/faqs/how-women-and-girls-are-being-targeted-in-the-war-in-sudan https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2026/country-chapters/sudan ⁴ United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan (2026). https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/fact-finding-mission-sudan

We’re food producing champions. We should be able to feed our people. Too many children go to school hungry. Too many people are skipping meals because the money runs out before the week does. Too many of us are making tough choices between nutritious food, rent, power, health care, fuel and other essentials. As a nation, we’ve never been short of ingenuity when something needs fixing. Our food system needs redesigning, and we all need to work together to find the solutions. We need a commitment to a long term plan to deal with the underlying causes of food insecurity, rather than just muddling along with an increasing amount of hungry families needing foodbanks. We are everyday people: iwi, hapū, whānau members, mums and dads, aunties and uncles, farmers, fishers and food producers, health workers, community groups, educators, businesses, organisations, and eaters. No matter who we are or where we are from, we all agree food is not getting the serious political attention it deserves, and that needs to change. We can do better. We are calling on all political parties to make a genuine commitment to a food system that works for everyone. We want to see this commitment before the election so we can support those with the best solutions. Specifically, we want to see: A long-term plan. Affordable, healthy kai for everyone. Farming and food that looks after animals, the land and the ocean. A fair go for local producers, manufacturers and food businesses. Good food environments for our tamariki / children. A food system grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Communities having a decision-making role in their kai / food system. Celebration and protection of our food cultures. We believe Aotearoa New Zealand can become a place where everyone has access to good food, where local kai systems thrive, food producers are valued, communities are resourced and exports are a vital part of our economy. We’re not asking political parties to agree on everything but access to kai is fundamental. By signing this pledge to vote for kai you are sending a message to political parties across the spectrum that you expect to see robust policies that will strengthen our food systems. We will update everyone who signs this pledge about what commitments each political party makes in relation to our demands. 

These cuts will hit hardest for: • people struggling with the rising cost of living; • workers facing redundancy or employment issues; • tenants dealing with housing insecurity; • migrants and former refugees; • disabled people, older people, and students; • whānau experiencing hardship or isolation. Citizens Advice Bureau Wellington provides vital free information, advice, and support including budgeting advice to more than 11,000 people every year. With the impacts of the high cost of living, continuing public service cuts, and growing job losses in Wellington, the support CAB provides is more critical than ever. Wellington CABs are powered by over 125 dedicated volunteers, but volunteers alone cannot sustain the service. Continued funding is essential to maintain physical spaces where people can access in-person support, and to retain the small team of staff who coordinate services, train volunteers, and ensure the CAB service remains accessible and effective. Wellington CABs need every cent of the approximately $240,000 per annum they have been receiving from Council to support Wellingtonians. Yet Council has slashed that funding to just $100,000. This puts at risk the survival of the CAB service in Wellington. For decades, CABs have helped people navigate tenancy issues, employment disputes, immigration processes, financial hardship, family challenges, and access to government, council and community services. CAB services are free, confidential, independent, and available to everyone. At a time when community need is increasing, Wellington City Council should be strengthening this essential service – not undermining it. This includes other community groups that we work alongside. We ask Wellington City Council to: • Reverse the funding cuts to Wellington CABs • Commit to a sustainable long-term funding partnership for CAB services in Wellington. Removing this funding will not remove the need. It will simply remove one of Wellington’s most trusted and accessible sources of support.  Sign the petition and call on Wellington City Council to restore full funding for Wellington Citizens Advice Bureau.  Please share widely. References  • PwC, Service Review Citizens Advice Bureau Wellington (December 2018) • ImpactLab, Citizens Advice Bureau North Shore Incorporated Relationship-related Enquires ImpactLab GoodMeasure Report (October 2022) - showed CAB services provided a $1:$13.20 social return on investment. Other ways you can help • Contact the Mayor and your local Councillors to tell them you oppose the cut to Wellington CAB funding and ask them to fully reinstate the funding and provide long term funding for the CAB.  Find details about your local councillor here https://wellington.govt.nz/your-council/about-the-council/mayor-and-councillors/councillors  • Spread the word to friends, whānau, and your community. • Help people who are digitally excluded to sign the petition here or in person at their local CAB.

The changes proposed erode Aotearoa’s longstanding commitment to fundamental human rights and humanitarian principles. It is clear that the effect of the changes proposed will have a significant, negative impact on everyone, all visa holders, but especially people seeking asylum, refugees and the broader refugee protection framework in Aotearoa. It will affect: 1. Their right to stay if they find love or are offered a job. 2. Their rights to appeal to stay on humanitarian grounds. 3. Everyone's right to live free from being required by Immigration Officers to provide ID on request in the community, at home or at work. New ICE-style Powers for Immigration Officers to Request ID on suspicion: We are alarmed by the new powers proposed for Immigration Officers to request identification documents from people they suspect could be liable to deportation or in breach of visa conditions because: • In practice, it is clear that these powers are likely to extend to people who are in Aotearoa legally, such as people seeking asylum and refugees but also residents or citizens, and will be used disproportionally against people based on their race, ethnicity or country of origin. • It will be particularly harmful to people seeking asylum and refugees, many of whom have experienced heightened and harmful government monitoring in their countries of origin. • Rather than fostering a sense of safety and belonging, these provisions risk increasing existing vulnerabilities and erode trust in public institutions. • It risks vulnerable populations going further into the shadows. Individuals may avoid seeking medical care or even reporting crimes, like workplace exploitation or domestic violence, for fear of immigration enforcement and deportation. Ban on alternative visa pathways for people who withdraw their asylum claim • It is cruel to ban people seeking asylum who withdraw their claim, because they have fallen in love, married or are in a settled relationship with a New Zealand partner, from being eligible for an alternative visa such as a Partnership Visa • It is cruel to ban people seeking asylum who withdraw their claim from being eligible for an alternative visa such as a Skills or Job specific Work to Residence Visa because they have been offered employment. Limitation on humanitarian appeal rights • The limitation on humanitarian appeal rights will reduce access to independent, experienced oversight at a critical point in the immigration system.These oversight and appeal rights are an important safeguard, particularly for individuals with complex or evolving humanitarian needs, including those facing serious harm if returned.  • Limiting appeal rights could also be unduly harsh on the children of those liable for deportation. Currently, many deportation cases regarding temporary visa holders (such as those who have sought asylum here over many years) involve families with children in school who have spent the majority of their lives in Aotearoa New Zealand. Deportation can have major, adverse impacts on children’s health and well-being, notably through family separation, disrupted education, and being returned to an unfamiliar country where they may not speak the language.  • Retaining the right to appeal deportation is an important avenue for protecting children’s rights and upholding New Zealand’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Conflation of people seeking asylum, seeking safety, with criminals • This Bill and its public introduction by the Minister makes a problematic conflation between serious criminal offending by long-term residents and measures targeting asylum claimants, packaging both under the framing of "Enhanced Risk Management."  • These provisions address entirely different populations with entirely different legal statuses. One group has been convicted of serious crimes; the other is exercising a fundamental right recognised under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Refugee Convention.  • Grouping them in a single legislative instrument, such as this Bill, undermines public understanding of what the asylum process is and reinforces a damaging association between asylum seeking and criminality that is neither accurate nor justified, putting communities at risk. We therefore call on this Bill to be scrapped. For more about Asylum Seekers Support Trust: Website: asst.org.nz Facebook: facebook.com/ARCI.NZ Instagram: @asylumseekersnz

Being ready to change the Government is about taking simple action that will count on November 7th. A new law means people will no longer be able to register to vote during the voting period. Last election 450,000 people registered to vote during the voting period - many of them Māori, Pacific communities and young people. You, your friends and loved ones need to register before October 25th to be able to vote from October 26th to November 7th.  Every time you sign and share this petition, you send a signal to the Government, and your friends and networks get a critical memo on registering to vote in time. The last few years have told us, when push comes to shove we turn up for each other and stand up to be counted. It’s time to do it again. Authorised by K Hartendorp, PO Box 19069, Wellington 6149

With over 15% of Aotearoa, and over 30% of Māori (1), having used cannabis obtained through illegal markets in 2024, the legalisation of cannabis for recreational use would clearly be beneficial to the mana, money and health of a large number of New Zealanders. It’s been over 5 years since the narrowly failed 2020 Referendum, and surveys show that a vast majority of the public is now in favour of some sort of drug law reform(2). What are the reasons that consumers, non-consumers and public advocates like New Zealand Drug Foundation(3) support the drafting and passing of new legal cannabis legislation? Firstly, in a legal market, users would have access to more information about what they are consuming as well as the potential health risks it carries, and would not be presented with the option to buy other more harmful drugs while purchasing cannabis (one of the major factors involved in the ‘gateway drug’ myth). Improving public discourse and reducing stigma would begin to restore the mana and dignity of individuals and communities that have been harmed by negative narratives around illegal drug use.  From an economic perspective, in addition to an estimated $1–1.5B in tax revenue(4) from the legal market, many desperately needed safe and sustainable jobs would be created, providing better opportunities for those stuck in the dangerous and unstable world of the illegal market. With less resourcing of illegal trafficking and more resourcing of education and harm-reduction services, a legal marijuana market would create safer and healthier communities.  Finally, there is the obvious issue of how cannabis users are treated by the legal system. There is a common misconception, spread most often in privileged communities, that “weed is practically legal” in Aotearoa. From 30th June 2024 to 30th June 2025 alone, 180 people were convicted for simply using or possessing cannabis(5) (not including those who possessed cannabis with intent to traffic). If that number does not seem particularly high, consider that cannabis related charges were involved in over 3600 court cases during this period(5); so cannabis prohibition, that goes against the advice of domestic experts and the view of the general public, is still being weaponised as a tool of punishment in our legal system.  And of course, the most devastating effects of prohibition happen outside the courtroom, with the overpolicing of marginalised communities. A 2024 investigation by Aotearoa Justsice Watch found “concerns about improper searches” to be the most dominant theme in submissions about police conduct (6), and racial profiling causes Māori and people of colour to be more heavily targeted for warrantless cannabis searches. Recent roadside drug-testing laws use inaccurate testing methods that over-police drivers who had most recently consumed cannabis days before, and even affect prescription cannabis users (7).  Even in places overseas where cannabis has been legalised, poor policing laws allow cops to harass and search citizens on suspicion of engagement in illicit dealing or production, causing much of the same profiling and violence that occurs under total prohibition. A requirement of police to use non-invasive means such as photography to capture evidence of actual illicit transactions, rather than searching private property for stashes exceeding an arbitrary legal threshold, would more effectively minimise contact between law enforcement and the communities that are most harmed by cannabis prohibition. Improved transparency around drug policing would be a step towards fairer policing, and safer communities.  These reasons, and this petition, are only a partial representation of the rich and diverse perspectives that exist in support of cannabis legalisation in Aotearoa. We, the undersigned, call on the government of Aotearoa to take urgent action in acknowledging our demands and seeking wide-ranging consultation to create more fair, equal and safer cannabis legislation for Aotearoa.  Sources: 1. https://drugfoundation.org.nz/news-and-reports/report-drug-use-in-aotearoa-202324  2. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northland-age/news/nationwide-poll-shows-majority-want-cannabis-laws-relaxed/Y6QCN5T63NFMBMKYTOYV66KYRQ/  3. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/575403/decriminalising-drug-use-best-way-to-combat-rising-addiction-report-finds  4. https://drugfoundation.org.nz/news-and-reports/berl-report-shows-nz-will-be-better-off-under-legal-cannabis.  5. Ministry of Justice Cannabis Offences Table, June 2025 version, downloaded from https://www.justice.govt.nz/justice-sector-policy/research-data/justice-statistics/data-tables/  6. https://amnesty.org.nz/new-report-mistreatment-by-police-and-prison-officers/ 7. https://drugfoundation.org.nz/news-and-reports/roadside-drug-testing-what-you-need-to-know 

Dear Minister Simeon Brown We write to you as transgender and takatāpui young people of Aotearoa New Zealand to ask you to reconsider your decision to ban the use of puberty blockers (gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues) by transgender young people.   To be transgender or takatāpui is a taonga. To deny our young people access to life-saving medication on the basis of an imported culture war is cruel and abhorrent. Trans young people are some of our most at-risk youth. Not because of who they are, but because of how our society treats them for something they have no control over.    Denying our rangatahi an effective medication that gives them the time to discover who they are is needlessly cruel. According to Counting Ourselves 2022, 77% of trans people experience high or very high psychological distress, compared to just 12% of the general population. When compared to the fact that 95% of trans youth have a positive impact on their mental health from the use of puberty blockers, how could such a vital medical intervention be ignored?     This decision is an infringement on human rights and medical autonomy, as stated by Te Kāhui Tika Tangata The Human Rights Commission. Denying access to essential healthcare for trans and takatāpui youth is going to cause unnecessary harm and distress to not just young people but to their whanau as well. The fact that it is only our gender diverse youth that are denied this care, and not the general population, is clear discrimination designed to target our most vulnerable.   We urge you to reconsider your decision and put our young people’s health ahead of politics. Sincerely Lauren Craig & Ngahuru Autumn Brown

Explanation for the Coronial Reform Petition. On 2 August 2020, our family lost a loved one while he was in police custody. We entered the coronial process seeking clarity, accountability, and honest answers about the circumstances that led to his death. Instead, we discovered a system marked by silence, delay, and limited transparency. Key information was difficult to access, critical evidence was incomplete or disputed, and the pathway to a reopening was unclear and dependent on discretion rather than consistent standards. Our family’s experience is not isolated. Across Aotearoa, many whānau who lose loved ones in sudden, unexpected, or police-related circumstances remain trapped in the same uncertainty — grieving without answers, and living with unresolved questions that could be clarified through a fair, timely, and transparent coronial process. When essential information is withheld or delayed, when evidence remains untested, and when decisions are made without full disclosure, families are left without closure and justice is left unfinished. Systemic Pattern of Failure (Public Record Context) Public oversight findings and Official Information Act material identify a recurring pattern in deaths occurring in Police custody in Aotearoa New Zealand that extends beyond delayed medical response. These findings document failures of duty of care, including inadequate monitoring, delayed recognition of medical distress, delayed escalation to emergency care when individuals became unresponsive, and inconsistencies between recorded custody checks and what occurred in practice. Oversight bodies have also identified concerns relating to custody-environment conditions, supervision, and information handover, all of which engage fundamental issues of human rights, dignity, and the lawful treatment of people deprived of their liberty. These matters are not raised to draw conclusions about Stacey Owen-Waaka’s death, but to establish that the State’s failure to consistently uphold its duty of care in custody settings is a documented systemic issue on the public record, warranting careful coronial scrutiny, transparency, and accountability. Public record context includes IPCA findings and information released under the Official Information Act (OIA) relating to deaths in Police custody. 1) IPCA - Death of Jaye Taueli (Police custody) https://www.ipca.govt.nz/Site/publications-and-media/2023-reports-on-investigations/2023-jun-27-death-jaye-taueli-police-custody.aspx 2) IPCA - Death of Faasala Samu Matue (Police custody) https://www.ipca.govt.nz/Site/publications-and-media/2025-media-releases/2025-mar-12-investigation-death-matue-.aspx 3) IPCA - Death of Lynne Martin (Police custody) https://www.ipca.govt.nz/Site/publications-and-media/2025-media-releases/2025-mar-25-death-custody-gisborne-duty-care.aspx 4) IPCA - Death of Dwayne Walters (Police custody) https://www.ipca.govt.nz/Site/publications-and-media/2016-Media-Releases/2016-MAR-17-Death-in-custody-of-Dwayne-Walters.aspx This petition calls for reform because the current system does not adequately protect families or uphold public confidence. We need a coronial process where: • full disclosure is guaranteed, • decisions on reopening are timely and transparent, • independent review safeguards are in place, and • every family, regardless of their background or circumstances, has a clear and equitable path to answers. Families should not have to fight for basic information about how their loved one died. They should not be left carrying the burden of uncertainty for years. Reform is necessary because unanswered questions prolong trauma, undermine trust, and prevent genuine accountability in cases where state agencies are involved. This petition is not just about one family or one date. It is about ensuring that every death investigated by the coronial system is treated with the dignity, fairness, and transparency that whānau deserve. For the sake of those who have died in unreasonable circumstances — and for the families who continue to wait for truth — this system needs change. Reform is overdue, and the voices of affected families must finally be heard.

I care deeply about this issue because I have seen firsthand how ACC delays, lost documents, and repeated administrative failures cause real harm to ordinary New Zealanders. The image above is the beginning of our story — a child fighting for life while a system meant to protect us repeatedly failed. Our petition speaks not only for her, but for every whānau still trying to survive the consequences of ACC’s neglect. When decisions take months or years, families are left without income, without treatment, and without answers. These are not isolated mistakes — they are systemic failures affecting people from every region and every background. No New Zealander should suffer financially or emotionally because an agency did not meet its basic responsibilities. Timely decisions and clear accountability are not luxuries; they are the foundation of a fair and trustworthy public system.  This reform is about ensuring that every person in Aotearoa is treated with dignity, urgency, and justice.

Our children deserve access to safe and integrity-driven education. Right now, companies like Crimson are pushing charter schools through with almost no oversight, while making money off private tutoring. There’s already been abuse in one of their programs - a tutor with past convictions actually harmed children - and that shows the system isn’t keeping kids safe. At the same time, schools that are doing things right, like The Liger Leadership Academy, are being denied approvals. And Kelston Boys had its governance documents redacted in a way that makes it impossible to verify what actually happened. It’s not just bureaucracy - it’s about who gets to shape education for every kid in NZ. If Parliament doesn’t pause and review this properly, we’re basically giving public money and control to private interests with no accountability. That’s why I’m pushing this petition: it’s about safety, fairness, and protecting public education for everyone.

The Department of Corrections is failing to provide basic necessities like hygienic bedding, underwear, socks, shoes and thermals. This is a breach of human rights and a failure to care for those in state care. We demand that the Department of Corrections does better. People Against Prisons Aotearoa has been supporting prisoners individually with these needs, but as the situation worsens it has become apparent that work needs to be done to ensure that all prisoners receive appropriate clothing as a necessary part of Corrections custody. In the 2024/2025 year, PAPA provided people in prison with: • 240 pairs of underwear • 255 pairs of socks • 111 pairs of shoes  • 102 thermals.  In general, the requests PAPA have been receiving are because: necessary items are not being provided at all, the number of items provided isn’t sufficient for hygienic purposes or because the quality of these items doesn’t meet people’s basic needs. Why does Corrections not face legal consequences for failing its responsibilities to keep prisoners clean and warm?  Corrections need to start doing their job. People Against Prisons Aotearoa will no longer be responsible for patching holes left by the Department of Corrections failing to meet its legal obligations, and a Government that fails to address this! We need you and the people of Aotearoa New Zealand to help us demand the Department of Corrections do their jobs and fulfil their legal responsibility. *image by Min Iles