Having a stable home is the foundation for a good life – it supports us to build connections with people and places. It creates the conditions for us to be able to connect and contribute to our communities. But successive governments have not done enough to make sure everyone in our community has suitable housing. Now, the National-led Government plans to sell off state housing, has cancelled developments already underway and will make it less available to our communities. This will lead to more people living in unaffordable and unsuitable private rentals, in their cars and on the streets. In the Waitematā Local Board (Auckland Central) area: • Auckland Council counted 809 “unsheltered homeless” living in the city in May 2025, a 90 percent increase since September 2024[1] • The number of households on the Housing Register for Waitematā is 195 (as of June 25)[2] • There are many more people living in housing stress, who are not on the Housing Register or visibly homeless. At the time of Census 2023 there were 2,517 people living in Severe Housing Deprivation in the Waitematā area[3] • A diverse range of people live and work here, not just the well off  • Vincent Street is a Kāinga Ora development for 53 homes which has been cancelled. This development would have provided decent and stable housing, close to amenities We know from our own history and from overseas, that when governments play a bigger role in building and providing decent and suitable housing, we lay the foundation for thriving communities. We have built state housing at scale as a solution before, and we can do it again.  We are calling on decision makers to ensure that everyone in Auckland Central has a decent and stable home. Restarting the planning and construction of cancelled developments like Vincent Street as soon as possible is what we need to be doing to ensure this happens. References: 1. Auckland’s homelessness has almost doubled, says council report. The Post, 28 July 2025 2. MSD Housing Register. MSD, June 2025 3. Severe Housing Deprivation. Aotearoa Data Explorer. StatsNZ 

1.Rules based order. New Zealand supports a rules-based international order – for example through the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. Israel is the world’s most egregious violator of international rules. Things have got extremely dire this last month. Gaza is a walled in community where the population cannot leave and no food or water has been allowed in since May 8 2025 [2]   2. War crimes. Unfortunately, our government has stayed silent, although it has called for a negotiated settlement in Gaza, which Israel agreed to and then has trashed. Israel agreed to a three-phase ceasefire in January this year but then refused to negotiate stage two of the agreement which would have forced it to withdraw its troops from Gaza. An arrest warrant has been issued by the International Criminal Court for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for trial on war crimes charges. [3] 3. The precedent exists: New Zealand Government has imposed sanctions before for war crimes. The Green Party bill is based on the sanctions the government has imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Why did we sanction Russia but not Israel? 4. The New Zealand Government has spoken out before against illegal Israeli settlements and criticised IDF attacks on UN staff.[4] NZ has made it clear that Israel needs to let humanitarian aid into Gaza and for a permanent ceasefire to come into being. NZ also voted in the UN General Assembly last September to endorse the International Court of Justice ruling that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory was illegal and Israel must vacate Occupied Palestinian Territorywithin a year. 5.  TheNew Zealand Governmen must follow the ICJ. [5]T he ruling by the ICJ requires NZ to take actions against Israel’s illegal occupation but the government has done nothing. 6 Pressure from the international community is mounting. This week alone, the Hague group 30 states from Africa, Asia, Europe, as well as North America and South America have come together for multilateral action against the Genocide in Gaza. [6] Joining Belgium, Spain and Ireland, France, the UK and Canada have now moved to recognise Palestinian statehood.[7] Why now? Starving civilians, severely malnourished children are dying daily in increasing numbers.[8] In an alert, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, relayed desperate testimonies from its colleagues who are also struggling to survive in the war-torn enclave. “We’re in the death phase,” one UNRWA worker said. “Everything around people at the moment is death, whether it’s bombs or strikes, children wasting away in front of their eyes from malnourishment, from dehydration, and dying.” Doctors and nurses who continue to work in the UN agency’s clinics and medical centres “are watching children disappear and die in front of their eyes, and there's absolutely nothing that they can do about it,” the worker continued.  The development comes after desperate Gazans seeking aid came under fire at the weekend “from Israeli tanks, snipers and other gunfire”, according to the UN World Food Programme. [9] In a detailed statement after the incident on Sunday 20 July, it explained that a 25-truck lorry convoy crossed the Zikim border point in northern Gaza “destined for starving communities”. Shortly after passing the final checkpoint after the Zikim crossing point, the convoy encountered large crowds of civilians waiting to access food supplies. This was when the shooting began, leaving “countless” Gazans dead, WFP said, echoing reports by the health authorities. Condemning the incident, WFP noted that the victims “were simply trying to access food to feed themselves and their families on the brink of starvation”. That's why we're calling on the National party members to support the Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Bill  - as your constituents, we are telling you now is the time to act.  References: [1] New Zealand Parliament |Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill  [2] [8] Terror and chaos for Gaza’s people now entering the ‘death phase’ | UN News [3] UNRWA Commissioner-General on Gaza: The worst case scenario of famine is now happening in Gaza  [4]  Israel/OPT: Netanyahu, Gallant and Al-Masri must face justice at the ICC for charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity - Amnesty International  [5] NZ can respond to ICJ ruling on Israel - AUT News [6] Emergency Conference of The Hague Group [7] Canada to recognise Palestine at UN general assembly, joining France and UK in push for new state | World news | The Guardian    [9] Gaza Convoy Incident Statement | World Food Programme 

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 

Local governments have a role to play in upholding this legal framework and ensuring our cities do not profit from or contribute to the normalisation of human rights violations by dealing with the listed organisations and companies. Failure to do so would be a grave blow to the credibility of and trust in the international legal order, and to the reputation of New Zealand.   Palmerston North is a proud multicultural city, and a certified Welcoming Community. We have many sister cities, in support of international peace, and our Mayor is currently the President of Sister Cities NZ. Many members of our community have whakapapa to the Arab world and are deeply affected by events in the Middle East. The Palestinian members of our community are grieving; they have all lost family and friends, and have faced decades of trauma and loss.   As a city, we have historically stood for peace, social responsibility, and human rights. Our Council has ethical guidelines for its operations and procurement processes, with commitments to values such as integrity, sustainability, and inclusion.   It is crucial that the Council condemns injustice wherever it occurs, in reflection of our shared ethics.  We cannot claim to support women while watching Palestinian women targeted and starved. We cannot say we protect tamariki while Gaza’s children are orphaned, amputated without anaesthetic, and lie cold under rubble. We cannot support human rights while turning away from genocide. This is the test of our generation, and history will remember what we choose.   While Palmerston North City Council may not currently purchase large volumes of goods directly,  we call for a formal policy that ensures:   • PNCC does not knowingly enter into service contracts, sponsorships, or investment arrangements with companies that profit from or are complicit in violations of international humanitarian law and human rights, including the illegal occupation of Palestinian Territory.   • PNCC commits to ongoing ethical screening of procurement, investment, and funding practices, in line with its existing sustainability and social responsibility goals.   • PNCC aligns future policy development with New Zealand’s obligations under international law and the rulings and advisory opinions of the ICC and ICJ.   This is an ethical call, not a political call. Councils have, in the past, taken ethical positions on international issues, including condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, sponsoring fundraising, and fundraising for Ukraine, and refusing procurement from companies complicit in other abuses.  Likewise, the procurement policies called for in this petition are neither arbitrary nor politically  biased — they are based in international law: UNSC Resolution 2334, ICJ Advisory, Opinions, and  the Rome Statute and Geneva Conventions, which prohibit aiding and abetting war crimes or  occupation. Councils have a duty to not support or engage with entities complicit in these crimes,  especially as the ICJ and ICC are now actively investigating crimes against humanity and plausible  genocide.  Across Aotearoa New Zealand, local authorities have begun taking action. Far North, Whanganui, Nelson, and Dunedin City Councils have passed motions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza  and to uphold Palestinian human rights. In addition, Nelson and Christchurch City Councils have  amended their procurement policies to comply with UNSC Resolution 2334 and not contract with  the list of companies identified by the UN Human Rights Council as being involved in the building,  maintenance, or consolidation of illegal Israeli settlements (as has Environment Canterbury  Regional Council). Dunedin City Council’s Community Services Committee has recommended that  their Council support the Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill proposed by the Green  Party, and supported by the Labour Party and Te Pāti Māori. This movement is part of a wider global effort. Hundreds of city councils worldwide (including in  Australia, USA, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Turkey, and Belgium) have passed motions calling for a  ceasefire, to divest from companies complicit in Israel’s violations of Palestinians’ human rights,  and/or to end Sister City relationships.   In light of the above, we urge Palmerston North City Council to pass the following motions:  CEASEFIRE MOTION   That Palmerston North City Council:   1. Expresses grave concern at the continuing loss of life in Gaza and Israel, and calls for an  immediate and permanent ceasefire;   2. Condemns all acts of violence against civilians, and calls for the immediate release of all  Israeli and Palestinian hostages held unlawfully;   3. Calls on the Government of Aotearoa New Zealand to actively support a permanent ceasefire, uphold ICJ rulings, and fulfil its legal obligations under international law, including UNSC Resolution 2334.  ETHICAL PROCUREMENT MOTION  That Palmerston North City Council formally adopts and enacts an ethical Procurement and  Investment Framework that:   1. Incorporates respect for human rights, international law, and peacebuilding as key criteria  in decision-making;   2. Screen suppliers, contractors, and investment partners for involvement in serious human rights violations, including those identified by the United Nations and international courts, UNSC Resolution 2334, and the 2004 and 2024 ICJ rulings on the wall and settlements,  ensuring that Council resources are not used in ways that contribute to the occupation or related violations.   Passing these motions would place Palmerston North City Council among the ethical leaders of local government in Aotearoa New Zealand, building on its commitment to sustainability and social justice.

Everyone is entitled to live with justice and dignity, this includes Palestinians.  These rights are often protected by both national and international laws. Israel is occupying and colonising Palestinian land, discriminating against Palestinians working in Israeli society, and denying Palestinian refugees the right to return to their homes.  While political leaders and governments shirk their obligations, far too many corporate entities have profited from Israel’s economy of illegal occupation, apartheid and now, genocide. “It’s time for businesses to cut ties with Israel. The very fact of engaging in something that concerns and translates into economic gain and profits, it’s problematic, lest, companies and their executives are ready to face responsibility and even criminal liability”  - Francesca P. Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories  While the government is stalling on imposing sanctions on Israel, we the people will use our consumer power to “push for better” and de-shelve SodaStream from all retailers around the motu.  Why SodaStream Historical Complicity SodaStream’s first factory was built over the remains of seven destroyed Palestinian villages in the illegal settlement of Ma'ale Adumim, in the occupied West Bank. Settlements like Ma'ale Adumim, and companies operating in them, are illegal under international law. In 2014, under constant pressure from the global Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, SodaStream shut down its West Bank factory. This was a big win. However, SodaStream CEO Daniel Birnbaum claimed: “We are not giving in to the boycott. We are Zionist."  He framed the move as a cost-saving decision, despite accusing the BDS campaign of hurting opportunities for Palestinian workers.  New Factory, Still Profiting from Apartheid  After leaving the West Bank, in 2015 SodaStream relocated to the Idan Industrial Zone in the Naqab (Negev) desert. This is land that Israel confiscated from Palestinian Bedouin communities in the 1950s. That is, SodaStream is still implicated in settler colonial dynamics — just in a different region. The SodaStream factory is located near the city of Rahat where many Palestinian Bedouins were forcibly relocated. Today, Palestinian Bedouins live under constant threat of displacement by the Israeli state. Across the Naqab, hundreds of Palestinian homes are demolished every year, with the second-highest number of them occurring in Rahat. (176 in 2022 alone). These home demolitions as well as systematic exclusion from basic infrastructure and services, all contribute to Israel's long-term plan to remove them from their land and traditional practices. SodaStream and other Israeli and international companies receive government financial incentives and subsidies when they base their factories in the Naqab region. The region has been designated a ‘national priority area’ in accordance with Israel’s ten-year “National Strategic Plan for the Negev”, designed to tighten the Israeli state’s hold on the region, and vastly increase the Israeli population there.  SodaStream can thus be seen as an instrument of Israel’s plan to remove indigenous people from their land through urbanisation and industrialisation. Exploitation of Palestinian Workers Over 100,000 Palestinians work in Israel and settlements—because their own economy is strangled by occupation and Israeli labour laws are not fairly applied to Palestinian workers. A 2022 report by Kav LaOved (an Israeli workers' rights NGO) found that many Palestinian workers face wage theft, unsafe working conditions, denial of health care or accident compensation, long hours without rest or proper documentation. SodaStream uses its employment of Palestinians as a public relations tool, portraying itself as a “coexistence” model while hiding the broader apartheid context that underlies the company’s operation, and which created those economic dependencies in the first place.   BDS Works! We’ve seen SodaStream shutdown its illegal factory in the Occupied West Bank due to BDS pressure. In the UK, we recently saw The Co-operative Group vote to remove Israeli products from its shelves. McDonald’s has missed sales targets, Starbucks slashed its annual sales forecast after a slump in growth, Turkey’s parliament voted to remove Coke from the shops and restaurants on its grounds - we can use our collective consumer power to create change. References: https://www.whoprofits.org/publications/report/120 https://electronicintifada.net/content/new-sodastream-factory-could-help-destroy-bedouin-agriculture/13182 https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2015/9/25/sodastream-factory-shows-palestinian-bedouins-plight  https://www.bdsmovement.net/news/sodastream-close-illegal-settlement-factory-response-growing-boycott-campaign https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2016/03/27/471885452/when-500-palestinians-lose-their-jobs-at-sodastream-whos-to-blame

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. 

As student associations, we’ve had countless students share their struggles with us. A common story is that they’re having to choose between paying for transport to their place of study or covering essential costs like rent or food. That is simply not good enough. Every student deserves to access education without the burden of wondering how they’ll afford to get there. With rising tuition fees and living costs, transport should not be another barrier to success. This change would ease a major financial pressure and help ensure students can stay in school and thrive. The Bigger Picture: We imagine a city where education is genuinely accessible, where no student misses class because they can’t afford the bus or train. Right now, this vision feels out of reach for many tertiary students in Auckland. Students are being squeezed by the rising cost of living: higher rents, more expensive groceries, and growing tuition fees. When you add full-priced public transport on top, it becomes unsustainable. Tertiary students within Auckland receive the lowest discount out of all the groups that have discounts.  Group Current Discount Children (Aged 5–15)  | 40% off Secondary School Students  | 40% off Tertiary Students  | 20% off  Community Services Card Holders  | 50% off  Senior Citizens  | Free  Providing a 50% fare concession for tertiary students is a step toward fairness. It’s an investment in Auckland’s future, in its young people, and in educational equity. Let’s remove the barriers, not raise them.

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.

NZTA data confirms this is a high-risk intersection, with the greatest number of crashes occurring on Cornfoot Street heading from town toward Castlecliff. However, crashes have occurred in both directions, as well as on Morgan Street. Excessive speeds and poor road design continue to pose a serious hazard.

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!  

As teachers, the wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi is always at the forefront of our minds. We want children everywhere to be able to thrive and learn, and to grow up in a safe, stable environment. Unfortunately, our NZ schools are reliant on a leasing scheme which includes a contract between the Ministry of Education and HP - a company that provides computer hardware to the genocidal regime in Israel. HP products assist Israel in maintaining the illegal occupation of Palestine [1]. The contract between HP and the NZ Government is worth millions of dollars. HP currently supplies many teachers and education staff in schools across Aotearoa New Zealand with leased HP branded laptops, tablets and Chromebooks. This means that as educators in Aotearoa, we are using technology which supports a company that contributes to the ongoing occupation and genocide in Palestine when we do our mahi. This does not align with the values of compassion, equity, and care for future generations that we hold as teachers. Background HP Inc (US) provides services to the offices of genocide leaders, Israeli PM Netanyahu and Financial Minister Smotrich [2]. HPE, which shares the same brand, provides technology for Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority, a pillar of its apartheid regime [1]. This ID system forms a core part of the Israeli apartheid regime’s tiered system of citizenship and residency that privileges Israel’s Jewish population and gives inferior status and rights to Palestinians, especially those in East Jerusalem. HP's technology is used to uphold institutional racial discrimination and segregation in relation to freedom of movement, housing, employment, marriage, healthcare, education, and policing. This discrimination is further exacerbated in the case of Palestinian “residents” in occupied East Jerusalem, whose most basic rights can and are being revoked arbitrarily. The system also holds information about Israeli citizens living in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, therefore serving Israel’s settler colonial project directly [3]. HP has also worked directly with the Israeli military, helping build its IT infrastructure [4]. This has included a program with the Israeli Navy which enforces the illegal naval blockade on Gaza [1]. Teachers for Palestine Aotearoa stands with activist groups across Aotearoa who want to see our nation live up to a long history of fighting against oppression. We demand justice for Palestine! We call on Erica Stanford and the NZ Government to have courage, listen to what New Zealanders want, and cease all procurement agreements with HP. References: [1] https://www.whoprofits.org/companies/company/3774?hewlett-packard-enterprise-hpe [2] https://bdsmovement.net/BoycottHP-GazaGenocide-Update [3] https://visualizingpalestine.org/visual/israeli-id-system-animation/  [4] https://investigate.afsc.org/company/hewlett-packard

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.