Minister downgrades access for BusinessNZ and the CTU

Wednesday, 6 March 2024

Workplace relations and safety minister Brooke van Velden puts Business NZ and Council of Trade Unions in their place.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden has downgraded the lobbying access of the Council of Trade Unions and BusinessNZ.

Answering what appeared to be a pre-arranged question from fellow ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar while speaking to the Education and Workforce Relations last week, van Velden said she would not be continuing the last government’s monthly meetings with the two high-profile organisations.

Cancelling their meeting slot would free her up to speak to a wider variety of people, including those the two organisations did not represent, she said.

Acting CTU president Rachel Mackintosh called the decision “negligent”, saying it was standard international practice for government, workers, and business to engage in tripartite relationships.

BusinessNZ chief executive Kirk Hope said it would touch base with the Government on big issues on a case-by-case basis.

Van Velden said “one thing I’m really aware of is that in previous governments, there have been meetings established between very high profile entities who advocate, people like the Council of Trade Unions and Business NZ”.

“I’m really aware that both of those entitles don’t actually speak for all workers, or speak for all businesses,” she said.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says she sees no need to meet either BusinessNZ or the Council of Trade Unions every month.

“I’m really keen to allow for consultation with a much wider range of people in our community and economy, so I won’t be having what I see as just ongoing meetings with just two groups throughout this term, but actually opening that up to a much larger group of people.

“I see no need to have monthly meetings with the CTU or BusinessNZ.

“Under the last government business confidence fell. It’s been really low, and people haven’t felt listened to. I would like to change that,” she said.

In its first 100 days, the Government repealed the Fair Pay Agreements Act, and reintroduced 90-day work trials, both to the dismay of the Council of Trade Unions.

Mackintosh said the monthly meetings had been standard practice with successive ministers.

“These meetings are opportunities to keep the Government informed about workers’ issues and for the minister to consult with us on policy issues that affect working people.

BusinessNZ chief executive Kirk Hope says the organisation does not presume to have any more right to meetings with the minister than other business representatives.

“We aren’t against her consulting with other groups but as the CTU is the peak body of the trade union movement, representing over 300,000 workers, it is negligent of the minister not to regularly engage with us.

“We want to have a constructive relationship with this Government, in the way we have been able to do with all previous governments. It is standard international practice for government, workers, and business to engage in tripartite relationships as recognised social partners but the minister’s comments at select committee indicate she is not interested in that. That is deeply concerning to us.”

Hope said “BusinessNZ would prefer not to waste ministers' time with a meeting for meeting's sake and is comfortable with touching base on the big issues on a case-by-case basis. We appreciate that ministers are busy and if an issue requires their attention, we'll seek it.

“The BusinessNZ network represents more than 70,000 businesses large and small across all sectors to provide advocacy on their behalf,” he said.

“Ministers should meet with as many groups and people as possible, and we don’t presume to have any more right to those meetings than other business representatives.”