A new law that bans all elected representatives from the Teaching Council of Aotearoa – and gives the minister of education total control over appointments – is another step in a highly disturbing and unprecedented level of political interference in the public sector in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill, which passed its third reading in Parliament on June 23, moves the regulation of professional teacher standards from the Teachers Council to the Ministry of Education.
This means that the Teaching Council can no longer be regarded in any shape or form as a body that represents the teaching profession.
Teachers should have a genuine say in the Teaching Council – it’s as simple as that. This is a significant abuse of political power and every New Zealander should be seriously concerned.
The law change strips the council of its independence and moves teachers’ professional standards to the Ministry of Education, reinforcing total ministerial control.
This law change mirrors the same undemocratic process used to remove Te Tiriti obligations from school boards via a last-minute amendment. By silencing teachers’ voices and bypassing parents and school communities on the frontline, the Government is failing our educators and the communities they serve.
The Teaching Council should be made up of experts in the teaching profession, not Government-backed idealogues.
New Zealanders deserve a nurse-strong Nursing Council which puts their health needs first.
The removal of democratically elected members from the Teaching Council is part of a concerning pattern of silencing voices that this National-led Coalition Government disagrees with.
We have seen a total lack of consultation and engagement in constructive dialogue with those professionals and experts that will ultimately have a major role in delivering their policy.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Simeon Brown has gutted the Nursing Council, replacing eight existing board members since late last year.
We are aware that four of these members wanted to stay on and two have quit in protest. This is a ministerial overreach which has taken the number of nurses on the board from seven down to four.
New Zealanders deserve a nurse-strong Nursing Council which puts their health needs first.
We are seeing increased and inappropriate politicisation of advice in the public service under this Government.
The passing of the legislation follows the recent decision by Brown not to re-appoint the Medical Council chair and deputy chair as council members. Both the chair and deputy chair were voted by their fellow council members into their respective roles.
It also follows a survey of public servants earlier this year, which found that 54 per cent of the 1200 respondents agreed that policy advice had become more politicised and public servants were now more likely to tell ministers what they think they want to hear.
Decisions by ministers have consequences.
We are seeing increased and inappropriate politicisation of advice in the public service under this Government.
Good decisions depend on good advice. Free and frank, politically neutral advice is the cornerstone of our democracy, when ministers are only hearing what they want to hear, they’re making decisions with one eye closed.
New Zealanders will pay the price for that down the track. It will lead to poorer outcomes in health, education and workplace safety and other public services. It will hurt the economy and reduce the country’s response to the climate crisis.
This article was written collectively by leaders of the following unions: NZNO which represents 64,000 nurses, student nurses, health-care assistants and midwives; the PPTA which represents 25,000 secondary-school teachers and principles; NZEI Te Riu Roa which represents more than 50,000 early childhood and primary school teachers and principles; Tertiary Education Union which represents 12,000 tertiary academics, researchers and teachers; and the PSA which represents more than 95,000 workers across central Government, local councils and state-owned groups.