Caritas Briefing for Incoming Ministers 2023 - General

24 November 2023

• In a time of global economic and political uncertainty, responsible long-term decision-making is essential to secure Aotearoa New Zealand’s future. We urge the incoming Cabinet to prioritise addressing the long-term challenges facing this country – our environmental sustainability, poverty, and modern slavery issues that we have the power to address.

• The call for urgent environmental action is clear. We urge the government to follow through with existing plans to reduce gross emissions and reduce waste; and also call for a ban on seabed mining to save Aotearoa New Zealand from future environmental harm.

• As inequality in this country continues to grow, we call on the incoming government to actively work to redress historic wrongs by honouring Te Tiriti, while investing in public transport and social housing.

• Ensuring that the rights of migrant workers are upheld is essential for Aotearoa New Zealand’s regional relationships. We encourage the government to continue reviewing employment processes in order to protect the dignity of migrant workers.

• Existing development and climate financing through MFAT programmes should be continued, with investment to build capacity in the sector and respond to increasing needs. Humanitarian aid processes should be improved in accordance with the review into Disaster Response Partnerships.