OK fine, what submissions do I have to make FFS?!

Don't worry - I got you. Here's everything you need in one place!

This damn Government has rushed through a bunch of public submissions on controversial bills - all closing over the next week. This is the perfect time for them to do this, because almost everyone is on holiday. So, every crap bill gets to sail through.

At the best of times, nobody wants to do a submission on a boring bill. The Christmas period where people are financially stressed and overwhelmed with commitments and the first and second weeks of January when they’re returning to work and trying to manage that - look, I don’t have to tell you, it sucks. This is the worst of times!

So let’s try to make this easy. Here is a submission guide for three bills and one health consultation I really think you should submit on. I have provided steps on exactly how to do it. There’s no age limit and you don’t have to live in Aotearoa - you just have to care.

Bill: The Treaty Principles Bill

Do it by: 11.59pm Tuesday, 07 January 2025 (that’s tomorrow)

Why should I care? Honestly, only racists support this bill. That alone should be enough to tell you what you need to know. But if you need more info go to any charity, any human rights org, any community group, literally any church that isn’t a mega church run by a psycho - they’re all against it. Here’s exactly what is being proposed.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Click here - then click the button that says ‘I am ready to make my submission’.

2. Fill out the page. Oral submission means - ‘spoken in front of the committee’. Then press ‘next’. Carefully fill out your contact details - these must be correct or your submission may be voided. Your contact details will not be published, but your name will be. You can write your submission in advance and upload it as a pdf, .doc, .docx, or .txt file. Or you can just type directly into the submissions portal where it says ‘I/We wish to make the following comments’.

3. The first thing you need to say is: I strongly oppose the Principles of the Treaty Bill. Then keep it simple - here’s a list of reasons why you should be against this garbage bill.

4. Under ‘I/We wish to make the following recommendations’ you may wish to include any of the following points but the most important thing to do is to start with this sentence: The Principles of the Treaty Bill should be abandoned. Here’s a list of ideas of things you can end with.

5. Celebrate! You did your bit to stand up against racism, protect our founding document, our precious whenua, and our values as a country.

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Bill: Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill

Do it by: 11.59pm on Thursday, 09 January 2025

Why should I care? This one is also known as ‘The Boot Camps Bill’. There is no evidence base for the punitive actions of the bill - in fact, the evidence and data do not support a more punitive approach to young offending. It specifically puts neurodivergent and disabled children at risk. Instead of being supported, a child with Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) would be sent to a bootcamp where likely force would be used against them. Evidence from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had shown how force against children can cause serious harm.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Click here - then click the button that says ‘I am ready to make my submission’.

2. Fill out the page. Oral submission means - ‘spoken in front of the committee’. Then press ‘next’. Carefully fill out your contact details - these must be correct or your submission may be voided. Your contact details will not be published, but your name will be. You can write your submission in advance and upload it as a pdf, .doc, .docx, or .txt file. Or you can just type directly into the submissions portal where it says ‘I/We wish to make the following comments’.

3. The first thing you need to say is: I strongly oppose the Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill. Then keep it simple - Speak from your heart. If a young person is struggling with their disability due to lack of support, what do you hope for them? If a young person has only seen violence in their life and been conditioned in ways that make them act anti-socially because that is how they’ve learned to survive - what support would you want them to have? How would you want your child treated if they were in the youth justice system? What way should our country treat vulnerable young people?

4. Under ‘I/We wish to make the following recommendations’ you may wish to include any of the following points but the most important thing to do is to start with this sentence: The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill should be abandoned and the government should focus on ensuring all changes recommended in the Abuse of State Care Inquiry report with urgency.

5. Celebrate! You did your bit to stand up against reactive attacks on vulnerable young people who deserve support and help to be part of the community. You’ve protected our values as a country and stood up against cruelty and ableism.

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Bill: The Regulatory Standards Bill

Do it by: 13 January 2024.

Why should I care? This bill is the twin to the Treaty Principles Bill. So much so that you can use your submission for that bill as the template to this one. It has been described as: The ‘dangerous’ bill flying under the radar and “arguably one of the most regressive and dangerous Bills ever considered”.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Open an email and put RSBconsultation@regulation.govt.nz in the address field. If you wish, send a copy of your submission to your MP and ask them to oppose the Bill.

2. Begin with any variation of “I oppose the proposed Regulatory Standards Bill. It prioritises big business over people and the environment. Instead, we need regulations that protect New Zealand’s resources, our whānau, and future generations.”

3. Keep it simple - I included statements like: “It gives far too much power to its architect Minister for Regulation David Seymour” and “This bill has been rejected three times already” and “Taxpayers are put at risk of having to pay the losses of a corporate's profits resulting from legislation even if that legislation protects workers or the environment or the public.” Get more info here.

4. End your email with any variation of “Please abandon the Regulatory Standards Bill 2021 and its proposed updates. There is no need for this bill and it should not go to an expensive and unnecessary referendum.”

5. Celebrate! You did your bit to stand up against greedy corporates and exploitative business, protect future generations, our precious whenua, and our values as a country.

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Submission: Manatū Hauora's consultation on healthcare for transgender children

Do it by: 20 January 2024.

Why should I care? For transphobic reasons Manatū Hauora has opened up consultation on the rights of transgender children in Aotearoa to access the healthcare they need. I know, it’s gross and weird. Here’s why.

Transgender people face poorer health and wellbeing outcomes in Aotearoa as a result of systemic and structural intolerance and gender minority stress, and face inequitable access to healthcare in Aotearoa - in many places, puberty blockers are already near-impossible to access.

The Ministry of Health’s evidence brief had methodological flaws that meant that it did not accurately assess the full benefits of puberty blockers to transgender children, nor the full risk of not providing this care.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Send pbconsultation@health.govt.nz a quick email today saying "I do not support any further restrictions on the use of puberty blockers for transgender children". That's all it has to be - anything else is a useful extra.

2. If you have the time - here’s some amazing guides you can use to help you provide a more fulsome response.

• Transgender children deserve access to healthcare

• Gender Minorities Aotearoa: Analysis of puberty blockers review

• InsideOUT: Submission guide for puberty blockers

• Te Ngākau Kahukura: No need for further restrictions on puberty blockers

• Emily Writes: How you can stand up for trans kids being targeted by this government

• How to: Submit in favour of gender-affirming care

3. That’s it! Only three steps! Celebrate now - you stood up against transphobia and told our young people they’re worthy, valued, loved and deserving of healthcare just like everyone else in the world.

Please don’t hate me. I know everyone wants a fun newsletter full of jokes and all that. Trust me when I say I didn’t want my first proper post of 2025 to be about this government.

But - I like to think this is a great way to start off 2025 too. It’s a commitment, we’re going to keep doing the mahi. We’re going to keep pushing back to protect our people, our whenua, and our precious communities. I believe in us!

I appreciate you and am grateful you’re here trying to build a better world for all of our kids.

Photo by Rosie Kerr