New Zealand

Oxfam reaction: Tax report by Sapere Research commissioned by tax firm Oliver Shaw

April 19, 2023

This report does not paint the full picture of how income is made by New Zealanders. The report’s failure to consider GST and capital gains is a massive weakness. The research also ignores the failure of the New Zealand system to tax wealth, except as rates, unlike most other high-income countries. Without these essential pieces to the puzzle, we cannot fully understand what may be fair or unfair.

Instead, we get fed the same old tired story that the wealthy are paying their fair share – a story that is just not true. The truth is that the wealthiest only pay an effective income tax rate of 12 percent, as opposed to the majority of New Zealanders who pay a rate of up to 31 percent.

We – as organisations that fight for economic justice – are confident this research will be superseded by soon to be released findings from Inland Revenue research that will, for the first time, reveal statistics about actual tax paid by high wealth individuals.

Oxfam Aotearoa welcomes landmark UN vote to seek ICJ Advisory Opinion on Climate Change

March 31, 2023

Oxfam Aotearoa congratulates Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC) on their successful campaign to put the world’s Governments’ responses to climate change before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Oxfam Aotearoa’s climate justice lead Nick Henry said:

“Well done to the New Zealand Government for standing with the Pacific at the UN today on Vanuatu’s resolution. This is what we want to see from our government.

“To put this into perspective, the last comparable opinion was in 1996, when, after a long campaign from civil society, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion on nuclear weapons that was critical to nuclear disarmament and keeping the Pacific nuclear free.

“The world’s governments, especially in rich countries, must urgently take stronger action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stop the climate crisis getting worse. A strong opinion from the ICJ would help to hold governments to account on their obligations to act.”

Spokesperson for PISFCC Solomon Yeo said: “Today we celebrate four years of arduous work in convincing our leaders and raising global awareness on the initiative. We commend the undying support of our Pacific civil society organisations, communities, and youth who, without their support, we would not have ventured this far.

“The adopted Resolution is a testament that Pacific youth can play an instrumental role in advancing global climate action. This further solidifies why young people’s voices must remain an integral part of the process. Now the first stage is over, we look to join hand in hand with governments and partners in bringing the world’s biggest problem to the world’s highest court.”

Oxfam Aotearoa and NZ Centre for Environmental Law says it looks forward to engaging with the government on its written and oral submissions to the court to make sure the Advisory Opinion sets clear expectations for states to act with urgency to stop the climate crisis.

Notes:

The UN General Assembly has voted to request an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on ‘the obligations of States in respect of climate change’. The resolution asks the ICJ to clarify the obligations of states to take effective action on climate change, as well as the consequences under international law for states that fail to act.
Here is the UN resolution text.

New offshore oil and gas permit a betrayal of the Pacific

March 31, 2023

“We’re deeply concerned to learn that just as Pacific leaders have launched a call for a Just Transition to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific, the New Zealand Government has decided to grant a new fossil fuel exploration permit,” says Oxfam Aotearoa Climate Justice Lead Nick Henry.

“This announcement makes a mockery of New Zealand’s commitment to climate action. It’s unthinkable that in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle, the Government is taking action that reverses our progress on reducing climate pollution from fossil fuels.

“The latest IPCC report has reiterated what we already knew: that even just burning the fossil fuels in known reserves would put us beyond 1.5 degrees of warming. We simply cannot go out looking for more.

“Our government must stand with the Pacific and immediately end all oil and gas exploration on land and at sea. We call Minister James Shaw to endorse the Port Vila Call and demonstrate that we are a meaningful ally for climate justice.”

Notes:

Offshore petroleum permit granted and Block Offer 2020 tender opens
Pacific leaders launched the Port Vila Call for a Just Transition to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific just this month. In it, they have called for ‘halting all new licensing rounds for oil and gas and setting a Paris-aligned end date for production.’
Oxfam Aotearoa is calling for supporters to stand with the Pacific and call on Minister for Climate Change of New Zealand James Shaw to show that we stand with the Pacific, and endorse the Port Vila Call: https://www.oxfam.org.nz/fossil-fuel-free-pacific/

Oxfam response to NZ Government’s announcement of an ETS review

March 22, 2023

In response to the NZ Government’s announcement of an ETS review, Oxfam Aotearoa Climate Justice Lead Nick Henry said:

“The Government must urgently end fossil fuel production and stop pretending we can plant our way out of the climate crisis. Our government must set a clear direction for a just transition away from fossil fuels by ending all licensing of exploration for oil, gas and coal. While there is a role for pricing carbon emissions, we also need to see stronger government leadership to urgently phase out fossil fuel production. In addition, Government should negotiate with iwi and support a transition to nature-based solutions that restore native forests and wetlands as carbon sinks.

“This week’s IPCC report showed the urgent need to make deep cuts to carbon emissions to keep global temperature increase below 1.5 degrees. But a recent assessment from Climate Action Tracker showed New Zealand’s climate action is Highly Insufficient – just one step above their worst possible rating. If all countries followed New Zealand’s approach, we’d be on track for 3 or even 4 degrees of warming.”

Oxfam Aotearoa supports a review into the role of plantation forestry offsets in the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme. Oxfam says it would like to see the Government prioritise equity in the review, including for iwi and Māori landowners who hold significant forestry assets.

Commit to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific

Let’s call on Minister Shaw to back the Pacific

Climate change is here, and – as we’ve seen across Aotearoa and the Pacific this summer – it’s already having real and devastating impacts.

The latest report from the IPCC, the UN’s top panel of climate scientists, tells us that we can still keep the Paris Agreement’s goal of 1.5 degrees in reach, but to do that, we need to make deep emissions cuts now.

The IPCC report’s recommendations revealed that New Zealand is currently way off track from where we need to be. A recent assessment from Climate Action Tracker showed that New Zealand’s climate action is Highly Insufficient – just one step above their worst possible rating. If all countries followed New Zealand’s approach, we’d be on track for 3 or even 4 degrees of warming.

But while Aotearoa might not be leading on climate action, we don’t have to look far to find those who are.

Recently, Ministers from six Pacific nations released the groundbreaking Port Vila Call for a Just Transition to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific. In it, Pacific leaders have shown a clear path forward to a 1.5 degree future, through urgent fossil fuel phase out and effective climate action. These Ministers have made strong and visionary commitments, but they’ve also challenged countries like ours to step up to the mark.

The meeting in Port Vila took place amongst the devastation left by two major cyclones that hit communities in Vanuatu earlier in March 2023. Surrounded by the very impacts they are fighting to prevent, Pacific Ministers didn’t hold back in putting blame where it belongs:

The science is clear that fossil fuels are to blame for the climate emergency. This is a crisis driven by the greed of an exploitative industry and its enablers.

Right now, we have a chance to show that Aotearoa New Zealand’s climate commitments are more than just rhetoric, and that we’re ready to take real and bold action. We could show the world that our country is a real climate leader.

Together, we can call on Minister for Climate Change of New Zealand James Shaw to show that we stand with the Pacific, and endorse the Port Vila Call.

Amitabh Behar appointed as interim Executive Director of Oxfam International

March 22, 2023

Oxfam International is pleased to announce the appointment of Amitabh Behar as its new interim Executive Director. Behar is currently Executive Director for Oxfam India. He will assume the role for approximately 12 months, starting on 1 May 2023.

Behar said that he is “honoured and delighted to take up this role” and eager to “work alongside Oxfam’s partners and allies around the world to fight for climate justice, tackle inequality in all its forms, and save, protect and rebuild lives when disaster strikes.”

Behar, who has made valuable contributions to Oxfam’s global transformation process that has seen the confederation become more aligned and globally balanced since joining Oxfam India in 2018, brings a wealth of leadership experience as a civil society leader. He has been widely recognized for his work on people-centric advocacy, governance accountability, social and economic equality, and citizen participation. Prior to Oxfam, Behar was the Executive Director of the National Foundation for India and Co-Chair of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty. He has also served as the Vice-Chair of the Board of CIVICUS and Board Chair of Amnesty International India. He currently serves on the boards of several other organisations, including the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, an Indian public policy think-tank.

Gabriela Bucher is joining The Fund for Global Human Rights on 31 April. Bucher congratulated Behar on his appointment and said she would begin immediately to work closely with him to ensure a smooth transition of leadership. Oxfam International’s Board of Supervisors is profoundly grateful to Bucher for her leadership and wishes her the very best as she moves on to new challenges.