The Toxic Legacy of Brooke van Velden on Workers’ Rights
Criticism is mounting over the legacy of Brooke van Velden, with concerns raised about workplace safety reforms, pay parity changes and the broader impact on workers’ rights in New Zealand.
Workplace safety reforms spark backlash
Pike River families say workplace safety reforms are ‘sociopathic’
Critics say a goal of reducing excessive regulation could leave up to 650,000 workers with fewer protections in a country already at higher risk of accidentNEWSROOM
Why critics say workers’ rights were weakened
It would be wrong to allow Brooke to resign suddenly without saluting her toxic legacy as the worst Minister for Workers we have ever had!
She was so robotic and emotionally frigid that she made a wooden C-3PO look fluid and flexible. She’s the only politician in her 30’s with a wardrobe designed to look like she was 50.
That shade of pink she wears is technically called, ‘Carnation Mutton’.
She has caused more damage to working women than menopause and osteoporosis combined.
Pay parity changes and their impact on women
Her knee capping of pay parity literally robbed billions from the poorest workers to give to the rich – the very antithesis of what any Democracy worth its name should ever do!
The questionable amount of time it took for her to arrive at her decision was cold with an extra iceberg serving of callow.
It wasn’t just her shanking working women’s aspiration, it was all workers.
Employment law reforms and power imbalance
Her Employment Relations law overhaul empowering bosses.
Her Removal of the “30-day rule” for new workers to be on existing Collective agreements.
Trashing contractors to keep them weak against bosses.
Her WorkSafe downgrade to make workplaces less safe with enforcement changes that amounted to coddling bosses rather than prosecuting them!
In the end it was her idiotic ‘Road-cone Hotline’ that symbolised her ideological pointlessness best.
Political legacy and public reaction
What was most galling was the way Brooke attempted to play the victim card about being a woman when she was called out on all of this…
Brooke van Velden: Sick of being called the wrong kind of woman
She turned on her fellow woman and crushed their economic power for political purposes and she is the one playing the identity victim?
She is an ideological stormtrooper who loves blood as much as your average Great White Shark.
She is not a good faith agent whatsoever and has proved time and time and time again that she is prepared to do things to vulnerable people that no one else is prepared to do while having the audacity to play the victim.
Best quote goes to Andrea Vance..
…last quote goes to former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright who said…
“There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women,
…Brooke’s Jacket is already there.
She was one of the most reactionary and dangerous Ministers this Government had. She weakened workers rights, her policies will see more injuries in the work place and she empowered the rich at the expense of the poor.
Good riddance to very bad rubbish!
Political legacies are ultimately measured not by rhetoric, but by their impact on people’s lives — and for many workers, those impacts will be felt long after the headlines fade.
While I despise what Van Velden has done, I place the blame entirely with Seymour and his toxic, bullying mentality. She knows what she did was unacceptable to female NZ workers and to most Kiwis and should never return to politics. It would be fitting if ACT failed to make the 5% threshold and Seymour crawled back to his Atlas mates. We don’t need this type of politics but hell, we are sure getting it. It already beggars belief that there are still voters prepared to back this ugly CoC except of course for the ‘I’m alright Jack’ brigade. Remember climate, fuel issues etc. don’t give a damn how much money or assets you have or your position in society. Much like a lottery! She can’t go soon enough.