NZ Teachers’ Union under fire for prioritising ‘Palestine’ in government talks

New Zealand’s largest secondary teachers’ union has come under fire after revelations that “Palestine” topped the agenda for a meeting it sought with the Government — ahead of discussions on education policy, curriculum, or pay negotiations.

Minister for Public Service Judith Collins made the claim in an open letter to New Zealanders on Sunday, saying the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) asked to raise the issue of “Palestine” as its first discussion point during a meeting with Education Minister Erica Stanford earlier this month.

“The number one item on their agenda… was Palestine. Not terms and conditions. Not student achievement. Not the new curriculum. Palestine,” Collins wrote. She described the move as evidence that the teachers’ union’s planned strike this week — one of the largest in New Zealand history — was “politically motivated.”

The strike, scheduled for Thursday, involves more than 21,000 secondary school teachers and coincides with industrial action by nurses, senior doctors and dentists. Collins questioned both the timing and focus of the strike, calling it “unfair and unwarranted.”

PPTA president Chris Abercrombie confirmed to Stuff that “Palestine” was on the meeting agenda, but denied it was the top priority. He said the union also intended to discuss changes to NCEA, AI marking, and the national curriculum, but the meeting was cancelled due to parliamentary scheduling. “It’s disappointing the Minister has chosen to fire shots instead of focusing on resolving pay issues,” Abercrombie said.

The inclusion of “Palestine” in the agenda, however, has sparked criticism across social media and among community commentators, who view it as part of a broader politicisation of New Zealand’s education sector. Several advocacy groups have argued that teachers’ unions should focus on domestic education rather than foreign political conflicts.

The Israel Institute of New Zealand said the move illustrates “a troubling trend of activism replacing professionalism” in public education. “New Zealand students deserve classrooms devoted to learning, not lobbying,” an IINZ spokesperson told J-Wire.

The PPTA has previously issued statements critical of Israel and has endorsed “solidarity with Palestine” actions through teacher networks — a pattern some critics say undermines neutrality in classrooms.

The New Zealand Government has maintained a cautious stance on Middle East recognition issues. In September, Foreign Prime Minister Winston Peters told the United Nations that New Zealand is “not ready” to recognise Palestinian statehood, emphasising that peace must be negotiated directly between the parties.

With the national strike expected to cause major disruption in schools this week, Collins has urged parents to “ask their children’s teachers why their union arranged a strike in a week already shortened by teacher-only days and a long weekend.”

As the dispute continues, many New Zealanders are now asking a different question: why a teachers’ union believed “Palestine” belonged in the classroom conversation at all.