Kia ora
Our kids are our future, and it's really important that we keep their interests front and centre when we make big decisions.
The Government has announced a review of our child support policy. This is long overdue, but we should make sure that any resulting changes are made with the goal of doing the best for our kids – in this case making sure there is enough money to feed, clothe, and house them safely no matter who is taking care of them.
If we don't put our kids at the heart of our decision-making, we risk losing sight of them and making changes that will adversely affect them. Forcing sole parents into work when their youngest child turns six, as John Key's Government has just done, is an example of a policy that could hurt our most vulnerable children.
Catherine Delahunty, Green MP
- recommended 
- includes video
In this issue
Take action
Animal Welfare: send an eCard to the Minister of Agriculture
Sue Kedgley's bill, the Animal Welfare (Treatment of Animals) Amendment Bill has been drawn from the member's ballot and will be debated in parliament very soon. Send an e-card to the Minster of Agriculture urging him to support it also!
Read about animal welfare | Send an eCard | View our Facebook page
Halt deep sea oil drilling: send an eCard to the Prime Minister
Tell John Key that you want him to call a halt to more drilling until all the environmental and safety issues are resolved.
Fairness at work: make a submission
Parliament's Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee has allowed only a very short timeframe for people to make submissions on the Employment Relations Amendment Bill (No 2). Submissions close on 13 September.
Fast-track the Auckland CBD rail loop
The CBD rail loop is a public transport project that has the potential to transform the Auckland rail network.
Read about the Rail loop | Join the campaign Facebook Group | Sign our online petition
New Chums Beach - love it, protect it
New Chums Beach - Wainuiototo - is under threat from the developer's bulldozer. Join over 5,000 people calling on John Key's government to protect it.
Join the movement on Facebook | Sign the petition
Save the Mokihinui River: send an eCard to John Key
One of New Zealand's valuable wild rivers, the Mokihinui River, is under threat from a hydro-electricity dam proposal. Send an eCard to the Prime Minister now to ask him to step in and stop the dam.
More on the Mokihinui dam proposal | Send an eCard | Print the petition
Warm, Healthy Rentals: send an eCard to John Key
There are at least 1 million substandard homes in New Zealand and rental properties are generally the worst performing of these. We are calling on the government to create performance standards which ensure warm, healthy, rentals.
Read about the warm, healthy rentals campaign | Send an eCard | Tell us your flatting horror stories
Fair prices for Growers Facebook page
Join Sue Kedgley's Fair Prices for Growers Facebook group. Join the Facebook Group
Events
Public Meetings: Cage fish farming in the Firth of Thames
Sunday 5th September 1.00pm, St John's Ambulance Station, Tiki Road, Coromandel
Sunday 5th September 4.00pm, Saint Georges 600 Mackay Street, Thames
The Government is currently opening up the Tikapa Moana / Hauraki Gulf to cage fin fish farming. Come along and find out more about the risks involved in this 'get rich quick' scheme.
Public meeting on the present and future of public transport in Wellington - Gareth Hughes
Sunday 5th September 2.00pm, Mezzanine Room, Wellington Central Public Library, 65 Victoria Street, Wellington
The Wellington Residents Coalition is holding a public meeting on public transport, to allow the public to question representatives, including Gareth Hughes, about the direction that both Government and some local bodies are taking with public transport.
Help the Animals
Wednesday 8th September - 1.00pm, Turnball House, Wellington
Sue Kedgley is joined by animal welfare group reps to talk about animal welfare in New Zealand.
Hutt South Greens film screening: Predicament
Thursday 9th September - 6:00pm, Lighthouse Cinema, Beach St, Petone
Hutt South Greens are hosting a fundraising screening of Kiwi film 'Predicament' at the Lighthouse Cinema in Petone.
Warm Healthy Rentals Tour
Monday 13th September - 12:00pm, Small Lecture Theatre, University of Otago Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 23 Mein Street, Newtown, Wellington
Gareth is heading to the University of Otago Wellington School of Medicine on September 13th to discuss his warm, healthy rentals campaign with soon to be doctors.
The NFD Be Heard by your MP Day for people who are deaf or hearing impaired
Saturday 18th September 9.00am, Green Party National Office, Level 2, 17 Garrett St, Wellington
Saturday 18th September 9.00am, Green Party Auckland Office, Unit 8, 1 Porters Avenue, Eden Terrace, Auckland
Electorate clinic mornings
especially for citizens who are deaf or hearing impaired to visit and
discuss issues they are concerned about. Catherine Delahunty MP (Wellington) and David Clendon MP (Auckland) invite deaf or hearing impaired citizens to come along to the Green Party National Office between 9am and 10am.
Podcasts
Green Party of Aotearoa - MPs go flatting
Living with others in rented flats is usually a bit of an adventure and makes for good life lessons and amusing stories. Listen to podcast...
Subscribe to our podcasts in iTunes
Press releases
Government needs to invest to protect NZ jobs
31 August 2010
John Key's Government can save the 20,000 at risk jobs in the construction industry by investing in state and community housing, the Green Party said today. Read more...
Women under-represented on CCO boards
30 August 2010
Women are underrepresented in Government appointments to the boards of Auckland Council's new council-controlled organisations (CCOs), the Green Party said today. Read more...
No justification for casino exemption
23 August 2010
Exempting casinos from the proposed new restrictions on opening hours for bars and clubs is absurd and unjustifiable, the Green Party said today. Read more...
Maori leaders are no more responsible for child abuse than Pakeha leaders
22 August 2010
Paula Bennett's demand that Maori leaders take responsibility and front up with money to help pay for child abuse support services is a form of institutional racism and will do nothing to help the cause of at risk children, said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei today. Read more...
Blog posts
Bill McKibben on David Letterman: Put Solar on the White House on 10/10 - by frog
I’ll let Bill McKibben from 350.org tell you all about it. Read more...
Who lives in the real world? - by Catherine Delahunty
I must admit, I did a double-take this morning when I read John Key’s comment that Secondary teachers' plans to strike next month shows "how disconnected they are from the real world”. Read more...
The 90's: Nirvana, The X Files & attacking workers rights - by Gareth Hughes
This is my latest article for Auckland University's Craccum magazine:
On the spectre of bourgeois opposition to the advancement of the glorious workers advancement struggle. Read more...
Valuing our teachers properly - by Catherine Delahunty
The media tends to pitch a teachers' strike as an attack on students - who will no doubt be thrilled to have a day off school should the planned secondary schools strike go ahead. Read more...
Make a submission in support of fairness at work - by Keith Locke
Parliament’s Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee has allowed only a very short timeframe for people to make submissions on the Employment Relations Amendment Bill (No 2). Read more...
It must be time for a Tolley thread - by frog
I'm busy for a lot of today, but it must be time for a thread about one of the most incompetent Ministers ever. Read more...
Police culture, Police bars, and pack rapist Shipton’s little helpers - by frog
Public confidence in and respect for the Police is being undermined by their increasing aloofness and sense of privilege and the continued perception of the Police as tolerating thuggery and corruption. Read more...
VSM: Very silly and malicious - by Gareth Hughes
VSM. Read more...
Paula Bennett asks Iwi for a handout: Govt is broke - by Metiria Turei
The person ultimately responsible for child abuse is the abuser. Read more...
Two dumb parochial Bills on Easter Sunday trading and street prostitution - by frog
In the last Member's Bill ballot, National backbencher Jacqui Dean’s Member’s Bill, the Shop Trading Hours Repeal (Waitaki Easter Trading) Bill was drawn. Read more...
Images: Green MPs support 'fairness at work' rallies - by frog
Green Party MPs were out in force over the weekend supporting the Fairness at Work Rallies. Read more...
Speeches
Keith Locke stands up for Workers' Rights - Employment Relations Amendment Bill (No2) First Reading - Keith Locke MP, 23 August 2010
& Watch video or read transcript...
Oral questions
Keith Locke defends workplace access for union representatives - Keith Locke MP, 20 August 2010
KEITH LOCKE (Green) to the Minister of Labour: Why is the Government introducing legislation to restrict union access to workplaces when the Department of Labour advises that there is no "widespread evidence" of union representatives misusing the current system? Watch video or read transcript...
