Kia ora
We don't have to wait for the Report of the Pike River Royal Commission to improve mine safety for the hundreds of workers going underground every day right now.
That's what I've been saying to the Minister of Labour in Parliament, and now it has paid off with the Government's announcement of more mine inspectors. This is a great result for the Green Party and a victory for the safety of mine workers.
The National Government in the 1990s decimated mine safety in our country, and Labour did not repair the damage. After the tragedy of Pike River, putting some resources back into the sector was the least John Key's Government could do.
Kevin Hague, Green MP
- recommended 
- includes video
In this issue
Take action
Same pay for the same job
Send a message to the Minister of Labour asking her to support Catherine Delahunty's Equal Pay Amendment Bill. Send e-card | Read Bill
Reject the Welfare Working Group report
Ask the Minister for Social Development to reject the Welfare Working Group report. Send e-card
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
Events
Welfare Forums with Catherine Delahunty
'Welfare Reforms: A Recipe for Poverty'
Tuesday 23 August, 12-1pm -
Waimarie Community house, 53 Wellington Street, Hamilton East
Thursday 25 August, 12:30-1:30pm
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Grahamstown Community Hall, Thames
Russel Norman MP speaking in Christchurch on Policy Priority 2011: Clean Rivers
Monday 22 August, 6:15 - 7:15pm
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University of Canterbury, Central Lecture Theatre C3, Ilam Road, Christchurch
Kiwi kids are our future - public forum with Catherine Delahunty
Tuesday 23 August, 7-8:30pm
- Otumoetai Primary School Hall, Tauranga
Public Meeting with Keith Locke - New Zealand's place in the world
Monday 29 August, 7:30 - 9:00pm -
Community Centre, Golden Bay, Tasman
Looking after the Long-Term: The Green Party's Economic Vision
With Sue Kedgley and Kennedy Graham
Wednesday 31 August, 7:30-8:30pm
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Karori Community Centre, 235 Karori Road, Wellington
Videos
Metiria Turei biography
Campaigner for children and equality, Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei also loves to rock out on her ukulele. Watch the video...
Catherine Delahunty biography
Green Party MP Catherine Delahunty discusses what she has been working on in Parliament and her hobbies outside the busy House of Representatives. Watch the video...
Press releases
Greens and CTU launch equal pay petition
18 August 2011
The Green Party has joined with the Council of Trade Unions (CTU) to launch an equal pay petition today, taking up the Government's challenge to prove that equal pay issues are a major concern in modern workplaces. Read more...
More mine inspectors proves Govt can improve safety now
17 August 2011
The Government's announcement of more mine inspectors shows that action to improve worker safety can happen prior to the report of the Pike River Royal Commission, West Coast based MP Green Party MP Kevin Hague said today. Read more...
John Key should attack poverty not report
16 August 2011
John Key should apologise for rubbishing a report that highlights the economic cost of child poverty in New Zealand said the Green Party today. Read more...
Poroporoaki ki a Sir Paul Reeves: Greens pay tribute
14 August 2011
The Green Party today pays respect to Sir Paul Reeves, the first Maori Governor General and former Archbishop of the Anglican Church. Read more...
Report shows need for child poverty policy
14 August 2011
A new report shows the huge cost of child poverty, and reinforces the need for a plan to bring 100,000 children out of poverty by 2014, the Green Party said today. Read more...
Indonesian seafarers should stay till they are paid
11 August 2011
Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman should halt the deportation of 32 Indonesian seafarers, Green Party industrial relations spokesperson Keith Locke said today. Read more...
Gender pay gap needs legislative solution
10 August 2011
A Goldman Sachs report on the gender pay gap is right to highlight the problem, but it won't be solved by simply encouraging women into male-dominated trades or appointing more women to boards, the Green Party said today. Read more...
No cause for celebration in benefit figures
9 August 2011
The Government should only celebrate benefit statistics if they clearly show people moving off benefits and into work or training, the Green Party said today. Read more...
Blog posts
National Standards rural resistance - by Catherine Delahunty
Last week, I attended a meeting on National Standards in a small town in the Waikato. Read more...
Welfare changes: private profit and political posturing - by Catherine Delahunty
This is a great opportunity for private providers to get into what could be called "the human misery industry." Read more...
Beware "the racial bogeyman!" - by David Clendon
The editorial in this week's NBR puts an ill-informed boot into Maoridom in a manner that would bring joy to Don Brash - in fact for all I know he may have written it! Read more...
MPs turn up the heat on cold homes - by Gareth Hughes
Like most Kiwis I’ve rented many cold damp homes over the years. Come to think of it, I've never actually lived in a warm house. Cold uninsulated homes are as Kiwi as pavlova. Read more...
John Key is wrong on Green plan to end child poverty - by frog
On Wednesday Green Co-Leader Metiria Turei launched the Green Party’s plan to bring 100,000 children out of poverty within three years. Read more...
Speeches
Kevin Hague's speech on Mine Safety in the General Debate - Kevin Hague MP, 10 August 2011
The Green Party stands ready to play our part in improving mine safety right now. There is no case to wait for the royal commission to report, as men go underground every day, right now, into environments that we know are not as safe as they could and should be. Watch video or read transcript...
Oral questions
Kevin Hague questions the Minister of Labour on Mine Safety 11 August 2011 - Kevin Hague MP, 11 August 2011
Does she still agree, as she did on 13 July 2011, with the comment made by Rt Hon John Key on 22 November 2010 that "I have no reason to believe that New Zealand safety standards are any less than Australia's and in fact our safety record for the most part has been very good"? Watch video or read transcript...
