Kia ora
Do you have a cold, damp, unhealthy rental housing horror story?
Many of New Zealand's 450,000 rental properties do not have sufficient levels of insulation or efficient clean heating devices, and these cold, damp homes are making us sick.
I'm touring New Zealand to see our coldest flats and I'm promoting my new Member's Bill that will help ensure all renters have a warm healthy home.
To find out more about my Bill and this campaign, and to share your housing stories check out www.greens.org.nz/warmhealthyrentals.
Gareth Hughes, Green MP
- recommended 
- includes video
In this issue
Take action
Fair prices for Growers Facebook page
Join Sue Kedgley's Fair Prices for Growers Facebook group. Join the Facebook Group
Smart Business Survey for SME owners
We want to be your voice in Parliament Survey closes 1 August 2010. Fill out the survey online
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
Events
Aged Care Tour
This week the Aged Care Tour is in Timaru with Sue Kedgley at the Caroline Bay Community Lounge, Monday 26th July at 10am. Come and share your stories when the tour is in your town.
Warm Healthy Rentals - Gareth Hughes' University Tour
Gareth is visiting universities across New Zealand from next week. Check the website for details.
Nelson: Kevin Hague at the Saturday Market - come along and meet Kevin Hague at Montgomery Square market 8am-12pm this Saturday
Dr Kennedy Graham speaking on Radio NZ 'Sunday with Chris Laidlaw'
Sunday 25th July 9:40am on Radio NZ. Kennedy will be talking about the wider context of his Members Bill and the inspiration for it; ecological economics.
Fast-track the Auckland CBD Rail Loop - campaign launch with Gareth Hughes and Keith Locke, Green MPs
Monday 26th July 12pm at Britomart Transport Centre, Auckland. Gareth Hughes, Green Party transport spokeperson and Keith Locke,
Auckland MP invite you to join them at the launch of a new Green transport
campaign: Fast-Track the CBD Rail Loop.
Opening of the SH20 Mt Roskill Cycleway, with Keith Locke and David Clendon
Sunday 25 July 2010, 9:30am - meet at the entrance to Mt Roskill on Dominion Rd at 9:15am. Refreshments available. Bring Your Bike!
Videos
Russel takes aim at National's attack on worker's rights
National's 2010 party conference showcased a smorgasboard of reactionary employment policies that brought back memories of the 90s. Watch the video...
Trial National Standards, not our kids!
Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei questions the legitimacy of John Key's National Standards in education. Watch the video...
Podcasts
The Volunteer Economy
Green Party MP and serial volunteer Catherine Delahunty recounts one of the most entertaining and impressive experiences of a coordinated volunteer programme to support a community court case against a mine in the Coromandel, and discusses the oft-overlooked importance of unpaid work in our economy. Listen to podcast...
View all podcasts | Subscribe to our podcasts in iTunes
Press releases
Chch does not need any more pokie machines
22 July 2010
The Green Party today called on the Christchurch City Council to reinforce it's sinking lid policy on gaming machines in Christchurch. Read more...
Green GP survey shows medical certificates an unworkable sick joke
19 July 2010
After ringing 40 GPs nationwide it appears National's policy of requiring medical certificates for only one day's sick leave is simply unworkable, said Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman. Read more...
Key Government set to break election promise on employment law
16 July 2010
The Key Government seems intent on breaking one of its own 2008 election promises and setting employment relations in New Zealand back two decades, said Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman today. Read more...
New ACC rules for penalising accidents won't work
14 July 2010
Penalising companies that have accidents will discourage companies from reporting them and could lead to accident victims being pressured into not making claims, said the Green Party today. Read more...
Blog posts
Great new book focuses on transgender - by Kevin Hague
I had the huge privilege this week to launch a great new book - f2m - co-written (via Skype and email!) by my friend and colleague Ryan Kennedy and veteran Australian author Hazel Edwards. Read more...
Don Brash on NZ Super - why won't he just go away? - by frog
Failed former National Party leader and 2025 Taskforce Chairperson Don Brash is in the news again – this time advocating giving people a “choice” as to when they begin to receive NZ Superannuation:
…changes to the age of eligibility were inevitable as the number of retirees soared in comparison to the number of workers. Read more...
Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Rights - by Catherine Delahunty
On Monday I had the privilege of listening to the presenting a summary of his role. Read more...
PM tells more porkies on fire at will law - by frog
Fresh from drawing false conclusions from some already shonky Department of Labour research, John Key has again been economical with the truth on the Government's fire at will legislation. Read more...
Shonky research doesn't justify fire at will extension - by frog
The Government has released the research upon which it has supposedly based its decision to extend its fire at will legislation to all employees in the first 90 days in a new job. Read more...
Crash National's party - protest against attacks on work rights - by frog
The NZCTU are organising a protest against National's attacks on workers rights – outside the National Party Conference: Sky City Hotel, Main Entrance 72 Victoria Street West, Auckland City, this Sunday 18th July, 10. Read more...
Refugees won't be booking cruise liners to NZ - by Keith Locke
John Key made millions by trading currencies, but he doesn't seem to have a good grasp of business principles when it comes to the economics of boat people coming to New Zealand. Read more...
National reveals its anti-worker colours - by frog
John Key's Government has won a lot of plaudits for being “Labour-lite”, and that has probably helped sustain its consistently high opinion poll ratings. But today the Government revealed its true colours. Read more...
Speeches
Dr Russel Norman, Speech to the EPMU Biennial Conference: Green Economic Strategy - Russel Norman MP, 9 July 2010
I am here today because of the opportunities provided to me and my family by more than a century of working class struggle. Watch video or read transcript...
