GreenWeek 25 July 2008

A summary of Green political happenings. You are welcome to send snippets that may interest other GreenWeek readers to Alison Coleman: alison.coleman@parliament.govt.nz

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Government breaks clean water promise
For the past five years Labour has been promising to clean up our lakes, rivers and groundwaters. It would all happen within a generation... they said. With the new Government Proposed National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management, Labour has broken that promise.
Read Russel's press release.
Read Russel's press release on a shocking report on West Coast water quality.
Go to our water page.

New environment centres are key to conservation
Metiria was pleased to be part of the opening of the Nelson Environment Centre this week. Metiria, Green Party Conservation Spokesperson, says the Greens have been key to the support and development of environment centres for many years.
Read Metiria's press release.

Taxation Bill will strip New Zealand’s manufacturing base
Giving tax breaks to New Zealand businesses that move their operations offshore is insanity, Sue Bradford says.
Read Sue B's press release.

Removing barriers for disabled is a human rights issue
Green Party MP Metiria Turei has this week released the Party’s Disability Policy: Removing the barriers. This policy sets out our key policy steps to remove the legal and social barriers that people with disabilities face every day. From leadership and transport to employment and reproductive rights, removing barriers to the exercise of an ordinary life is simply a human rights issue.
Read Metiria's press release.

Dear Helen, please listen to the parents
The Government must listen to the concerns of parents worried about the health risks of locating huge telecommunications tower masts next to pre-schools and schools.
Read Sue K's press release.

Immigration Bill improved, but still oppressive
Keith has welcomed improvements in the Immigration Bill, reported back to Parliament today, but says it is still oppressive. Too many decisions will be made on information kept secret from those affected; fourteen state agencies, from the Department of Corrections to the Ministry of Fisheries, will now be able to define information as ‘classified’ and not to be seen by the affected person.
Read Keith's press release.

Greens call for independent review of light bulb claims
Jeanette has called on the Government to commission from an independent specialist toxicologist a review of the evidence of health effects from mercury in CFL lamps, following the article in Investigate magazine.
Read Jeanette's press release.

Coal or Kiwi: Solid Energy at it again
More native forest, snails and kiwi habitat are destined for destruction by Government-owned coal company Solid Energy. The company is yet again applying to extend its Stockton open-cast coal mine, north of Westport, onto conservation land.
Read Metiria's press release.

Green questions about Peters are hardest hitting
Neither Labour nor National wants to let their sharks take a bite until they’ve got proof that the blood in the water is a corpse, not just a flesh wound. So the Greens are asking the questions everyone else is thinking. Read the comments here.

For details on events in your area, check our website.

Don't miss out on the pre-election gig of the year - The Phoenix Foundation & Little Bushman IN CONCERT. Friday 1st August 8pm, Opera House, Wellington. supported by Cassette, Thomas Oliver Band, Silenzio & The Swift, Matt Pike, Isunray. Also featuring Young Greens campaign launch 6.30pm. Ticket prices: $43 + booking fee (stalls & circle) or $28 + booking fee (gallery, or 'gods')Tickets available now from: Real Groovy, Wellington 250 Cuba Street, Wellington Central, Phone (04) 385-2020 Ticketek Wellington Michael Fowler Centre, 111 Wakefield Street Railway Metro New World, Wellington Railway Station, 2 Bunny Street TSB Bank Arena, Jervois Quay St James Theatre, 77-87 Courtenay Place Buy tickets online or over the phone on 0800 TICKETEK

To see press releases on topics not covered by the items above, go to all media releases

Published by the Greens' Parliamentary Office, Bowen House, Parliament, Wellington.
Ph (04) 470 6700, Fax (04) 472 6003, green.party@parliament.govt.nz, http://www.greens.org.nz/.
Authorised by Jon Field, 73 Eden St, Wellington.

Spacey, electric and plain cute: video
Fuel-saving car designs from Ford, Saab, Mini, and others took center stage at the British International Motor Show this week. [National Geographic]

Explorer to trek 62,000 miles for Mother Earth
A South African adventurer is set to go on a four-year environmental outreach expedition around the globe. [MSNBC]

Greening your funeral
Options for when you kick the compost bucket. [Grist]

Penguins 'canaries in climate coal mine'
[SeattlePI]

Emergency Beijing Olympic pollution scheme begins
Traffic restrictions and factory closures came into effect in a last ditch attempt to turn the often smoggy Chinese capital into a pollution-free venue for next month's Olympics. [ENN]

The water cycle explained
... with loads of diagrams and pictures. [Treehugger]

One-fifth of EU timber imports are illegal
WWF have presented these findings as further evidence of the need for a strong European law to prevent illegal wood entering EU markets. [People and Planet]