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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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Greens tighten GE safeguards
As part of its co-operation agreement with the Government, the Greens have negotiated new safeguards to protect all those who want no part of any genetically-engineered farming industry.
 Read Jeanette's press release.
Major breakthrough in tropical timber campaign
Pledges by most New Zealand major furniture retail chains to stop importing outdoor kwila furniture is a major victory for those campaigning to save Melanesian rainforests, Russel said this week. “Groups such as Greenpeace and Indonesia Human Rights Committee (IHRC), which together with the Greens have lobbied the big stores, have done far more than the Government in reducing importation of illegally-logged tropical kwila timber.”
Read Russel's press release.
Food scare reinforces need for country of origin labelling
Consumers who have purchased a product containing unapproved genetically engineered rice should be being warned not to eat it as its affects on human health are unknown. The New Zealand Food Safety Authority revealed this week that testing has found that an imported rice vermicelli containing Bt63 is being sold in New Zealand.
Read Sue K's press release.
Action, not cover-up, needed over Coast water quality
Russel says he is worried central government may put pressure on West Coast authorities to ignore a report saying 100 percent of West Coast water supplies failed to meet drinking standards. “After I commented on the joint document produced by the West Coast and Canterbury District Health Boards last week, the local MP and Associate Health Minister Damien O’Connor has said the report ‘shouldn’t have been in the public domain in the first place’. He seems to discount the report’s main themes and hopes that if studies on water quality are out-of-sight, they will also be out-of-mind.”
Read Russel's press release.
Clark and Cosgrove must challenge Games web censorship
Keith is asking the Government and New Zealand Olympic officials to challenge Beijing’s censorship of websites available to those visiting the Games. “Our officials can’t stay silent while China blatantly goes back on its pledge to allow those reporting the games free access to the internet," he said this week. “It makes a mockery of China’s pledge that the Games would lead to an improvement in that country’s human rights."
Read Keith's press release.
Oil dependency takes its toll
This week’s new trade deficit figures showing a massive increase in the cost of importing petrol and other oil products dramatically illustrate why the Government must reduce New Zealand’s dependence on oil.
Read Russel's press release.
Greens back IHC’s human rights complaint
The Greens are backing IHC’s complaint laid this week with the Human Rights commissioner that Government policy systemically discriminates against children with special education needs.
Read Metiria's press release.
Draw a fish, win a book
Frog is running a competition. To win a copy of The Last Fish Tale - the fate of the Atlantic and our disappearing fisheries, all you need to do is leave a comment with a link to either a drawing of something fishy you’ve drawn here on the Queeky drawing site or a link to an online photo you have taken of something fishy. See the entries and comments here.
For details on events in your area, check our website.
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.
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