Green Party announces plan for free and nutritious school lunches

people and communities

Newborns, cancer patients suffer as Govt leaves health jobs empty

The Green Party is calling for the Government to direct Te Whatū Ora to fill vacant roles in healthcare services as quickly as possible, and to fund them to do so.“The PSA provided damning evidence that the Minister of Health has knowingly weaponised the bureaucracy to slow the recruitment of health workers as a cost saving measure," says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson. “The refusal to invest in our frontline health services means Te Whatū Ora are deliberately delaying filling...

Posted at August 19, 2026 3:34 PM by Marama Davidson

people and communities

Long-term investment in aged care can't wait - delaying it will only increase the cost

The Green Party welcomes the release of “A place to grow old: Securing the future of aged care” report and echoes the need for a plan to support older people to live and age with dignity. “We need a system where people can receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time,” says Lawrence Xu-Nan, seniors spokesperson for the Green Party. “Successive Governments have not addressed the real issue of aged care, such as in-home care and...

Posted at August 18, 2026 10:51 AM by Lawrence Xu-Nan

people and communities

Seymour plan would strip students of the services they rely on

The Green Party says ACT leader David Seymour's proposal for voluntary student fees will finish the job of destroying student associations and the campus experience."Students are not customers who pass through a campus and leave. They are the people who make a campus what it is, and they should have real power over how it runs," says Green Party tertiary education spokesperson Francisco Hernandez. "In 2012, ACT's Voluntary Student Membership Bill ripped out the guts from student associations across the...

Posted at August 11, 2026 11:55 AM by Francisco Hernandez

people and communities

Unemployment hits 11-year high under Luxon's Government

49,000 more New Zealanders are out of work than when this Government took office, according to figures released by Stats NZ this morning showing 171,000 people unemployed and actively looking for work."Christopher Luxon's economic decisions have produced the highest unemployment rate in over a decade. Political tit for tat aside, it's time for the Prime Minister to put his hands back on the wheel of this economy and invest in our country. Clearly, cut after cut doesn't grow an economy....

Posted at August 05, 2026 11:48 AM by Chlöe Swarbrick

people and communities

Luxon delays relief for regular people as living costs increase 3.2%

Household living costs increased 3.2% over the past 12 months, yet this Government is choosing to delay real relief and instead dangle it as an election promise, says The Green Party.“Luxon can talk about all they have done for the economy, but families can’t pay their bills with his empty words and promises,” says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson. According to the recent Consumers Price Index from Stats NZ, food costs increased 2.5% over the past 12 months, including a...

Posted at July 29, 2026 9:56 AM by Marama Davidson

people and communities

Green Party AGM 2026 Speeches

The following speeches were delivered at the Green Party 2026 AGM. Chlöe Swarbrick Ko te mea tuatahi, tēnei te mihi ki ngā mana whenua o tēnei rohe. Tēnā koutou.  Ko te mea tuarua, ka mihi au ki a koutou, kua tau mai nei i tēnei wā. No reira, e ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā rau Rangatira mā, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.  The Buy Kiwi Made campaign turns 21 years old this year. It was an innovation...

Posted at July 26, 2026 2:09 PM by Chlöe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson

people and communities

Greens Bill pushes to stop supermarkets binning edible food while families go hungry

The Green Party has introduced a Member’s Bill that would require New Zealand’s largest supermarkets to partner with food rescue organisations so perfectly good food reaches people instead of landfill.“Food is abundant. In a country that grows enough food to feed millions, no one should be going hungry while perfectly good kai is thrown away,” says Green Party Zero Waste spokesperson Kahu Carter. The Waste Minimisation (Food Waste) Amendment Bill is modelled on France’s Garot Law. It would require the...

Posted at July 23, 2026 3:26 PM by Kahurangi Carter

people and communities

Green Party calls for union membership as default setting for new employees

 The Green Party is backing unions through the Automatic Union Membership Members' Bill, which would make union membership the default setting for new employees.  "Workers are the backbone of our economy and this country. Unions give workers a voice in their workplace and help fight for their rights and best interests," says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson.  “This will also be a policy we will be taking into the election, but we want to act now if the current government...

Posted at July 16, 2026 9:18 AM by Marama Davidson and Teanau Tuiono

people and communities

Greens commit to tax the super-rich and large corporates fairly, cut income tax for 96%

The Green Party has announced their 2026 tax policy ‘a tax system for all of us’ today. Green Party Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says, “All New Zealanders deserve the opportunity to thrive. Today we are proud to announce a tax policy that will tackle inequality and corporate greed to rebuild our country and put more money in the pockets of 96% of New Zealanders.” “People aren’t dumb. They know that while their cost of living has gone through the roof, corporate profits...

Posted at June 21, 2026 1:10 PM by Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick

people and communities

Homelessness at historic levels in New Zealand

The Green Party says the Government’s new funding for homelessness, announced yesterday, is a drop in the bucket to address the crisis in New Zealand.  "This is the worst homelessness in our history, with 57,000 women homeless and half of all homeless people under the age of 24. The Government's response has been a drop in the bucket to meaningfully address this crisis," says Green Party housing spokesperson Tamatha Paul.  "The Housing First waitlist is rising while 33% of emergency housing...

Posted at June 18, 2026 2:18 PM by Tamatha Paul

people and communities

Pasifika left behind by Budget 2026

Today Nicola Willis delivered a third Budget in a row which prioritises the super-rich and powerful over Pasifika peoples, says the Green Party.“This is a heartless Budget that continues to punish Pasifika peoples,” says Green Party Spokesperson for Pacific Peoples, Teanau Tuiono.   “At a time when Aotearoa has more kids in poverty, more people are homeless, and more people without work, it is Pasifika people who are suffering the most.   “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples, which the Coalition parties have used as a political football for years, is facing close to $3 million in funding cuts. That is close to $3 million in funding cuts to initiatives that directly relate to our Pasifika wellbeing.   “Pasifika...

Posted at May 28, 2026 3:03 PM by Teanau Tuiono

people and communities

Government miss child poverty targets

The Green Party says this year's Budget show the Government is failing to meet child poverty targets.“This budget does nothing to lift the 100,000’s of children now living in poverty, even as the Government's own child poverty report confirms it is not on track to meet the targets it is legally bound to hit.”  Budget documents show the Government missing both 2027 and 2026 targets for children living in poverty adjusted for housing costs, with this number still at almost 20%.  "Behind every one of these numbers is a tamaiti going without a warm...

Posted at May 28, 2026 2:22 PM by Marama Davidson

people and communities

Government rushes disability bill through Parliament without disabled people at the table

The Green Party says the Government has failed disabled people by rushing the Strengthening Disability Support Services Bill through its first reading just days after it was quietly introduced, with little warning and no meaningful consultation with the disability community.“Nothing about us without us is supposed to mean something in Aotearoa. Instead, disabled people were blindsided,” says Green Party Disability Spokesperson Kahurangi Carter. “This bill was introduced on Monday night with no consultation with disabled people and, incredibly, disability groups...

Posted at May 22, 2026 1:55 PM by Kahurangi Carter

people and communities

Bill drawn to ensure young people aren't made homeless when leaving Oranga Tamariki

The Green Party bill requiring the government to make sure young people leaving state care have a safe, stable home to move into has been drawn as a member's bill today, the same day the Government begins the process of criminalising homelessness."On the day this Government chooses to punish people for being homeless, we are choosing to make sure no young person leaving state care ends up on the street in the first place," says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson. ...

Posted at May 21, 2026 2:08 PM by Marama Davidson

people and communities

Luxon backs anti-trans bill as families struggle to pay the bills

The Government should be focused on the cost-of-living crisis facing whānau across Aotearoa, not pushing through NZ First's Definition of a Woman and Man Bill, says the Green Party."People are struggling to pay the rent and the power bills. There is so much this Government should be focusing on," says Green Party Rainbow communities spokesperson Kahu Carter.  "Luxon has chosen to vote in favour of this Bill while communities are warning it will cause real harm, kids are going hungry, and people...

Posted at May 21, 2026 10:43 AM by Kahurangi Carter