John Key must listen to the people of Coromandel and walk away from the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiations because of the power the TPPA could give overseas corporations like Oceana Gold over the New Zealand Government, the Green Party said. “Oceana Gold, which is buying the Waihi Gold Mine, is already suing the El Salvador government for $470 million and if New Zealand signs up to the TPPA, we could be next,” Green Party Coromandel-based MP Catherine Delahunty...

The Green Party is encouraging gardeners to use untreated seed for their spring planting to protect bees from pesticides this September, which is Bee Aware Month. A group of pesticides known as neonicotinoids have been implicated as one cause of declining bee populations. Seeds are frequently treated with neonicotinoids to kill soil plant pests but get taken up in plants right through to the flowers. “By treating seed with neonicotinoids, manufacturers put bees at risk,” said Green Party pesticide spokesperson...

John Key has once again been caught overstating how many refugees New Zealand has accepted under his Government.

New data that shows slowing economic activity and record low business confidence confirms that National’s brand of complacent economic management and protecting the status quo isn’t working, the Green Party said.   The Treasury’s Monthly Economic Indicators, released today, show GDP growth falling to around 2 percent and job creation slowing. ANZ’s business confidence survey shows the lowest level of confidence since 2009. “With economic activity slowing, unemployment rising, and business confidence at its lowest since the Global Financial Crisis, it’s...

New analysis of the financial statements of Genesis, Mighty River Power, and Meridian released by the Green Party today shows that National’s partial privatisation of power companies has cost New Zealand taxpayers $871 million, the Green Party said. “The latest data shows that National’s sale of 49 percent of shares in the power companies was a massive transfer of wealth from the people of New Zealand to a few select investors, many who live overseas,” Green Party energy spokesperson Gareth...

Housing Minister Nick Smith should revoke the approval for parts of a new Special Housing Area in Auckland which some local iwi say is unacceptably close to waahi tapu, the Green Party said. “Auckland Council have given the go ahead for houses to be built despite serious local concerns about the land being close to waahi tapu,” Green Party Co-Leader Metiria Tūrei said today. “This land is not critical to Auckland’s housing needs, and has significant cultural heritage value. “The...

Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga needs to follow the lead of overseas authorities and get rid of SERCO for serious and continued breaches in their management of Mt Eden Correctional Facility, said the Green Party today

Landcorp’s decision to review its conversion of forestry land to dairy farms in the upper Waikato is a cause for celebration, the Green Party said today. “We’ve been calling for a moratorium on Landcorp’s dairy conversions in the upper Waikato in order to stop the further degradation of the Waikato River and its catchment,” said Green Party water spokesperson Catherine Delahunty. “We hope that, in order to protect the Waikato River from the pollution that would be created by these...

The Green Party is questioning why Corrections refuses to issue SERCO with a final warning over its mismanagement of the Mt Eden Correctional Facility, despite the month long review being extended due to the volume of issues found.

The Green Party is calling for Landcorp to change direction and consider other pastoral uses for Wairakei Estate now that it has been revealed it is not locked into dairy farming the upper Waikato.  Landcorp chief executive Steve Carden told The Dominion Post that the contract Landcorp, a state-owned enterprise, signed with landowners Wairakei Pastoral in 2004 is to convert 26,000ha of the pine forest to “pastoral use”, which could include cropping, beef, sheep, horticulture and forestry. “Landcorp’s financial results,...