With wages rising just 0.3 percent in the three months to March 2015 but average Auckland house prices rising 6.1 percent in the same timeframe, urgent action is needed to ensure working New Zealanders can achieve home ownership, the Green Party said today. “Young New Zealanders see the growing gap between their wages and house prices and despair that the National Government is ignoring their hopes to one day own their own home,” said Green Party housing spokesperson Kevin Hague....

The Green Party is calling on the Government to honour its promise to improve MMP by voting tonight to get rid of coat tailing and lower the party vote threshold to 4 percent.  Tonight Parliament may have the chance to vote on a bill to amend MMP by changing the electoral thresholds, including removing the hugely unpopular ‘coat-tailing’ provision. This and other changes were part of the recommendations from the independent review of MMP ignored by the National Government. “National...

Today’s passing of the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill is a win for animals around the world says Green Party MP Mojo Mathers who led the charge in Parliament to stop the testing of cosmetics on animals. The bill now has an amendment making it illegal for manufacturers to test cosmetic ingredients or finished cosmetics products on animals after Ms Mathers tabled a similar amendment. “I look forward to the day when no animal anywhere in the world is subject to...

The Green Party is challenging the Government to make good on its promise to tackle child poverty in this month’s Budget, as its other promises fall by the wayside to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy. “The Government has promised two key things from Budget 2015: a surplus, and action on child poverty. It’s already failed on its surplus goal and will be judged harshly if it fails to improve the lives of the quarter of New Zealand kids...

The National Government is letting down Auckland by delaying funding for critical rail and bus projects, the Green Party said today. Auckland Mayor Len Brown today announced that ratepayers will face additional average transport levies of $99 for households and $159 for businesses. “National’s refusal to back the smart transport projects Aucklanders need and want means the city is facing a higher increase in rates today,” said Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter. “Aucklanders are voting with their feet...

A report into dairying shows how the environment is being milked by the industry for all it’s worth - and that’s before taking the use of herbicides and pesticides into account, the Green Party said today. The report released by Massey University this week shows that dairy intensification over the last 20 years has seen waterways become heavily polluted, greenhouse gas emissions increase, and biodiversity loss, among other negative impacts, and argues that the cost of cleaning up the environment...

The Government’s failure to take action on the Auckland housing crisis is keeping interest rates high and hurting households and businesses, the Green Party said today. “The Reserve Bank’s ability to lower the OCR to help businesses invest and households pay off their mortgages faster is limited by the Government’s inaction with regard to the Auckland housing market,” Green Party co-leader Russel Norman said. “Auckland’s housing crisis is clearly a drag on the rest of the economy which needs smart...

Falling exports and rising imports have led to the largest annual trade deficit since July 2009, the Green Party said today. Statistics New Zealand Overseas Merchandise Trade figures for March show there was an annual trade deficit of $2.4 billion for the year ended March 2015. This was the largest annual trade deficit since the year ended July 2009, driven by falling whole milk powder exports to China and declines in oil exports. “A large fall in the value of...

John Key’s choice not to raise women’s rights with the Saudi King and to reveal New Zealand troops' location to international media instead of telling New Zealanders first are the latest in a series of leadership lapses by the Prime Minister, the Green Party said today.

The Government needs to renegotiate the cost sharing agreement with Christchurch City Council rather than force the city to flog off its valuable assets, the Green Party said today. Submissions closed today on the Council’s Long Term Plan 2015-2025. In it, the Council proposes to sell $750 million of assets such as Orion and Christchurch Airport Limited in order to fund an ambitious capital spending programme and its $793m share of the anchor projects. “Anchor projects like the $253m stadium are...