26 May 2016   The 2016 Budget continues the National Government’s disgraceful underfunding of the Department of Conservation (DOC) and puts our precious flora and fauna at risk, the Green Party said today. Compared to last year’s Budget, DOC has been allocated nearly $40 million less, a cut of nearly nine percent. Compared to the last Labour budget’s DOC funding of $462 million (in real terms), this year’s budget is $32 million short. “Over the last eight years of National...

Paula Bennett’s announcement today that homeless New Zealanders will be offered up to $5000 to move out of Auckland is a sign of a Minister under enormous pressure, and a government that’s flailing over the housing crisis, the Green Party said today. “Paula Bennett has clearly just woken up to the fact that New Zealanders don’t want the Government to stand by and watch while thousands of Kiwi families live in cars, overcrowded garages, and on the streets,” said Green...

Tomorrow’s Budget needs to announce a new, transformative plan to fix the housing crisis, the Green Party said today. Finance Minister Bill English will deliver his eighth Budget tomorrow and it’s likely it will contain no significant new measures to address rampant speculation in the housing market or the lack of affordable homes being built. “We’re becoming one of the only countries in the world that makes it easier for people to buy their second, third, or fourth house instead...

Government underfunding of DoC has led to suspension bridges, viewing platforms, and other structures on our Great Walks becoming either unsafe or in serious need of repair, the Green Party says. Answers to written questions provided by the Minister of Conservation show that tracks, huts and other structures on some of New Zealand’s most important Great Walks are in a state of disrepair, as the department struggles with funding cuts under the National Government. “It’s a sign of the National...

The Green Party today announced a plan to get half of New Zealand’s freight moving by rail and sea within 10 years, and dramatically reduce the number of dangerous trucks clogging up New Zealand’s roads. “National’s single-minded focus on a few expensive highways is downright irresponsible, and will ultimately force more and more trucks onto New Zealand roads,” said Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter. “National spends five times more on a few low-value motorways than it does on...

Paula Bennett and her Government colleagues’ continual denial that there’s a housing crisis is the number one impediment to solving our country’s housing issues, the Green Party said today. Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei will today hold the Minister for Social Housing to account at Question Time for her part in the worsening affordable and social housing emergency. “As long as Paula Bennett, John Key and Bill English keep saying there’s no housing crisis, we’re not going to see enough...

New analysis by the Council of Trade Unions (CTU) shows the National Government needs to invest massively in the health sector in the upcoming Budget, just to maintain services at current levels, the Green Party said today. The CTU and Association of Salaried Medical Specialists prepared a pre-Budget analysis showing that Vote Health’s operational expenses would need to rise by nearly $700 million to maintain the health services New Zealand currently has. Their analysis takes into account growing costs, and...

Maggie Barry must stop fudging the figures and come clean about Department of Conservation under-funding, the Green Party said today. Figures compiled by the Parliamentary Library and revealed by the Green Party on Q and A yesterday show that funding for DOC has fallen since National has been in government, adding up to $336 million over eight years. “Maggie Barry disputes our figures and says that baseline funding has risen $62 million over eight years, but it’s not clear where...

Ongoing protests against Australian mining company Newcrest on Mt Karangahake show why minerals exploration should be publicly notified and companies need to listen to community concerns before they start mining, the Green Party said. “Exploratory mining activities should go through a public notification process before they’re consented, to give communities an opportunity to have their voices heard,” Green Party Coromandel-based MP Catherine Delahunty said. “Hauraki District Council has failed its community by shutting people out of the resource consent process...

New information released today shows the National Government’s erosion of Department of Conservation (DOC) funding has resulted in a major species decline and is placing significant strain on facilities, the Green Party says.