The Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith should not be given the power to appoint Environment Protection Agency (EPA) decision-makers who decide applications for seabed mining and other development in New Zealand’s oceans, the Green Party said today. Yesterday, Greenpeace revealed that Dr Smith is seeking to change the law to give himself the power to personally choose who will sit on the Environmental Protection Agency’s “decision-making committees” for marine consent applications, responsible for deciding if companies can prospect for oil...

The Government’s treatment of sexual violence survivors and history of cutting funding to sexual and family violence services stands in stark contrast to John Key’s tirade about rapists in Parliament yesterday, the Green Party says. Prime Minister John Key caused widespread offence yesterday with his outburst claiming that members of the opposition were “backing rapists” when they questioned his Government’s unwillingness to challenge Australia’s record on human rights. “John Key should ditch the playground abuse and turn his energy to...

The Green Party is offering the National Government the chance today to vote for the environment, and show it can work constructively across parties to future proof our economy by voting for two Green Party Members’ Bills, the Green Party says. Parliament will today vote on two Green Party Members’ Bills - Green Party Co-leader James Shaw's Climate Change (Divestment from Fossil Fuels) Bill, and Green MP Gareth Hughes’ Fair Go for Solar Bill. The Divestment Bill would direct the managers of...

The Government is allowing Kiwi children to become seriously ill because it refuses to create minimum health and safety standards for rental homes and properly renovate state houses, the Green Party said today. Despite it being spring, stories continue to emerge of New Zealanders becoming sick because of the cold, damp and mouldy state homes they’re forced to live in, with the Tihore-Aue family of Porirua the latest to speak out. “Thousands and thousands of Kiwis are living with black...

The National Government’s failure to take meaningful action to curb property speculation is creating a serious risk to the financial and economic stability of the country, said the Green Party today. The Financial Stability Report released by the Reserve Bank today echoed warnings in the IMF mission statement yesterday that rampant house price inflation, fuelled by property speculation in Auckland, is a serious risk to the New Zealand economy. The Reserve Bank stated in its report, ‘Rising investor activity has...

John Key’s comments about opposition MPs backing rapists in Parliament today is a huge misjudgement that shows the Prime Minister is losing it, the Green Party says. “John Key’s weird outburst in Parliament today was deeply offensive, especially for the many women MPs who have come to politics through their work tackling sexual and family violence,” Green Party Co leader Metiria Turei said. “John Key obviously thought he was being macho and clever but he completely overreached when he made...

A report released today by the IMF shows the Government’s inaction on the housing crisis is creating a significant risk to New Zealand’s economy, the Green Party said today. In its New Zealand Mission: Concluding Report, the IMF calls for more houses to be built in Auckland urgently, and for more tax incentives for housing speculators to be removed – which the Green Party believes should include a proper capital gains tax. “When the IMF is saying you’ve stacked the...

The Green Party is calling on Transport Minister Simon Bridges to adopt Wellington City Council’s trial of “gold coin” bus fares and fund it nationwide, if public transport use increases as a result of the trial. The Wellington City announced today it will trial cheaper weekend bus fares in the lead-up to Christmas, an initiative championed by a Green Councillor Iona Pannett. The move aims to reduce traffic congestion and help shoppers avoid parking fees during the busy Christmas shopping...

The Green Party is challenging Trade Minister Tim Groser to explain to the public whether he supported cutting climate change out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). All the specific references to climate change and fossil fuel subsidies from in the November 2013 draft text have been removed from the final text. Tim Groser is both the Trade Minister and the Minister for Climate Change Issues. “Mr Groser needs to explain whose side he was on when the decision was...

The Government should set a target date for when women will be paid on par with men in the public sector to show that it take fair pay seriously this Equal Pay Day, the Green Party said today. November 10 is Equal Pay Day, and Green Party MP’s will be joining the “We’re relying on you” campaign picnic run by unions at 1pm on Parliament lawns," Green Party social development spokesperson Jan Logie said. “We know that because the difference...