News

  • All Auckland transport options should be considered

    All options for meeting Auckland’s transport needs should be considered, including reprioritising the transport budget away from wasteful spending on motorways, the Green Party said today. Auckland mayor Len Brown is today releasing a transport report by the Independent Advisory Board, which outlines funding options including an increase in rates and fuel taxes and/or road tolls. “Aucklanders should have the debate about transport funding - but all options should be on the table, including fewer expensive roading projects,” Green Party...
  • Another report highlights Govt failure on child poverty

    An international report measuring the impact of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) on child poverty rates, showing children in New Zealand have done worse than children in other countries, is further proof the Government needs to urgently take additional steps to reduce poverty rates here, the Green Party says. UNICEF’S latest report, Children of the Recession. The impact of the economic crisis on child well-being in rich countries, shows that New Zealand children’s welfare went backwards on three of the...
  • Bartlett case means Govt must act on equal pay

    The Court of Appeal victory for Lower Hutt caregiver, Kristine Bartlett demonstrates that both the Government and employers have been ignoring and not fully implementing equal pay law, the Green Party said today. The Court of Appeal today upheld earlier rulings which supported the Service and Food Workers Union view that Ms Bartlett is entitled to use the equal pay act to argue for a rate of pay equal to what those working in the same occupation would receive if...
  • National’s failed commodities export strategy exposed

    National’s strategy to rely on commodities such as milk powder and logs has been exposed in the September trade figures released today, the Green Party said. “National’s strategy to hang all economic hope on exporting ever-increasing volumes of milk powder and logs, is shown to be misguided,” Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today. Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) reported the values of total exports fell 3.0 percent in the September quarter, following a 7.5 percent fall in the June...
  • Power price rises more than double the inflation rate

    Power prices have risen at more than double the inflation rate since National took office, showing National’s hands-off approach to the electricity market is a failure, the Green Party said today. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose just 1.0 percent in the year to September while power prices rose 3.7 percent. Since December 2008, when National took office, power prices have risen 24.6 percent and the CPI has risen 11.8 percent. "New Zealanders know that our electricity market is not...
  • Aucklanders’ train use shows they need City Rail Link now

    News that Aucklanders overtook Wellingtonians as the biggest train users is further evidence the Government needs to start work on the Auckland City Rail Link now, the Green Party said today. Auckland Transport said today that in the year to September, Aucklanders took 12 million train trips against the 11.9 million taken in Wellington. It said 5,000 more Aucklanders were taking the train daily per day than in March. When the Britomart Transport Centre opened in 2003, just 2.5 million...