The Government’s announcement that Invercargill and Tauranga will be the first centres to have their state houses sold off is the worst possible news for vulnerable residents of those communities, and shows just how little this Government has disclosed about its privatisation scheme, the Green Party said today. “By selling off state houses in Invercargill, Tauranga and all over the country, the Government is experimenting with vulnerable people’s lives and putting them at further risk,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria...

Kua hinga he rangatira mīharo rawa atu o Ngāpuhi-nui-tonu, o Te Āo Māori, o Aotearoa hoki. Kua hinga he pou o te whakaoratanga o te Reo Māori. E rere haere ana ngā mihi aroha o Te Rōpū Kākāriki ki te whānau pani me ngā tangata huri noa i te motu e tangi ana i tēnēi wā pouri. The Green Party is saddened by the untimely death of Erima Henare and extends its aroha and condolences to his whānau, hapū and...

National is selling out our public education system by signing New Zealand up to the Trade in Service Agreement (TiSA), Green Party education spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said today.

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...