The Green Party is offering to work with other political parties on evidence-based drug law reform and welcomes Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne’s suggestion that drugs be viewed as a health issue. Peter Dunne was reported today as saying that he was open to reviewing evidence around the decriminalisation of cannabis, and that he was unsure that New Zealand’s drug law was still fit for purpose. “It is fantastic to hear that the Government is considering regulating drugs in terms...

The National Government has admitted it has no idea of the amount of tax it is missing out on from multinational companies that are avoiding paying their fair share of tax, the Green Party said today. Revenue Minister Michael Woodhouse was unable to answer questions in the House today from James Shaw on the amount of lost tax revenue from multinational companies. Herald investigative reporter Matt Nippert estimated the amount of missing tax could be close to $500 million per...

The flag referendum result is a major failure for the Prime Minister who politicised the process and cost New Zealand an opportunity to change the current flag, the Green Party says. “The Green Party thanks the two million or so New Zealanders who participated in the flag referendum and acknowledges that those who voted for the alternative flag will be disappointed tonight,” Green Party C- leader Metiria Turei said. “John Key’s overt campaigning for his favourite flag tainted the referendum from...

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-confirms-taji-objectives-being-achieved

The Government must restore some of the millions of dollars it has eroded from the health budget, in order to avoid medical workers’ conditions being cut, and head off impending strike action, the Green Party said today. People who work at Auckland’s three District Health Boards’ (DHB) have announced they will strike on April 8th over moves to cut the pay of new medical staff and reduce the working conditions of current staff in order to fund expanded services in...

This Sunday could be the last Easter Sunday holiday for many New Zealanders, if the National Government goes ahead with its plan to allow local councils to let shops open on Easter Sunday. The Shop Trading Hours Amendment Bill is currently before Select Committee and is expected to pass later this year. “People who work in retail are only guaranteed three and a half specific days off a year to spend with their families – National shouldn’t be cutting that...

Productivity growth under National’s economic management is the weakest it’s been since 1996, the Green Party said today. Productivity statistics released today by Stats New Zealand show that while productivity growth this year has been positive, productivity growth over the whole economic cycle is well below longer-term trends. Productivity is best observed in growth cycles rather than in single year figures, they say. “Productivity growth over this most recent economic cycle (2008-2015) is the weakest it’s been in twenty years,”...

A startling new international report by the UN’s World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) on the state of the climate has found the number of named storms in the South Pacific has almost doubled above the annual average, which should prompt the National Government to dramatically revise its target for reducing climate damaging pollution, the Green Party said today. Commenting on the release of the Statement on the Status of the Global Climate in 2015, the WMO Director described temperatures in January...

The Government must get its head out of the sand about dairy conversions and its view that water’s economic value is greater than its environmental value, to repair the state of our waterways, the Green Party said today. The comments come on the back of Waikato River Authority’s poor report card, giving the river a C+ overall. The river will take the better part of a century to repair, while millions of dollars and thousands of volunteer hours have been...

The Green Party's thoughts are with the people of Brussels this morning, and we offer our sympathy to the family and friends of those who have been killed, and those injured, in the attack. "Like others all around the world we are deeply shocked by the violence that has struck Brussels overnight and the loss of innocent lives,” Green Party foreign affairs spokesperson Kennedy Graham said. “We hope for peace to be restored to Brussels soon. Our hope also is...