The Green Party is calling for the West Auckland community to be involved in Watercare’s decision over where a new treatment plant should be located, and an independent ecological assessment of the proposed new site in Titirangi. This follows a decision last week by Watercare to not build the plant in Oratia and to instead look into a plot of land in Titirangi, in the Waitakere Ranges. “Design and placement for new infrastructure like this should involve the community from...

The Government has finally proposed a water protection order for Waikoropupū Springs, largely thanks to the advocacy of Ngāti Tama ki Waipounamu and locals. A Water conservation order is the highest protection possible for a water body, and is the equivalent of National Park status for a water body. “If implemented this is excellent news for Waikoropupū Springs”, said Green Party water spokesperson Catherine Delahunty.” “The Water Conservation Order should see changes in land use around the springs, to ensure...

The Green Party is calling on the Prime Minister to invite Pacific Island ambassadors to meet with the US Secretary of State next week so they can explain first-hand the consequences of the US decision to withdraw from the Climate Agreement. The call comes ahead of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s visit to New Zealand on Tuesday, and following the decision by US President Donald Trump to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. “Bill English has...

The Green Party welcomes the move by Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne to declassify a non-psychoactive substance in cannabis, cannabidiol (CBD), for therapeutic purposes today. “It’s fantastic to see the Government finally accepting expert advice that CBD should be exempted from the Misuse of Drugs Act. This is one component of the Member’s Bill I put forward last month,” said Green Party health spokesperson Julie Anne Genter. “The Greens are committed to comprehensive drug law reform, including medicinal cannabis being...

New Zealand must join with other countries and step up as a climate leader in the wake of the US decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, the Green Party said today. This morning President Donald Trump announced the United States would withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, joining just two other countries – Nicaragua and Syria – who have rejected the global accord. “The US might be abdicating its moral leadership on climate change, but New Zealand should...

With 3,422 people urgently waiting for a place to live and 1,805 empty state homes, New Zealand is heading into another winter of homelessness under National, the Green Party said today. “Last winter New Zealanders were shocked at the extent of homelessness and after a year of the National Government rushing around trying to look like it’s tackling the problem, things are actually getting worse,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei. “The tragic truth that we’re hearing from the people...

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) needs to prioritise and put its resources behind containing the further spread of the Bonamia ostreae parasite, and meet the challenge of eradicating it as best they can, the Green Party said today.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) has found that the situation for our native birds is desperate and will only be addressed if the Government steps up and properly funds conservation, the Green Party said today. Four out of five of our native birds are heading for extinction in New Zealand. The Green Party is calling on the National Government to properly fund biodiversity protection in the wake of the challenging report by the PCE.  “National must stop pussyfooting...

A new report is damning about the care received by people from our mental health system, and the Minister of Health needs to take responsibility, the Green Party said today. The Auditor-General report Mental health: Effectiveness of the planning to discharge people shows that only two-thirds of people discharged from hospital will be followed up within seven days and that no DHB is meeting its target on this measure. “Our broken mental health system cannot deliver the care needed for...

People who rent are being ripped off by cowboy rental agencies hiking rents by five percent a week, every week, in times of high demand, the Green Party said today. “The rental market is becoming a Wild West with cowboys taking advantage of people who are desperately looking for a decent place to live,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei. “Hiking rents by five percent a week, every week, is price gouging. It’s outrageous and unfair. “The standard one-year lease...