23 August 2017 The Green Party in Government will end the slum-like renting conditions exposed in the People’s Review of Renting by Renters United and Action Station, the Green Party said today. “With nearly half of New Zealanders renting, the grim findings of the review are a wakeup call about the true state of rentals in this country. Too many renters are festering in slum-like conditions under the thumb of landlords who have largely unchecked powers and ignore tenants’ complaints...

The Green Party in government will end the tax advantages property speculators currently enjoy under National by implementing a comprehensive tax on capital gains, the Green Party said today. The Green Party is the only political party to have consistently called for a comprehensive capital gains tax (excluding the family home) for more than 15 years. The IMF, OECD, and the Government’s own Savings Working Group have called for a tax on capital gains. National’s 2009 Tax Working Group found...

The Green Party today announced a game-changing plan for public transport in New Zealand, with free fares on buses, trains and commuter ferries for all young people around the country, as well as a commitment to fund and build a congestion-free network in Auckland. The Green Card will provide universal, 24/7, free public transport for everyone under the age of 19, and free off-peak public transport for tertiary students at university, polytechnic, wānanga, private training establishments, and people training through...

The Green Party today announced that it will trial a passenger rail service between Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga starting in 2019, when it is in government. The passenger rail service will be based on the concept released today by Greater Auckland. It would run five times a day between Hamilton and Auckland, with one return service to Tauranga daily. “National has let regional rail services rust away but the Greens in government will restore rail as the backbone of New...

The Green Party welcomes today’s announcement that the New Zealand Superannuation Fund has dumped $950 million of high-risk fossil fuel investments, despite a National Government that is still backing oil and coal. The $35 billion New Zealand Superannuation Fund announced today that it has sold off $950 million of companies with high exposure to carbon emissions and fossil fuel reserves due to the significant long-term risks they present to investors. The selloff includes New Zealand companies Genesis Energy and NZ...

The Salvation Army’s report Taking Stock: The Demand for Social Housing in New Zealand, released today, confirms that the National Government’s policies have been a driving factor in creating the housing crisis, the Green Party said today. The report shows a net decrease of state housing stock by Housing New Zealand from around 69,000 in 2009 to 67,282 in 2016 (including Tamaki Regeneration houses). The Green Party’s own analysis of a Question for Written Answer shows that Housing NZ only...

Mental health workers need to be paid fairly so that droves of people don’t leave the sector while it is in crisis, the Green Party said today. “The Government needs to act quickly to ensure that mental health workers are being paid fairly, otherwise essential staff will choose to leave to work in better paid sectors,” Green Party social development spokesperson Jan Logie said. “Mental health work is a female dominated industry  but that is no excuse to continue underpaying...

The Government’s plan to send 14-17 year-olds to an army boot camp is heartless and illogical, the Green Party said today. National announced yesterday that it would send young offenders to an army-organised training camp in Waiouru, with the threat of adult prison if they do not complete the course. “National need to own up to the fact that society has failed these children, and punishing them further by sending them far from their family and their community will not...

The Green Party is calling on Bay of Plenty Regional Council to notify Cresswell NZ Ltd and Nongfu Spring’s application to take up to 580 million litres of water annually from Otakiri Springs, so that the community can have a say. “Bottling companies have consents to take up 23 billion litres of water a year in New Zealand and aren’t paying anything for it," said Green Party environment spokesperson Eugenie Sage.  “Water is a community asset and the public must be...

The Green Party has welcomed the Government’s recent announcement that one in three cars in its vehicle fleet will be electric by 2021, but it is still ‘low power.’ “While this is a good start, we need to charge up the ambition to ensure that New Zealand is keeping pace with the rest of the world,” said Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter.  “Aotearoa should be leading the world in electric vehicle adaptation. Instead, National’s lack of leadership has...