It’s great to see ordinary New Zealanders doing extraordinary things, Minister for Climate Change James Shaw today said in response to the news that Lisa McLaren is included in the New Year 2020 Honours List for her exceptional work leading the campaign for the Zero Carbon Bill.

Switching New Zealand to full renewable energy and solving the challenge of climate change will ensure a better planet for our kids and grandkids, the Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Energy and Resources said today as they invited all New Zealanders to have their say on to two important policy decisions.

New Zealand is making progress to drive down its greenhouse gas emissions, but must go further and faster. That was the verdict of Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw as he welcomed the release of New Zealand’s Fourth Biennial Report today.

The vulnerability of New Zealand’s aquatic environments to climate change is highlighted in a new report on Waituna Lagoon in Southland’s internationally recognised Awarua Wetland. Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage says the Department of Conservation (DOC) report illustrates the need to act now to manage climate change impacts. “Waituna Lagoon is a taonga for Te Rūnanga o Awarua and a natural treasure for New Zealanders; especially as we have destroyed so many wetlands. It is home to distinctive indigenous plants and...

The Government will boost investment in road safety upgrades and road policing tools as part of its new Road to Zero strategy and initial action plan launched today by Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter.

“In an ideal world, communities would be completely free of drug use, where we all thrive and live healthy lives. Yet forty years of punitive legal sanctions have only driven problems further underground”, Green Party Drug Reform spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick said today.

​The Green Party welcome medicinal cannabis regulations released today that will ensure timely treatment for suffering patients.

Police will be given new powers to conduct random roadside oral fluid drug testing to deter, detect and prosecute drugged drivers in order to save lives, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter announced today.  

With the global climate change talks closing in the early hours of Monday morning (NZT), the Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw said New Zealand will continue to show the world what meaningful, ambitious and lasting climate action looks like.

Expert, trusted and independent advice will be essential to ensuring New Zealand plays its part solving the challenge of climate change. Today, the Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw announced the team of experts who now have the important task of providing governments with that advice.