An application to mine coal on public conservation land near Te Kuha in the Buller District has been declined, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage and Minister of Energy Resources Megan Woods announced today. Rangitira Developments Ltd had applied for an access arrangement under the Crown Minerals Act to mine 12 hectares of public conservation land in the Mt Rochfort Conservation Area, near Te Kuha, as part of a large opencast coal mine. The 12 ha area is part of the...

The Green Party welcomes the adoption of a human rights based approach to the upkeep of the Waikeria prison facility, focused on rehabilitation instead of the American-style mega-prison planned by the last government. “We know that imprisonment has failed to reduce crime rates or keep our communities safe. New Zealand needs a new approach and we see this decision as a start,” says Green Party corrections spokesperson Golriz Ghahraman. “The new 100-bed mental health treatment unit, in particular, shows the...

Land Information Minister Eugenie Sage and Associate Finance Minister David Clark have granted an application under the Overseas Investment Act 2005 for Cresswell NZ Ltd to purchase land to expand the existing Otakiri Springs water bottling plant near Whakatane. The decision is conditional on the company providing an additional 60 fulltime jobs and getting the resource consents it needs under the Resource Management Act (RMA). The Ministers have gone beyond the standard template to ensure the promised jobs eventuate by...

The Green Party welcomes the belated fronting by Housing New Zealand today on the bogus meth contamination of houses and agrees HNZ should consider repaying tenants costs associated with their evictions. “Not only were hundreds of tenants evicted on the basis of this bogus testing regime, but to add insult they were charged for it,” Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said. “The issue of compensation should be seriously considered. At the very least, HNZ should repay costs around testing.”  “Hundreds...

The Minister for Climate Change has welcomed WWF-New Zealand’s Open Letter offering its congratulations on the Government’s goal of getting the country to net zero emissions by 2050. Their support comes the day before public consultation on the proposed Zero Carbon Bill begins. It has been signed by more than 200 people including business leaders from Z Energy, Les Mills gyms, DB Breweries, the Body Shop and Meridian Energy, as well as the mayors of Wellington, Whanganui, Christchurch, Gisborne and...

At an event in Auckland today 12 local and international businesses signed a declaration to tackle plastic waste, Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage announced. The businesses chose World Environment Day today, with its theme of “Beat Plastic Pollution”, to commit to using 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging in their New Zealand operations by 2025 or earlier. New Zealand-based businesses that signed the NZ Plastic Packaging Declaration are Foodstuffs, Countdown, New Zealand Post and Frucor Suntory. Other businesses include...

International visitors will pay more than locals for DOC huts and campsites on New Zealand’s four most popular Great Walks as part of a trial for the 2018/19 season, Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. “New Zealand’s nine Great Walks are premier tracks that pass through unique and spectacular scenery and are a magnet for international visitors,” Eugenie Sage said. “The seven month trial from October 2018 to April 2019 will provide information on the effectiveness of pricing as a...

Children will learn about waste and recycling with a Sustainability Trust-run programme getting a $157,000 grant from the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund, Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. The Minister also announced $100,000 for Environment Hubs Aotearoa from the Community Environment Fund. “The Sustainability Trust’s new “Your Sustainable School” programme will improve waste and recycling infrastructure at primary schools in the Wellington region, and help the whole school community develop a zero-waste culture,” Eugenie Sage said. “Across New Zealand...

Children will learn about waste and recycling with a Sustainability Trust-run programme getting a $157,000 grant from the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund, Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. The Minister also announced $100,000 for Environment Hubs Aotearoa from the Community Environment Fund. “The Sustainability Trust’s new “Your Sustainable School” programme will improve waste and recycling infrastructure at primary schools in the Wellington region, and help the whole school community develop a zero-waste culture,” Eugenie Sage said. “Across New Zealand...

The results of the Law Society’s survey of bullying and harassment in the legal industry are bleak, and it’s time for things to change, says Jan Logie, Under-Secretary to the Minister of Justice on Domestic and Sexual Violence Issues. The survey reported that nearly a third of women lawyers have been sexually harassed in their careers, and over half of all lawyers have been bullied. “It is sadly unsurprising that there is commonplace bullying and harassment occurring in the law,”...