The Government’s Inquiry into the Havelock North gastric outbreak is squandering an opportunity to address how land use affects drinking water, the Green Party said today. “The inquiry should have two parts; one to look at the immediate problem in Havelock North, and another to look at how land use and water management contributes to E. coli and waterborne disease contamination,” said Green Party water spokesperson Catherine Delahunty. “Disease-causing E. coli and campylobacter bacteria have been reported in water supplies in...

Proposals to change special education funding to learning support needs to ensure access, equity, and sustained support, the Green Party said today. Green MP Catherine Delahunty initiated a Select Committee Inquiry into dyslexia, dyspraxia, and autism spectrum disorders in schools in New Zealand that is due to report back in the next few weeks. The Inquiry has heard from hundreds of children and families about how hard it is to currently access genuine inclusion and resources for the children that...

The Government can end compulsory land confiscations of whenua Māori by voting for a Green Party Members’ Bill that will come before the House next week, the Green Party said today.

The Green Party extends its congratulations to Te Arikinui Kingi Tūheitia and the Kingitanga movement as they mark the King’s 10th koroneihana celebrations

Today’s decision by the United States to end the use of private prisons should be a wake-up call for the National Government’s reliance on Serco, the Green Party said today. The United States Department of Justice announced this morning that it will begin phasing out the contracts of all federal private prison providers, ending a decades long policy of using for-profit prisons. “International evidence shows that private prisons are less safe for prisoners and staff, more prone to violent outbreaks...

The Government must look at how different land uses contribute to the contamination of drinking water supplies in its inquiry into the Havelock North drinking water debacle, the Green Party said today. Disease-causing E. coli and campylobacter bacteria have been reported in water supplies in other parts of the country in recent years, including Patea, Hanmer Springs and Christchurch. “We want the Government to take this opportunity to assess how land use around the country affects drinking water supplies,” said...

The newly named Ministry of Vulnerable Children Tamariki Oranga could stigmatise the very children it should be helping, the Green Party said today.

The Government needs to set higher ethical investment standards for its default KiwiSaver providers, the Green Party said today. Radio New Zealand revealed today that a majority of the nine default KiwiSaver funds currently invest in companies involved in the manufacture of cluster bombs, landmines, and nuclear weapons. Only one default KiwiSaver provider, KiwiBank, has said that it excludes these companies from its investments. “Profiting from the production of cluster munitions, landmines, and nuclear weapons is immoral, and most Kiwis...

John Key needs to do the right thing and offer to resettle refugees and asylum seekers from Australian detention centres, the Green Party said today. Australia and Papua New Guinea confirmed yesterday that the Manus Island detention centre will close but offered no details on when, or what will happen to the people currently detained there. “Every day that these camps remain open is another day that people are living in limbo, facing abuse by guards and inhumane living conditions,”...

The Ministers of Broadcasting and Disability Issues need to publically acknowledge who is really funding captioning for the Rio Olympic Games, the Green Party said today.