Christchurch deserves a co-ordinated transport agency with a region-wide plan, not just the new Bus Exchange that Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee is visiting today, said the Green Party. “The National Government is tinkering around the edges when it comes to public transport, but what we need is a coordinated regional transport agency that’s able to make smart planning decisions for all the people who live and work in Canterbury,” Green Party Christchurch spokesperson Eugenie Sage said. “The new Bus Exchange...

The National Government’s failure to fix the Auckland housing crisis has cost a family with a $500,000 mortgage at least $4000 in extra interest, as the Reserve Bank was forced not to cut interest rates today because the Auckland housing market is a ‘financial stability risk’, the Green Party said. “The Reserve Bank is clearly worried that property investors borrowed a new record amount of $2.239 billion in September, and so they haven’t lowered interest rates,” Green Party finance spokesperson...

The Prime Minister must get some guts and rule out supporting Australia’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council after an Amnesty International report condemned it for breaching the human rights of asylum seekers, the Green Party said today. A concerning report by Amnesty International condemned Australia over its treatment of asylum seekers, finding that it breached international law by paying people smugglers to turn boatloads of asylum seekers around, sending those on board back to...

The National Government’s lack of interest in protecting the environment is becoming an international embarrassment, the Green Party said today. The OECD environment report out this week shows New Zealand is one of the worst performers in the OECD on a range of environmental indicators, including greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater use, overuse of fertiliser, and taxing pollution. “Not only is the National Government failing to protect the environment we love, but it’s embarrassing New Zealand internationally. Other countries are making...

The Green Party is calling on the Government to stop plans to open another round of charter schools after documents reveal existing charters are failing to achieve agreed targets for NCEA Level 2. Budget documents show that on average only 41.5 percent of students left charter schools with NCEA Level 2, well short of the target for 2014/15 of 67 percent. While one school had a big impact on the overall average, even without that school’s results, the overall results were below...

The Government’s failure to place a price on agriculture emissions, as recommended by Ministry for the Environment officials, is hurting New Zealand’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and also hurting farmers who must plan for the future, the Green Party said today. Carbon News has today released  information gained through an OIA that shows the Ministry for the Environment officials advised the Government to include agriculture in the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) when it is reviewed later this year. “National’s apparent...

The National Government should aim to be as proud of the environment as we are of the All Blacks, the Green Party said today. However, the release of last week’s dire Environment Aotearoa 2015 report shows the state of New Zealand’s environment under the National Government is nothing to be proud of. “New Zealand is proud of the All Blacks’ persistence, determination, courage and compassion. All these qualities are sadly missing from National’s attitude to the environment,” said Green Party...

The Green Party has endorsed the call of the FIRST Union for Workplace Relations Minister Michael Woodhouse to audit the employment practices of labour hire companies, and says a law change is necessary to ensure labour hire workers are not exploited. “Labour hire employees are some of New Zealand’s most vulnerable workers,” said the Green Party’s Workplace Relations spokesperson, Denise Roche. “It is disturbing to hear reports that they are being exploited by employers breaking the law by not paying...

The Green Party is calling for Agresearch to stop its programme of genetic engineering experiments on animals at its Ruakura facility after a report revealing horrific birth defects and animal suffering was released this morning. The report ‘GE Animals in New Zealand’ outlines the appalling genetic engineering experimentation on thousands of sheep, cattle and goats in New Zealand, that has resulted in chronically ill animals, deformities, and huge rates of miscarriage and still birth. “Successive experiments have failed at huge...

Former Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman will today give his valedictory speech in Parliament, wrapping up seven years as an MP and nine years as Co-leader during which he put climate change and smart green economics on the political agenda. Green Party Co-leaders Metiria Turei and James Shaw both expressed their warmest thanks to Dr Norman today, paying tribute to his huge contribution over nine years as a co-leader of the Greens, and 18 years of involvement with the Party....