Low inflation in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) hides the way the housing crisis is hitting peoples’ pockets and distorting our economy, the Green Party said today. The CPI showed that inflation was 0.2 percent in the March 2016 quarter and 0.4 percent for the year to March 2016, but housing costs rose 3 percent in the year. MBIE data shows rents across the Auckland region rose on average 5.2 percent in the last 12 months. “Low oil prices mean...

The Green Party is calling on the National Government to immediately promise not to use any of the emission reduction units it knows to be fraudulent, in order to meet its global commitments to cut climate pollution.   Today the Morgan Foundation released a report claiming the Government allowed “fraudulent” emission reduction units from the Ukraine and Russia to be bought by New Zealand polluters so that the country could meet its 2020 climate target on the cheap.   ‘Emission...

The Green Party welcomes the decision by Countdown Waiheke to stop using single use plastic shopping bags in their store following a nationwide campaign by Green Party MP Denise Roche. “It’s fantastic that Waiheke is leading on phasing out plastic bags, and I urge other supermarkets around the country to take up the initiative. However, it is easier for the Government to introduce legislation than each and every community having to convince each and every supermarket to start charging for...

An urgent nationwide inquiry is needed to address the strain that mental health services are under following a damning review into Waikato’s mental health services, the Green Party said today. “Mental health services in DHBs are under-resourced and the Minister’s slow erosion of budgets has stretched services past breaking point. Families around the country need to know that mental health services are able to do their job,” Green Party health spokesperson Kevin Hague said. Dr John Crawshaw, Director of Mental...

The Green Party is calling on the Government to immediately cancel all the fake emission reduction units it owns and admit it cheated in order to meet its global commitments to cut climate pollution.. Today the Morgan Foundation alleged in the Listener Magazine that the Government allowed ‘fraudulent’ emission reduction units from the Ukraine and Russia to be used so New Zealand could meet its 2020 climate target on the cheap. ‘Emission reduction units’ allow New Zealand polluters to pay...

Green MP Catherine Delahunty joined Ashburton locals today calling on the Ashburton District Council to stop the sale of land including a resource consent to extract 40 billion litres of artesian water for a water bottling plant. The plant will bottle pure, fresh artesian water from an aquifer near Ashburton, while many rural Cantabrians have to drink water from bores that are so polluted, their unborn and formula-fed babies are at risk from blue baby syndrome. “A water bottling plant...

A new report shows the Government has failed to improve New Zealand’s shocking rate of inequality in the seven years its been in power and when it comes to education it has made the outcomes for poorer kids worse, the Green Party says. UNICEF’S Fairness for Children: A league table of inequality in child wellbeing in rich countries report shows that kids in the poorest ten percent of families received nearly 50 percent less income each week than the average...

A report launched today showing that Māori babies make up more than 60 percent of all cot deaths in New Zealand is another signal that Government agencies are not doing enough to help keep our tamariki safe, the Green Party said today.

New analysis showing median house prices in Auckland are now 9.22 times the median annual household income confirms that the National Government has failed to fix the Auckland housing crisis, the Green Party said. Figures compiled by the parliamentary library using REINZ March house price data and the most recent income data available from Statistics NZ, show a median house price/income ratio in Auckland of 9.22, up from 8.45 last month. Internationally, a ratio of 3 is considered affordable. “When...

The number of jobs in the screen industry continues to decline despite National’s promise that its backroom deals with Warner Bros would secure more jobs here, the Green Party said today. Statistics New Zealand released annual data from its Screen Industry Survey today showing that the number of jobs in the industry has declined since a high in 2009 of 30,600 jobs to 25,400 in 2014, the latest year data exists for. This is the lowest level since records were...