It’s time for the National Government to step up and do the right thing to reduce climate pollution as data shows New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions are higher than ever, the Green Party said today. The Greenhouse Gas inventory released by the Ministry for the Environment shows that New Zealand’s emissions have risen 23 percent since 1990, when the Government should be focussing on reducing emissions. “After eight years in government and lots of talk about reducing climate pollution, National...

Ploughing more money into the failed charter school programme is a mistake, the Green Party said today. The Government today announced funding in the 2016 Budget for seven more charter schools to open in 2017 and 2018, and for a new organisation to support charter school sponsors. “It defies belief that the Government would plough ahead with more charter schools when the programme has been so plagued by problems,” Green Party education spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said today. “No one from...

The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop extracting a multimillion-dollar dividend from Housing New Zealand in the name of “discipline”, while the country is in the grips of a housing emergency. “We have people sleeping in cars, in garages and on the streets, and all Bill English cares about is teaching Housing New Zealand a lesson or two,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei. “Making Housing New Zealand hand over its dividend while thousands of people don’t...

The Green Party today announced a plan to build hundreds of new state homes to help house New Zealanders who are living in cars, garages or on the streets. The Homes Not Cars policy allows Housing New Zealand to retain its dividend and, in addition, would refund its tax, freeing up $207 million in the next financial year to spend on the emergency building of around 450 new state houses. “We have a housing emergency in this country, happening right...

The Government must take strong action to clamp down on fishers who dump fish illegally and threaten our fish stocks, the Green Party said today. Leaked reports show that the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) was aware that illegal fish dumping has been rife in the industry, with between 20 to 100 percent of some quota fish being dumped with every catch. “MPI is either running scared of the fishing industry or happy to look the other way on illegal...

More funding for sexual violence services is a much needed boost for a sector that has struggled with underfunding and a lack of commitment from successive governments, the Green Party said today. The Government’s announcement of funding for sexual violence services follows a Select Committee inquiry initiated by Green MP Jan Logie, which had recommended improving support for the sector. “More funding for sexual violence services is an important first step that will come as an enormous relief for those...

The Green Party is calling on the Government to wipe any debt that families owe Work and Income after being forced to borrow to pay for emergency accommodation. “It’s utterly cruel to inflict an enormous debt on families who, through no fault of their own, have not got a home to live in,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said. “The Government has announced it’ll provide only seven days temporary accommodation before forcing families to pay Work & Income back for any...

The Green Party is calling on Climate Minister Paula Bennett to set a firm deadline within in the next four years for including agriculture in the Emissions Trading Scheme.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is in denial if it thinks under-reporting of fishing catch isn’t important, the Green Party said today.

New proposals from the Electricity Authority could force some households to pay hundreds of dollars a year more for power to subsidise big business users, making it even harder for families to warm their homes in the winter, the Green Party said today. The Electricity Authority’s (EA) reviews of transmission pricing principles and distributed generation pricing principles were released today. People in 14 regions are likely to get bigger power bills, while bills could be lower for people in 15 regions....