News

  • RMA changes won't build more homes

    The National Government must stop using the Resource Management Act as the straw manfor its own failure to build more homes and put an end to the country’s housing crisis, the Green Party says. Today, Environment Minister Nick Smith announced the first tranche of plans to weaken the RMA saying that it was ‘crucial’ to addressing housing supply and affordability. However, property developers and planners today said the Act isn’t standing in their way. “Changing the RMA won’t build a...
  • Chief Archivist to investigate Prime Minister

    The Green Party welcomes the decision by the Chief Archivist to investigate their complaint into the Prime Minister’s practice of deleting official text messages. On 28 November 2014, the Green Party asked the Chief Archivist to look into John Key’s admission that he does not keep text messages that came to him from Cameron Slater or anyone else. The Archivist has confirmed she’ll look into the Prime Minister’s record keeping practices and whether there was a breach of the Public...
  • It’s not too late – cancel the Pokies for Convention Centre deal

    John Key should pull the plug on his SkyCity Convention Centre deal as the costs of it blow out and Ministers now suggest Auckland Council could pick up the running tab, the Green Party says. Economic Development Minster Steven Joyce this morning said one option for funding the cost blow-out of the SkyCity Convention Centre was to ask Auckland ratepayers to fund its operating costs. “The wheels have fallen off the Government’s pet project. It’s a financial flop,” Green Party...
  • Government must rule out using public funds on SkyCity Centre

    The Government must rule out asking the taxpayer to cover any additional costs in the building of the SkyCity Convention Centre, the Green Party said today. SkyCity today applied for resource consent for the International Convention Centre, which it had agreed to build in exchange for law changes that will allow it to massively increase opportunities to gamble at its casino. Reports suggest the cost may have increased by between $70 and $130 million on top of the $402 million...
  • Govt spend on transport out of step with reality

    The National Government is planning to allocate ever increasing amounts of taxpayer funding to build expensive new motorways despite record numbers of New Zealanders flocking to buses and trains, said the Green Party. The Government released its Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2015/16-2024/25 (GPS) today. This statement sets the parameters for a $39 billion investment in New Zealand’s transport networks over the next ten years. “The National Government is investing over $33 billion in roads over the next ten...
  • Irresponsible tax cuts lead to seventh successive deficit

    National's borrowing to pay for cutting the top tax rate was irresponsible and will likely lead to a seventh successive deficit, the Green Party said today. Treasury have forecast a $572 million deficit this year in its Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update released today. Net core Crown debt has now increased by a record $49.3 billion since National took office. “National has repeatedly staked its economic credibility on achieving a budget surplus this year, but even that narrow goal...
  • Key even worse than Abbott on Climate Fund

    The John Key Government is lagging behind even climate reprobate Tony Abbott on commitments to the Green Climate Fund, the global fund designed to support developing countries with low carbon economic development and adaptation to a changing climate.