Waikato, Hawke’s Bay, and Canterbury lakes are under threat this summer as poor water quality management has led to toxic algal blooms that make even wading and boating unsafe for human health, the Green Party said. “Summer’s barely begun and already we’re seeing too many waterways that aren’t even safe for boating and wading, let alone swimming,” Green Party fresh water spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said. “So much toxic algal bloom this early in the summer is a clear sign that...

A new report released overnight by Germanwatch and Climate Action Network Europe shows the National Government is going backwards on climate change, the Green Party said today. The report assessed 58 countries on their emissions and efforts to cut climate pollution. New Zealand slipped seven places overall from 35th last year to 42nd, and received an overall mark of ‘poor’, with the effectiveness of the Government’s policies to tackle climate change given the worst possible ranking of ‘very low’. “It...

The Ombudsman’s finding that Ministers’ offices interfered in their departments’ Official Information Act (OIA) releases must signal the end of the Government’s abuse of the OIA, and a new era of public accountability, the Green Party says. The Ombudsman’s office today released its long-awaited report into OIA practices adopted by central government agencies for the purpose of compliance with the Official Information Act 1982. The report found several Ministers’ offices interfered in the release of official information, and made wide-ranging...

Paula Bennett’s first act as incoming Climate Change Minister has been to reject pleas from the Pacific Islands for New Zealand to back a 1.5 degree limit to global warming that could give them the chance of survival, the Green Party has said. Minister Bennett refused to give New Zealand’s support to an explicit goal in the Paris climate agreement to limit global warming to a 1.5 degree increase, despite growing support from allies including Australia, Canada and Pacific nations...

The Green Party hopes the departure of Tim Groser as Minister for Climate Change puts to bed an era of hot air and spin from the Government in dealing with New Zealand’s runaway climate pollution.   “The Prime Minister announced today that Tim Groser will be replaced as Minister for Climate Change Issues by Paula Bennett. During Groser’s time as Minister, greenhouse gas emissions actually increased by 10 percent. This put New Zealand in the embarrassing position of fifth highest increaser...

The Government’s waste strategy is not working, but could be easily improved by introducing a ‘cash for containers system’ that would incentivise recycling and pay consumers 10 cents a bottle, the Green Party said today. A report by Envision NZ shows that less than 40 per cent of beverage containers are recycled on a voluntary basis. Drink containers make up more than 45,000 tonnes of rubbish in our landfills, litter stream and waterways every year. “The Government is sitting on...

Resolving state care compensation cases in a just and prompt manner should be a priority for the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), the Green Party said today. It has been revealed today that MSD has withheld people’s personal information that they need to help resolve historical abuse compensation cases. “Not only is MSD denying personal information to people abused in state care which they are legally entitled to, it is also making unfair low-ball offers of compensation. We understand people...

  An Australian Immigration Service form, released this morning by the Green Party’s lawyer Greg Barns, shows that John Key misled New Zealanders about the ability of Kiwi detainees to apply for Australian citizenship from New Zealand. Mr Barns drafted a claim to the Australian Human Rights Commission on behalf of the Australian and New Zealand Green parties regarding New Zealanders placed in offshore detention centres. The form shows that if New Zealanders return here from a detention centre their...

Judith Collins must clean up the Serco mess she started almost five years ago to the day if reports of her re-appointment as Corrections Minister are confirmed, the Green Party says.

The National Government is threatening to scupper a fair climate deal in Paris by failing to back a call by Australia and other Pacific nations to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, the Green Party said today. Australia joined forces with Pacific Island nations over the weekend to call on world leaders to limit global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees, however, Climate Change Minister Tim Groser has refused to support Pacific allies and join the call for a more ambitious...