The Green Party is calling on John Key to dramatically increase New Zealand’s emissions reduction target, as Pacific Island leaders today urge him to help protect their countries from disappearing due to sea-level rise. It has been reported today that New Zealand officials are working hard to soften the climate change declaration to be endorsed by the meeting, including removing a reference to the goal of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees, which would help protect their countries from sea-level rise....

Murray McCully’s position that a fact-finding mission into human rights atrocities in West Papua isn’t needed shows a complete lack of leadership and credibility, the Green Party said today. “Murray McCully’s inaction on human rights abuses by Indonesia in West Papua is shameful – where’s his integrity?” said Green Party human rights spokesperson Catherine Delahunty. “The Pacific Islands Forum is the ideal venue to support an investigation into the worst human rights abuses in the region. “Murray McCully’s refusal to...

The Government is preparing to take the biggest dividend in five years from Housing New Zealand, even as children are getting sick from cold, damp, and mouldy Housing New Zealand homes, the Green Party can reveal. Housing New Zealand is set to pay out $118 million in dividends to the Government, up from $90 million in the past year, according to its Statement of Performance Expectations for 2015/16. “The Government must rule out taking any more profit from Housing New...

The value and volume of manufactured goods has fallen for a second quarter in a row despite National’s promise that a lower dollar would help the sector, the Green Party said today. Statistics New Zealand released its Economic Survey of Manufacturing today showing that total manufacturing sales for the quarter were $23.4 billion, down nearly $1.3 billion (5.1 percent) on the June 2014 quarter. The Trade Weighted Index – a basket of the currencies of our main trading partners –...

The Green Party is calling on the Government to honour New Zealanders’ outpouring of goodwill for refugees, and not block the introduction of the Green Party’s Bill today, that would give Parliament a say in setting a better, long-term refugee quota.

The Green Party is calling on the Government to listen to the overwhelming number of Kiwi parents who want junk food banned from schools, instead of protecting the rights of food corporations which sell junk food to our children. A survey released today shows that 80 per cent of those polled were in favour of the Government requiring all schools to implement a health food policy, as well as restricting the use of junk food and fizzy drinks as fundraisers....

The Green Party is pleased to announce it has appointed David Cormack to the new position of Communications and Policy Director. The role leads the political and media team at the Green Party parliamentary office. David will take up the role on Monday 14 September, reporting to the Chief of Staff. David has a strong track record of integrating policy objectives with communications strategy, including as Communications Lead at InternetNZ. While at InternetNZ, David led the “Axe the Copper Tax”...

The Green Party will be seeking leave of Parliament, on Tuesday, to immediately introduce Denise Roche’s Members’ Bill which would permanently increase New Zealand’s refugee quota. “While it is a good first step that New Zealand has agreed to an emergency intake of 600 refugees over two and a half years, this doesn’t solve the long term problem of New Zealand’s embarrassingly low refugee quota,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw. “The National Government has only moved to increase the number...

The Green Party is disappointed by reports that John Key is only willing to take 100 extra Syrian refugees as a response to the desperate humanitarian crisis unfolding around the world.

The Green Party will be seeking leave of Parliament, on Tuesday, to immediately introduce Denise Roche’s Member’s Bill which would permanently increase New Zealand’s refugee quota. “Our Bill provides a permanent long-term solution to New Zealand’s woefully inadequate refugee quota and compliments Andrew Little’s Bill, which addresses the immediate humanitarian crisis,” said Green Party immigration spokesperson Denise Roche. “By the time John Key does his review, many more lives will be lost. He can increase the quota now but is...