Government Ministers Damien O’Connor and Eugenie Sage are visiting the West Coast to see how flood recovery work is going and hear views of the local community. Rural Communities Minister and MP for West Coast-Tasman Damien O’Connor said good progress was being made in a number of areas and he and Eugenie Sage wanted to see what else needed to be done. “I understand services are being returned and work is underway to restore access. This morning I have been...

The Green Party is disappointed that the Ngāi Tahu Representation Bill to increase tangata whenua representation on the Canterbury Regional Council was voted down at first reading today, says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson. “While tangata whenua have guaranteed political rights on a national level, representation is often lacking or non-existent in local government. This does not always make for robust decision making and in the past has led to significant breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” Marama Davidson said. “Local governments are willing and ready to take this step forward in giving Māori a guaranteed voice in...

Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter is pleased thousands of women will have better access to free or very low cost contraception. “For some women, price is a significant barrier to accessing contraception. From this week, a new initiative offers women who have a Community Service Card, those living in low income areas, and various others who could benefit, better access to free or very low cost contraception, including long acting reversible contraceptives,” says Julie Anne Genter. "Long-acting reversible contraception...

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage says the latest report on how New Zealand is tracking against national and global biodiversity targets demonstrates the importance of increased investment in conservation. “Earlier this year I announced details of how the Department of Conservation is spending an additional $76 million in Government funding to address New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis. The 6th National Report under the Convention of Biological Diversity shows how desperately needed that investment is. “This report finds progress in some important areas...

From today, every person affected by domestic violence will be able to get the help they need and keep themselves safe without worrying about losing their jobs. The Domestic Violence Victims’ Protection Act, which began as a member’s bill sponsored by Green MP Jan Logie, came into effect today. It provides up to ten days’ paid leave for people affected by domestic violence and access to flexible working arrangements. “This is a win for everyone – workers, employers, and our...

Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage today announced $381,000 in Government funding to enable farmers and growers to better deal with waste. The funding, from the Ministry for the Environment’s Waste Minimisation Fund, will mean farmers and growers can more easily recycle or safely dispose of a wider range of on-farm waste such as agrichemicals, scrap metal, soft plastics and used oil. Rural recycling programme Agrecovery will manage the project by offering one-stop-shop events where farmers and growers can drop off...

The Green Party welcomes the Prime Minister’s announcement on planned gun control laws, Green Party Co-leader James Shaw said today. “Banning military style semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles makes everyone safer. Banning these guns is the first step towards systemic changes to our gun laws,” says James Shaw. “I welcome this announcement today, we just wish it wasn’t in such tragic circumstances. “We owe it to the 50 people killed last Friday to ensure this never happens again. “The Government...

New Government funding will bring together landholders, iwi and hapū, and others in the wider community to improve stream health in the Waikawa catchment, in the Manawatu-Wanganui region. Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage announced that a $170,000 grant from Government’s Community Environment Fund would contribute to the Waikawa Stream Community Catchment Project. Others are contributing $90,000 - Horizons Regional Council ($45,000), Landcare Trust New Zealand ($30,000) and landholders ($15,000). The Waikawa catchment stretches from the Tararua Ranges to the coast...

The Green Party are supporting co-leader James Shaw and his whānau following an unprovoked attack this morning.  James Shaw is currently under observation in hospital and is unlikely to be back at Parliament today.  “I’ve been in touch with James this morning and he’s doing okay after this morning's unprovoked attack. We thank everyone for their outpouring of aroha and have been passing this onto him and his whānau” said Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson. “This morning's isolated and unprovoked...

The Green Party are today celebrating the single largest addition to a National Park in New Zealand’s history, with 64,400 hectares of land in the Mokihinui River catchment being added to Kahurangi National Park. “It’s incredible to see the gorgeous Mokihinui Gorge protected for perpetuity with this massive addition to our the Kahurangi National Park. This is a massive win for our natural environment and I wish to congratulate Green Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage” says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson.  ...