Information obtained by the Green Party shows the IPCA has investigated less than ten percent of the 3007 cases it accepted for investigation in the past four years, and instead sent more than 90 percent of those cases back to the police to investigate themselves.. Answers to Green Party Parliamentary Questions show that only 243 cases accepted for investigation have actually been investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Authority over the past four years, the remaining 2764 sent back to...

The Green Party is calling for Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse to direct WorkSafe to immediately investigate problems at Pan Pac Forest Products’ Hawkes’ Bay mill, following a spate of illnesses attributed to fumes from the mill’s kiln. “WorkSafe needs to get in there immediately and sort this out, not stand on the sidelines and wait for mill operator Pan Pac to do its own investigation,”  Green Party toxics spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said. Pan Pac workers are now...

It’s time for Transport Minister Simon Bridges to stop having photos taken of him opening electric charging stations, and deliver actual policy to get more electric vehicles on our roads, the Green Party says. Transport Minister Simon Bridges is opening another electric vehicle charging station at Bayfair Shopping Centre in Tauranga today. “At this rate, there’ll soon be more photos of Simon Bridges opening charging stations than electric vehicles on our roads,” said Green Party Transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter....

Building and Housing Minister Nick Smith should apologise for producing bogus numbers that do nothing to show that the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill will save the number of lives he’s claimed, the Green Party said today. Yesterday, while being questioned in the House by Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei, the Minister asserted that he had received advice which showed the insulation provisions of his Bill would save 18 lives a year. In fact, the advice shows that those lives...

The Green Party expresses its sorrow over the passing of New Zealand cricketing legend Martin Crowe. “Martin Crowe was an inspirational leader in New Zealand cricket, and an extraordinarily talented guy who shone on the international stage,” Green Party MP Kevin Hague said. “I would like to extend my sympathies to his family. “Martin’s prodigious talent meant that we won many cricket games that perhaps we shouldn’t have. “He has been an influential batting coach to some of the stars today,...

The Green Party has today written to Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges, asking him to commission an independent study into the best options for replacing coal-burning electricity generation at Huntly with cleaner alternatives. The call follows electricity industry backlash against the decision by Huntly power plant owner Genesis to stop burning coal in 2018, and pressure from the industry for New Zealand to keep burning coal to generate electricity. “With the pressure coming on Genesis to keep burning coal,...

The Green Party is calling on the Government to adopt Jan Logie’s Domestic Violence-Victims' Protection Bill following calls to change employment law to protect people from family violence. Submissions received as part of a Government review of family violence laws have recommended changing employment law to create paid employment leave for people in a family violence situation. “Providing protections for victims of abuse so they can stay in work is critical to reducing the effects of violence, and my Domestic...

The Government is forcing students into more debt, by keeping the student accommodation payment capped at 2004 levels for more than a decade, the Green Party says. Student Debt today tipped $15 billion. “The accommodation payment was capped at $40 a week for single students way back in 2004, before YouTube even existed,” Green Party tertiary education spokesperson Gareth Hughes said. “The average student today is likely to be paying 56 percent more rent than they were in 2004.* “Rents...

Building and Housing Minister Nick Smith must explain how many New Zealanders need to die and be admitted to hospital before he will add a life-saving rental housing warrant of fitness to the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill, the Green Party said today. Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei will be questioning Minister Smith today on the true cost of his choice to not include a proper rentals warrant of fitness in the RTA Bill – New Zealanders dying and getting...

Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei will use Question Time today to call on Building and Housing Minister Nick Smith to improve the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill so that Kiwi renters won’t get sick from living in cold, damp, mouldy homes. The Social Services Select Committee has been hearing submissions on the Bill, many of which have called for the Bill to be drastically improved and for a rental housing warrant of fitness to be included. “It’s time for Nick Smith...