Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy has been forced to back track on his statements that everything was fine and dandy with the export of swamp kauri, the Green Party said today. Mr Guy has announced a range of measures to tighten up the extraction and export of ancient swamp kauri from wetlands in Northland, which he formerly assured New Zealanders was managed “very, very closely”. “Pressure from the Green Party and environmental groups has forced Mr Guy to bring...

Any attempt to solve Auckland’s housing demand crisis needs to dampen property speculation by both domestic and international buyers, the Green Party said today. “Rampant property investment, not ethnicity, is driving up demand for Auckland houses,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said. “Non-resident foreign buyers should be prevented from investing in the New Zealand housing market, but if parties are serious about dampening the demand for Auckland property, they need to deal to tax incentives that are encouraging locals to invest...

The Green Party has announced a reshuffle of MP portfolio responsibilities following the election of James Shaw as Co-leader, with portfolios consolidated to more closely represent Government ministerial positions.

The National Government can and should reduce New Zealand’s greenhouse gas pollution rather than exploit ‘creative accounting’ in order to meet its climate targets, the Green Party said today. Mr Shaw was responding to the Climate Action Tracker report undertaken by four independent European research organisations:  Climate Analytics, Ecofys, NewClimate Institute and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.  It has developed a method to measure the fairness of governmental climate action efforts. “It looks as though the National Government...

It is extremely disappointing that Aucklanders are being shut out of the resource consent decision-making process for the SkyCity convention centre, the Green Party said today. “The SkyCity convention centre is one of the most significant developments in Auckland this decade and a hugely politically contentious building. It’s extremely disappointing that the public won’t get a say in the non-notified consent process,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said. “John Key stitched the SkyCity deal up over dinner thinking only about...

A lack of farmer support for the Ruataniwha dam proposal is yet another reason to pull the plug, the Green Party said today.  New information coming to light from Radio New Zealand shows that many of the farmers who stand to directly benefit from the dam’s subsequent water, can’t make a sound business case for their farm with the increased cost. “With few farmers willing to buy into the scheme it doesn’t make any sense to build this environmentally destructive...

The Government should re-commit to its MoU with the Green Party and the Warm Up New Zealand scheme after announcing that rental homes will be legally required to be insulated, the Green Party said today. “While minimum standards for insulation and smoke alarms in rentals are just two small steps the Government should be taking to keep tenants healthy and safe, we think this is a good opportunity to resurrect the Warm Up New Zealand scheme, which National abandoned in...

The National Government can no longer afford to be complacent on a possible economic slowdown in China given our economy’s high exposure to China and Australia, the Green Party said today. The Chinese Government intervened today with new measures to try and halt the decline of the Chinese stock market, down around 30 percent from its peak last month. The correction has had flow-on effects for commodity prices, with oil and iron ore both falling in value. Iron ore has...

The Government needs to trust the people of Canterbury and return a fully elected, democratic regional council in Canterbury immediately, the Green Party said today. In today’s announcement about the regional council’s future the National Government failed to restore democracy and a fully elected Environment Canterbury Regional Council (ECan). It once again postponed the return of a fully elected council, this time until 2019.

A blip on the Government’s operating balance today is likely to be short-lived and smart, green investment should be considered to kick-start a faltering economy, the Green Party said today. Treasury reported that the Government has recorded an operating balance before gains and losses (OBEGAL) surplus of $1.2 billion in the first eleven months of the financial year that ended last week. “The good news of a government surplus is likely to be short-lived and Treasury’s downside forecasts for the...