The Green Party is calling on the Government not to stop funding Social Work Study Awards, which support social workers to gain new skills and qualifications. The Study Awards assist community workers to undertake part-time study for a degree level qualification in social work. “If the National Government was actually committed to its so-called investment approach, investing in the very people who work at the coalface in our communities would be a priority," said Green Party social development spokesperson Jan...

John Key’s comments that young Aucklanders should look to buy apartments instead of houses on quarter acre sections show that he wouldn’t make a very good real estate agent because he clearly doesn’t know his market, the Green Party said. “Most young Aucklanders I talk to long ago gave up on the idea of a quarter acre section and would be happy with an apartment for their first home,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said. “The problem is apartments get...

The National Government should withdraw the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill (No. 2) in the face of overwhelming opposition from mayors and councils nationwide, the Green Party said. The Bill gives the Local Government Commission the power to give control of councils’ key functions and services to unelected Council Controlled Organisations, without councils’ agreement or consulting affected communities. “When so many mayors and councils are opposed to these antidemocratic changes being forced on them, the Government needs to withdraw...

The Green Party in Government would dump BNZ as a default KiwiSaver provider if it continues to invest in cluster bomb makers, the Green Party said today. BNZ is the last of nine default KiwiSaver providers selected by the Government to move to divest and screen for companies manufacturing cluster bombs, landmines, and nuclear weapons. KiwiBank, Mercer, and ASB are still reviewing their responsible investment policies. “It’s unacceptable to invest in companies that manufacture cluster bombs, landmines, or nuclear weapons,...

31 August 2016   Environment Minister Nick Smith’s excuse that pollution from birds and geothermal activity is the real reason why his Government will not commit to swimmable rivers is completely baseless, the Green Party said today. Dr Smith said last night that amending the Government’s policy on water so that the minimum mandatory standard for rivers is that they are safe for swimming is ‘impractical’, and cited bird colonies and geothermal activity as reasons why. “We asked the regional...

Taking action to phase out single-use plastic shopping bags would have been an easy way for the National Government to show it is serious about the environment, but has chosen to do nothing instead, the Green Party said today. Government officials advised against a petition to the Local Government and Environment Select Committee asking for the Government to look at ways it can phase out plastic shopping bag use in order to protect the marine environment. “The Government has squandered...

Information uncovered by the Green Party showing the Government’s $31 billion ACC Investment Fund has been illegally investing New Zealanders’ money into cluster munitions companies is further evidence of National’s disregard for the laws and ethics of investment. The Green Party asked the ACC Fund in November 2015 whether it had any exposure to illegal investments in cluster munitions companies through pooled or collective investment vehicles. Seventy-six working days later*, the ACC Fund admitted that it had $1.4 million invested...

GovtThe National Government is choosing to protect the profits of a few land bankers rather than create real incentives to build houses in Auckland, the Green Party said today. Thousands of listings for land in Auckland are now advertised for their potential as land banks. Land banking has also been allowed in the Government’s Special Housing Areas (SHAs) where there hasn’t been any building activity in 97 of the 157 Auckland SHAs. “National won’t make the tough decisions to stop...

GovtThe National Government is choosing to protect the profits of a few land bankers rather than create real incentives to build houses in Auckland, the Green Party said today. Thousands of listings for land in Auckland are now advertised for their potential as land banks. Land banking has also been allowed in the Government’s Special Housing Areas (SHAs) where there hasn’t been any building activity in 97 of the 157 Auckland SHAs. “National won’t make the tough decisions to stop...

National’s claim that record numbers of houses are being built is nonsense, the Green Party said today. New analysis from Statistics New Zealand shows that the number of new houses being consented relative to population is barely above average. “When John Key says record numbers of houses are being built, he’s just plain wrong,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei. “Statistics NZ data is very clear that only half as many houses are being built now compared to the 1970s...