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Govt loaded decks in SkyCity’s favour leaving NZers to foot the bill
Revelations today that SkyCity is planning to sell a hotel that it is only able to build as part of the convention centre deal is the latest evidence that the public of New Zealand have been taken for a ride, the Green Party said. The Auckland City Council has this morning announced that consent has been granted to SkyCity for the building of a convention centre. SkyCity have said today that they are looking at options for future running and...
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Government must ensure Solid Energy buyers live up to standards
The Green Party is calling for the Government to ensure that any overseas companies that buy state-owned Solid Energy’s assets are properly vetted for their commitment to workplace safety, local communities, and environmental issues. “The world is full of coal companies with terrible safety and environmental records and it’s very important that the Government doesn’t sell out Kiwi workers and communities to these global coal cowboys,” Green Party energy spokesperson Gareth Hughes said. “The Government got Solid Energy into this...
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Divestment Bill part of climate solution
Parliament will have an opportunity to show it wants to be part of the solution to climate change by voting for the New Zealand Government to divest from fossil fuels, after Russel Norman’s Climate Change (Divestment from Fossil Fuels) Bill was pulled from the Members’ Bill ballot today, the Green Party said. “My Bill will give us the opportunity to join the rapidly growing global movement pulling the funding out from underneath the fossil fuel industry, who make their profits...
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Better rules needed to keep NZ land in Kiwi hands
The Green Party agrees that blocking the sale of Lochinver Station to Shanghai Pengxin was the correct thing to do, but says tighter rules around the sale of land are still required to stop land falling into overseas hands. “We want the law changed to rule out the sale of farmland over five hectares to offshore interests. This would give more certainty to vendors and the public about who owns land in this country,” said Green Party primary industries spokesperson...
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Economic slowdown an opportunity to invest
The Government should be using the economic slowdown as an opportunity to invest to protect jobs and move to a smart, green economy, the Green Party said today. Gross domestic product (GDP) data out today shows the economy is growing much slower than forecast, with quarterly GDP at 0.4 percent (compared to Treasury's Budget forecast of 0.7 percent) and annual GDP at 2.4 percent (compared to Treasury's Budget forecast of 3.3 percent). “Growth is slower than forecast and the risk...
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Sam Lotu-Iiga must be stood down
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to stand Sam Lotu-Iiga down as Corrections Minister over his continued mishandling of the SERCO debacle.
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Climate uncertainty hurting business – Treasury
The Treasury has told Finance Minister Bill English that the current regulatory uncertainty around climate is hurting business, the Green Party said today. New information released to the Green Party shows that Treasury recommended as far back as October 2014 that the National Government work to secure a greater degree of political party consensus about climate change saying that “this would assist firms and individuals to better factor climate change into their long-term decision making”. “John Key understands the importance...
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New information shows Corrections withdrew fines issued to SERCO
New information shows that the Department of Corrections let SERCO off the hook for fines that were issued for basic failures in its management of the Mt Eden Correctional Facility, the Green Party said today.
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Government needs to act on workplace domestic violence response
The Green Party has called for the Government to act on workplace domestic violence issues by picking up a Bill the Greens’ Women’s Issues spokesperson Jan Logie has in the Member’s Bill ballot. The Greens’ call follows The Warehouse Group’s announcement today that it is developing a comprehensive human resources policy around domestic violence. “I congratulate The Warehouse Group for taking this initiative to support those of its staff whose lives are devastated by domestic violence”, said Ms Logie. “They...
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Government ignoring lessons of East Timor when it comes to West Papua
John Key and Murray McCully’s hands-off approach to human rights atrocities in West Papua is in stark contrast to the actions taken by previous New Zealand governments on similar abuses by Indonesia in East Timor, the Green Party said today. While at the Pacific Islands Forum, John Key and Murray McCully have ruled out supporting a fact-finding mission in West Papua, despite evidence from groups such as Human Rights Watch that horrific abuses are happening there. “Over the years, the...