News

  • Govt shows it’s learnt nothing from the dairy price crisis

    National showed in the House today that they have learned nothing from the dairy price collapse and are failing to take reasonable steps to turn a crisis into an opportunity, the Green Party said today. “Bill English showed he’s taking no new initiative in response to collapsing dairy prices in response to questions in the House today,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw. “National continue to downplay the impact a $7 billion hole would leave on the economy, the effects...
  • Green Party opposes David Seymour’s cheap publicity stunt

    The Green Party will today be opposing David Seymour’s Bill which will see bars open for longer during the Rugby World Cup. “David Seymour is hijacking Parliament’s time today for a cheap gimmick,” said Green Party health spokesperson Kevin Hague. “This is his ham-fisted attempt to be a ‘man of the people’ but it actually has the potential to cause some real harm to communities up and down the country. “Under David Seymour’s Bill, boozed-up people will be spilling out...
  • Dairy payout shows the Government and Fonterra there is a limit to a ‘no limit’ strategy

    Farmers and rural communities are wearing the cost of the National Government and Fonterra’s strategy of unlimited growth in milk supply, the Green Party said today. “Fonterra’s announcement today that its forecast farmgate milk price has fallen to $3.85/kg of milk solids will put dairy farmers under even more pressure, will increase farm debt, wipe billions off the rural economy and hit communities hard,” said Green Party primary industries spokesperson Eugenie Sage. “The National Government and Fonterra’s preoccupation with growth...
  • Groundhog day with MP pay

    The Government’s attempt to set new rules for more modest pay rises for MPs has failed because the next pay rise will be in line with the average for the previous six years under the old rules, the Green Party said. “After all the fuss for the Government to urgently change the rules earlier this year, it looks like the results of the new system for setting MP pay are pretty much the same as under the old system,” Green...
  • End of coal-fired generation by Genesis shows Govt how to take action on climate

    Genesis Energy’s announcement that it will end coal-fired generation at Huntly in 2018 is welcome news for the environment and shows leadership where the Government has failed to take action, the Green Party said today. “This is the beginning of the end for coal use in New Zealand. This move by Genesis will reduce our carbon emissions significantly and gives us hope for the future,” said Green Party co-leader James Shaw. “Genesis’ coal use at Huntly generated 1,624kt of CO2...
  • New TPPA leak confirms fears about Pharmac

    The TPPA Intellectual Property chapter leaked today confirms fears that access to medicines could be more difficult and expensive, and uncovers surprising new implications for the Treaty of Waitangi, the Green Party said today. “The leaked text appears to confirm that the TPPA could become a vehicle for multinational pharmaceutical companies to slow down access to new drugs and increase their prices,” Green Party trade spokesperson Russel Norman said. “The leaked IP chapter reads like a list of things that...
  • Ideas for family violence law changes welcomed

    The Government’s family violence consultation is welcomed by the Green Party as an overdue and much needed constructive review of family violence law. The Government has today released their consultation document to strengthen New Zealand’s legislative response to family violence. “Successive reports for decades have been telling us our current system has been failing women and children,” Green Party social development spokesperson Jan Logie said today. “These suggested reforms need to be accompanied by a review of the Government’s better...
  • John Key’s hands-off housing ideas failing Aucklanders

    Research released this morning shows the massive scale of the housing supply problem in Auckland, and the urgent need for the Government to intervene so that Aucklanders can have a chance to own their own homes, the Green Party said today. “John Key’s hand’s-off approach to fixing the housing crisis is failing Aucklanders,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei. “Auckland house prices are already out of reach of everyday Kiwis, and these dismal supply figures show that the problem’s only...
  • Dairy price drop shows new thinking needed

    Record low global dairy prices mean the Government needs to start coming up with new ideas, the Green Party said. “We urgently need to start looking at alternatives to dairy and new ways of adding value to our exports, or else farmers and the whole economy will continue to feel the squeeze from low global dairy prices,” Green Party primary industries spokesperson Eugenie Sage said. “We cannot continue doing more of the same. We need to be adding value not...