The Government needs to engage meaningfully with the historic decision from the Waitangi Tribunal’s inquiry into the Te Paparahi o te Raki Treaty claims, said the Green Party today.

The leaders of the Australian and New Zealand Green parties are calling on their respective governments to take action on climate change and inequality at the G20 meeting in Brisbane this weekend - topics that are absent from the agenda of the meeting of the world’s richest nations. “The two most significant issues facing the world at the moment are rapidly rising inequality and out of control climate change.  The G20 leaders have their heads in the sand when it...

New documents released to the Green Party show that Prime Minister John Key used New Zealand's intelligence services for the National Party's political ends a few days out from the 2014 election, the Green Party said today.

The Green Party is calling on John Key to emulate Germany’s record on addressing climate change, on the eve of the visit by Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel. Germany has adopted smart economic measures to address climate change resulting in a 24 percent reduction in net emissions since 1990. New Zealand’s net emissions have increased by 88 percent over the same time period. “John Key likes to have his picture taken standing alongside global leaders yet is failing to show true...

Budget figures for the first quarter of the financial year released today by Treasury show the Government’s goal of achieving a budget surplus is looking doubtful, the Green Party said today. “National has staked its credibility on achieving a budget surplus this year, but even that limited goal is looking increasingly dubious,” Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today. Treasury said today the operating budget deficit for the first three months of the financial year was $725 million, $79...

Basic human rights of New Zealanders are taking a backseat under the National Government’s proposed new spy laws, the Green Party said today.

Big electricity companies are using their power to make it harder for families and businesses wanting to go solar and the National Government is doing nothing to help them, the Green Party said today. Meridian Energy announced today a 60-72 percent cut in the rate it buys excess solar from homes and businesses. Meridian’s current buy-back rates are 25 cents for the first 5 kWh per day and 10 cents thereafter. The new rates will be 7 cents/kWh in summer...

Workers’ pay packets continue to go backwards in real terms under National’s ‘rock star’ economy, the Green Party said today. Statistics New Zealand today released the September quarter Labour Cost Index (LCI) which showed ordinary time wages and salaries have risen 10.5 percent since the September 2008 quarter, below inflation of 11.1 percent over the same period. Statistics New Zealand says the LCI is the best measure of earnings. “It shows, despite the Christchurch rebuild and historically high commodity prices...

The Green Party has written to Prime Minister John Key urging him to vote for the Feed the Kids Bill if it comes before Parliament tomorrow, to allow MPs to debate how best to feed hungry children at school.

National’s plan to sell state houses and provide income-related rent subsidies to private landlords will drive up rents and house prices for everyone and is economically reckless, the Green Party said today. “Shifting the responsibility for housing from the Government to the private sector looks like a cynical attempt to enrich landlords while palming off responsibility for housing the vulnerable,” Green Party housing spokesperson Kevin Hague said. “National’s plan swaps our state homes for massive state subsidies to private landlords....