Simon Bridges’ lacklustre electric vehicle announcement today will do little to increase the number of electric vehicles on New Zealand roads, the Green Party said today. “Sadly, National has failed to make electric cars more affordable and accessible for New Zealanders,” said Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter. “The policy is actually unfair and counterproductive. Those wealthy enough to afford electric vehicles will be exempt from paying to maintain the roads we all drive on, and will be allowed...

Former Revenue Minister Todd McClay met twice with foreign trust lobbyists but met with no other stakeholder groups before deciding to stop a review into foreign trusts, the Green Party said today. The current Minister of Revenue, Michael Woodhouse, confirmed the one-sided process taken by his predecessor in Parliament at Question Time today. Minister McClay met with the Prime Minister’s lawyer, Ken Whitney, and others on December 18, 2014 in Auckland and then one other time with OliverShaw acting as...

The Green Party has announced today that former Cabinet Minister and child advocate the Hon Deborah Morris-Travers will be its new Chief of Staff and that communications specialist Joss Debreceny will take on the senior role of Political Director.  “We are excited to have such skilled and passionate New Zealanders as Deborah and Joss join the Greens’ senior staff team,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei. “Deborah’s experience as a Cabinet Minister, and her subsequent work leading campaigns to put...

Rising unemployment shows how National’s economic mismanagement has failed to deliver enough jobs for New Zealanders, the Green Party says. “Ten thousand more unemployed people is ten thousand real life tragedies for people hunting for work, and their families,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said. “The Government keeps saying that good times are just around the corner but actually, for the 144,000 New Zealanders who are looking for a decent job now, those good times never seem to arrive. “National is too...

The Green Party welcomes the announcement that Pharmac will get an extra $39 million in funding, but is calling for the Government to immediately release Pharmac’s advice on how much money it actually needs. “The Government needs to immediately release Pharmac’s advice about the true level of funding it needs to meet increased cost pressures, including the TransPacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA),” Green Party health spokesperson Kevin Hague said today. “The TPPA is the elephant in the room. The Government knows...

The Green Party is calling on the Government to rule out any funding or investment in the controversial Ruataniwha Dam. It’s been reported that ACC is considering investing in the Ruataniwha Dam and that Crown Irrigation Investments may yet help fund the $900 million scheme, despite widespread concern about the impact it would have on Hawke’s Bay rivers. “It’s time for the Government to put the environment ahead of the interests of a few people who stand to make money out...

The Hawke's Bay Regional Council's failure to police the small-scale Waihi dam shows its massively unprepared to monitor and protect waterways at risk from the large-scale Ruataniwha Dam project, the Green Party said today. Leaked documents show Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC) knew for almost three years that the Waihi dam was pouring silt into Wairoa’s waterways and drinking water, yet the Council failed to stop the pollution or issue any penalties on the dam owners. “HBRC are clearly struggling...

The Government can follow Australia’s lead and close the loopholes multinational companies are using to avoid paying their fair share of tax, the Green Party said today. New measures announced in Australia’s 2016 Budget include penalising companies caught shifting profits out of Australia at a rate of 40 percent, rather than the usual 30 percent rate. The Australian Tax Office will also get a 1,000-person strong team of tax avoidance specialists who will target large companies and wealthy individuals avoiding...

The Green Party congratulates Andrew Becroft for his appointment as the new Children’s Commissioner for New Zealand. “Andrew Becroft has been a brave champion for children, young people and for their right to justice and it’s exciting to hear he has accepted this role as Children’s Commissioner,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said today. “This is a fantastic appointment for the children of New Zealand, and for the office of the Children’s Commissioner. “Andrew Becroft has made a career out...

Information obtained by the Green Party today shows the Education Minister has sought no data or proof that her Government’s drive to increase the numbers of children in Early Childhood Education (ECE) is leaving those children better off. A Green Party parliamentary question shows that school readiness of children is not being monitored, despite large changes in early childhood education.  The National Government has set a Better Public Service target of 98 percent participation rate by 2016 in Early Childhood...