Confirmation today that Dunedin’s Cadbury factory will close is a blow for the hundreds of people who work there and their families, the Green Party said today. Factory owner Mondelez has indicated that a group, including council and union staff and local MPs, will work towards ensuring that some Kiwi brands will continue to be produced locally – a small silver lining in an otherwise difficult day for Dunedin.  “My thoughts are with the more than 300 people who are...

Today’s disappointing GDP numbers fail to capture what’s really going on in the New Zealand economy and with our day-to-day lives, the Green Party said today. Gross domestic product (GDP) statistics released today by Statistics New Zealand show that the official part of the New Zealand economy grew by 0.4 percent in the December 2016 quarter. Per capita GDP — a better reflection of people’s wellbeing — actually went backwards by 0.2 percent due to population increases. “GDP may be...

A majority of district health boards (DHBs) around the country don’t provide 24/7 access to sign language interpreters, which puts deaf people at significant risk in medical emergencies, the Green Party said today. A report released yesterday by Deaf Action New Zealand showed that only eight of 20 DHBs say they can provide access to sign language interpreters 24/7. Deaf Action’s investigation was prompted by the experience of Kim Robinson, who was unable to access an interpreter for 64 hours...

New Zealand should be working on positive new ways of creating international trade agreements, instead of participating in talks to try to resuscitate the dead-and-buried Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), the Green Party said today. Representatives from all the TPPA countries except the US have been meeting this week in Chile to discuss their next move. “It is disappointing that our Trade Minister is intent on flogging a dead horse rather than moving on and looking for better ways to support...

The Green Party is congratulating Māori organisations on their victory after Anne Tolley today indicated that the Government is going back to the drawing board on reforms to Child, Youth and Family (CYFs) that would have removed the prioritisation of whānau-first placements for tamariki Māori.

The Government’s small steps on family violence announced today are a move in the right direction, but more needs to be done, the Green Party said today. “The Government has taken some important steps today, but there is still a lot that needs to be done to end domestic violence in Aotearoa New Zealand,” Green Party women’s spokesperson Jan Logie said.  “There are a couple of critically important issues that we would’ve liked the Government to address today. “The Government...

The announcement that Auckland’s Northern Busway will be upgraded to rail is a huge win for the Greens’ campaign to get rail to the Shore, but Aucklanders shouldn’t have to wait 30 years for it to happen, the Green Party said today. National’s Auckland transport strategy says a second harbour crossing won’t happen for another 20 to 30 years, but a recent Auckland Transport (AT) study released under the OIA shows parts of the Northern Busway will face overcrowding and...

Information released yesterday showing that disabled people who rent are much more likely to live in cold, damp homes is clear evidence that National’s housing policies are failing, the Green Party said today. Statistics New Zealand has released new data that shows that 38 percent of disabled people in rented homes said they have difficulty keeping their house warm, compared to 25 percent of non-disabled renters. “National could make a difference for disabled people today by providing better support for...

Green Party MP Mojo Mathers has written to the Commerce Commission asking it to inquire into the alleged mislabelling of eggs laid in cages as “free-range”, the Green Party said today. An investigation into the Palace Poultry brand has revealed that millions of cage-laid eggs were allegedly mislabelled and sold as “free-range”. Egg brands Woodland, Farmer Brown, and Countdown’s Select also reportedly sourced their “free-range” eggs from Palace Poultry. “New Zealanders should be able to trust that when they buy...

A Waitangi Tribunal claim filed today calling for an inquiry into the treatment of Māori children in state care is a further sign that pressure is building on the Government to reconsider its stance on the issue, the Green Party said today. “It seems everyone but the Government realises that an inquiry is essential to help the victims find some sense of closure, and to ensure that tamariki Māori in state care now and in the future are protected from...