Shifting the approval of cannabis-based products from the Minister to the Ministry of Health is a step in the right direction, but doesn’t go far enough to help the many New Zealanders who want and need access to them, the Green Party said today. Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne has today delegated decision-making for prescribing cannabis-based products to the Ministry of Health. “Peter Dunne has removed one hoop New Zealanders have had to jump through to get access to medical...

The latest Salvation Army report reinforces the need for a new Government committed to action on the biggest issues facing New Zealand, the Green Party said today. The 10th State of the Nation report from The Salvation Army, Off the Track, released today shows entrenched rates of child poverty, the highest prison muster ever, and an alarming lack of safe and affordable housing. “The barriers that many New Zealanders are facing to living a happy life are not being addressed...

The Green Party will today seek to introduce a Bill to Parliament that doubles New Zealand’s annual refugee quota to 1500 immediately, and to 2000 from 2018. “In a world racked with uncertainty and turmoil, welcoming a few hundred more refugees is the least we can do to pull our weight,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw. “We’re suggesting a small law change, but it will make a massive difference to people whose lives are affected by conflict and persecution....

E te Māngai o te Whare, tēnā koe. Ki a koutou ōku hoa Pāremata, huri noa i te Whare, ngā mihi o te tau hou ki a koutou katoa. Mr Speaker, The Prime Minister’s statement today contains a whole lot more boring half-measures and pointless tinkering around the edges, that won’t fix the big problems we’re facing, like housing affordability, homelessness, child poverty, and climate change. He says he’ll encourage oil exploration, but hasn’t he noticed that most of the...

The Minister for Immigration’s refusal to show compassion to Indian students affected by visa fraud is further evidence of National’s unfair immigration system, Green Party immigration spokesperson Denise Roche said today. Nine Indian students now face deportation after their request to stay in the country was turned down by the Government. “Minister Woodhouse is refusing to help these students, but he and his National Party colleagues are happy to speed up immigration arrangements for Trump-supporting billionaires like Peter Thiel. This...

Bill English’s state of the nation speech today lacked vision and leaves New Zealanders with a stark choice about the kind of government they want, the Green Party said. “The new Prime Minister didn’t talk about the housing crisis, or stagnant wages, or polluted rivers and lakes. These issues aren’t going to go away – in fact, it’s now clear that the only way to fix them is by changing the Government,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw. “New Zealanders...

The Green Party is ready and excited to work with New Zealanders to change the government on 23 September. “The Green Party is more energised and more prepared than we’ve ever been. We’re ready to change the government,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw. “At our State of the Nation event with Labour on the weekend, we showed what a credible, compassionate, progressive alternative to National looks like. “Contrast that with what we’ve seen from Bill English this week –...

The Green Party has today announced its support for universal te reo Māori in all public schools and committed to creating a comprehensive plan to achieve it. It has also launched a petition to support the call, and will be engaging with parents, tangata whenua and the education sector this year to develop a policy on how it will be delivered. “The Green Party supports teaching te reo Māori to every New Zealand child and is committed to achieving it,”...

National's Minister for Primary Industries, Nathan Guy, is sidelining the concerns of the Marlborough community by preparing to decide unilaterally on new salmon farms in the Marlborough Sounds, the Green Party said today. The Minister has chosen to use special regulation making powers under the Resource Management Act (RMA) to hand pick a special panel to consider King Salmon’s proposal for six new salmon farms in Pelorus Sound and Tory Channel. The Minister will then make the final decision and...

Rising house prices are hitting teachers hard in the pocket, the Green Party said today. New analysis by the Green Party shows that houses are “severely unaffordable” for many teachers in all but two regions of New Zealand (see table below). Most teachers are returning to the classroom this week following the summer break. “National’s housing crisis is impacting many New Zealanders, including those who play a vital role in keeping our communities running, like teachers,” said Green Party Co-leader...