National's two Fossil of the Day awards for hypocrisy on climate change shows it’s not doing much better than climate denialists like Donald Trump, the Green Party said today. At the international climate conference in Marrakech, New Zealand received two Fossil of the Day awards – presented by environmental NGOs to countries obstructing action on climate change. New Zealand received one award for calling on other countries to end fossil fuel subsidies, despite continuing to subsidise oil and gas exploration in...

The Green Party wishes to offer its condolences to the loved ones of the people who died as a result of yesterday morning’s earthquake. The Party also wants to thank the countless number of emergency services personnel, civil defence staff, and media who are helping to keep people safe and informed following the quake. “It’s heart-breaking that two people have lost their lives, and others have been injured, because of yesterday morning’s events,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei. “On...

Global climate experts have exposed an enormous credibility gap between the National Government's rhetoric on climate change and its actions, the Green Party said today. New Zealand’s response to climate change has today been labelled ‘inadequate’ for the fourth year in a row by Climate Action Tracker – an international group of climate science researchers. New Zealand is ranked below the European Union, China, USA and India. "Climate experts are effectively calling out the National Government for greenwashing," said Green...

The eye health of 44 New Zealanders’ has been compromised, and some have suffered partial sight loss, because of an overwhelmed health system that is not able to treat patients quickly enough, the Green Party said today. The latest annual report from the Health Quality & Safety Commission into “adverse events” in our hospitals also shows a large increase in clinical management issues across the country in a range of departments, up from 205 in 2014-15 to 245 in 2015-16. Clinical...

New Zealand and other countries must step up and take the lead on climate change action following Donald Trump’s election, the Green Party said today. Donald Trump has previously said he would take the US out of the Paris Climate Agreement, and rescind President Obama's executive actions on climate change. “Now more than ever, we must put our planet’s future first, and ensure the progress we’ve made on climate change doesn’t go to waste," Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said....

The National Government has abused the parliamentary process to push through changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will increase ministers’ power and stop the public from having a say, the Green Party said today. The Government has today announced that it has made a deal with the Māori Party to get the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill through its second and third readings, which will make sweeping changes to the RMA. “Changes to the RMA will give more power...

Reports that Corrections management felt unable to censure Serco over fight clubs at Mt Eden Prison cast serious doubts over whether the Government can properly monitor privately run prisons, the Green Party said today. Reports this morning suggest that Corrections sat on a report into fight clubs at Mt Eden prison for a whole year, as the National Commissioner Jeremy Lightfoot did not think that Serco would make any necessary changes. Corrections was also warned in 2014 that fight clubs...

The real cost of living has grown more for people on low incomes, beneficiaries, and superannuitants than it has for people on moderate and high incomes under National, the Green Party said today. New data from Statistics NZ’s Household Living-costs Price Indexes shows the effect of rent and power bills rising faster than the general rate of inflation. Low-expenditure households have seen their living costs rise twice as much as high-expenditure households since 2008. “National has built an economy where...

The Government owes it to New Zealanders to admit we have a housing crisis and to prioritise getting more people into secure homes by making long lasting changes to the housing market, the Green Party said today. Yesterday’s announcement of $300 million funding for emergency housing over the next four years has come on the back of pressure from the sector and the Cross Party Inquiry into Homelessness which reported back last month. “There is no question that this money...

Animals will continue to be subjected to unnecessary pain and distress because the Government has refused to take serious action to address cruelty in rodeo, the Green Party said today. Almost 63,000 New Zealanders signed a petition asking for rodeo to be banned, but the Primary Production Select Committee, which is led by Government MPs and has just released its final report into the issue, has been largely unresponsive to those concerns. “Rodeo is both outdated and cruel – it’s...