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RMA changes must not risk what we hold dear
Proposed changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) appear on first reading to be a boon for seabed miners and property developers, the Green Party said today. The National Government today released a new Bill which proposes changes to the RMA, laws governing conservation lands, and the Exclusive Economic Zone. “The Government has repeatedly attacked the RMA to weaken its environmental protection, reduce public participation, and fast track high impact development. The more than 200 proposed changes in the Bill need...
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Strengthen public education, don’t undermine it
The Government’s new Education bill appears to continue its moves to privatise New Zealand’s public education system, the Green Party says. The Government today released the Education Legislation Bill, which makes several changes including creating new types of charter schools and paving the way for principals to take over the management of other schools in what appears to be a new franchise-type arrangement. “Schools are not businesses, they are part of their community. New Zealanders don’t want their schools run...
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Rising rents will push more Aucklanders onto the streets
The Government’s failure to fix the Auckland housing crisis will force more families onto the streets, the Green Party said today, with a new Statistics New Zealand report suggesting Auckland households are paying on average 10% more in rent every week than this time last year. The latest Household Economic Survey (Income) shows that median household earnings from wages and salaries have increased just 1.8 percent in the last year, while the amount Auckland households are spending on rent has...
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Police censorship of crime research “an outrage”
The Green Party is calling on Police Minister Michael Woodhouse to ensure Police scrap controversial contracts that place onerous restrictions on academic researchers’ access to Police data. The Green Party’s call comes following revelations that University of Canterbury sociologist Dr Jarrod Gilbert has been blacklisted from accessing police data and that other academic researchers have been required to sign contracts that give Police the ability to censor research findings. “This is an absolute outrage – it is as though Police...
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Agriculture must be part of Emissions Trading Scheme review
The National Government’s review of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) must take climate change seriously by making agriculture part of the discussion, and ensuring there is a meaningful price on carbon, the Green Party said today. Climate Change Issues Minister Tim Groser announced today that agriculture, which makes up 47 percent of New Zealand’s emissions, will be excluded in its review the ETS. “Agriculture must be part of the discussion, and its exclusion is at odds with the Prime Minister’s...
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Govt needs to cut the crap and build more houses
Yet another report showing that homeless families are being forced onto the streets or into cars must be the final catalyst for the Government to build the thousands of homes New Zealanders desperately need, the Green Party says. The Citizens Advice Bureau has today released a report showing that the number of homeless people seeking help has doubled under National and that families are being broken up in order to find accommodation for Mum, Dad and the kids. “The National...
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If the UN can challenge Australia, why can’t John Key?
The head of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, has met with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to raise concerns about Australia’s offshore detention centres, and this should make John Key question his ongoing support for how Kiwis are being treated by the Australian Government, the Green Party said today. “Mates hold each other to account, and let each other know when they have crossed the line. John Key needs to let his Australian counterpart know they have gone too far...
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Groser misleads on climate costs to justify lack of ambition
Minister of Climate Change Issues, Tim Groser, continues to pedal misleading numbers around the cost of reducing New Zealand’s climate pollution. On Q&A yesterday, Minister Groser again misrepresented the cost New Zealanders would bear to meet his Government’s low target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 11 percent below 1990 levels. “Claiming that action on climate change will cost New Zealanders $30 billion dollars, without saying how much Kiwis would save by taking that action, is grossly misleading and Tim Groser...
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Minister in denial over impact of poverty on learning
Comments made by the Minister of Education on Q and A today show she is in denial about the real impacts of poverty on children's learning, said the Green Party today. “Any review of the decile system must focus on creating equity - not measuring achievement of children and then blaming schools under pressure,” said Green Party education spokesperson Catherine Delahunty. "The Minister is reviewing the decile system and quoting a low statistic on poverty impacts from the OECD, which is...
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You might not have a strong plan to cut emissions Tim, but we do
The Green Party is offering its plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions to the National Government, after Climate Change Issues Minister Tim Groser confirmed this morning that his plan is flimsy. Speaking on Q+A this morning, Mr Groser demonstrated that not only is the Government’s target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 11 per cent on 1990 levels feeble, but his plan to achieve it has no substance. “The Green Party has a plan to get us to 40 per...