A second report released by Police yesterday shows that the previous National Government established a secret intelligence group involving oil and gas companies, Thompson and Clark, and state departments including the NZ Defence Force, Police and MBIE to protect the interests of the oil and gas industry.

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage says conservation, including marine reserves and sports fish like trout, will be better protected as a result of new law passed last night by Parliament. The Conservation (Infringement System) Act enables the Department of Conservation (DOC) to use infringement notices for lower level offending instead of a warning or prosecution through the courts. “I’m pleased that conservation managers now have a new tool for dealing with offending against conservation legislation,” Eugenie Sage said. “Previously DOC, local...

The Green Party welcomes the binding referendum on recreational cannabis at the 2020 election as announced by Justice Minister Andrew Little today. 

“Today’s report from the State Services Commission shows Government departments colluded with private security firms working for oil and gas companies to spy on New Zealanders,” Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. 

Regulations for mandatory phase out of single-use plastic shopping bags to be in force from 1 July 2019. Associate Minister for the Environment, Eugenie Sage has today confirmed retailers will no longer be able to sell or give away single-use plastic shopping bags from 1 July 2019, after Cabinet agreed to the proposed regulations for a mandatory nationwide phase out of these bags. “Plastic shopping bags are a hazard for nature, particularly marine wildlife. They can also introduce harmful microplastics...

Scientific evidence in a new report on long-term wetland loss in Southland shows our wetlands urgently need better protection, Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage says. Published online in the New Zealand Journal of Ecology, the scientific report details wetland loss in Southland by analysing and comparing satellite images of wetlands taken in 1990 and 2012. This covers a longer timeframe than any other Southland wetland loss study. “The study’s timeframe is significant. After 1990, legislative tools were put in place to...

The Māori advisory group to the Government’s joint venture on family violence and sexual violence began their work today at their first meeting in Wellington. “Te Rōpū marks a significant change to the way Government works with Māori to address some of our most complex and difficult problems,” says Jan Logie. “It brings together a wide range of expertise from across the motu. “Our work to stop family violence and sexual violence is critical, and needs Māori leadership. There are...

The Green Party have today called on schools to follow the law and accept kids that have been denied enrollment because they have a history of truancy or no fixed address.   

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage, in launching a new visitor behaviour campaign, says the Department of Conservation (DOC) is well prepared for a busy summer with more resources to respond to growing domestic and international visitor numbers. “The ‘Visit the Kiwi way- Look after our place’ campaign aims to help all visitors to understand the need to have as little impact as possible on our wild spaces and natural areas,” Eugenie Sage said. “The campaign encourages people to travel responsibly and...

A new plan to reverse the decline of all five kiwi species was launched by Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage at a kiwi release on Taranaki Mounga today. “The Kiwi Recovery Plan/Mahere Whakaora Kiwi 2018-2028 signals an exciting new phase in kiwi conservation, with a focus on protecting kiwi populations in the wild and increasing the populations of all eight kiwi species,” Eugenie Sage said.  “Right now, kiwi are declining at a rate of 2 per cent per year, mainly due...