Employment Minister Willie Jackson, along with Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage, today announced the launch of a new training programme targeting the Waiapu catchment, Ka Hao te Rangatahi. The programme is designed to develop young people’s skills through conservation and erosion management.   He Poutama Rangatahi (HPR) is supporting the programme as both HPR and Ka Hao share a strong focus on supporting rangatahi to be ready for real opportunities to work and contribute to their communities on the coast.  ...

The Government will end tenure review in the South Island high country, Land Information Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. Tenure review is a voluntary process where Crown pastoral land can be sold to a leaseholder and areas with high ecological and recreational value can be returned to full Crown ownership as conservation land. “Tenure review has resulted in parcels of land being added to the conservation estate, but it has also resulted in more intensive farming and subdivision on the...

The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report shows the importance of putting the heart back into social support so that all New Zealanders can live with dignity.

A Colmar Brunton survey released today clearly shows New Zealanders’ growing concerns about climate change, pollution and waste, says Green Party Co-leader James Shaw.

Mr Speaker, on Election Night 2017, I said that, “New Zealanders have voted for change!” The three Opposition parties that night commanded a majority of votes, and I said it was time for us to work together to create the Government of change that New Zealanders wanted.

Recent deaths of threatened seabirds killed by a longline fishing vessel show the fishing industry needs to do more to avoid seabird bycatch, Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage says. Five Antipodean albatrosses and one Gibson’s albatross were killed when they were caught by a longline fishing vessel in the Bay of Plenty region between 2 December 2018 and 4 January 2019.  Both species are classed as ‘nationally critical’ – the most serious category for threatened species. Two black petrels, which are ‘nationally...

The first trial taking place in Porirua, will provide free mental health support for under 25s to ensure young people can thrive, Green Party Mental Health spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick said today.

Health Minister Dr David Clark and Associate Health Minster Julie Anne Genter have announced that Porirua will be the first community to benefit from a trial of free mental health support.

The opening of the new refugee resettlement housing unit in Whanganui marks a step forward in New Zealand’s commitment to offer a safe home for families fleeing war and persecution, Green MP and refugee Golriz Ghahraman said today.

The Minister for Climate Change has welcomed new New Zealand-led research that warns of more “dangerous and unpredictable” weather in the future if the world doesn’t get more serious about climate change action.   “This research explores what could happen with ice melts occurring at both polar caps and paints a disturbing picture of what our world will be like if we fail to act,” says James Shaw.   “It is research like this that emboldens me in my work...