The Green Party will oppose Housing Minister Nick Smith’s latest hurried and inadequate attempt to fix the housing crisis, which is being pushed through Parliament under urgency today. “This Bill is a band-aid for a broken housing market and won’t do anything to fix the underlying problem that the market is not building enough affordable houses,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said. “The Government always knew the Special Housing Areas (SHAs) were going to expire, so there’s no good reason...

The National Government needs to provide much more dedicated aid to help Pacific countries adapt to climate change, rather than simply rebranding its economic development assistance, the Green Party said today.

Auckland’s average house price hit one million dollars today, as National tried to put a band-aid on the housing crisis with rushed new legislation to stop Special Housing Areas falling apart, the Green Party said. “Aucklanders wanting to buy their first home now have one million reasons to change the Government,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said. “National has shown time and time again that they’re focussed on helping their property speculator mates, not helping first home buyers. “John Key’s...

Indian students facing deportation from New Zealand are victims of fraud, and the Government should allow them to stay, the Green Party said today. The Government has issued nine students with deportation orders after discovering that their India-based education agents used fake documents to secure their study visas in New Zealand, and hundreds more students face a similar situation. “Punishing students whose families have invested tens of thousands of dollars in their education is completely unfair,” said Green Party immigration...

Minister Te Ururoa Flavell needs to taihoa on his ture whenua Māori reforms until there is certainty on all of its component parts, particularly the design of the Māori Land Service, the Green Party said today. 

“Kevin has made a huge contribution to the Green Party and the green movement and we are truly sorry he is leaving Parliament,” said Green Party Co-Leader Metiria Turei. “Kevin has been an excellent advocate for Green policies over many years. He has worked tirelessly and effectively, for the Green Party and with other political parties. We will miss his passion and his wisdom,” said James Shaw. “Kevin’s achievements in parliament include championing accountability and workplace health and safety in the...

Action is needed to rebalance the housing market in favour of families who need somewhere to live, the Green Party said today. New data from Core Logic shows that property investors who already own multiple properties are buying the largest share of homes in Auckland. “We need action to rebalance the housing market so that it’s serving people who need somewhere to live, not speculators looking to cash in on the housing crisis,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei. “The...

The Green Party is calling on the Government not to stop funding Social Work Study Awards, which support social workers to gain new skills and qualifications. The Study Awards assist community workers to undertake part-time study for a degree level qualification in social work. “If the National Government was actually committed to its so-called investment approach, investing in the very people who work at the coalface in our communities would be a priority," said Green Party social development spokesperson Jan...

John Key’s comments that young Aucklanders should look to buy apartments instead of houses on quarter acre sections show that he wouldn’t make a very good real estate agent because he clearly doesn’t know his market, the Green Party said. “Most young Aucklanders I talk to long ago gave up on the idea of a quarter acre section and would be happy with an apartment for their first home,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said. “The problem is apartments get...

The National Government should withdraw the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill (No. 2) in the face of overwhelming opposition from mayors and councils nationwide, the Green Party said. The Bill gives the Local Government Commission the power to give control of councils’ key functions and services to unelected Council Controlled Organisations, without councils’ agreement or consulting affected communities. “When so many mayors and councils are opposed to these antidemocratic changes being forced on them, the Government needs to withdraw...