A study highlighted by Grandparents Raising Grandchildren is even more proof that National’s ‘penal welfare’ approach is failing kids, failing caregivers and failing New Zealand, the Green Party said today.

Paula Bennett's frank admission this morning that the Government should have “in hindsight” taken action on the housing crisis sooner will be of little comfort to the growing number of people who are waiting to get into a state house, the Green Party said today.

The National Government continues to punish beneficiaries and their children by enforcing benefit sanctions, the Green Party said today. The Government’s latest figures show an 8.2 percent increase in benefit sanctions than this time last year. “Benefit sanctions punish families who are already struggling to get by, and punish them by pushing them further into poverty,” Green Party social development Jan Logie said. “These are not the actions of a decent and compassionate government – benefit sanctions are punitive and...

Our kids are being repeatedly hospitalised because the Government refuses to take action to ensure our housing stock is up to scratch, the Green Party said today. The Royal Australasian College of Physicians president-elect said today that children with preventable respiratory illnesses are being re-admitted to hospital because they're being sent back to cold, damp homes. “While National has stood by as kids continue to pack out hospital waiting rooms, the Greens will introduce a comprehensive Warrant of Fitness for...

 

The Green Party today announced a plan to kick-start the green economy, create jobs in the clean technology and infrastructure sectors, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. “The Green Investment Fund will be the Kiwibank of the clean economy, kick-starting our transition to a carbon neutral economy by 2050,” Green Party Co-leader James Shaw said. “New Zealand needs to jump on board the global response to climate change and get a piece of the economic action, instead of letting it...

The National Government has said it is open to disposing of conservation land to encourage mining on the West Coast and building a road through Kahurangi National Park, the Green Party said today. Today the Government released its West Coast Economic Development Action Plan, which included:          Identifying ‘low value’ conservation stewardship land that could be disposed of.          Streamlining mining consent processes to reduce Department of Conservation input.          Preparing a strategic case for a road through Kahurangi National...

Prime Minister Bill English is running scared from plans to set a fair price for the commercial use of water, the Green Party said today. The Green Party launched its election campaign yesterday with a policy to protect drinking water, including an interim levy of 10c per litre on companies who bottle and export drinking water, and the creation of a working group to resolve the issue of rights and responsibilities for water. “In government, we’ll develop a fair way...

The Green Party is today launching a policy that will ensure New Zealanders have access to clean, safe drinking water with measures including making water bottlers and exporters pay for the water they take and sell. The policy was announced by Co-leader James Shaw today in Nelson, as part of the Green Party’s election campaign launch. “Forty-five thousand New Zealanders – the equivalent population of Nelson – have to put up with faecal contamination in their drinking water at least...

The Green Party will fiercely oppose Bill English’s plan to override the Supreme Court decision that saved part of the Ruahine Forest Park from being flooded for the Ruataniwha dam. Bill English signalled yesterday that he would change the law to override the Supreme Court’s ruling that prevents the Department of Conservation from swapping conservation land for private farmland. “If National changes this law then specially protected forest and the habitat of threatened species will be destroyed forever,” said Green...