The Green Party backs the Government’s decision to freeze MPs’ pay for the next year and welcomes a review that will investigate changes down the track to ensure pay increases are in line with increases other working New Zealanders receive. “The Green Party has long called for fairer pay settings for MPs so pay changes match what is happening with workers’ pay,” Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said. “MPs are paid well above the average worker, so giving them a...

More than $3 million of funding will help divert 40,000 tonnes of commercial and industrial waste from landfills in Auckland every year. Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage today announced a Waste Minimisation Fund (WMF) grant of $3.1 million to enable Auckland recycling firm Green Gorilla to divert the waste and allow materials to be reused. “Useful materials are ending up in landfill instead of being reused. Green Gorilla’s project gives businesses an alternative to simply dumping these materials,” Eugenie Sage...

  Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage has announced a programme of work to take action on New Zealand’s long-neglected waste problems. “Since taking on the waste portfolio I have heard loud and clear from New Zealanders that they find our country’s record on waste unacceptable and want action after nine years of neglect under National,” Eugenie Sage said. “This Government has listened to New Zealanders and started by consulting on our plan to phase out single use plastic bags. Now...

The Green Party has ensured that the next set of changes to the Overseas Investment Act will look at water extraction and whether stronger tests should be set for land sales involving water takes, Green Party Co-Leader Marama Davidson announced today. Parliament passed the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill this week which will stop overseas speculators buying up our houses. A second round of amendments is being developed by Associate Finance Minister David Parker. “In response to Green Party calls for...

The Green Party caucus is listening to the concerns of environmentalists and the local community and will not support the upcoming Waimea Dam enabling legislation, Green Party Co-Leader Marama Davidson announced today. “The Tasman District Council (Waimea Water Augmentation Scheme) Bill is expected to have its first reading later this year, and we will be voting against it,” Marama said. “We share concerns about the impact of this scheme on the natural river flows, and disruption to ecosystems in the...

Single-use plastic shopping bags will be phased out over the next year, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. “We’re phasing-out single-use plastic bags so we can better look after our environment and safeguard New Zealand’s clean, green reputation,” said Jacinda Ardern. “We’re listening to New Zealanders who want us to take action on this problem. This year 65,000 Kiwis signed a petition calling for an outright ban. It’s also the biggest single subject school...

A vital step towards better protecting indigenous freshwater fish was taken with today’s introduction of a new indigenous fish conservation bill in Parliament. Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said the Conservation (Indigenous Freshwater Fish) Amendment Bill amends the Conservation Act 1987 to provide a much-needed “modern toolbox” to help indigenous freshwater fish. “Our indigenous freshwater fish are in trouble. New Zealand has 54 indigenous freshwater fish species and 22 of these are threatened with extinction. Whitebait, freshwater and lamprey fisheries have...

A new report shows serious concerns remain for the continued existence of the native Canterbury mudfish, which is on the brink of extinction. Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage released the New Zealand Threat Classification System report on freshwater fish today. The report provides the latest conservation status of New Zealand’s 76 known freshwater fish species. “Canterbury mudfish remain in the Threatened – Nationally Critical category, and continue to decline,” Eugenie Sage said. “Much of the Canterbury mudfish habitat is on private...

The Government is supporting a project to make Wellington the world’s first predator free capital city with a $3.27 million funding boost announced by Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage today. Capital Kiwi Project (a charitable trust) and Predator Free Wellington, a joint venture between Wellington City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council and NEXT Foundation are jointly working to create a predator free Wellington which the Predator Free 2050 Limited funding will support. “This work will help native plants and wildlife thrive...

The Green Party today welcomed the settlement of the nurses’ dispute that will give them a decent pay rise. “Nurses, who are at the heart of health care, have historically been underpaid and undervalued,” Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said. “It is great they have fought for and won their battle to be paid reasonably and to have more staff employed so they can safely carry out their vital work.” “Given how much nurses have been neglected by the previous...