GovtThe National Government is choosing to protect the profits of a few land bankers rather than create real incentives to build houses in Auckland, the Green Party said today. Thousands of listings for land in Auckland are now advertised for their potential as land banks. Land banking has also been allowed in the Government’s Special Housing Areas (SHAs) where there hasn’t been any building activity in 97 of the 157 Auckland SHAs. “National won’t make the tough decisions to stop...

GovtThe National Government is choosing to protect the profits of a few land bankers rather than create real incentives to build houses in Auckland, the Green Party said today. Thousands of listings for land in Auckland are now advertised for their potential as land banks. Land banking has also been allowed in the Government’s Special Housing Areas (SHAs) where there hasn’t been any building activity in 97 of the 157 Auckland SHAs. “National won’t make the tough decisions to stop...

National’s claim that record numbers of houses are being built is nonsense, the Green Party said today. New analysis from Statistics New Zealand shows that the number of new houses being consented relative to population is barely above average. “When John Key says record numbers of houses are being built, he’s just plain wrong,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei. “Statistics NZ data is very clear that only half as many houses are being built now compared to the 1970s...

The National Government's proposed changes to the law governing seabed mining could make it easier for Trans-Tasman Resources to carry out destructive seabed mining off the South Taranaki coast, the Green Party said today. Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) has re-applied to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to mine the seabed off the South Taranaki coast for iron ore, despite its previous application being declined by the EPA. “The Government's Resource Legislation Amendment Bill, currently before Parliament, will allow the Minister, rather...

Resolving the issues affecting Hawkes Bay’s drinking water must come before pushing ahead with irrigation schemes that will do more harm to the environment, the Green Party said today.

Government plans to open up the Correspondence School Te Kura to corporate entities or charter schools could have terrible consequences for the quality of education that children receive, the Green Party said today. National’s Education (Update) Amendment Bill introduced today will change how education is delivered in Aotearoa. This includes creating Communities of Online Learning (COOL) that will threaten the existence of the Correspondence School Te Kura. “Online charter schools that use public money for private profit don’t provide the...

A new poll shows New Zealanders have grasped the realities of the housing crisis better than the Prime Minister and his Government, the Green Party said today. New data from UMR shows that 85 percent of Aucklanders say there is a housing crisis, and 60 percent of Aucklanders and 55 percent of home-owners nationwide believe house prices should come down. “It’s clear that most New Zealanders know National has let Auckland house prices get out of control and it’s now...

The Government should follow the actions of Grosevnor and take swift steps to ensure its default KiwiSaver funds meet minimum ethical standards, the Green Party said today. Grosvenor announced yesterday that it was shifting its default KiwiSaver fund into a highly ethical international share index, which screens out companies producing items such as alcohol, tobacco, military weapons, firearms, nuclear power and fossil fuels. The move comes after reports last week showed at least five default KiwiSaver schemes were invested in...

The Government’s Inquiry into the Havelock North gastric outbreak is squandering an opportunity to address how land use affects drinking water, the Green Party said today. “The inquiry should have two parts; one to look at the immediate problem in Havelock North, and another to look at how land use and water management contributes to E. coli and waterborne disease contamination,” said Green Party water spokesperson Catherine Delahunty. “Disease-causing E. coli and campylobacter bacteria have been reported in water supplies in...

Proposals to change special education funding to learning support needs to ensure access, equity, and sustained support, the Green Party said today. Green MP Catherine Delahunty initiated a Select Committee Inquiry into dyslexia, dyspraxia, and autism spectrum disorders in schools in New Zealand that is due to report back in the next few weeks. The Inquiry has heard from hundreds of children and families about how hard it is to currently access genuine inclusion and resources for the children that...