A world first trade agreement between New Zealand, Costa Rica, Iceland, Fij, and Norway will lead the way on international efforts to tackle climate change, says Green Party Co-leader James Shaw. “The Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) is a pioneering trade approach to international environmental protection. “Today’s announcement shows how we can influence global affairs as a small nation. “The new multilateral group will develop trade rules that drive down emissions and protect nature in countries that...

Work has begun to develop a beverage container return scheme for New Zealand announced Associate Minister for the Environment Eugenie Sage made at the WasteMINZ Conference in Hamilton today. “Citizens, councils and stakeholders have been calling for a well-designed container return scheme to recover the millions of beverage containers used each year so they can be re-used and recycled. Today I’m pleased to announce that work is underway to design a fit-for-purpose scheme for New Zealand,” said Eugenie Sage. “A...

The Green Party is welcoming the Real Estate Institute’s campaign to change property management rules, launched today. “We’ll be looking to meet with industry leaders to discuss how we can make progress together,” said Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson. “People who rent deserve their homes to be safe and secure and to be treated with dignity, “Property managers have a lot of power over tenants with no rules about how they can and can’t behave. This needs to change, “Unethical...

The Government is planning to strengthen New Zealand’s measures to prevent international trade in endangered species the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced today. “In New Zealand we value and seek to protect endangered species, both our indigenous species, and those from elsewhere in the world.  By reviewing the Trade in Endangered Species Act 1989 we aim to strengthen their protection,” said Eugenie Sage. “There is growing concern worldwide about the role that trade in elephant ivory plays in the...

Climate Change Minister James Shaw has today released the framework for assessing climate change risks in Aotearoa.

The Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage is celebrating 50 years of Conservation Week or Te Wiki Tiaki Ao Turoa and encouraging people to get involved in conservation. “We’ve come a long way since the first Conservation Week in 1969. Some of the biggest conservation triumphs include remarkable turnarounds in the populations of species that were on the verge of extinction,” Eugenie Sage said. “Fifty years ago, the Chatham Islands’ black robin, tieke/saddleback and kākāpō were in dire straits, with dangerously...

The Government’s commitment to ensure New Zealand history is taught in all schools by 2022 is part of a landmark day for our nation’s story, said Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson.   The Prime Minister made the announcement during a speech at the unveiling of a plaque commemorating the New Zealand Wars in Parliament’s debating chamber this morning.   “At the moment not enough tamariki are learning about their local history, and what our story is as a country. We...

Māori place names have been restored to the small central North Island town of Benneydale, and a nearby stretch of the North Island Main Trunk railway announced Minister for Land Information Eugenie Sage. Benneydale has been changed to a dual name ‘Maniaiti / Benneydale’ and the main trunk railway between Te Awamutu and Taumarunui, is now named ‘Te Ara-o-Tūrongo’ following a request from Ngāti Maniapoto. “I am pleased to restore official place names which bring to light our history for...

The Green Party welcome the fresh water policy proposals announced for consultation by Government that seeks to treat water as taonga and recognise te mana o te wai (“the innate life force of the water”). “Water is life and the wellbeing of our communities and nature depends on it. We have long needed a holistic approach that ensures our water stays clean and healthy from the mountain to the sea”, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. “The proposals set...

Green Party Co-leader and housing spokesperson Marama Davidson today welcomed the change to KiwiBuild that include $400 million earmarked for progressive homeownership.