Bill English could use the opportunity of trade negotiations with the European Union (EU) to push for a new type of trade agreement that promotes sustainable economic development and helps create an economy that works for all New Zealanders, the Green Party said today. “This is an opportunity for a new type of trade agreement, negotiated in a transparent and democratic way, that puts people, jobs, and the environment ahead of multinational corporations,” Green Party trade spokesperson Barry Coates said....

For the first time Labour and the Green Party are holding a joint State of the Nation event. Labour Leader Andrew Little and Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei will speak about their priorities for the year in Auckland on Sunday 29 January. The leaders will discuss the social and economic challenges and opportunities facing the country and present a vision of the stable, responsible, alternative the parties will offer New Zealand. Details Labour/Green Party State of the Nation event When:...

This year is our chance to turn the tide on growing inequality in New Zealand with a change of government, the Green Party said today. A report released this afternoon by Oxfam outlines the growing inequality gap around the world, and coincides with the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos. Oxfam New Zealand has released analysis of this afternoon’s report that shows two New Zealanders have more wealth than the poorest 30 per cent of the adult population. “This...

Finance Minister Steven Joyce is failing to show any moral or political leadership by continuing to allow Government-owned funds to invest New Zealanders’ money in some of the world’s most polluting companies, the Green Party said today. Radio New Zealand reported this morning that the New Zealand Superfund has $77 million invested in 47 coal companies that the Norwegian Government’s Pension Fund – the largest sovereign fund in the world – has blacklisted. “The National Government signed the Paris Agreement...

Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter will be standing in the Mount Albert by-election to be held on 25 February, said the Green Party today. Well-known for her strong advocacy of the City Rail Link and ways to cut congestion in Auckland, Ms Genter said she was looking forward to a positive campaign with the Labour Party candidate, with a focus on policies that will make Auckland fairer and greener. “New Zealanders have a big choice to make in 2017, to stick...

The Green Party is deeply saddened by the passing of Archbishop William Brown Turei ONZM (Ngāti Porou), who served as the Bishop of Aotearoa – the Tikanga Māori Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in New Zealand, Aotearoa and Polynesia.

The Green Party is deeply saddened by the passing of Ngāti Awa rangatira Joseph Harawira QSM, who led the Sawmill Workers Against Poisons (SWAP) organisation. 

The National Government has failed to stop high income earners from avoiding paying their fair share of tax, the Green Party said today. IRD released aggregated tax data last week which shows a suspiciously high number of people last year declared their income just before the top tax rate threshold at $70,000. The (highlighted) spike is strong evidence of tax avoidance behaviour. (The lower spikes represent welfare and superannuation payments.) “National’s 2010 tax cuts for high income earners were sold...

KiwiRail’s plan to replace its electric locomotives with a dirty diesel-powered fleet is backwards and bad news for New Zealand, the Green Party said today. The Green Party understands that KiwiRail will today announce a plan to phase out its 16 electric locomotives responsible for freight between Hamilton and Palmerston North. The electric locomotives will be replaced with Chinese-made diesel locomotives. “We are very disappointed by KiwiRail’s decision to abandon our electric freight trains and infrastructure. Many New Zealanders will...

The Green Party is calling on the Government to front up to iwi after learning that, going right back to the Ngāi Tahu settlement in 1997, the Right of First Refusal (RFR) clause in Treaty settlements has actually meant right of first refusal for charities, not iwi.