The Green Party is calling on Prime Minister John Key to bring the women’s portfolio back into Cabinet. While portfolios like racing remain with Ministers inside Cabinet, the women’s portfolio has been locked out since John Key removed it from Cabinet in 2011. “To mark International Women’s Day today, John Key could signal a commitment to reverse the decline for women that’s occurred under his Government by elevating the women’s portfolio to a Cabinet-level position,” Green Party women’s spokesperson Jan Logie...

The decision overnight by Fonterra to further reduce its forecast milk price must jolt the National Government to admit its economic direction is not working and commit instead to a major investment in research and development (R&D), the Green Party said today. Fonterra has decided to cut its forecast Farmgate Milk Price for the 2015/16 season from $4.15 per kilogram of milk solids to just $3.90, following lower-than-expected demand from China and Russia, and higher than forecast dairy production in the...

The Green Party is calling on Government Ministers to step up and defend small businesses in regional New Zealand, in light of accusations small businesses are being bullied by Fonterra. Fonterra has reportedly forced 10-20 percent cuts in supplier and contractor rates and lengthened the time it takes to pay them to 90 days. “The Minister for Small Business, Craig Foss, should be standing up for small businesses and demanding Fonterra pay its bills within the normal timeframe – 30...

The Government should seek the support of all political parties if it is to change any laws following the first regular review of New Zealand’s security and intelligence agencies, said the Green Party today.

Landcorp’s brave decision to scale back its dairy intensification programme in the North Island is a victory for the environment and those who have fought to protect the Waikato River, the Green Party said today. Landcorp has just confirmed earlier reports that it would significantly reduce its plans to convert large tracts of the Wairakei Estate near Taupo to dairy, in favour of less polluting types of farming. “Landcorp’s decision to not proceed with its intensification programme, in part because...

The Green Party is calling for the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) to become an Officer of Parliament so that its funding is not at the mercy of the Government of the day.

Information obtained by the Green Party shows the IPCA has investigated less than ten percent of the 3007 cases it accepted for investigation in the past four years, and instead sent more than 90 percent of those cases back to the police to investigate themselves.. Answers to Green Party Parliamentary Questions show that only 243 cases accepted for investigation have actually been investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Authority over the past four years, the remaining 2764 sent back to...

The Green Party is calling for Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse to direct WorkSafe to immediately investigate problems at Pan Pac Forest Products’ Hawkes’ Bay mill, following a spate of illnesses attributed to fumes from the mill’s kiln. “WorkSafe needs to get in there immediately and sort this out, not stand on the sidelines and wait for mill operator Pan Pac to do its own investigation,”  Green Party toxics spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said. Pan Pac workers are now...

It’s time for Transport Minister Simon Bridges to stop having photos taken of him opening electric charging stations, and deliver actual policy to get more electric vehicles on our roads, the Green Party says. Transport Minister Simon Bridges is opening another electric vehicle charging station at Bayfair Shopping Centre in Tauranga today. “At this rate, there’ll soon be more photos of Simon Bridges opening charging stations than electric vehicles on our roads,” said Green Party Transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter....

Building and Housing Minister Nick Smith should apologise for producing bogus numbers that do nothing to show that the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill will save the number of lives he’s claimed, the Green Party said today. Yesterday, while being questioned in the House by Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei, the Minister asserted that he had received advice which showed the insulation provisions of his Bill would save 18 lives a year. In fact, the advice shows that those lives...