The Green Party backs today’s open letter from the Human Rights Commission and others calling for a government inquiry into the abuse of children in state care, and for a formal apology to be made to the victims.
Press Releases
Jan Logie MP on Monday, February 13, 2017 - 10:34
Metiria Turei MP on Thursday, February 9, 2017 - 16:26
Labour and the Green Party are joining with Grey Power to investigate the state of aged care in New Zealand, and will be touring the country to hear from patients, professionals and families over the next two months.
“All New Zealanders deserve a high standard of medical care, and it’s clear that for many older people in rest homes or residential facilities, those standards still aren’t being met”, said Labour health spokesperson Annette King.
James Shaw MP on Thursday, February 9, 2017 - 12:41
The rising cost of living is hitting people who earn modest incomes and beneficiaries hardest, the Green Party said today.
Living costs for beneficiaries and low-spending households rose more than twice as much as for high-spending households in 2016, according to Statistics NZ’s Household Living Costs Price Index data.
James Shaw MP on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 - 16:34
Official briefings show that the Government will fall short of its target for reducing climate pollution by 85%, despite Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett saying the Government is on track to meet it, the Green Party said today.
In October 2016 Paula Bennett wrote an opinion piece titled ‘We're on the Right Track on Tackling Climate Change’, in which she claimed the Government had a plan to meet its targets, including an “ambitious” electric vehicles programme.
However, a briefing to the Minister in May 2016 shows that Ministry for the Environment officials believe:
Steffan Browning MP on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 - 11:42
The Green Party is calling on WorkSafe and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to undertake an urgent review of the ongoing use of methyl bromide – a highly toxic fumigant – at ports across the country.
The call follows a decision made by the Environment Court last Friday to block an application by Envirofume Ltd to fumigate logs for export using methyl bromide at the Port of Tauranga.
Julie Anne Genter MP on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 - 10:39
Shifting the approval of cannabis-based products from the Minister to the Ministry of Health is a step in the right direction, but doesn’t go far enough to help the many New Zealanders who want and need access to them, the Green Party said today.
Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne has today delegated decision-making for prescribing cannabis-based products to the Ministry of Health.
Metiria Turei MP on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 - 10:16
The latest Salvation Army report reinforces the need for a new Government committed to action on the biggest issues facing New Zealand, the Green Party said today.
The 10th State of the Nation report from The Salvation Army, Off the Track, released today shows entrenched rates of child poverty, the highest prison muster ever, and an alarming lack of safe and affordable housing.
“The barriers that many New Zealanders are facing to living a happy life are not being addressed by this National Government,” Green Party Co-Leader Metiria Turei said.
James Shaw MP on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 - 09:56
The Green Party will today seek to introduce a Bill to Parliament that doubles New Zealand’s annual refugee quota to 1500 immediately, and to 2000 from 2018.
“In a world racked with uncertainty and turmoil, welcoming a few hundred more refugees is the least we can do to pull our weight,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw.
“We’re suggesting a small law change, but it will make a massive difference to people whose lives are affected by conflict and persecution.
James Shaw MP on Tuesday, February 7, 2017 - 15:02
E te Māngai o te Whare, tēnā koe.
Ki a koutou ōku hoa Pāremata, huri noa i te Whare, ngā mihi o te tau hou ki a koutou katoa.
Mr Speaker,
The Prime Minister’s statement today contains a whole lot more boring half-measures and pointless tinkering around the edges, that won’t fix the big problems we’re facing, like housing affordability, homelessness, child poverty, and climate change.
He says he’ll encourage oil exploration, but hasn’t he noticed that most of the big oil companies are giving up on New Zealand because they don’t want to drill here?
Denise Roche MP on Thursday, February 2, 2017 - 17:32
The Minister for Immigration’s refusal to show compassion to Indian students affected by visa fraud is further evidence of National’s unfair immigration system, Green Party immigration spokesperson Denise Roche said today.
Nine Indian students now face deportation after their request to stay in the country was turned down by the Government.