All our news articles
Kia tau te rangimārie o te Rangi e tū nei
o Papatūānuku e takoto nei
o te Taiao e awhi nei
ki runga i a tātou.
Tīhei mauri ora!
Tēnā koutou katoa.
Ko James Shaw tōku ingoa. Ko ahau te kaiārahi o Te Rōpū Kākāriki.
Five years after the Velvet Revolution that made him President of Czechoslovakia and then the Czech Republic, the former dissident and poet Václav Havel, said that:
The Green Party’s position on the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is unchanged, Co-leader James Shaw said today.
“We recognise Trade Minister David Parker has made significant progress on some controversial provisions in the TPP, including investor-state dispute settlement, and we support those changes. However, we still don’t believe there are sufficient safeguards for people and the environment that would enable us to support the deal,” Mr Shaw said
The Green Party wishes to extend its warmest congratulations to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her partner Clarke Gayford on the news that they are expecting a child.
“This is wonderful news. On behalf of the Green Party, I’d like to congratulate Jacinda and Clarke, and wish them the very best for parenthood,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw.
“That a woman can be the Prime Minister of New Zealand and choose to have a family while in office says a lot about the kind of country we are and that we can be – modern, progressive, inclusive, and equal.
New Zealand’s position as 10th worst nation for creating urban waste per capita is shameful, says Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage, who will review how the Waste Minimisation Act is being implemented.
Recent news reports have highlighted World Bank data which puts New Zealand at number 10 on a list of countries creating the most urban waste.
“Significantly reducing waste going to landfill by 2020 is a key goal of the Green Party’s confidence and supply agreement with Labour and is a priority for me as Associate Environment Minister,” Ms Sage said.
The Green Party is saddened by the news of the passing of former Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Jim Anderton, who passed away today.
"Jim was a great defender of the underdog. He stood up for New Zealanders hurt by the economic reforms of the 80s and 90s and devoted his public service to ensuring a fair deal for all," said Green Party Co-leader Hon James Shaw.
The Green Party is supporting the Government’s medicinal cannabis legislation introduced to parliament today, but is encouraging the public to use the select committee process to push for improvements to expand the law in relation to New Zealanders suffering from chronic pain and other medical conditions who could benefit from the use of medicinal cannabis, but who are excluded from legal protections in the Bill.
The Green Party is calling on the racing industry to immediately address animal welfare issues, including the high rates of death, in the greyhound racing industry or risk losing its social licence to operate, following the release of a scathing report by Hon. Rodney Hansen QC today.
“Only eight other countries in the world have commercial greyhound racing industries and this damning report raises the question if in fact it should be reduced to seven,” said Green Party animal welfare spokesperson Gareth Hughes.
Green Party Co-leader James Shaw is welcoming the half-year opening of the Government books today, which presents the most significant government funding for Green Party initiatives ever.
“Today marks the critical first step in implementing our 20-point plan, outlined in the Green Party’s confidence and supply agreement with Labour,” said Mr Shaw.
“This is what having the Green Party in government looks like – more funding for DOC, for cycleways, for tackling climate change, and a host of other important initiatives.
The Green Party is today celebrating the passing of the Healthy Homes Guarantee Bill, which works towards ensuring that no New Zealanders get sick from the house they live in.
“The passing of this legislation will make a huge difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of New Zealand families,” said Green Party housing spokesperson Marama Davidson.
“The Healthy Homes Guarantee Bill will significantly improve the quality of rental accommodation, lifting children out of poverty and helping to reduce deaths from preventable diseases.
“I am deeply offended by the suggestion that I am a genocide denier. I am strongly committed to upholding human rights, and my work experience is testament to that.
“During my legal career, I worked on both prosecution and defence teams, here in New Zealand and for the United Nations.
“That included working in legal advisor roles on defence teams at the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, and a role as Assistant Co-Prosecutor at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal.