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The Green Party is deeply concerned by Japan’s resumption of commercial whaling, Green Party Animal Welfare Spokesperson Gareth Hughes said today.
“This is a sad day for whales and a real blow to international efforts to protect these magnificent creatures.
“I am very disappointed by Japan’s decision to pull out of the International Whaling Commission after the International Court of Justice ruled their previous whaling program was not for scientific purposes.
The Government will introduce law changes later this year to ensure that the justice system, in prosecuting sexual violence cases, does no more harm to victims and survivors.
“Everyone who has been harmed by sexual violence deserves to have justice delivered without going through more, avoidable, trauma,” says Jan Logie, Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Justice, at HELP Auckland today.
The ban on single-use plastic shopping bags, which takes effect on 1 July, is a step towards healthier oceans and giving nature a hand, says Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage.
“New Zealanders are proud of our country’s clean, green reputation and want to help ensure we live up to it. Ending the use of single-use plastic shopping bags helps do that” says Eugenie Sage.
New family violence laws will increase the safety of victims and their families, create effective interventions for people who use violence, and ensure every branch of the justice system is responding in a joined-up, appropriate way to the problem of family violence.
The Family Violence and Family Violence (Amendments) Acts, which come into effect on 1 July, make a number of significant changes:
The Green Party welcome increased support for Community Law Centres so that more New Zealanders have access to justice, Greens Justice spokesperson Golriz Ghahraman said today.
“Good legal support should be available for all.
“Everyone is entitled to legal representation and to know their rights. I’m glad this Government is working to ensure more people can access legal support across New Zealand.
“For far too long, community legal centres have been buckling under pressure trying to provide fair and accessible legal support for New Zealanders.
Central government needs to resource local councils to protect our waterways, Green Party Water spokesperson Marama Davidson said today, following reports that corporate oil dumping into Otuwairoa stream in Papakura is killing eels.
“Eels are a tāonga and a sign of the health of our Creeks. It hurts to see our waterways being dumped in like this.
“This disrespectful and deliberate dumping shows why we need to be holding corporate polluters to account.
Minister for Climate Change and Green Party co-leader, James Shaw, has congratulated New Zealand’s Climate Leaders Coalition on its milestone in now having signed up 100 members.
“This is an incredible achievement considering the Coalition was born out of the vision of some 60 business leaders less than a year ago,” James Shaw said.
“These 100 Climate Leaders Coalition members, together with their suppliers, now represent more than a third of New Zealand’s private sector GDP.
Minister for Land Information, Eugenie Sage announced Budget 2019 funding for a satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) which will help save lives and drive innovation, alongside Minister for Transport, Phil Twyford.
“I’m pleased to announce that the Government, alongside Australia, is investing in world leading technology to vastly improve the accuracy of GPS in New Zealand enabling faster and safer helicopter rescues and innovation in a range of emerging technologies,” says Eugenie Sage.
Allowing people to enroll to vote on voting day improves democracy, says Green Party Electoral Issues spokesperson Golriz Ghahraman.
“The only reason given for not supporting these changes is that National are worried it will help other parties. National is admitting it wants to stop people voting in order to help their own political position.
Budget spending to ensure New Zealanders can enrol to vote on Election Day will strengthen democracy in Aotearoa, Green Party Electoral Issues spokesperson Golriz Ghahraman said today.
“We’ve seen overseas, particularly in places likes the United States, where voting is discouraged in an effort to maintain the status quo.
“Here in New Zealand, I’m proud that we instead actively encourage participation in our election and broader democracy.
“The higher the engagement in elections the stronger our democracy.