Commerce & Consumer Affairs

Bigger fines needed for companies that breach privacy

The Green Party is proposing to give the Privacy Commissioner the power to seek serious financial penalties for major privacy breaches.“New Zealanders rightly expect their most sensitive information to be protected, but right now a company can lose your most private information and walk away without paying a cent,” says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson.  The Green Party proposal would give the Privacy Commissioner the power to apply, via the courts, for civil pecuniary penalties for a serious privacy breach of...

Posted at June 10, 2026 4:00 PM by Marama Davidson

culture and innovation

Rising food prices hitting New Zealanders while supermarket duopoly not held accountable

Rising food prices are hitting New Zealanders in the pocket and driving them to hunger says MP Ricardo Menéndez March, Green Party spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs."While the supermarkets have been making $1 million a day in excess profits, food prices have surged 4.5% over the last year. Fruit and vegetables, a core staple, are up a massive 9.4%.” “The stark contrast is appalling, and these ridiculous prices are not sustainable for New Zealanders who are being strong-armed by...

Posted at March 17, 2026 1:33 PM by Ricardo Menéndez March

culture and innovation

Time for Govt to get serious on household debt

The Green Party is calling on the Government to intervene following a new report on rising household debt from FinCap. “Every family deserves to live with dignity, no household should be forced to go into debt to survive,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Ricardo Menéndez March.  “The Voices report released today shows that the Government needs to put an end to debt collectors exploiting families in vulnerable situations and do more for those struggling.  “We support...

Posted at July 31, 2025 9:00 AM by Ricardo Menéndez March

culture and innovation

Urgent intervention needed on supermarkets

The Green Party is calling on the Government to intervene in the supermarket duopoly dominating our supply of groceries following today’s report from the Commerce Commission.“The greed of our supermarkets is coming at a severe cost to our communities. We need urgent intervention to ensure people are coming before profit,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for commerce and consumer affairs, Ricardo Menéndez March.“Everyone deserves to be able to put food on the table for their whānau. The food systems that...

Posted at September 04, 2024 10:53 AM by Ricardo Menéndez March

culture and innovation

Food prices another clear example of why tax changes are urgent

Rising food prices show exactly why now is the time to shake up the tax system and raise the money we need to lift every family out of poverty.Stats NZ data shows that food prices have increased 12.5 percent for the year ending June 2023, with fruit and vegetable prices increasing 22 percent. “A government with the political courage to tax the wealthiest few could raise enough money to lift every family out of poverty and guarantee everyone enough to...

Posted at July 13, 2023 10:52 AM by Ricardo Menéndez March

culture and innovation

Greens' Income Guarantee is needed more than ever

Continued rising food prices shows exactly why Aotearoa needs the Green Party’s Income Guarantee.“As food prices continue to rise, tens of thousands of people are struggling to put food on the table and pay the bills. Meanwhile, the wealthiest few are continuing to get richer. This cannot continue. The time is now to lift every single family out of poverty through our Income Guarantee and to pay for it with a fair tax system,” says the Green Party spokesperson for...

Posted at June 14, 2023 3:23 PM by Ricardo Menéndez March

culture and innovation

Govt must break up supermarkets

The Government needs to do much more to address supermarket profiteering, which is driving high food prices.“A report released today says that the Government’s proposed reforms will not be enough to address the high cost of groceries,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for commerce and consumer affairs, Ricardo Menéndez March.“The report agrees with what the Green Party has been saying for a really long time: that the time is now to break up the supermarket duopoly.“Not only that but the...

Posted at May 12, 2023 11:38 AM by Ricardo Menéndez March

culture and innovation

Action to support people to put food on the table more urgent than ever

Yet another increase in food prices shows the urgent need for the Government to tax wealth and use the money to help people put food on the table.“As food prices continue to rise, almost half a million people in Aotearoa rely on food banks to afford to eat. Meanwhile, the wealthiest few are continuing to get richer. This simply cannot continue,” says the Green Party spokesperson for commerce and consumer affairs, Ricardo Menéndez March. “A recent survey showed that rising...

Posted at May 11, 2023 10:49 AM by Ricardo Menéndez March

culture and innovation

Action needed to stop supermarkets taking advantage of people

Supermarket profiteering is driving high food prices and it needs to be reined in urgently, the Green Party says.“The cruel truth is that food price rises driven by supermarket profiteering are making it harder and harder for people to afford to eat. The evidence for an excess profits tax on supermarkets could not be clearer,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for commerce and consumer affairs, Ricardo Menéndez March. “Data released today shows once again that food prices are at record...

Posted at April 17, 2023 11:22 AM by Ricardo Menéndez March

culture and innovation

Bold action needed to help people eat

Biggest increase in food prices for over three decades shows the need for an excess profit tax on corporations to help people put food on the table.“Supermarkets are pushing up prices and maximising profits, meanwhile everyday New Zealanders are getting fleeced and struggling to put food on the table. The Government needs to tax excess profit and use the money to help people make ends meet,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for commerce and consumer affairs, Ricardo Menéndez March. “A...

Posted at March 13, 2023 1:37 PM by Ricardo Menéndez March