Pasifika calls for the protection of our seas

The Green Party supports calls from around the Pacific to stop harmful fishing practices such as bottom trawling, stop using our seas to dispose of waste, and ban deep sea mining in their territories.

“The ocean is the foundation of Pasifika cultural and historical identities that links communities here to our island homelands,” says Teanau Tuiono, Green Party spokesperson for Oceans and Fisheries (Pacific Peoples) and Pacific Peoples.

“Throughout the region, customary association with the sea forms the basis of present-day social structures, livelihoods and tenure systems, as well as traditional systems of stewardship governing its use. At its core it is about relationships – our relationship with the sea and understanding that the sea is a myriad of living relationships.

“We need to stop treating the ocean like an endless packet of chocolate chip biscuits that just magically fills itself. The seas are a living taonga and that the multitude of species and the habitats they call home are crucial to a healthy planet.

“Dirty fishing – bottom trawling affects seamounts and deep sea corals and dirty fishing practices, such as bottom trawling on seamounts must stop. It’s like chopping down a kauri forest to catch a kereru – we don’t do that on land, we shouldn’t do it in the ocean.

“We also support Pacific voices that are calling for the ban of deep sea mining in their territories. Acknowledging the potential resulting biodiversity loss, including many known endemic species.

“We must support those who know that it is not just about today, but about our children and their children. We must think seven generations ahead.”

Cook Islands call for our moana to be cared for:

https://www.facebook.com/tiscookislands/videos/748626889413441/

Volunteer

The Greens are proud to be driven by passionate people like you. Today we need your help to take action on the biggest issues facing Aotearoa. Volu...

Action

Save Auckland's Climate Budget

Sign the petition to stop Mayor Wayne Brown's proposal for dangerous cuts to climate and environmental programmes that protect us from extreme weat...

Action

No New Mines 2023

Action

Expand Voting

Now more than ever, young people in Aotearoa are impacted by Government decisions, and they deserve to have a say. We are calling on all Members of...

Action

End Intensive Winter Grazing

Sign the petition to Labour Ministers, to move faster in bringing regulations into force and end intensive winter grazing.

Action

Trains for Climate

Add your name to our open letter urging the Minister for Finance Grant Robertson to save our passenger trains between Wellington, the Wairarapa and...

Action

Healthy Oceans 2022

Join our Healthy Oceans Crew to help us keep the health and protection of our oceans high on the Labour Government’s political agenda.

Action

It's time: A Ministry for Rainbow Communities

Join our call asking the Prime Minister to establish a Ministry for Rainbow Communities that can champion Rainbow issues.

Action

No new mines on conservation land

Sign the open letter asking Labour Ministers to stick to their promise of banning new mining projects on conservation land.

Action

Allow community ownership of our buses

Public transport is an essential service and helps to tackle the climate crisis by reducing our carbon emissions. But there are barriers to communi...

Action

Local Events

We have activists across Aotearoa / New Zealand who are working hard to build a brighter future for our kids and grandkids. This page lists upcomin...

Latest Pacific Peoples Announcements

Story

The time is now to strike anti-Pacific racism from New Zealand law

A Green Party member’s bill pulled from the ballot today would strike an anti-Pacific racist law from the country’s books and help heal the wrongs ...

The time is now for overstayer amnesty

With the alarming number of Dawn Raids occurring, the Green Party is calling on the Minister to immediately grant an amnesty to all overstayers.

Govt must grant visa waivers to all Pacific countries

The Green Party is once again calling on the Government to grant visa waivers to all Pacific countries.

Govt must extend Samoa visa changes to all Pacific countries

Thanks to Green Party pressure, visitors from Samoa can soon travel to Aotearoa without a visa – a right that should be extended to every Pacific c...

Greens call on Govt to grant visa waiver status to all Pacific countries

The Green Party is calling on the Government to change visa settings to allow people visiting Aotearoa from the Pacific Islands to do so without ha...

Indigenous self-determination key to unlocking better future

Data released today by the Human Rights Measurement Initiative shows why land must be returned to tangata whenua, the Green Party says.

Story

Moratorium on deep sea mining needed right now

The Green Party is calling on the Government to announce its support urgently for a moratorium on deep sea mining under the high seas, after Pacifi...

Greens join Pacific leaders to call for an end to deep sea mining

Greens Oceans & Fisheries (Pacific) spokesperson Teanau Tuiono has joined together with other Pacific Parliamentarians to launch The Pacific Pa...