Lianne Dalziel’s budget plan, announced today, will see Christchurch’s profitable assets sold in three years, said the Green Party. 

Local governments throughout New Zealand will have to pick up the ongoing cost of National’s inaction on climate change, the Green Party said today. “The flooding in Dunedin highlights that the National Government needs to stop being the problem and start being part of the solution on climate change,” Green Party local government spokesperson Eugenie Sage said. “Since National came to power in 2008, New Zealand’s net emissions have increased by 13 percent; the scientific consensus is that increasing emissions...

The Government should immediately implement a moratorium on seabed mining, the Green Party said today. The Green Party is responding to the news that Trans-Tasman Resources has applied to New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals for a 4,436km2 Prospecting Permit offshore along the West Coast of the South Island.

It’s time for the Government to pull out all the stops to protect Maui’s dolphin in the wake of news that estimated numbers have fallen to between 43 and 47 individuals, said the Green Party today. Research from NABU International shows that the world’s smallest and rarest dolphin has only 10-12 mature females left, and could be extinct by 2029. It was previously thought that there were 55 individuals remaining. “We either do everything we can to save these unique...

The Green Party is disappointed that Budget 2015 continues Government cuts to conservation spending, increasing the risks to our native species. 

The Government needs to renegotiate the cost sharing agreement with Christchurch City Council rather than force the city to flog off its valuable assets, the Green Party said today. Submissions closed today on the Council’s Long Term Plan 2015-2025. In it, the Council proposes to sell $750 million of assets such as Orion and Christchurch Airport Limited in order to fund an ambitious capital spending programme and its $793m share of the anchor projects. “Anchor projects like the $253m stadium are...

Any measures to stop the sale of Christchurch’s assets, including the proposed Common Sense Plan, should be carefully considered by the Christchurch City Council, the Green Party said today. “Christchurch residents have been telling us that they absolutely do not want asset sales,” said Green Party Christchurch spokesperson Eugenie Sage. “They recognise asset sales for what they really are – short-term, stop-gap thinking – and know they will do little to secure Christchurch’s long-term financial future. “There is a groundswell...

Christchurch City Council’s announcement that it has engaged Cameron Partners to provide financial advice on asset sales casts doubt over the value of the consultation process for its Long Term Plan, the Green Party said today. “Mayor Lianne Dalziel is insisting that no decision has been made on asset sales and that the decision will occur only after the consultation has concluded,” said Eugenie Sage, the Green Party’s Christchurch spokesperson. “If that is the case, why on earth would Christchurch...

The Green Party is calling for a total ban on recreational set nets in the Banks Peninsula Marine Mammal Sanctuary to stop more Hector’s dolphins from being caught in them and drowning. Scientists have today confirmed the death of a Hector’s dolphin found in Akaroa Harbour was caused by a set net. Current legislation allows set nets to be used in some inner bays of Akaroa Harbour from 1 April to 30 September to catch flat-fish. Set nets create a...

National is attempting to control local government in Canterbury, and is denying its people the right to make their own decisions, the Green Party said today. The Government has proposed to have no regional council elections for Environment Canterbury Regional Council (ECan) until 2016 and then to have Ministers appoint six members of the 13-person regional council after the 2016 elections. ECan has been run by seven Government-appointed commissioners since 2010. "National doesn't seem to trust the people of Canterbury...