Christchurch deserves a co-ordinated transport agency with a region-wide plan, not just the new Bus Exchange that Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee is visiting today, said the Green Party. “The National Government is tinkering around the edges when it comes to public transport, but what we need is a coordinated regional transport agency that’s able to make smart planning decisions for all the people who live and work in Canterbury,” Green Party Christchurch spokesperson Eugenie Sage said. “The new Bus Exchange...

The National Government’s lack of interest in protecting the environment is becoming an international embarrassment, the Green Party said today. The OECD environment report out this week shows New Zealand is one of the worst performers in the OECD on a range of environmental indicators, including greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater use, overuse of fertiliser, and taxing pollution. “Not only is the National Government failing to protect the environment we love, but it’s embarrassing New Zealand internationally. Other countries are making...

The National Government should aim to be as proud of the environment as we are of the All Blacks, the Green Party said today. However, the release of last week’s dire Environment Aotearoa 2015 report shows the state of New Zealand’s environment under the National Government is nothing to be proud of. “New Zealand is proud of the All Blacks’ persistence, determination, courage and compassion. All these qualities are sadly missing from National’s attitude to the environment,” said Green Party...

The inaugural Environment Aotearoa report highlights the major shortfalls in the Government’s environmental management, and must lead to urgent action to protect our indigenous wildlife, rivers, and seas, the Green Party said today. "The Government’s hands-off approach to environmental  protection is a major reason for the fact that 66% of monitored river sites are no longer safe to swim in and the precarious positions of many of our native seabirds and marine mammals," said Green Party environment spokesperson Eugenie Sage. “Our native plants,...

The Green Party will be strongly opposing the Government’s Environment Canterbury (Transitional Governance Arrangements) Bill, which is due to have its first reading in Parliament today. “There is no justification for the Government to treat Cantabrians as second class citizens, denying them the right to elect a full regional council and the right to access the Environment Court,” said Eugenie Sage, the Green Party’s Canterbury spokesperson. “There is no reason for having the Resource Management Act continue to apply differently in Canterbury than elsewhere in...

Stronger rules and enforcement to protect our beaches and marine environment are needed in the wake of new information that more than 360 oil spills have occurred in New Zealand waters since the 2011 Rena disaster, the Green Party said today. “With summer just around the corner, we need better ways of protecting the beaches and seas that are so important to Kiwi ways of life,” Green Party environment spokesperson Eugenie Sage said. “Every New Zealander has a birthright to...

The Department of Conservation’s (DoC) decision to allow the habitat of threatened species such as long-tailed bat to be used for an irrigation reservoir sets a dangerous precedent that threatens our native wildlife, the Green Party said today. DoC’s Director-General has agreed to revoke the conservation status of 22 hectares of Ruahine Forest Park to allow the Ruataniwha irrigation dam and reservoir to proceed in return for 170 ha of private land called the Smedley Block. “DoC’s decision to sacrifice...

The Green Party is excited by the news that the Government is creating an ocean sanctuary at the Kermadecs and hope that more is to come. “We’re delighted the Government has picked up the Kermadec ocean sanctuary concept that has been in a Green private member's Bill drafted by Gareth Hughes several years ago,” said Green Party environment spokesperson Eugenie Sage. “The 620,000 square kilometre sanctuary just announced is great news for the seascapes, underwater volcanoes and diverse wildlife that...

The Green Party is calling on the Government to increase core agricultural science funding in light of potential mass layoffs at AgResearch, the Government’s largest Crown Research Institute. “We cannot have a high-performing agricultural economy if the essential natural science that underpins farming success is underfunded and the scientists are losing their jobs,” said Green Party primary industries spokesperson Eugenie Sage. “The latest round of up to 90 redundancies at AgResearch is part of a disturbing trend. Since 2010, 71 science...

The Green Party agrees that blocking the sale of Lochinver Station to Shanghai Pengxin was the correct thing to do, but says tighter rules around the sale of land are still required to stop land falling into overseas hands. “We want the law changed to rule out the sale of farmland over five hectares to offshore interests. This would give more certainty to vendors and the public about who owns land in this country,” said Green Party primary industries spokesperson...