People in Canterbury should not be second class citizens having to live with second class local body representation, the Green Party said today. The Green Party is concerned at the prospect of the National Government failing to restore a fully elected Environment Canterbury Regional Council (ECan) in announcements later this week about the council’s future.

Further evidence that the Ministry of Primary Industries may have been negligent in its implementation of the Forests Act 1949, including confusing diameter and circumference measurements, means a moratorium on swamp kauri mining and exports is urgent, says the Green Party. “The Green Party has no confidence in the Government and MPI's implementation of the Forests Act, or in its understanding of basic mathematical measurements. An urgent halt to exports is needed while an inquiry is conducted into the chaotic...

The Government’s excuses for allowing the export of swamp kauri as finished products are being bogged down by mounting evidence that rough sawn slabs of kauri timber are being exported illegally, the Green Party said today. “Evidence is mounting that the Government’s claims that exports are legal because they’re finished products are entirely inaccurate, with rough sawn slabs of kauri timber openly for sale on Chinese, American, and Polish websites,” Green Party conservation spokesperson Eugenie Sage said. “It’s increasingly clear...

The National Government is continuing to undermine the Department of Conservation’s (DOC) work protecting New Zealand’s natural spaces by shifting responsibility for new marine reserves legislation to the Ministry for the Environment (MFE), the Green Party said today. “It means we’re likely to see weak legislation promoting Clayton’s marine reserves that allow fishing instead of effective no take marine reserves which properly protect marine life and seascapes for their own sake,” said Green Party conservation spokesperson Eugenie Sage.  “The Government...

The illegal export of ancient swamp kauri logs needs to stop and a Ministerial inquiry started to prevent more environmental destruction and the loss of New Zealand taonga, the Green Party said today. “It’s clear that the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) is allowing ancient swamp kauri logs to be exported to China, despite this being illegal under the Forests Act 1949,” said Green Party conservation spokesperson Eugenie Sage. “The restrictions on the removal of swamp kauri from wetlands and the...

The decision to restore Christchurch’s Town Hall is a victory for the people of Christchurch and a validation of their democratic rights, the Green Party said today. “Since the earthquakes, Cantabrians have become all too used to Government-appointed bureaucrats making decisions without any real mandate, and without hearing the public’s concerns or heeding their wishes,” said Green Party Christchurch issues spokesperson Eugenie Sage. “By voting to restore the Town Hall, rather than bowl it, the Council has listened to the...

“The Local Government Commission needs to pay attention to the vast majority of submitters who opposed the super-city idea,” said Green Party local government spokesperson Eugenie Sage. Plans to create a super-city for Wellington and Wairarapa look to be on hold – for now.  

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.