Green Party Immigration spokesperson Golriz Ghahraman has this morning written to the Minister for Immigration, expressing concern about the Ministry’s discriminatory use of immigrants’ personal data.  “We’re very concerned to hear that Immigration NZ is using an algorithm that includes age, gender and ethnicity to determine access to immigration opportunities, including identifying people who are supposedly more likely to commit crimes based on their ethnicity,” said Ms Ghahraman. “We know that the previous government introduced the use of so called...

The Green Party is welcoming a report released by the Prime Minister’s Chief Scientist, Sir Peter Gluckman, which acknowledges our justice system is broken and incarcerating more New Zealanders won’t fix it. “This report points the way forward for justice in New Zealand, and fits with what the Green Party has been advocating for some time,” said Green Party justice spokesperson Golriz Ghahraman. “I know, having worked on the frontlines of our criminal justice system, that so-called ‘tough-on-crime’ rhetoric and...

In the wake of the signing of the CPTPP, the Green Party is calling on all parties in Parliament to rule out signing any future trade deals with ISDS clauses. “No future governments should sign trade agreements with ISDS clauses in them,” said Green Party trade spokesperson Golriz Ghahraman.  “ISDS clauses are a threat to our sovereignty, to our people and to our environment. We are giving foreign investors and multinational corporates the right to sue us for future progressive law...

“I am deeply offended by the suggestion that I am a genocide denier. I am strongly committed to upholding human rights, and my work experience is testament to that. “During my legal career, I worked on both prosecution and defence teams, here in New Zealand and for the United Nations. “That included working in legal advisor roles on defence teams at the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, and a role as Assistant Co-Prosecutor at the Khmer...

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha, tēnā koutou katoa. Te mana whenua o tēnei wāhi, Te Āti awa, tēnā koutou. Otirā ngā iwi whānui tēnā koutou katoa Mr Speaker I congratulate you on your election and look forward to your guidance in this house. I begin by acknowledging what a breathtaking honour it is to sit among this Green caucus. I acknowledge also those who sat here before now: Especially Catherine Delahunty and Keith Locke – You spoke to injustice wherever it happened. That meant a lot to someone like me. Mojo Mathers, for proving to me, and us all, that we all exist beyond our...

The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand maintains its strong opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).  “The Green Party has long opposed the TPPA. The new proposed deal, which came out of the weekend’s talks, still contains key ISDS concessions to corporations that put our democracy at risk, so our position remains the same,” said Green Party trade spokesperson Golriz Ghahraman.  “We support fair trade that brings real benefit to all New Zealanders – not trade deals that put...