The National Government must make achieving equal pay for New Zealand women a priority in 2016, or risks further contributing to the growing gender pay gap, the Green Party said today. The New Zealand Herald today revealed that the gender pay gap is the worst it’s been in almost 10 years, with the median wage for Kiwi men almost $8,000 more than Kiwi women. “We are at a crisis point with the gender pay gap in this country,” said Green...

A Committee of MPs from across Parliament has today called for better, and more sustainable funding for specialist sexual violence services after finding that current funding is not enough to keep people safe, the Green Party said today. The Social Services Select Committee reported back to Parliament today following the Green Party-initiated review of funding for specialist sexual violence social services. “That MPs from across Parliament were able to reach agreement on these wide ranging recommendations means there is huge potential...

Resolving state care compensation cases in a just and prompt manner should be a priority for the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), the Green Party said today. It has been revealed today that MSD has withheld people’s personal information that they need to help resolve historical abuse compensation cases. “Not only is MSD denying personal information to people abused in state care which they are legally entitled to, it is also making unfair low-ball offers of compensation. We understand people...

The Green Party is calling for a comprehensive review into what involvement, if any, Cabinet Ministers had in the decision to allow a Malaysian diplomat, who had been charged with serious sexual offences, to leave New Zealand before his trial. The official inquiry into the events, the full results of which are still secret, left out Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and Police Minister Anne Tolley and only scrutinised processes and actions by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs...

The review of Child, Youth, and Family’s (CYFS) involvement and investigations into the Roastbusters case has raised further questions about whether New Zealanders can trust those meant to protect our vulnerable members of society, the Green Party said today. “New Zealanders should be able to go to the police and to CYFS and trust that their complaints will be taken seriously. That is the foundation of a safe society, ” said Green Party Women’s spokesperson Jan Logie. “It’s pleasing to...

The Prime Minister needs to immediately apologise to Tania Billingsley for the Government’s handling of her case and he must instruct Murray McCully to immediately release an unredacted version of the John Whitehead report into the matter, the Green Party said today.

The Government’s treatment of sexual violence survivors and history of cutting funding to sexual and family violence services stands in stark contrast to John Key’s tirade about rapists in Parliament yesterday, the Green Party says. Prime Minister John Key caused widespread offence yesterday with his outburst claiming that members of the opposition were “backing rapists” when they questioned his Government’s unwillingness to challenge Australia’s record on human rights. “John Key should ditch the playground abuse and turn his energy to...

The Government should set a target date for when women will be paid on par with men in the public sector to show that it take fair pay seriously this Equal Pay Day, the Green Party said today. November 10 is Equal Pay Day, and Green Party MP’s will be joining the “We’re relying on you” campaign picnic run by unions at 1pm on Parliament lawns," Green Party social development spokesperson Jan Logie said. “We know that because the difference...

The Government should adopt Green Party MP Jan Logie’s Domestic Violence-Victims' Protection Bill after new figures showing that registrations for the Work & Income NZ family violence programme have increased nearly 50 percent from 2011. “Staying in employment is critical to reducing the effects of violence, and my Domestic Violence-Victims' Protection Bill would help that to happen,” Green Party social development spokesperson Jan Logie said. “I am pleased more victims are getting support through WINZ but more could be done...

The Green Party has welcomed the Government’s announcement today that it will set up a joint employer-union working group to address claims under the Equal Pay Act. “This is an historic victory, led by Kristine Bartlett and the union movement, who have fought to ensure all women are paid fairly for the work they do,” said Green Party Women’s spokesperson Jan Logie “Kristine’s heroic battle has forced the National Government to treat the underpayment of women seriously. “The negotiations over...