The Green Party today announced a $418 million transport plan for greater Christchurch focused on creating a new network of rapid public transport lines, a city-wide bike share scheme, and safe cycling infrastructure. It accompanies a commitment to invest over $1 billion nationwide over ten years to complete cycling networks in our towns and cities, especially around schools. The Green Party’s plan for Christchurch includes a commitment to fast-track three new rapid transit lines by 2022, including: An Airport Line...

The Green Party in government will fund free counselling for all New Zealanders aged 25 and under as part of a $260 million youth mental health package. “Free counselling for any young person who wants to talk about the ups and downs they are experiencing with a trained professional will make a huge difference to people’s wellbeing,” Green Party leader James Shaw said today. “Everyone goes through ups and downs and as a society we can do more to recognise...

A newly released report by the Auckland Housing Summit reveals the scale of National’s housing crisis, the Green Party said today. New data from Statistics New Zealand has also confirmed the second consecutive quarter that building activity has fallen, with a 0.4 percent fall in residential house-building across New Zealand. “This report reads like a laundry list of things National has done wrong or failed to do,” said Green Party building and housing spokesperson Julie Anne Genter. “The results come...

The Green Party in Government will revitalise rail across the country, including repairing the Napier-Gisborne line. The announcement came today in Gisborne from two Green MPs, transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter and local candidate Gareth Hughes. “National has let regional rail lines rust away but the Greens in government will restore rail as the backbone of New Zealand’s transport system, for freight and for people,” said Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter. “There are huge benefits to moving more...

The Green Party announced today that in government it will work with councils to retain the passenger rail service between Palmerston North and Wellington and increase the number of daily services. Horizons and Greater Wellington Regional Councils have presented a business case to political party leaders seeking $3.2 million from government, over three years, to retain the Capital Connection service while investigations are made to upgrade to a multi-trip service in 2021/22. “While National was content keeping the Capital Connection...

The record-high annual suicide statistics released today shows why the Government must urgently initiate a nationwide mental health inquiry, the Green Party said today. The provisional statistics found 606 Kiwis took their own life in 2016-17 year, which is the highest number of suicide deaths since provisional statistics were first recorded by the Coroner’s Office in 2007/08. “The number of Kiwis who are tragically taking their own lives reflects the failings in our broken mental health system,” Green Party health...

The Green Party today announced a game-changing plan for public transport in New Zealand, with free fares on buses, trains and commuter ferries for all young people around the country, as well as a commitment to fund and build a congestion-free network in Auckland. The Green Card will provide universal, 24/7, free public transport for everyone under the age of 19, and free off-peak public transport for tertiary students at university, polytechnic, wānanga, private training establishments, and people training through...

The Green Party today announced that it will trial a passenger rail service between Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga starting in 2019, when it is in government. The passenger rail service will be based on the concept released today by Greater Auckland. It would run five times a day between Hamilton and Auckland, with one return service to Tauranga daily. “National has let regional rail services rust away but the Greens in government will restore rail as the backbone of New...

The Green Party has welcomed the Government’s recent announcement that one in three cars in its vehicle fleet will be electric by 2021, but it is still ‘low power.’ “While this is a good start, we need to charge up the ambition to ensure that New Zealand is keeping pace with the rest of the world,” said Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter.  “Aotearoa should be leading the world in electric vehicle adaptation. Instead, National’s lack of leadership has...

Documents obtained by the Green Party show the National government has quietly delayed work to protect the route for light rail to the airport from development, having previously said it was being urgently progressed, the Green Party said today. A briefing to Transport Minister Simon Bridges in March said a business case for route protection for the CBD to airport corridor would be completed in 2017.  https://archive.greens.org.nz/file/nzta-oia-responsepdfAn Official Information Act response from the NZ Transport Agency in July said that...