National has put key rail projects in Auckland on the backburner, choosing to delay light rail to the airport for a decade and a possible rail line to the North Shore for another two, the Green Party said today. The Government and Auckland Council this afternoon laid out a decade by decade plan outlining the major transport projects it wants to progress over the next 30 years. "With rapid population growth and the urgent need to cut climate pollution, now...

National needs to commit to the full electrification of the Main Trunk Line between Auckland and Wellington so KiwiRail can upgrade to new clean-energy electric trains, the Green Party said today. KiwiRail is expected to reveal on Monday whether it will replace its existing fleet of electric locomotives with new electric ones, or revert back to diesel locomotives. “It would be ridiculous to revert back to dirty diesel trains, particularly given National’s promise to move away from climate-polluting fossil fuels...

The Green Party today welcomed the Government's campaign to raise the profile of electric vehicles (EVs), but warned that the absence of any plan to make them affordable means EVs will be out of reach for most New Zealanders. The comments follow the release of Treasury advice which said that the Government's only electric vehicle incentive (an exemption from Road User Charges until 2021) would be an ineffective subsidy and cost the country $40 million. Treasury also described the Government’s...

The National Government needs to now take responsibility and set some bottom lines around investment in cluster bombs, landmines, and nuclear weapons, the Green Party said today. The Police have today decided not to prosecute fund managers who have made investments in cluster bomb manufacturers, saying such investments do not breach the Cluster Munitions Prohibition Act. The legality of those investments now remains up in the air. “New Zealanders haven’t changed their opinion on the ethics of cluster bombs so...

The Green Party in Government would dump BNZ as a default KiwiSaver provider if it continues to invest in cluster bomb makers, the Green Party said today. BNZ is the last of nine default KiwiSaver providers selected by the Government to move to divest and screen for companies manufacturing cluster bombs, landmines, and nuclear weapons. KiwiBank, Mercer, and ASB are still reviewing their responsible investment policies. “It’s unacceptable to invest in companies that manufacture cluster bombs, landmines, or nuclear weapons,...

Information uncovered by the Green Party showing the Government’s $31 billion ACC Investment Fund has been illegally investing New Zealanders’ money into cluster munitions companies is further evidence of National’s disregard for the laws and ethics of investment. The Green Party asked the ACC Fund in November 2015 whether it had any exposure to illegal investments in cluster munitions companies through pooled or collective investment vehicles. Seventy-six working days later*, the ACC Fund admitted that it had $1.4 million invested...

The Government should follow the actions of Grosevnor and take swift steps to ensure its default KiwiSaver funds meet minimum ethical standards, the Green Party said today. Grosvenor announced yesterday that it was shifting its default KiwiSaver fund into a highly ethical international share index, which screens out companies producing items such as alcohol, tobacco, military weapons, firearms, nuclear power and fossil fuels. The move comes after reports last week showed at least five default KiwiSaver schemes were invested in...

The Government needs to set higher ethical investment standards for its default KiwiSaver providers, the Green Party said today. Radio New Zealand revealed today that a majority of the nine default KiwiSaver funds currently invest in companies involved in the manufacture of cluster bombs, landmines, and nuclear weapons. Only one default KiwiSaver provider, KiwiBank, has said that it excludes these companies from its investments. “Profiting from the production of cluster munitions, landmines, and nuclear weapons is immoral, and most Kiwis...

The Green Party is calling for the government to fund rail infrastructure from the National Land Transport Fund, following statements by KiwiRail boss Peter Reidy that the government “hasn't really considered the rail freight challenge” in its 30 year planning for Auckland's transport system.

The National Government has no more excuses for the Auckland housing crisis now that Auckland Council has passed the Unitary Plan, the Green Party said today. “This is a big step towards building a better, more affordable Auckland, and now the ball is in the Government’s court,” Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter said. “National needs to make the Unitary Plan work properly by building affordable homes, cracking down on property speculators, fixing the Building Code, and investing in public...