National’s housing policy half-measures aren’t enough to stop the Reserve Bank keeping interest rates on hold, which in turn is holding back small businesses, the Green Party said. “If it wasn’t for the Auckland housing crisis, I’d expect the Reserve Bank to cut the Official Cash Rate to help businesses invest and hire more staff,” Green Party finance spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said. “With very low inflation, Fonterra cutting its forecast dairy pay-out, and international ratings agencies saying New Zealand’s...

The Green Party celebrated the National Government's U-turn on the City Rail Link (CRL), with a mock-opening of the planned Karangahape rail station, which will be built on the site of its Auckland office. The Prime Minister, in his speech to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce today, committed to work with Auckland Council to allow major works to begin on the CRL in 2018. Karangahape Station will be built on the CRL route, and the Mercury Lane entrance constructed on...

The Green Party is celebrating a major victory today following the Prime Minister’s announcement that the National Government will no longer stand in the way of the City Rail Link (CRL), the Green Party said. The Prime Minister, in his speech to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce today, backtracked on the National Government's long held position of a 2020 start date for the CRL. The Government is committing to work with Auckland Council to bring forward a business plan, formalise...

More cracks are appearing in the National Government’s façade of economic management, with the Crown accounts back in deficit and international ratings agency Fitch downgrading its predictions for New Zealand’s economy, the Green Party said. “Eight years into National's reign, the Government has slipped back into deficit while net Crown debt continues to grow, because National hasn’t found a stable way to fund its spending choices,” Green Party finance spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said. “The root of National’s economic problems...

Rumours that Auckland Transport is set to raise the fares on buses and trains are disappointing given the huge fall in oil prices, said the Green Party today. Auckland transport writer, Ben Ross, has reported today that Auckland Transport is set to raise public transport fares on February 28. “Auckland’s bus and train fares should be falling, not rising, if Auckland wants to fix its transport problems,” said Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter. “With record low inflation last...

Low overall inflation provides ideal economic conditions for the Government to tackle snowballing housing costs, stagnating wages, and increasing climate pollution, the Green Party said today. The Consumers Price Index released today showed 2015 experienced the lowest level of annual inflation since 1999, at just 0.1 percent. “Relatively high GDP growth, low inflation, and low interest rates have created good conditions for the Government to invest in tackling the big economic issues like climate change and inequality,” Green Party finance...

New Zealand needs to push for a much stronger final agreement in the last week of climate talks in Paris, the Green Party said today. Overnight (NZ time), negotiators submitted a “Draft Paris Agreement”, which ministers will work with from Monday to try and reach a final deal by Friday’s deadline. “It’s exciting that we’ve reached this point, but the text is still riddled with unresolved issues, and a huge divide remains between developed and developing countries in terms of who should do what,” said...

The Government must make safe cycling around schools a priority, following new data that shows the number of children who cycle to school has dropped to just 2 percent, the Green Party said. The 25 Years of New Zealand Travel: New Zealand Household Travel 1989-2014 report shows that the percentage of children cycling to school has dropped from 12 percent in 1989 to 2 percent in 2014, and the number who walk to school has dropped from 42 percent to...

The National Government’s failure to take meaningful action to curb property speculation is creating a serious risk to the financial and economic stability of the country, said the Green Party today. The Financial Stability Report released by the Reserve Bank today echoed warnings in the IMF mission statement yesterday that rampant house price inflation, fuelled by property speculation in Auckland, is a serious risk to the New Zealand economy. The Reserve Bank stated in its report, ‘Rising investor activity has...

The Green Party is calling on Transport Minister Simon Bridges to adopt Wellington City Council’s trial of “gold coin” bus fares and fund it nationwide, if public transport use increases as a result of the trial. The Wellington City announced today it will trial cheaper weekend bus fares in the lead-up to Christmas, an initiative championed by a Green Councillor Iona Pannett. The move aims to reduce traffic congestion and help shoppers avoid parking fees during the busy Christmas shopping...