The Green Party has today launched a suite of new policies that will dramatically increase the number of electric vehicles on New Zealand roads, save Kiwis money, and cut pollution. The Green Party’s new policies will remove fringe benefit tax from       electric vehicles provided by businesses for their staff, and       public transport passes provided by businesses to help staff get to and from work.   “Tax breaks for businesses who choose electric cars provide a major cash incentive to...

A new report suggests New Zealand’s potential prosperity is being held back by the National Government’s poor transport planning, the Green Party said. The report shows the amount of driving New Zealanders do relative to GDP is amongst the worst in the OECD group of countries. "If you feel like you spend too much time stuck in traffic and economically you’re not really going anywhere, you’re right,” Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said. “The OECD report shows that,...

The National Government’s failure to fix the Auckland housing crisis has cost a family with a $500,000 mortgage at least $4000 in extra interest, as the Reserve Bank was forced not to cut interest rates today because the Auckland housing market is a ‘financial stability risk’, the Green Party said. “The Reserve Bank is clearly worried that property investors borrowed a new record amount of $2.239 billion in September, and so they haven’t lowered interest rates,” Green Party finance spokesperson...

A new report from the Productivity Commission shows that the Government has many options to help solve the Auckland housing crisis and it must choose those that will create better cities for people and the environment, the Green Party said. “The Productivity Commission’s housing report highlights how the National Government is sitting on its hands when actually it has a huge range of tools it could be using to fix the Auckland housing crisis,” Green Party finance spokesperson Julie Anne...

The Green Party is welcoming new financial protections for subcontractors as a win for the building industry after years of struggle following the collapse of Mainzeal in early 2013. Today, Parliament will pass the Construction Contracts Amendment Bill. “I’m really pleased to see the Government has finally listened to the building industry and put in place new protections for subcontractors, because for a long time it didn’t look likely,” Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter said. “The Green Party has...

The Green Party is calling for stronger controls on agricultural land and business sales to overseas investors following new information that Americans were the biggest investors in New Zealand farmland in the past two years. “New Zealand should be keeping ownership of the land and businesses that underpin our agricultural economy in New Zealand hands,” Green Party finance spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said. “It’s not just land being taken from New Zealand hands, but also ownership of all points in...

The Government needs to rule out borrowing to pay for tax bribes while funding for core education and health services continues to fall behind what’s needed, the Green Party said today. “Bill English’s surplus works out at $2.20 a week per person – about the price of a pack of chewing gum – so if he wants to cut taxes more than that he’s going to need to borrow to fund his tax bribes,” Green Party finance spokesperson Julie Anne...

National today achieved their own narrow goal for the economy by achieving a surplus, but it’s come at the cost of the things that matter to families and children, the Green Party said today. Treasury reported today that the Government has recorded an operating surplus of $414 million before gains and losses (OBEGAL) for 2014/15. This is National’s first OBEGAL operating surplus since they came to power in 2008. “National has finally secured its first surplus, which is good, but...

Record numbers of people are withdrawing from their KiwiSaver schemes due to significant financial hardship, the Green Party said today. The Financial Market Authority’s annual report on KiwiSaver shows that $43 million was withdrawn from KiwiSaver last year for reasons of significant financial hardship, up 38 percent from last year. A new record number of people are withdrawing their retirement savings, up 11 percent to 8,911 as calculated by the Parliamentary Library. “Record numbers of people are suffering significant financial...

The Green Party is celebrating the conclusion of an uphill battle to get National to run a competitive tender process for New Zealand’s biggest banking contract – the Government’s master banking contract. Westpac has been the Government’s banker for over 25 years and the Green Party has pushed to have this cosy banking relationship exposed and put up for tender. The open tender process will now save taxpayers $120 million in lower bank fees over the next eight-year contract. “The...