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Will National’s eighth budget finally show some vision today?
The Green Party is hoping National’s eighth budget today will address the great challenges of our time, and not just be another exercise in papering over the cracks in New Zealand society, economy and the environment. “After eight years of baby steps, we’re hoping Budget 2016 will take some big steps forwards towards a cleaner, fairer, more compassionate future,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw. “Eight years into John Key’s term, people are asking what exactly is National’s big vision... -
Greens launch Safer, Cleaner Freight policy to get trucks off our roads
The Green Party today announced a plan to get half of New Zealand’s freight moving by rail and sea within 10 years, and dramatically reduce the number of dangerous trucks clogging up New Zealand’s roads. “National’s single-minded focus on a few expensive highways is downright irresponsible, and will ultimately force more and more trucks onto New Zealand roads,” said Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter. “National spends five times more on a few low-value motorways than it does on... -
Government helped Mossack Fonsecca’s tax avoidance business
The National Government helped facilitate Mossack Fonsecca’s tax avoidance business in New Zealand when it put a stop to Inland Revenue’s proposed review of foreign trust regulation, the Green Party says. -
Govt must broaden inquiry into tax avoidance
The Government must urgently broaden its limited review of foreign trusts in light of new revelations of the extent of New Zealand’s involvement in the global tax avoidance industry, the Green Party said today. “Newly revealed leaked documents from Mossack Fonseca demonstrate that New Zealand has become an integral part of the global tax avoidance network,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw. “It’s time for the Prime Minister to stop defending the tax avoidance industry and broaden the review of... -
National confirm bias for foreign trust industry
Former Revenue Minister Todd McClay met twice with foreign trust lobbyists but met with no other stakeholder groups before deciding to stop a review into foreign trusts, the Green Party said today. The current Minister of Revenue, Michael Woodhouse, confirmed the one-sided process taken by his predecessor in Parliament at Question Time today. Minister McClay met with the Prime Minister’s lawyer, Ken Whitney, and others on December 18, 2014 in Auckland and then one other time with OliverShaw acting as... -
More unemployed people is a Government failure
Rising unemployment shows how National’s economic mismanagement has failed to deliver enough jobs for New Zealanders, the Green Party says. “Ten thousand more unemployed people is ten thousand real life tragedies for people hunting for work, and their families,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said. “The Government keeps saying that good times are just around the corner but actually, for the 144,000 New Zealanders who are looking for a decent job now, those good times never seem to arrive. “National is too... -
2016 Budget must close multinational tax loopholes
The Government can follow Australia’s lead and close the loopholes multinational companies are using to avoid paying their fair share of tax, the Green Party said today. New measures announced in Australia’s 2016 Budget include penalising companies caught shifting profits out of Australia at a rate of 40 percent, rather than the usual 30 percent rate. The Australian Tax Office will also get a 1,000-person strong team of tax avoidance specialists who will target large companies and wealthy individuals avoiding... -
Key foreign trust questions remain unanswered
Key questions remain unanswered about the Prime Minister’s role in his Government’s stopping an IRD review of our secretive foreign trust industry, the Green Party said today. Prime Minister John Key told National Radio this morning that his lawyer, Ken Whitney, misrepresented his exchange in an email to then Minister of Revenue Todd McClay by saying, ‘I have spoken to the Prime Minister about this and he advised that the Government has no plans to change the status of the... -
Climate change a threat to prosperity
The Green Party is calling on the Government to require all public fund managers to disclose their exposure to climate risks following a report by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) highlighting the financial risks of climate change for New Zealand. The PCE, in her submission on the Emissions Trading Scheme review, said today that climate change poses a threat to New Zealand's the financial resilience and long term prosperity. Finance Minister Bill English has previously dismissed the PCE's... -
Movie jobs crash despite National’s backroom promises and deals
The number of jobs in the screen industry continues to decline despite National’s promise that its backroom deals with Warner Bros would secure more jobs here, the Green Party said today. Statistics New Zealand released annual data from its Screen Industry Survey today showing that the number of jobs in the industry has declined since a high in 2009 of 30,600 jobs to 25,400 in 2014, the latest year data exists for. This is the lowest level since records were...