The Green Party is calling on the Government to hold the line in the face of foreign trust lobbying to water down new foreign trust disclosure reforms, the Green Party said today. “Less than a day after the Government was forced to accept most of the Shewan Inquiry recommendations, the foreign trust industry began a concerted campaign to weaken its response,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw. Information released to the Green Party under the Official Information Act shows that...

The Havelock North outbreak calls into question the Government’s growth-at-any-cost economic strategy, says Green Party Co-leader James Shaw today, in response to comments today by professors of public health, Alistair Woodward and Simon Hales

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 Reserve Bank was forced to cut the Official Cash Rate (OCR) today in a bid to drive down the high New Zealand dollar and address growing imbalances in the New Zealand economy, the Green Party said today. The Reserve Bank cut the OCR today by 25 basis points to 2.0 per cent, with Governor Graeme Wheeler signalling further cuts were likely. “The Reserve Bank has been forced to cut the OCR in an attempt to address growing imbalances in...

House price data released today shows no signs of a slow down to the overheated housing market and overdue cuts to the Official Cash Rate (OCR) tomorrow are likely to add further fuel to the fire, the Green Party said today. REINZ data released today shows median house prices continue to rise, up 8.6 percent nationally (year on year) and up 12.2 percent in Auckland (year on year). The Reserve Bank will likely announce cuts to the OCR tomorrow, which...

Auckland housing is unaffordable and a responsible Government would have a sensible plan to reduce house prices over time, while protecting families with mortgages, the Green Party said today. “The simple fact is that housing in Auckland is totally unaffordable and if we don’t take action to bring house prices down, we will have a whole generation of people locked out of ever owning their own home,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei. “In around 10 to 15 years’ time,...