The treatment of migrant children and families at the United States border is heart-breaking and intolerable. The Green Party calls on the New Zealand Government to condemn this egregious breach of human rights. “The mass detention of children and separation from their families as a part of immigration policy is unacceptable,” says Golriz Ghahraman, Green Party human rights spokesperson. “It is abhorrent to do it as a way to ‘deter’ their parents from seeking asylum or migrating to the United...

The Green Party is strongly condemning the slaughter perpetrated by the Israeli armed forces in Gaza overnight following the opening of the new United States Embassy in Jerusalem, which has resulted in the murder of at least 52 civilians and over 2400 injured.  This is the second deadly massacre of protestors perpetrated by the Israeli armed forces this year and is the deadliest onslaught in Gaza since 2014.  “As predicted the opening of Donald Trump’s confrontational Embassy in Jerusalem has...

The Green Party today remains deeply concerned about the TPPA’s successor agreement, TPP-11. "The most egregious clauses in the original TPPA were the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms, which were included largely at the insistence of the United States. Now that the US isn't a part of it anymore, the remaining countries should simply remove the ISDS mechanisms," said Green Party Leader James Shaw. “As long as the ISDS mechanisms remain in place, the TPP-11 undermines New Zealand’s ability to...

The Green Party says that the National Government's decision to send more soldiers to Afghanistan is a mistake. The Government has announced today that they will send three non-combat troops to Afghanistan, following President Trump’s announcement this week that he would immediately beef up the United States’ military presence there. “We do not believe that any more Kiwi troops should be sent into danger in Afghanistan, and a Green Government would bring them back” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw....

The Green Party would oppose any deployment of combat troops to Afghanistan, following President Trump’s announcement on Tuesday that he would immediately beef up the United States’ military presence there. The Government has indicated today that they will make a decision on sending some NZDF personnel before the election on September 23.

Bill English’s apology for condemning illegal Israeli settlements shows that New Zealand will not have an independent foreign policy under a National-led Government, the Green Party said today Bill English is reported to have written a letter to Israeli officials saying that he regretted "the damage done to Israel-New Zealand relations as a result of New Zealand co-sponsoring Security Council resolution 2334". “The Prime Minister's decision to write and ‘express regret’ to Israel for condemning its illegal settlements shows that...

The Green Party has criticised the United States for acting unilaterally in its cruise missile attack on Shayrat airfield in Syria. That attack was launched following the reported use of chemical weapons against civilians in a town in northern Syria several days ago. “This hasty military action by the US, without consultation with other major powers, threatens global security,” said Green global affairs spokesperson Kennedy Graham. “We expect and deserve cooler heads than this from our global leaders. No wrong...

The Green Party will today seek to introduce a Bill to Parliament that doubles New Zealand’s annual refugee quota to 1500 immediately, and to 2000 from 2018. “In a world racked with uncertainty and turmoil, welcoming a few hundred more refugees is the least we can do to pull our weight,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw. “We’re suggesting a small law change, but it will make a massive difference to people whose lives are affected by conflict and persecution....

The Green Party in government would double New Zealand’s refugee quota as a matter of priority. “We’ll double the refugee quota at our first Cabinet meeting,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw. “While Bill English stays quiet about what’s going on in the USA, we want to make it clear that when the Green Party is in government, New Zealand will be a counterweight to Donald Trump’s bigotry. “Bill English needs to hurry up and make his position clear on...

The Green Party is calling on Israel to swiftly release Green MP Marama Davidson and other members of the Women’s Peace Flotilla who have been intercepted in international waters off the coast of Gaza.