A strong and diverse agricultural sector is an important part of an economically viable and environmentally sustainable Aotearoa New Zealand. Farmers who do the right thing by the environment should be recognised and rewarded. Rural communities should be strengthened and enjoy high quality of life Rural communities should enjoy quality public services, including potable water, health care, education, justice, and broadband. The sale of rural property and farms should be restricted to New Zealand citizens and residents, with government discouraging...

Protecting and growing our forests cleans the air and lowers greenhouse gas emissions, creates jobs and economic value, sustains the soil and clean water, and helps support our native animals. Indigenous forests should be increased Land-owners should be incentivised to convert to permanent and plantation forestry. Government should expand its ownership of state forests, except where they are returned to Maori under Treaty of Waitangi settlements. Forestry can support Aotearoa New Zealand’s contribution to stopping climate change Economic tools such...

The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor to review New Zealand’s live animal exports rules. “New Zealand’s live animal export laws are in serious need of an update to protect animal welfare and our agricultural brand,” Green Party Animal Welfare spokesperson Gareth Hughes said today. “New Zealand exports tens of thousands of live animals for breeding purposes every year and these animals can face appalling treatment when they arrive in the importing country.” “The...

The Green Party is glad to finally see the rollout of cameras on selected fishing boats but believes it needs to be scaled-up fast. “We need cameras on all fishing boats as soon as possible to help stamp out illegal practices and protect our fisheries for future generations” says Green Party spokesperson for Fisheries, Gareth Hughes.  “The rollout in its current form is too generous with taxpayer’s money, too narrow and too slow. “Whilst we welcome this first step we...

Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage are accelerating work to improve protection of the nationally endangered Hector’s dolphin, after five were accidentally killed in a fishing net off Banks Peninsula. The dolphins were trapped in a commercial set net about six nautical miles north of Banks Peninsula on 17 February. The fisherman reported the incident to Fisheries Inshore New Zealand (FINZ) and to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). Mr Nash and Ms Sage have identified a...

Using water for commercial gain is a privilege that should be paid for, the Green Party said today. “We recognise that the issue of charging for water is complex and that everyone needs to be heard on the issue,” said Green Party water and primary industries spokesperson Eugenie Sage. “Our policy is to put an interim charge of 10c per litre on all water for bottling and export, and to consult with New Zealanders on how other commercial uses are...

Selling off Landcorp farms is a backward step for New Zealand farming that risks our land falling into overseas ownership, and worsening water quality, the Green Party said today. The comments come on the back of National’s announcement it will sell Landcorp farms. “As a state-owned enterprise Landcorp is accountable to all New Zealanders, and their farms should stay in the public’s hands” said Green Party environment and primary industries spokesperson Eugenie Sage. “Selling Landcorp farms risks undoing the good...

The National Party has the Greens to thank for what it’s calling a ‘turbo-charged’ policy – putting more money into sustainable farming practices - but it won’t be enough to take the step change we need to clean up our rivers, the Green Party said today. The comments come on the back of an announcement that the Sustainable Farming Fund will get another $20 million a year under a National government, which is just a small part of an initiative...

New Zealanders’ health is being put at risk by a chemical in commonly used weed killers deemed unsafe by international agencies, but not our own Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Green Party said today.