The Government must take strong action to clamp down on fishers who dump fish illegally and threaten our fish stocks, the Green Party said today. Leaked reports show that the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) was aware that illegal fish dumping has been rife in the industry, with between 20 to 100 percent of some quota fish being dumped with every catch. “MPI is either running scared of the fishing industry or happy to look the other way on illegal...

The Green Party is calling for more government observers on commercial fishing vessels and at ports following the release of an international study showing major under-reporting of commercial fish catches in New Zealand waters. “The Government can’t claim that our fisheries management is sustainable when it clearly has no idea how many fish are being taken,” said Green Party primary industries spokesperson Eugenie Sage. A new report by the University of British Columbia, with research from the University of Auckland, shows...

Auckland Council’s decision to replace safe hot water-based weed control with the potentially toxic herbicide glyphosate in playgrounds, parks, and streets raises questions about whether communities are having their desire to remain spray-free ignored, the Green Party said. On Friday, an attempt by two Auckland Councillors to return to using hot water-based weed management across the whole city was ruled out of order. “It looks like communities and local boards who want to be spray free are being ignored by...

The Government needs to up its game and do more to support dairy farmers into organics as payouts for organics continue to skyrocket, the Green Party said today. Today Fonterra announced a 2016/2017 market-linked forecast of $9.20 per kilo for organic milksolids – more than double the price for conventional farmgate milk ($3.90 per kilo) – reflecting a global surge in demand for organics. “Organic milk is better for our farmers’ backpockets and for our environment – it should be...

The Green Party is calling on the Government to rule out any funding or investment in the controversial Ruataniwha Dam. It’s been reported that ACC is considering investing in the Ruataniwha Dam and that Crown Irrigation Investments may yet help fund the $900 million scheme, despite widespread concern about the impact it would have on Hawke’s Bay rivers. “It’s time for the Government to put the environment ahead of the interests of a few people who stand to make money out...

A lack of commitment to the organic farming sector from the National Government is causing New Zealand to fall behind our major agricultural competitors in the race to compete for the high-value organic dollar, the Green Party said today. The 2016 New Zealand Organic Market Report, released today, shows there has been a 55 percent decline in the area of New Zealand farmland producing organic livestock in 2015. At the same time, organic farmland in both Australia and the EU...

The Green Party is introducing a members’ bill today that will reduce environmental degradation as a result of dairy intensification by requiring all cows to wear nappies. “There are too many cows making too much waste for our environment to handle. Cow nappies are a simple way to keep that waste off the land and out of our waterways,” said Green Party co-leader James Shaw. “Cow number 1s and 2s are responsible for degradation of our waterways through run-off and...

Port workers and people living near the Port of Tauranga can breathe a sigh of relief following a successful bid by the Green Party and other groups to block the use of a potentially fatal gas at the port, said the Green Party today. An Independent Commissioner this week declined an application by Envriofume Limited to discharge the potentially fatal air pollutant Methyl Bromide at the Port of Tauranga. Methyl bromide is used to fumigate logs for export. The Commissioner...

The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) must reveal the 9,700 emails it has tried to hide regarding the swamp kauri trade, and front up over why it has concealed information, the Green Party said today. The High Court has said MPI must release the emails to Northland Environment Protection Society (NEPS), which NEPS wants for its judicial review case that MPI allegedly breached the Forests Act by allowing export of ancient swamp kauri logs and planks. “Minister for Primary Industries Nathan...

The Green Party is calling on the ACC Fund to not invest public money in the Ruataniwha dam. ACC is reportedly part of a consortium of public investors who are likely to fund 100 percent of the dam’s build costs, along with Crown Irrigation Investments and regional council-controlled Hawke’s Bay Regional Investment Company. Most of the rivers in the Ruataniwha catchment already exceed acceptable nitrate levels. “The case for the Ruataniwha dam doesn’t stack up economically or environmentally, and ACC...