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Waiting list for public housing emboldens work to overhaul social support system
An increase in the public housing waiting list, now more than 10,000 New Zealanders, shows exactly why the Greens are working with Government to put the heart back into the social support system whilst addressing a growing housing crisis, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. -
Salvation Army report emboldens need for compassion and generosity for struggling New Zealanders
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report shows the importance of putting the heart back into social support so that all New Zealanders can live with dignity. -
Next steps in improving our response to family violence
The Ministry of Justice has released a summary of feedback on draft guidance for information sharing under new family violence legislation. The Family Violence Act 2018 outlines how and when family violence agencies and social services practitioners can share information about victims or perpetrators of family violence. “The purpose of the new law is to encourage agencies to work together to identify, stop, prevent and otherwise respond to family violence,” says Jan Logie, Under-Secretary to the Minister of Justice (Domestic... -
Hardship grant increase shows baseline benefit must increase
Hardship grants rising demonstrates why the baseline benefit needs to increase, Green Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. -
Green Party: It’s time to improve the lives of our poorest and renters after years of neglect from National
The Ministry of Social Development’s Household Income report shows that this Government is focusing on the right areas, with it becoming increasingly clear that our poorest are not receiving their fair share, and renters are struggling more and more. -
Greens sign agreement to govern based on shared values
The Green Party has today formally signed an agreement to support a Labour-led Government that will achieve environmental, economic, and social progress on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. -
Green Party launches plan to pay women more
“New Zealand was the first country where women won the right to vote, and now we can be the first country to have pay equity for women,” Green Party leader James Shaw said. “The Green Party has a plan to ensure that women and their families are treated fairly and paid better.” We will: Introduce pay transparency, by requiring all employers to collect data on what they pay men and women. Make public sector chief executives responsible for achieving pay... -
Punitive benefit plan will force more into poverty
National’s latest cynical election promise of sanctions for beneficiaries is a distraction from the pressing issue of poverty in New Zealand, the Green Party said today. Bill English announced that beneficiaries who fail drug tests or refuse rehabilitation will have their benefits cut by 50 per cent or more. “National’s latest cynical announcement ignores the evidence of how to properly treat drug addiction and will punish already vulnerable people,“ said Green Party inequality spokesperson Marama Davidson. “We know that sanctions... -
National’s housing policies putting kids’ health at risk
National’s refusal to ensure our houses are warm, safe and dry is putting our kids’ health at risk, the Green Party said today. An investigation by the New Zealand Herald revealed today that 20 Kiwi kids die from preventable respiratory illnesses caused by cold, damp housing every year. “Kids are dying because they’re living in cold, damp housing. We need to fix this now,” said Green Party social housing spokesperson Marama Davidson. “National’s repeated refusal to put in a mandatory... -
Pay mental health workers fairly
Mental health workers need to be paid fairly so that droves of people don’t leave the sector while it is in crisis, the Green Party said today. “The Government needs to act quickly to ensure that mental health workers are being paid fairly, otherwise essential staff will choose to leave to work in better paid sectors,” Green Party social development spokesperson Jan Logie said. “Mental health work is a female dominated industry but that is no excuse to continue underpaying...