Unilateral attack on Iran must be condemned

democracy and international relations

Luxon Government captured by lobbyists and big business

Trust in law-making in Aotearoa is being eroded by the clear influence of commercial lobbying of Ministers along with large donations to political parties, the Green Party says.A new report from Victoria University of Wellington researchers shows how lobbying works, with examples of industry lobbyists shaping Government decisions on oil field clean-ups, tobacco tax, KiwiSaver, emissions pricing, and climate court cases, often against the advice of officials and public opinion.  “This report makes clear the risks to democracy when agri-business,...

Posted at September 17, 2026 1:22 PM by Marama Davidson

democracy and international relations

Luxon Government decides their final say should outweigh local democracy

National Government has decided its final say matters more than local democracy by taking away the mandate for democratically elected councils to support the wellbeing of communities, says the Green Party.“This is yet another broken promise from a coalition that campaigned on localism and building the relationship between government and councils, only to pass a law that gives Government the final say over those who are locally elected,” says Green Party Local Government spokesperson, Mike Davidson. “The Local Government Systems...

Posted at September 17, 2026 9:13 AM by Mike Davidson

democracy and international relations

Greens call for compensation for people wrongfully affected by welfare cuts

The Green Party is calling for compensation for people who have experienced hardship, debt, hunger, or homelessness from the welfare cuts caused by processing delays due to the Government’s Mandatory Review policy.“The Government needs to include the option of compensation as part of its review into the wrongful welfare cuts, due to be released on 10 September,” says Green Party Social Development Spokesperson Ricardo Menendez March. “If Louise Upston’s apology is genuine, the review must fully account for the harm...

Posted at September 03, 2026 3:00 PM by Ricardo Menéndez March

democracy and international relations

Only a change of Government will ease cost-of-living crisis

The entire coalition Government has made life harder for New Zealanders, which will continue regardless of who is leader, says the Green Party.This morning, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced that he will not step down as Prime Minister and National Party Leader.  Green Party Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says, “Every single MP for National, ACT and New Zealand First is responsible for the highest rate of unemployment in over a decade and a higher cost of living for New Zealanders.”  “As...

Posted at August 12, 2026 2:55 PM by Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick

democracy and international relations

Luxon would rather change our voting system than stand up to Peters

Luxon’s commitment to a referendum on ditching our electoral system is a short-sighted attempt to restore old, tired, establishment politics, says the Green Party. “National are trying to limit voters' choices for an opportunistic, self-serving power grab," says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson. "If Luxon’s so tired of working with Winston Peters, there’s an easier way than overhauling our entire electoral system: sack him from Cabinet and bring forward the election.” “New Zealanders have consistently voted to keep MMP. They...

Posted at August 06, 2026 1:00 PM by Marama Davidson

democracy and international relations

Government advertised just a quarter of senior governance jobs as two in three go to men

The Green Party is calling for senior governance roles at Crown entities to be publicly advertised, after new research shows only 18 of the 71 people appointed by the Government were recruited through a publicly advertised process. "Appointments to Crown boards and organisations should be fair and transparent. Looking at the data and there is a clear pattern in who this Government hands these jobs to," says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson. "Three in four of these roles were filled without ever being advertised, two in three appointments went...

Posted at July 28, 2026 2:22 PM by Marama Davidson

democracy and international relations

Green Party launches 2026 election slogan and priorities at Party’s AGM

The Green Party Co-leaders have launched their election slogan and campaign priorities at their AGM today.Following an earlier call for a one year pause on new AI data centres to allow a national conversation on how to protect resources, environment and communities, the Co-leaders launched the Green’s election slogan “For all of us”, and their campaigning priorities. In her speech to members, Swarbrick referenced the Greens’ 2005 Confidence and Supply Agreement with Labour, which established the Buy Kiwi Made programme....

Posted at July 26, 2026 2:50 PM by Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick

democracy and international relations

Luxon’s Government found breaching trade agreements again

Today’s report from Lawyers for Climate Action shows that Luxon’s handouts to fossil fuel companies likely breach New Zealand’s trade agreement with the United Kingdom, undermining our international reputation and trade relationships."A business wouldn’t get away with the spin and breaches of agreement Luxon’s Government does," says Green Party Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.  "The findings that this Government’s subsidisation of fossil fuel corporations likely breaches our UK Free Trade Agreement and undermine our EU FTA build on Green-commissioned independent, expert legal advice that the Government’s fossil fuel subsidies also breach the Agreement...

Posted at May 26, 2026 10:36 AM by Chlöe Swarbrick

te tiriti o waitangi

Government announces Treaty Principles Bill by stealth

The Green Party is condemning the Government's decision to weaken te Tiriti o Waitangi references across 19 acts of Parliament, calling it the Stealth Treaty Principles Bill."New Zealanders didn't want the Treaty Principles Bill, and they sure don't want it by stealth," says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson. "Stripping te Tiriti out of seven acts entirely and dragging the Crown's obligations in another ten down to the weakest possible standard, is a deliberate diminishment of the founding document of this...

Posted at May 15, 2026 1:50 PM by Marama Davidson

democracy and international relations

Luxon chooses to join the anti-migrant bandwagon

The Prime Minister's pre-Budget speech today confirms a Government that has chosen to scapegoat migrants and shield corporate profit while New Zealanders struggle to pay the bills, says the Green Party."Christopher Luxon has made his choice. Blame migrants for the problems of the world in order to protect corporate profits driving the cost-of-living crisis," says Green Party Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.   "Luxon talked about the patterns playing out around the world right now, highlighting far-right anti-immigration fear mongering. He very intentionally side-stepped the...

Posted at May 13, 2026 3:09 PM by Chlöe Swarbrick

democracy and international relations

Government's council shake-up ignores its own advice

The Green Party says today's local government reorganisation announcement is fundamentally undemocratic, shows a lack of understanding of how local government operates, and ignores the findings of the Government's own expert bodies."Today's announcement is fundamentally undemocratic and a cynical move in election year. None of the coalition parties campaigned on this," says Green Party spokesperson for Local Government, Mike Davidson. "It shows a disregard for community input, and ignores the findings of both the independent Infrastructure Commission and the Future...

Posted at May 05, 2026 6:00 PM by Mike Davidson

democracy and international relations

Government rams through sweeping changes to Te Tiriti in legislation

The Green Party is condemning the Government’s weakening of Te Tiriti o Waitangi provisions across multiple pieces of legislation. "Pushing through these sweeping changes in secret shows this Government is a dishonourable Treaty partner," says Green Party MP Tamatha Paul.  Documents seen by Paul outline Cabinet's decision to amend Treaty provisions across 23 pieces of legislation.   Under the changes, the standard of Treaty obligation would be reduced to no higher than "take into account".   Treaty references in other laws would be repealed entirely. The decisions were made in...

Posted at April 19, 2026 6:35 PM by Tamatha Paul

democracy and international relations

Christmas stolen for NZ born footballer facing deportation

The Green Party is calling on the Associate Minister of Immigration to act immediately to prevent a New Zealand-born child from being potentially forced to leave the country just days before Christmas.“This case exposes the harsh consequences of an immigration system that has failed to respond with humanity,” says the Green Party’s Immigration spokesperson, Ricardo Menéndez March. “Aotearoa can be a country that leads with compassion, evidence and aroha. But this case highlights the lasting impact of the changes to...

Posted at December 15, 2025 10:23 AM by Ricardo Menéndez March

democracy and international relations

Rates caps little more than a distraction from Govt’s own failings

The Government’s plan to limit council rates rises to four per cent will inevitably lead to poorer local service provision, and communities being worse off.“This is little more than a distraction tactic, and it will come at the expense of our communities across Aotearoa,” says the Green Party's Local Government spokesperson, Celia Wade-Brown. “Capping rates does nothing to fix the decades of significant underinvestment in local infrastructure, or the lack of alternative funding models across successive governments. It’s also completely...

Posted at December 01, 2025 4:55 PM by Celia Wade Brown

democracy and international relations

Govt revamp of regional councils hurts environment

The Government is weakening environmental management and local democracy with its changes to Regional Councils.“Not content with starving local government of resources, Luxon’s Government now wants to undermine regional councils and let the environment burn,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Local Government, Celia Wade-Brown. “Local government needs careful and considered reform, but Luxon’s version of reform here creates more uncertainty, risks downgrading environmental protection and erodes the agency of local communities.  “This is really about reducing rates at any...

Posted at November 25, 2025 6:00 PM by Celia Wade Brown