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Green Party

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The Green Charter The charter is the founding document of The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand accepts Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the founding document of Aotearoa New Zealand; recognises Maori as Tangata Whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand; and commits to the following four Principles: Ecological Wisdom: The basis of ecological wisdom is that human beings are part of the natural world. 

Joined August 2007
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Environment 5 Jun 2012
Dirty dairy fines only cover part of the problem

Dirty dairy shed discharges highlighted today are only a small part of the problem, Green Party water spokesperson Eugenie Sage said today.

111 views

Transport 2 Jun 2012
National's transport priorities still backwards

The Government's transport policy continues to under-invest in public transport and vital road maintenance while splurging money on National's pet motorway projects, Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said today.

141 views

School 1 Jun 2012
Will charter schools face same restrictions as state schools?

The Minister of Education needs to clarify whether charter schools will face the same restrictions on class sizes that the state sector is facing, Green Party education spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said today.

279 views

Government 31 May 2012
TPPA will allow tobacco companies to sue NZ

The Government should not sign us up to be sued by tobacco companies, Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said today.

98 views

Conservation 30 May 2012
Green Party welcomes PCE call for improved river protection

The Green Party welcomes the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment's recommendations about the need to improve the protection of our wild and scenic rivers.

123 views

News 30 May 2012
Green Party AGM this Queens Birthday weekend

WELLINGTON CITY — What: Green Party Annual General Meeting When: Queens Birthday weekend.

102 views

Water 30 May 2012
NZ drops to 43 in Government's favoured water report

The Green Party today challenged the Government to take urgent to action to address our poor water quality given that New Zealand's ranking has dropped to 43rd in the Government's favourite environmental performance study, Yale University's Environmental Performance Index.

178 views

Politics 30 May 2012
SOE sell off a windfall for bankers

The New Zealand public’s loss of their state owned assets will result in a windfall for the private banking and finance sectors, Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.

234 views

Education 29 May 2012
Teacher cuts not "good news" for schools

The Government's partial back-down over teacher cuts is not "good news" as Education Minister Hekia Parata says, but an embarrassing admission it stuffed up, Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman said today.

117 views

Energy 29 May 2012
Green's home insulation scheme has billion dollar benefits

The Green Party's insulation scheme negotiated with National has produced more than one billion dollars in benefits for New Zealanders according to new reports from the Ministry of Economic Development.

392 views

Conservation 28 May 2012
Government should be ashamed going to Rio

The Green Party agrees with the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) chair Dr Morgan Williams that the WWF report released today is a “wake up call for NZ”.

250 views

Education 27 May 2012
Budget attacks specialist teaching

The Green Party is calling on the Government to rethink the cuts to education announced in the Budget before we lose technology teaching from intermediate and primary schools.

138 views

Health 27 May 2012
Green Party back HRC's aged care recommendations

The Green Party supports the Human Rights Commission's recommendations for the aged care sector, Green Party Health spokesperson Kevin Hague said today.

102 views

Politics 27 May 2012
Govt reverses asset testing policy for aged care

An increased number of older New Zealanders will pay more for their residential aged care as a result of changes hidden in the budget, the Green Party said today.

89 views

Economy 25 May 2012
New Zealand needs hope and a plan, not more excuses

New Zealanders are sick of National making excuses for its failed economic management and are angry that families are being made to pay for its mistakes, Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman said today.

304 views

Politics 25 May 2012
Budget 2012: Burden not being shared out fairly

Budget 2012 fails to deliver any fundamental changes to the structural problems facing the New Zealand economy while ramping up the burden on lower and middle-income New Zealanders, the Green Party said today.

130 views

Politics 24 May 2012
Green Party research shows National backing the rich

New research by the Green Party shows an ordinary working family could be more than $11,000 worse off this year due to budget changes made by the National Government, while high income earners are better off by tens of thousands.

166 views

Transport 23 May 2012
Ratepayers will pick up Nat's roading tab

The Government's freeze on road maintenance funding to pay for expensive new motorways will cost ratepayers, the Green Party said today.

105 views

Employment 23 May 2012
Green Party supports living wage campaign

The Green Party supports the Living Wage Aotearoa New Zealand campaign which has been launched today.

125 views

Environment 22 May 2012
Green Party celebrates Mokihinui decision

The Green Party is today welcoming the news that Meridian Energy is pulling out of plans to dam the Mokihinui river.

Mokihinui River

449 views

Politics 21 May 2012
Asset sales will leave Govt and economy worse off

The Green Party today released the detailed findings of a new report that shows the Government and the economy will be permanently worse off if asset sales go ahead.

123 views

Health 20 May 2012
Report shows Govt agencies neglected workers safety at Mapua

The Government must support workers who have suffered health problems from cleaning up the toxic site at Mapua, Green Party toxics spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said today.

132 views

Environment 18 May 2012
Green Party supports call for new water rules

The Government should implement the Land and Water Forum's recommendations to set national environmental standards for freshwater, Green Party water spokesperson Eugenie Sage said today.

103 views

Politics 17 May 2012
Billion dollar highway not fiscally responsible

The National Government needs to explain why it is pushing ahead with uneconomic projects like the four-lane highway from Warkworth to Wellsford, while crying poverty and cutting services in the coming Budget, Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said today.

114 views

Politics 17 May 2012
Govt needs to reveal performance pay model

The Government needs to reveal what model of performance pay they intend to use for teachers, Green Party education spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said today.

89 views

Politics 16 May 2012
Social Housing need – A ticking time bomb

National's announcement today of successful applicants to the $25.3 million Social Housing Unit (SHU) Growth Fund is just a drop in the ocean, the Green Party said today.

156 views

Politics 16 May 2012
150,000 families in warmer, drier, greener homes

The Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart home insulation scheme is a good example of smart, green economics at work, said the Green Party today.

86 views

Food 16 May 2012
Groser promoting race to the bottom on food standards

The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) risks dragging down our food standards to meet the lower level standards of other countries, the Green Party said today.

92 views

Education 16 May 2012
Govt's cost cutting hits NZ kids learning

The Government has taken Treasury's bad advice and increased class sizes despite knowing that this policy will negatively affect children, Green Party education spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said today.

73 views

Food 15 May 2012
Fruit fly is no excuse for irradiating our food

Last week's discovery of a Queensland fruit fly in Auckland should not be a catalyst for irradiation of staple produce such as tomatoes, yet this is exactly what is happening, the Green Party said today.

216 views

Court 14 May 2012
Government must heed latest court victory for carers

Today's victory in the Court of Appeal for families caring for disabled family members should be taken notice of by the Government, Green MP Catherine Delahunty said today.

310 views

Government 14 May 2012
Greens challenge English to back up tax switch neutrality claim

The Green Party is challenging Finance Minister Bill English to produce evidence to back up his claim made last night that the 2010 tax cuts are fiscally neutral.

108 views

Government 14 May 2012
Government's 2010 tax cuts costing $2 billion and counting

The Green Party has today revealed that the National Government has so far had to borrow an additional $2 billion dollars to fund their 2010 tax cut package for upper income earners.

1,587 views

Environment 11 May 2012
Ministry of Primary Industries taking the wrong risks

The Ministry of Primary Industries' shaky assurances that our existing border control procedures are enough to kerb potential fruit fly infestations are undermined by 'risk profiling' methods, the Green Party said today.

228 views

Government 11 May 2012
Govt fails to honour Pike River promise

The Government has let down the families of the Pike River miners by allowing their body recovery to be conditional on the commercial viability of the mine, the Green Party said today.

132 views

Politics 11 May 2012
Nats borrow a page from Roger Douglas' playbook

National's attempt to use debt to scare New Zealanders into accepting asset sales is straight from Sir Roger Douglas' playbook and, as Sir Roger himself admitted, makes no sense, Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman said today.

120 views

Environment 11 May 2012
Boost our biosecurity staff, don't boot them

  The trapping of a Queensland fruit fly today shows that once again our primary industries are at threat because of biosecurity leaks, the Green Party said today.

82 views

Politics 9 May 2012
New figures show asset sales don't add up

New figures, which show that New Zealand has lost $21 billion in dividends since the sales of BNZ, Telecom, and Contact, prove that asset sales are a folly that we don't need to repeat, Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman said today.

247 views

Politics 9 May 2012
Half of New Zealanders know poverty first hand

New Zealand needs a major re-think of what is a liveable family income, as a new study reveals half of all households are likely to have spent time in poverty, the Green Party says.

166 views

Marine 9 May 2012
Minister's Akaroa Marine Reserve decision quashed

The Minister of Conservation needs to do the right thing now and approve the Akaroa Marine Reserve proposal, the Green Party said today.

139 views

Trade 9 May 2012
Green MPs back international opposition to TPP

New Zealand must follow the lead of Australia and refuse to sign any trade agreement that includes investor state dispute settlement provisions, Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said today.

373 views

Politics 8 May 2012
Govt needs to do the research on student loans

The Government's student loan and allowance changes are so poorly researched that the Minister doesn't even know how they will interact with other key policies, the Green Party said today.

118 views

Politics 8 May 2012
Government should get out of our bedrooms

The Prime Minister is unable to deny that young women on welfare will be forced to take long term contraception in order to stop their benefits being cut, the Green Party said today.

127 views

Politics 8 May 2012
Minister contradicting Ministry on school league tables

The Minister of Education Hekia Parata is contradicting the Ministry on the issue of publishing school league tables, the Green Party said today.

147 views

Politics 8 May 2012
Govt crashes the books even further

The National Government's poor fiscal management and, in particular, its very expensive 2010 tax cut package, has driven the Government's books even further into the red, the Green Party said today.

80 views

Politics 8 May 2012
Where will the cuts come from?

"Today's announcement of shuffling of money within the social development budget to pay for the Government's punitive welfare reforms begs the question of where the money will come from," said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei.

104 views

Politics 7 May 2012
Energy subsidiaries vulnerable to 100% privatisation under National's plans

The Green Party today released a comprehensive list of all the current subsidiaries owned by Genesis, Meridian, Solid Energy, and Mighty River Power that could easily be sold into 100 percent private ownership under National's plans for partial privatisation.

305 views

Politics 7 May 2012
Govt falsely trying to sell SkyCity deal as reducing harm

The Government’s plan to greatly increase the number of pokies at SkyCity is being falsely sold by John Key as some sort of harm minimisation plan, Green Party gambling spokesperson Denise Roche said today.

87 views

Education 4 May 2012
Greens propose alternative student loan repayment solution

There is a better way to change student loan repayment rates that will help graduates who can afford to pay their loans off faster, without putting the squeeze on young families, the Green Party said today.

116 views

Politics 3 May 2012
Expensive PR won't convince Kiwis on asset sales

New Zealanders should be told how much the National Government is spending on PR - such as the website it launched today - to promote asset sales, which Kiwis overwhelmingly oppose, Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman said today.

207 views

Food 3 May 2012
Australians beating us over meat labelling

The Government must follow Australia's example and bring in country of origin labelling for meat products, the Green Party said today.

135 views

Politics 2 May 2012
Let's clear up Banks' confusion

If the Prime Minister is serious about addressing the current scandal into John Banks' mayoral campaign funding then the Government should adopt a Green Party Member's Bill already waiting in the ballot, the Green Party said today.

138 views

Politics 1 May 2012
RBA rate cut shows need for monetary policy reform

The need for the Government to adopt a less ideological monetary policy has only increased with the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision to reduce its official cash rate, Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman said today.

147 views

Politics 1 May 2012
Is John Key having a John Howard moment?

"The tough new immigration measures to prepare for boat people are a desperate attempt to distract the public from the Government's current woes," Green Party immigration spokesperson Jan Logie said today.

103 views

Politics 1 May 2012
Allowance eligibility cuts will reduce access to education

New Zealand should be encouraging students into tertiary education, not preventing them from studying by forcing them into debt to survive, the Green Party said today.

94 views

Politics 1 May 2012
Chorus move makes mockery of asset sales limits

The National Government’s decision to waive the ten percent cap on shareholdings in Chorus for an Australian investment company proves it can’t be trusted to limit foreign ownership in its planned asset sales programme, Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman said today.

401 views

Environment 1 May 2012
Greens support creation of Avon-Otakaro River Park

The Green Party is calling on the Government to commit to building an Avon-Otakaro River Park, after more than 18,500 people have signed a petition in support of the Park.

105 views

Politics 1 May 2012
Collins must clarify ACC complaint

ACC minister Judith Collins must explain why ACC complained to the police over the mass leaking of privacy information to Bronwyn Pullar, Green Party ACC spokesperson Kevin Hague said today.

88 views

Politics 30 Apr 2012
John Key's double standard

The Prime Minister's position on John Banks is weak considering his past record on Ministerial resignations, the Green Party said today.

108 views

Conservation 30 Apr 2012
Government must act on latest Maui's dolphin death

The Green Party is calling on the Government to implement an immediate moratorium on set-net fishing in the Taranaki region following another Maui's dolphin death.

110 views

Conservation 30 Apr 2012
Government must act on latest Maui's dolphin death

The Green Party is calling on the Government to implement an immediate moratorium on set-net fishing in the Taranaki region following another Maui's dolphin death.

175 views

Politics 28 Apr 2012
National's tax cuts at heart of budget 'crisis'

New figures from the Parliamentary Library show the National Government's tax cuts to the top 10 percent of income earners are costing $700 million-$800 million a year while it pleads poverty and cuts services, Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman said today ​(April 27).

131 views

Politics 26 Apr 2012
Government crashes books further

The National Government's plan to cut vital public services while leaving poor tax and spending decisions unchanged is the wrong response to the latest downgrade in the fiscal outlook, Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman said today.

109 views

Economy 26 Apr 2012
Reserve Bank not able to address high exchange rate

A practical approach to monetary policy would allow the Reserve Bank to lower the Official Cash Rate easing pressure on the overvalued New Zealand dollar, Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman said today.

347 views

Politics 24 Apr 2012
Auditor General asked to investigate SkyCity deal

Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei has today asked the Auditor General to investigate the process that led to SkyCity being chosen as the preferred bidder for an international convention centre in Auckland.

123 views

Politics 24 Apr 2012
Key in la-la land if he thinks current account deficit sustainable

Prime Minister John Key is in “la-la land” if he thinks New Zealand can afford to continue with an overvalued dollar and a persistent current account deficit, Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.

83 views

Politics 24 Apr 2012
Govt's welfare reforms leading to successful schemes being cut

The Government's plans to change the way welfare is delivered are resulting in successful schemes being axed, Green Party welfare spokesperson Jan Logie said today The Ministry of Social Development has advised the Mayor of Otorohanga that there were not enough unemployed young people in Otorohanga to allow the district to qualify for Government support.

83 views

Politics 23 Apr 2012
High exchange rate stopping economic rebalancing

The high kiwi dollar is preventing the long overdue rebalancing of our economy onto a more productive and less debt-ridden footing, the Green Party said today.

152 views

Politics 20 Apr 2012
Govt should stand up to tobacco lobby over plain packaging

The Green Party is supporting Government moves to introduce plain packaging of cigarettes, but says it needs to stand up to legal attacks from the tobacco lobby.

189 views

Politics 20 Apr 2012
Key Govt's China Strategy behind Crafar deal

The New Zealand Government has signed off once again on the Crafar farms deal after intense pressure from the Chinese Government, Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.

197 views

Politics 19 Apr 2012
Time deficit for submissions on Social Security Amendment Bill unacceptable

The public has not been given adequate time to make submissions on the Social Security (Youth Support and Work focus) Amendment Bill said Green Party Income Support spokesperson Jan Logie today.

147 views

Politics 19 Apr 2012
Petrol prices rising three times faster than incomes

Petrol prices are rising three times faster than household incomes and the Government's current transport direction is only going to make things worse, the Green Party said today.

131 views

Politics 19 Apr 2012
Government inaction behind Hillside privatisation

The Government's lack of support for local manufacturing is to blame for Kiwirail's decision to privatise its Hillside workshop, Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei said today.

188 views

Politics 18 Apr 2012
Residents' vision of Christchurch should not be lost

The establishment of the Central Christchurch Development Unit as a response to the Christchurch City Council's draft Central City Plan risks overshadowing the work of the Council and the city's residents, the Green Party said today.

124 views

Politics 18 Apr 2012
Government must face up to transport budget blow-out

The Government must act responsibly and cancel wasteful spending on low-value highway projects following official warnings that the transport budget will blow-out in the coming decade, Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said today.

123 views

Politics 18 Apr 2012
Convention centre process should be restarted

The bidding process for Auckland's Convention Centre must be stopped and retendered following revelations John Key offered an unfair advantage to Skycity, the Green Party said today.

148 views

Marine 18 Apr 2012
Public opposes King Salmon application

King Salmon's proposal to shift the Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan in order to allow its expansion has met with firm public opposition in Blenheim, the Green Party said today.

176 views

Politics 18 Apr 2012
Lack of scrutiny of Solid Energy's underground coal fire

It is unacceptable that Solid Energy's underground coal gasification project − which involves lighting coal on fire underground - lacks independent monitoring, the Green Party said today.

92 views

Gambling 18 Apr 2012
SkyCity deal will harm wider community

SkyCity chief executive Nigel Morrison is making desperate claims in an effort to minimise the harm SkyCitys operations cause the wider community, Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said today.

755 views

Gambling 17 Apr 2012
SkyCity deal will harm wider community

SkyCity chief executive Nigel Morrison is making desperate claims in an effort to minimise the harm SkyCity's operations cause the wider community, Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said today.

729 views

Export 17 Apr 2012
Half of all exporters hurting from high exchange rate

Half of all New Zealand companies involved in exporting are being hurt by the high and volatile New Zealand exchange rate, said Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman today.

385 views

Diplomacy 16 Apr 2012
Govt must raise human rights with Chinese leader

The New Zealand Government must put human rights firmly on the agenda during meetings with Chinese political leader Jia Qinglin, Green Party foreign affairs spokesperson Dr Kennedy Graham said today.

268 views

Gambling 16 Apr 2012
SkyCity profits from proceeds of crime

The Government should can its convention centre deal with SkyCity and instead strengthen the gambling law to stop casinos benefiting from the proceeds of crime, the Green Party said today.

726 views

Politics 16 Apr 2012
NZ must resist Chinese Govt pressure over Crafar farms

The Chinese Government is putting pressure on New Zealand to loosen our overseas investment rules through a top level diplomatic visit, Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.

118 views

Politics 16 Apr 2012
Government misleads on drilling benefits

The Government is overstating the economic benefits of expanded oil and gas exploration in New Zealand says the Green Party.

112 views

Politics 12 Apr 2012
Green Party comment on Government's ETS consultation

"The proposals in the consultation are a regressive move on Climate Change," said Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman, in response to the consultation document on the Government's proposed changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

99 views

Politics 12 Apr 2012
Where is the fiscal impact analysis of the ETS changes?

The National Government is proposing to make sweeping changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) without providing the public with a detailed fiscal analysis on how much these changes will ultimately cost the taxpayer, Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.

126 views

Politics 11 Apr 2012
Relaxing urban limits will lead to sprawl and a less productive economy

The Productivity Commission's main recommendations for affordable housing will create sprawling, congested, and less productive cities, Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.

96 views

Environment 10 Apr 2012
Transpower wrong on GHG emissions

Transpower is circumventing Government policy and not being a good corporate citizen, Green Party climate change spokesperson Dr Kennedy Graham said today.

104 views

Politics 5 Apr 2012
Lobbying Disclosure bill pulled from ballot

A Green Party member's bill pulled today from the Parliamentary ballot will establish a publicly accessible register of lobbyists, Green Party open government spokesperson Holly Walker said.

143 views

Politics 4 Apr 2012
John Key wrong about ACC inquiry

The decision by the Auditor General to launch an inquiry into aspects of the Bronwyn Pullar saga that will not be examined by other investigations shows that there is more to the matter than just breaches of privacy says the Green Party.

151 views

Politics 4 Apr 2012
Protection from mining Green Party Bill at 1st reading

A Green Party Bill which would better protect our most precious conservation areas from mining will today receive its first reading, the Green Party said.

110 views

Finance 4 Apr 2012
Government crashes the books

The National Government's poor budget management has led to a widening budget deficit with no good news in sight, the Green Party said.

95 views

Marine 2 Apr 2012
King Salmon application a dangerous precedent

MARLBOROUGH — King Salmon's proposed plan change to the Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan would set a dangerous precedent if approved, Green Party fisheries spokesperson Steffan Browning said today.

212 views

Politics 1 Apr 2012
Green Party announces new leadership - Green Party media release

The Green Party has pioneered the co-leadership model which has helped us provide representative and dynamic leadership.

150 views

Deaths 30 Mar 2012
Greens saddened by death of Dr Hone Kaa

The Green Party has expressed their sadness at the passing of Rev Dr Hone Kaa.

263 views

Politics 30 Mar 2012
Laila Harre to take up role with Greens

The Green Party announced today that former Cabinet Minister Laila Harre will be taking up the newly created position of Issues Director based in Auckland.

154 views

Politics 29 Mar 2012
Govt continues to fail students

The Government's decision to freeze the student allowance parental income threshold is a further barrier to higher education, the Green Party said today.

288 views

Energy 28 Mar 2012
Green Party calls for fracking moratorium while investigation undertaken

The Green Party today welcomed the decision by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment to undertake an investigation into fracking, and urged the Government to put in place a fracking moratorium until the results are released.

395 views

Internet 27 Mar 2012
Intelligence and Security Committee must investigate Huawei

The Green Party has written and formally requested that the Intelligence and Security Committee undertake an investigation into Huawei, a Chinese telecommunications company and equipment supplier, after the Australian Government blocked Huawei from their national broadband network contracts.

161 views