15 May 2009

Green Party Launches Economic Initiative

The Green Party begins a nationwide conversation on the economy today, presenting a billion-dollar stimulus package in 15 towns and cities and delivering its economic message to more than 300,000 New Zealand homes.

"We're engaging on economic issues on a new scale," Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said today. "A Green New Deal aims to save the economy and the environment at the same time. We're talking to New Zealanders ahead of the Budget about how this approach works and what it might look like in Aotearoa, so they can compare it to the Government's plans."

Countries around the world were busy adopting Green New Deal programmes, Ms Fitzsimons said, and New Zealand's National-led Government was conspicuous by its absence.

Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman said the Green New Deal approach was common-sense: "We're inviting New Zealanders to meet with our MPs and talk about a relatively simple approach that can solve several problems at one time."

The Green Party's nine MPs will take part in a listening tour of New Zealand that begins with MP Kennedy Graham in Timaru this afternoon. "Most politicians like to talk. We want to listen," Dr Norman said. "We think New Zealanders will have plenty of ideas. They know that the country has finite space and resources and we can't have infinite growth in resource use. They'll have advice about how we move to a sustainable economy.

"When you talk to coal miners on the West Coast, for example, they know the industry is not sustainable and they want to talk about what they can do for a living instead. That's a Green New Deal conversation." The proposed Green New Deal was also a fair deal for all New Zealanders, Dr Norman noted.

As part of the Green New Deal tour, Green MPs will present a billion dollar stimulus package including a series of 'shovel-ready' projects that create jobs and stimulate the economy in a way that responds to pressing environmental problems including climate change.

The proposed package covers: energy efficiency, transport efficiency, protecting waterways, building more homes and community sector initiatives. The stimulus spending over the next 3 years amounts to just over $1B per year -approximately the same amount the National-led Government has spent to combat the recession so far, and less than most other countries.

Cleaning up New Zealand's rivers and streams was a good example of a Green New Deal initiative, according to Dr Norman. "We've got a pollution problem due to livestock and farm runoff. It's a threat to our food and tourism markets and our "clean green" brand plus it means our kids can't swim in the local river."

The Green Party's proposal would see fencing and planting projects around New Zealand to provide jobs and support rural businesses such as fencing suppliers and plant nurseries. "We estimate that by spending $200m per year we create nearly 5,000 jobs and that our streams and rivers could be protected in just nine years."

The Green Party's Green New Deal message is also going directly to more than 300,000 New Zealand homes with thousands of volunteers hand-delivering a Green New Deal newsletter to letterboxes throughout the country beginning this weekend.

The Green New Deal Listening Tour

Fri 15 May 3.15pm Caroline Bay Community Centre, Timaru

Sun 17 May 7.00pm Community Centre Takaka

Mon 18 May 7.00pm Finns Paekakariki , 2 Beach Road Paekakariki

Mon 18 May 7.00pm Fickling Centre, 546 Mt Albert Road, Auckland

Tues 19 May 7.00pm Motueka Hall Supper Room, Motueka

Wed 20 May 7.30pm The Trade Union Centre, 34 Harwood Street, Hamilton

Wed 20 May 7.30pm Victory community Centre, Nelson

Thurs 21 May 8.00pm Waitati Hall, Waitati

Thurs 21 May 7.00pm Bar Edward, Riddiford Street, Newtown, Wellington

Thurs 21 May 12.00pm Lake Wanaka Centre, Wanaka

Thurs 21 May 12.00pm Student Union, Victoria University, Wellington

Fri 22 May 7.00pm Wesley Methodist Hall, Hastings Street South, Hastings

Fri 22 May 5.30pm Donald Beasley Institute, 44 Dundas Street, Dunedin

Fri 22 May 7.00pm Community House, Bow Street, Raglan

Mon 25 May 7.30pm Music Centre 140 Barbadoes St, Christchurch

ENDS

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