• Full Story

Govt, Greens look forward to ‘common ground’

Email
Print

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 5:01p.m.

Green Party co-leader Russel Norman (L) and Prime Minister John Key have renewed their MOU

Green Party co-leader Russel Norman (L) and Prime Minister John Key have renewed their MOU

The government and the Greens have agreed to work together in the same way they did before the election.

A new memorandum of understanding will be signed and they will collaborate on environmental issues.

Co-leaders Russel Norman and Metiria Turei announced the agreement after meeting Prime Minister John Key on Tuesday.

Dr Norman says existing joint projects including home insulation and toxic site clean-ups will continue.

"We've agreed to look at new projects in the new year," he told reporters.

"We will both look for common ground, we've set up the framework for that and we're not going to rush into anything."

There's been speculation the Greens might agree to abstain on confidence votes rather than oppose the government but Ms Turei said that was highly unlikely.

"We haven't closed the door but they don't need our abstentions to govern so it's really hypothetical," she said.

NZN

Become a fan of 3 News on Facebook and on Twitter.

Post a Comment

Before commenting, please take the time to read our moderation guide


(Won't be published)



Comments

21 Dec 2011 09:05a.m.

Clarke wrote:

John Key... Prime Minister by default.... man without a moral mandate lol. 33 percent of the country turned out to vote for you Mr Key, 33 percent voted the other way and the last 33 percent you couldnt motivate into the booths at all. Lowest election turnout in 140 years, a 33 percent mandate from the people is governing by technicality only. A moral mandate, one supported by the country required you to get support from over 50 percent of all elligible voters.... but what we got from the public was deafening silence and empty voting booths. You didnt get a moral mandate Mr Key, you are merely Prime Minister by default without majority support from the voting public. A man the resorts to reforming the system by strengthening it with descrimination is an old dinosaur past its time. Perhaps voter turnout was more of a reflection on how you failed to motivate people this time round... strengthened by an extremely weak opposition. John Key rules because he got 33 percent support from eligible voters... but that doesnt actually give him a moral mandate for the changes he wishes to make. Obviously the country felt that there was no real leader that they could get behind, so we ended up with dead wood instead.... an old man with elitest ideals.... basing public policy on descrimination the way they did back in the 1800's.... obviously we can advance as a society on some levels... but old dinosaurs with no clue like you Mr Key miss the 1800's so try to reintroduce it stupidity like descrimination via human rights abuses that it legislates as being ok. Marginalising people, treating them less than human. that seems to be the National party moto. its not new, its not innovative and its just stupid. African americans suffered from it, women suffered from it, and beneficiaries have suffered and the disabled have suffered from it repeatedly under National led governments. What Mr Key showed in this election was that he failed to get motivate even his own supporters.

21 Dec 2011 09:01a.m.

aiden wrote:

shelly put your alcohol down and try to sober up

20 Dec 2011 06:26p.m.

bigboy wrote:

better he goes with national which will drag the greens to the right so in 2014 the nats will truely govern alone as we will have no other decent parties

20 Dec 2011 06:22p.m.

shelly wrote:

good on them i think john key trying to bully them lost any change of a stronger deal .key wanted to tie them in for elections in the future it does not work like that john . hell try and minipulate the syestem any way he can to stay in power as long as he can . who cares about the voters will .

20 Dec 2011 05:43p.m.

jacob wrote:

Russel Norman needs to shit back over the ditch where he belongs,he is so slippery say!s one thing and does the other.Or is it just that he loves the Nat party leader?