Greens unveil 2013 goals

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Greens unveil 2013 goals

3News NZ

Party co-leader Metiria Turei

Party co-leader Metiria Turei

The Greens aim to derail the Government's plans for partial assets sales in 2013 and get work started on an Auckland CBD rail link.

Party co-leader Metiria Turei, in a "state of the planet" speech, to be delivered in Auckland today, unveils the party's goals for the year, and its "I'm in - for the future" strategy, where people don't have to actually join the party.

"This is about building a ground campaign of individual New Zealanders who represent the future that will be a real challenge to the old wealth and vested interests of the National Party," Ms Turei said.

"We can't wait until 2014 to stop bad change occurring," she said in reference to next year's election.

People can sign up via the Green Party website and can join campaigns during the year. The first will fight the Government's plan to sell 49 percent of Mighty River Power and at least one other energy company in 2013.

Ms Turei said the party wanted one final push to get the petition numbers to force a referendum, albeit a non-binding one, on asset sales.

"New Zealanders oppose asset sales. The Government is in a mad rush to get rid of two power companies this year... we will deliver a stinging rebuke to this policy when we vote in a referendum.

Petition organisers say they already have about 340,000 signatures against asset sales, more than 10 percent of enrolled voters, to force a referendum.

Ms Turei said another goal for 2013 would be the campaign for a $2.5-billion rail link for central Auckland, which cannot be built without money from central government.

Auckland's mayor and council were committed to building the link, but nothing was happening.

"We need to build pressure on the Government in Wellington to deliver the public transport Aucklanders want and need."

NZN

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Comments

28/01/2013 9:00:11 a.m.

SANBE wrote:

@KATHY. You are a prime example of the pot calling the kettle black. I have not seen one of your comments that does not attack someone else. You never have anything constructive to add and if you attempt to state something, it is normally garbage. I can understand that you lack intervention with grownups as you sit and look after your baby, but baby talk is not what is needed here. As for anyone taking the Green party serious, you have to be smoking the stuff that you should be sitting on. The Green party has had absolutely nothing positive to contribute for the last decade. The numbers speak for themselves. Winston is a better choice at this point in time.

28/01/2013 7:59:50 a.m.

Carlos wrote:

Greens = Clueless, deluded and not in the real world.

27/01/2013 7:03:07 p.m.

@Bill wrote:

Ah the old Greece and Spain scare tactic again! How predictable - next you'll be scaring us with hordes of illegal immigrants landing in leaky fishing boats. We've heard it all before - standard National Party arm waving... The truth is that John Key has no more idea about how to run this country than Pooh Bear (except of course where it means that he can fill his own pockets or get a taxpayer funded freebie trip somewhere).

27/01/2013 3:13:13 p.m.

Kathy wrote:

@John You have to forgive National Party supporters.. its a lack of brain cells that does it. All they have is insults with no arguments, even Jim has no argument, with 1/2 of the country in Auckland and the biggest shopping centres there desperately needs to be a fast rail link like there is in every other major shopping city in the world. And I am not an Aucklander. And if the greens are hell bent on helping the largest group of local body beneficiaries as he says, he needs to remember that the majority of tax's coming from the country make there way down to wellington from Auckland. National are handing out corporate welfare left right and centre as well so his argument is a little hypocritical. Right wingers never use intelligent answers, they just abuse for the sake of it.

27/01/2013 3:03:05 p.m.

Wiseacre wrote:

@BRAAM - Disregarding your clichéd nonsense regarding the Green Party, I gather you are saying that the Greens expand people's minds by challenging stale, conservative thinking, and want to help people feel better, healthier and happier within their lives, and with the future direction of their community and nation? As opposed to the *stuff* the current lot drink, which muddles thought processes, poisons people, and makes them abusive and ill? Is that what you are trying to say? Do you have anything to say regarding the content of the Green message, or are you just attempting to smear the party with tired old stereotypes because you benefit from Nationals representation of *old wealth and vested interests* and can't handle the challenge? Or perhaps you've just been drinking too much of their Kool-Aid.

27/01/2013 1:53:12 p.m.

Jim Seaview wrote:

Another Political Party where assistance is totally targeted for Auckland. Party co-leader Metiria Turei says that Auckland wants a CBD rail link costing $2.5 Billion but that it cant be built because they need money from Wellington. Auckland has half the population of NZ, already receives the cheapest petrol and diesel costs in the country but as usual - when Auckland wants to build something they need, again they hate paying for it and want the rest of NZ to help pay for their planned CBD rail link. The same thing happened when the previous Govt wanted to build a new stadium in the downtown harbour - Auckland wanted the stadium but they did not want to pay for it. they wanted to call it the "NZ Stadium"??? Auckland has the populace to fund any infrastructure they want - but are still in a "beneficiary Mode" of thinking with their hands out for other regions taxes. Still I expect that the Green party will get a lot more of Aucklands electorate vote when the Greens are hell bent on helping New Zealands largest group of corporate local body beneficiaries - Aucklanders.

27/01/2013 1:52:50 p.m.

Jim Seaview wrote:

Another Political Party where assistance is totally targeted for Auckland. Party co-leader Metiria Turei says that Auckland wants a CBD rail link costing $2.5 Billion but that it cant be built because they need money from Wellington. Auckland has half the population of NZ, already receives the cheapest petrol and diesel costs in the country but as usual - when Auckland wants to build something they need, again they hate paying for it and want the rest of NZ to help pay for their planned CBD rail link. The same thing happened when the previous Govt wanted to build a new stadium in the downtown harbour - Auckland wanted the stadium but they did not want to pay for it. they wanted to call it the "NZ Stadium"??? Auckland has the populace to fund any infrastructure they want - but are still in a "beneficiary Mode" of thinking with their hands out for other regions taxes. Still I expect that the Green party will get a lot more of Aucklands electorate vote when the Greens are hell bent on helping New Zealands largest group of corporate local body beneficiaries - Aucklanders.

27/01/2013 1:12:28 p.m.

Bill wrote:

And the La la Land party has spoken again, and what do we see, once again smoke but no fire. Heaven help this country if this mob get anywhere near the treasury benches. You think Greece and Spain etc, they would look like havens compared to what these loonies would do to this country.

27/01/2013 1:06:04 p.m.

John wrote:

@BRAAM: National supporters always make me laugh - they can't come up with any legitimate rebuttals, so resort to making "stuff" up. Go Greens! We need to stop the sale of the century before corruption pushes it through against the wishes of the people!

27/01/2013 11:04:16 a.m.

jono wrote:

Asset sales agreed, Auckland rail link, maybe ok too, but what about the rest of the country? Sick of hearing that the world revolves around Auckland and Christchurch. Provincial NZ needs some attention too - more job opportunities, regional development etc. Auckland is eating up too much of the cake for the benefit of the few.