The Green Party's Ricardo Menéndez March

Last week, the Green Party leaders, Marama Davidson and Chloe Swarbrick, hosted their state of the planet address, where they launched their call to electrify the nation.

On top of that, events this week have led the party to criticise the government. The first critique, instigated by the floods that swept the nation, hitting the Coromandel and causing a state of emergency in the Wellington Region, led the Greens to question the government's decreased funding of flood responses as harsh weather increases.

The second critique came with a cabinet paper this week that shows the government is planning on moving ahead with reforms to legislation that will see references to the Treaty of Waitangi and Te Tiriti o Waitangi redefined, in what the government sez is about ‘standardisation’ but what the Green Party sees as dishonouring Te Tiriti.

So for our weekly catch-up with the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March, we discuss their criticisms of the government but start with a discussion of their electrification policy.

This morning, with negotiations continuing to stall and his own deadline for ending the war approaching, US President Donald Trump threatened civilisational destruction on Iran if they did not concede to the US demands. Whether a sincere threat or an act of brinkmanship may remain unclear, as just before Trump’s deadline, Trump claimed a two week ceasefire had been agreed to.

Last week, the Green Party released their housing policy - a home for everyone. It takes a welfare-based approach, pitching rent controls, reversing tax breaks on the bright line test, and a public housing building program.

For our weekly catch-up with the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March, Wire host Manny asked about the gravity of Trump's threats on Iran, but began with the Greens' housing platform.

The crisis growing at the pump is ramping up in seriousness as the conflict in Iran continues to escalate. 

This week saw US President Donald Trump make further threats to destroy Iran’s energy infrastructure that is yet to be bombed and - in turn - Iran continues to target the Gulf states and block the Strait of Hormuz, preventing any exports from this critically global hub

This blockade is preventing over a third of the world's nitrogen fertilisers and a fifth of the global supply of oil and liquefied natural gas from leaving the region, while both sides' bombing campaigns are causing widespread destruction to infrastructure, which means we may not see a return of some oil and gas fields for years to come. 

In Aotearoa, the costs of fuel have seen steep rises, soon to be spread across the economy as everyone's back pocket is hit, and attention is now being turned to fuel reserves with fears that we may see imports decline.

To face the moment, the Green Party has put together a collection of proposals which they have sent in an official letter to the National Party and between the two parties, they’d have enough votes to pass.

For our weekly catch-up with the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez  March, Host Manny dug into this letter, the Greens proposals, and why they are reaching out to the Nats.

Recently, the government legalised their practice of clawing back welfare money from people who receive an ACC claim, leaving thousands of people in debt to the Ministry of Social Development, (MSD).

Last week, we also saw mixed messaging from the government over Iran. One such case saw the Prime Minister claim that those affected by the crisis would receive automatic visa coverage, contradicting his immigration minister.

Finally, a review of the Clean Vehicle Standard could be the final nail in the coffin of the previous Labour government's policies to build an electric vehicle market in New Zealand if the current government chooses to repeal the policy that fines importers who do not also bring in a high enough ratio of electric vehicles.

For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the Green Party’s response to the government's messaging on Iran, and the review of the clean vehicle standard, but began by talking about the legislation permitting the clawing back of welfare support from ACC recipients.