$200m gas fund breaches climate trade deal, says Green Party
The coalition's $200 million investment fund for local gas exploration is a 'clear breach' of an international trade agreement, according to legal advice commissioned by the Green Party.
The Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) is a deal the Government struck with
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NZ Herald
30 minutes ago
- NZ Herald
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick kicked out of House for a second time
The issue stems from comments made during Tuesday's Palestine debate. Swarbrick was urging Government MPs to support her bill sanctioning Israel, saying: 'If we find six of 68 Government MPs with a spine, we can stand on the right side of history'. Speaker Gerry Brownlee told her to apologise. When she refused, she was kicked out of the House and barred for a week. When Swarbrick returned to the House today, a similar scenario played out. Brownlee again asked her to apologise and kicked her out when she refused. He also 'named' her, among the harshest penalties a Speaker can dish out on the spot and results in her pay being docked. As she left the House, she said: 'Free Palestine'. After Swarbrick left the chamber, other MPs questioned the Speaker's decision to name Swarbrick. Labour MP Willie Jackson said he had been kicked out but not barred from the House for twice calling David Seymour a liar. He noted this incident, in which Swarbrick has been very seriously disciplined, did not sit well with that precedent. Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer referred to Act MP Brook Van Velden's use of the word c**t in the House without punishment. Labour leader Chris Hipkins said a Speaker's Ruling from Jonathan Hunt was that when the MP leaves the chamber on the day the original incident occurred, the matter was considered over. But Brownlee said a new ruling, from 2017, superseded that. Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the matter should have been considered over when Chlöe Swarbrick left the house on Tuesday. Photo / Mark Mitchell Speaking to reporters outside the debating chamber, the Greens co-leader said the punishment was unprecedented and the Speaker was not treating her party fairly. MPs had said far more egregious things in the House before without facing such a tough punishment, she said. 'As far as I am aware, there is no situation in which a Speaker has asked for somebody to withdraw and apologise, that person has refused to apologise, then been ordered to leave the house ... and the person has complied.' She said she felt as though the rules were being made up. 'This is uncharted territory. There is no precedent to cling to here.' Swarbrick already has plans to be in her electorate of Auckland Central tomorrow. Her party would continue discussing the issue with the Clerk.
RNZ News
30 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Oral Questions for Wednesday 13 August 2025
Questions to Ministers HANA-RAWHITI MAIPI-CLARKE to the Minister of Education: What Maori education providers has she consulted with, if any, regarding the impact her proposed education changes will have on Maori learners across Aotearoa? NANCY LU to the Minister of Finance: What reports has she seen on New Zealand's fiscal policy and tax settings? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: E tautoko ana ia i nga korero me nga mahi katoa a tona Kawanatanga? Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? GRANT McCALLUM to the Minister of Immigration: What recent announcements has she made about supporting businesses to access seasonal workers? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS to the Minister for Energy: Does he agree with the chief executive officer of Consumer NZ and the managing director of Simplicity, in the Protecting industry, jobs and household budgets as the gas runs out report, that accelerating heat pump adoption will reduce reliance on gas, protect jobs, improve public health, and lower energy costs for New Zealand families and businesses? LAURA McCLURE to the Minister for Children: What recent announcements has she made about improving the experiences of Oranga Tamariki caregivers? Hon WILLIE JACKSON to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she stand by her statement about unemployment that "I'm really confident our approach is working"; if so, why is unemployment worse than this time last year, with 16,000 more people unemployed? Hon MARAMA DAVIDSON to the Prime Minister: E tautoko ana ia i nga korero me nga mahi katoa a tona Kawanatanga? Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? CATHERINE WEDD to the Minister of Conservation: What recent announcements has he made about the Conservation Act 1987? Hon PEENI HENARE to the Associate Minister of Housing: Does he agree with Hon Chris Bishop that homelessness has "potentially ticked up a little bit, up a little bit more in the last couple of years"? GREG FLEMING to the Minister for Mental Health: What recent reports has he seen on growth in the mental health workforce? To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
NZ Herald
2 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon condemns Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, says he's ‘lost the plot'
'I think Netanyahu has gone way too far. I think he has lost the plot. What we are seeing overnight, the attack on Gaza City, is utterly, utterly unacceptable,' he said. Luxon said the Israeli Prime Minister is 'not listening to the international community'. He said he had been 'consistent' in his language and said the current military actions was 'driving more human catastrophe across Gaza'. New Zealand had limited trade to Israel and connection there, but 'we have stood up for values'. Luxon reiterated that any attempt by Israel at annexation would likely breach international law. When he was pressed on the gravity of saying another leader had lost the plot, Luxon said: 'I am telling you what my personal view is.' 'As a human being, looking at the situation, that is how I feel about it.' Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was extremely critical of Netanyahu. Photo / Mark Mitchell Act leader David Seymour said it was up to the ICJ to decide about claims of genocide. 'They have said it may be likely, but they haven't said that it is. Unless Chris Hipkins knows something more than the ICJ, I am not sure,' he said. He questioned what you actually do about that. Seymour emphasised the Government was wanting to make a 'sane, sober' decision on the question of Palestinian statehood 'in full knowledge of the facts'. Labour's Hipkins said 'we have an obligation to prevent genocide, and I don't think you can do that if you don't name an unfolding genocide'. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this week said Netanyahu was 'in denial'. 'I spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu. He, again, reiterated to me what he has said publicly as well – which is to be in denial about the consequences that are occurring for innocent people," he told the ABC. According to the Times of Israel, Netanyahu on Sunday rejected allegations of a genocide, saying if Israel had wanted to commit genocide, 'it would have taken exactly one afternoon'. Over the weekend, following a meeting between Luxon and Albanese, the Prime Ministers said there was a 'catastrophic humanitarian situation' happening in Gaza. 'Any attempt by Israel to escalate hostilities, including by taking control of Gaza City, would be wrong, risk violating international law and exacerbate the human catastrophe already unfolding inside the Gaza Strip. We urge the Israeli Government to reconsider before it is too late.' On Monday, the Government announced it would formally weigh up New Zealand's position on the recognition of Palestine over the next month. A statement issued by several countries' Foreign Ministers over the weekend, including New Zealand's Winston Peters, rejected Israel's decision to launch a fresh military operation in Gaza. 'It will aggravate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of the hostages and further risk the mass displacement of civilians. The plans that the Government of Israel has announced risk violating international humanitarian law. Any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law.' It said the countries were 'united in our commitment to the implementation of a negotiated two-state solution as the only way to guarantee that both Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace, security, and dignity'. 'A political resolution based on a negotiated two-state solution requires the total demilitarisation of Hamas and its complete exclusion from any form of governance in the Gaza Strip, where the Palestinian Authority must have a central role.' Netanyahu told reporters on Monday that any decision by foreign leaders to recognise Palestine was 'rewarding terror', according to reports. 'It defies imagination or understanding how intelligent people around the world, including seasoned diplomats, government leaders, and respected journalists, fall for this absurdity.' He also said Israel's goal was not to occupy Gaza, but instead to 'free it from Hamas terrorists'. Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald press gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub press gallery office. In 2025, he was a finalist for Political Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards.
