Latest news with #Greer
Daily Record
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
Green Maggie Chapman 'deselected' as Holyrood candidate after gender court ruling row
NEW: Chapman has been bumped to second place on the party's North East List. A left wing Green MSP who accused judges of 'bigotry' over a court ruling on gender is facing an end to her Holyrood career. Party members demoted Maggie Chapman to second place on the North East list rankings for next year's election. A plot to bin Green moderates Patrick Harvie and Ross Greer has also failed. Green members have voted to determine which party figures will top the eight lists for the next Holyrood election. Of the seven serving MSPs, six have topped the List in their regions, but Chapman has been relegated after being the lead candidate in 2021. She came behind Guy Ingerson, who reportedly made a complaint about her. Chapman previously caused anger over a series of statements critics believed were ill-judged. Following the Supreme Court 's ruling that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex - a judgement that disappointed trans rights supporters - Chapman accused the judges of "bigotry, prejudice and hatred". Her comments earned a rare rebuke from the Faculty of Advocates, whose dean Roddy Dunlop KC hit out at the "outrageous" remarks. In 2023, Chapman was criticised after she said the Hamas terror attack on Israel which murdered 1300 people was a 'consequence of apartheid, of illegal occupation and of imperial aggression by the Israel state". She later said she had caused "significant upset and anger for some" and deleted the post. A party source said the Greens would not return two MSPs in the North East and predicted Chapman's Holyrood career is over due to being 'deselected'. Left wingers in the party have also been behind plans to deselect Harvie and Greer as MSPs. But Harvie has again topped the Glasgow List and Greer came first in the West of Scotland. Former Minister Lorna Slater secured first place on the Edinburgh & Lothians East List, while Gillian Mackay did likewise in Central Scotland & Lothians West. Slater, Mackay and Greer are also candidates in the current leadership contest for the Scottish Greens. Slater, who remains one of two co-leaders, said of the list rankings: 'Next year's election is pivotal for the future of Scotland and our planet, that's why I am delighted that Scottish Green members have selected such a strong group of lead candidates who will deliver real change in Holyrood. ' Greens have been the only influential left-wing force in the Scottish Parliament for decades, delivering free bus travel for young people, scrapping peak rail fares, and securing tax reforms to ensure the richest in society pay their fair share to support the services we all rely on, like our NHS. 'With more Green MSPs, we can continue to push for the climate emergency to be taken seriously by other parties who want to protect corporate profits rather than our planet, and to fight back against the toxic climate change denialism from the far-right. Scottish Greens won't give up on our planet's future. 'Electing a record number of Scottish Greens is the only way to secure the pro-independence majority in Holyrood, and to continue advancing the case to rejoin the European Union. It is a cause that Scottish Green MSPs will continue to make on the doorsteps across the country and in the chamber at Holyrood.'
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
‘What downturn?' Mike Greer Homes bucks house-building slump
Mike Greer, who founded Mike Greer Homes and is based in Christchurch. Photo / LinkedIn The data was only based on residential construction, not sale of the land that went with the homes. 'The houses are one thing but we also create 300 new sections annually from subdivisions and $200m of commercial work via rest homes, retirement villages, offices, etc.' Greer also owns Miles Construction, building in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. He owns 82% of Mike Greer Homes, having sold 18% to fellow Canterburian Ben Gough last decade. A Mike Greer home at Beachlands. Asked about more newly founded house-builders in his region, he says: 'Years ago, I said I don't think anyone will get to the level I am. All these young guys popped up with revolutionary ways of raising money and built scale rapidly, which surprised me. They weren't relying on the big four Aussie banks to get stuff done.' He is less reliant on those banks, he says, having built substantial capital in the business. 'I've been doing this for 31 years. I'm building quite a lot in Australia and have been for the last eight years – townhouses in southeast Queensland on the Gold Coast under the Breakwater Homes brand.' Mike Greer Homes is headed here by chief executive Iain Munro. Its model is different from others in the top 10 list of New Zealand's busiest builders. 'We are not like other group home-builders in New Zealand that run a franchise-based model. We run the joint-venture branch model, where Mike Greer Homes owns 51% of each regional branch and 100% of the two largest branches in Christchurch and Auckland,' the company says. Mike Greer has a holiday home at Lake Hayes, pictured in the foreground with Lake Wakatipu in the background. Photo / Getty Images The recession doesn't worry him. 'We just build them and worry about selling them later. We always do well in a tougher market. All the mum and dad speculators disappear. They get a fright.' House-building slumped 3.8% in the latest year, Stats NZ says. There were 33,530 new homes consented in the year to May 2025, down from 34,851 in the year ended May 2024. May's annual consent total is the second-lowest for any month since the end of 2018. The Woolshed dining and restaurant venue in a historic building at Ayrburn. Photo / Jason Oxenham 'The record for the annual number of new homes consented was 51,015 in the year ended May 2022. While consent numbers fell sharply after that peak, they have levelled out over the past year,' Stats NZ economic indicators spokeswoman Michelle Feyen said on July 1. But for Greer, the slump presents new opportunities. He has a holiday home at Lake Hayes and is impressed with Winton Land's Ayrburn, counting himself fortunate to regard this as potentially his local. Anne Gibson has been the Herald's property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
Nikkei Asia
6 days ago
- Business
- Nikkei Asia
Trump says US will stick to 25% tariff on Japan, may have deal with India
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the U.S. will probably "live by the letter" on tariffs with Japan and may have another trade deal coming up with India, following his announcement of an accord with Indonesia on Tuesday. "We have some pretty good deals to announce," Trump told reporters at the start of a meeting with Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa at the White House. He said he would also discuss trade issues with the Bahraini leader. "The big one really is going to be on the 150 countries that we're really not negotiating with, and they're smaller -- we don't do much business with," Trump said. On July 7, Trump announced 25% tariffs on imports from Japan and South Korea, effective Aug. 1. He also announced separate rates for a number of other countries. On Tuesday, he said letters would be going out soon to dozens of smaller countries notifying them their goods would face a tariff rate of over 10%. He said those smaller countries would receive a "notice of payment" with uniform tariff rates for the whole group. The deal with Indonesia is among the handful struck so far by the Trump administration ahead of an Aug. 1 deadline when duties on most U.S. imports are due to rise again. The European Union and Canada, meanwhile, are readying countermeasures if their talks with the U.S. fail to produce a deal. Trump has said he does not expect to reach a broader deal with Japan. Trump's trade moves have upended decades of negotiated reductions in global trade barriers. They have unsettled international financial markets and stoked worries about a new wave of inflation. Kevin Hassett, Trump's top economic adviser, told Fox News that "a whole bunch" of additional trade deals would be announced very soon, but gave no details. He said Trump's strict Aug. 1 deadline had spurred a flurry of new activity, including talks with countries that had not previously been in touch. Trump on Wednesday repeated his prediction of a deal with India, which faces a 26% tariff rate, but gave no details. An Indian trade delegation arrived in Washington on Monday for fresh talks, with more officials expected to arrive Wednesday. European Union trade chief Maros Sefcovic also headed to Washington on Wednesday for tariff talks, an EU spokesperson told Reuters. He plans to meet U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Trump has threatened a 30% tariff on imports from the EU from Aug. 1, a level Europe says is unacceptable and would end normal trade between two of the world's largest markets. Greer, Trump's top trade negotiator, told business executives in Detroit that he was focused on shrinking the $1.2 trillion U.S. trade deficit and stemming the loss of U.S. advanced manufacturing capacity. Trump's tariff policies called for a universal tariff rate of 10% on all countries, with higher rates for the most "problematic" ones, including China, which has the highest tariff rate of 55%, Greer said, adding the president was willing to negotiate if countries want to invest.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
US investigates Brazil's trade practices and digital payment services
WASHINGTON: U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Tuesday he had launched an investigation into Brazil's 'unfair' trading practices, a week after President Donald Trump threatened a 50% tariff on imports from Latin America's largest economy. Trump's trade war, launched since starting his second term in January, sets tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners, aiming to reorder the global economy and end decades of what he calls discrimination against the United States. The USTR investigation, announced last week by Trump, will decide if Brazil's treatment of digital trade and preferential tariffs, among others, is 'unreasonable or discriminatory and burdens or restrict' U.S. commerce, Greer said. 'At President Trump's direction, I am launching a Section 301 investigation into Brazil's attacks,' he added in a statement. Among victims of such attacks he cited U.S. social media and other companies, as well as workers, farmers, and technology innovators he described as harmed by Brazil's 'unfair trading practices'. Following extensive consultations, Greer added, 'I have determined that Brazil's tariff and non-tariff barriers merit a thorough investigation, and potentially, responsive action.' Trump justified his 50% tariff from August 1, well above the rate of 10% initially proposed, with a demand for an end to the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro for allegedly plotting a coup. The high tariff for Brazil surprised many trade experts since its U.S. goods imports exceed its exports, and because Trump linked the rate so clearly to Bolsonaro's trial. Brazil offered no immediate reaction to news of the U.S. investigation. On Monday, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin said it had yet to receive a response from Washington to an offer it made in trade talks two months ago. During his first term, Trump used Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to justify a spate of tariffs against China. It was also used to investigate other countries for digital services taxes on U.S. tech firms. In a statement, USTR said Brazil disadvantaged U.S. firms by setting lower tariffs on exports of other trading partners and accused it of failing to battle corruption. It added that Brazil also charged substantially higher tariffs on U.S. ethanol exports, and 'appears to be failing' to enforce laws against illegal deforestation, which it said harmed the competitiveness of U.S. timber producers. - Reuters
Fibre2Fashion
14-07-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
US footwear industry urges tariff relief ahead of school season
As reciprocal trade deals near finalisation, footwear industry leaders led by the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA), are calling on Ambassador Greer to ensure new tariffs are not added on top of already steep footwear duties. As trade deals near finalisation, the FDRA urges Ambassador Greer not to stack new tariffs on already high footwear duties, which hit working-class families hardest. With children's shoes already taxed up to 48 per cent, the industry said that added tariffsâ€'like the 20 per cent on Vietnamese goodsâ€'could worsen inflation and threaten footwear jobs. The industry stressed that current tariff rates—averaging 12 per cent and reaching as high as 48 per cent for children ' s shoes — already burden working-class US families disproportionately. With President Trump recently confirming a new 20 per cent tariff on Vietnamese-made goods, industry representatives argue that this effectively doubles the cost for many footwear imports already taxed at that level. Children ' s shoes, they emphasise, are rarely produced in the US and are essential for education, sports, and child health — especially ahead of the back-to-school shopping rush. The letter, which follows an earlier appeal to President Trump in May, supports his stance that tariffs should not aim to revive domestic sneaker or T-shirt production. Signatories also highlighted the sector's limited strategic relevance to national security and pointed out that footwear companies are already set to pay over $5 billion in duties this year alone. Industry groups are urging the administration to exempt footwear from additional reciprocal tariffs or provide credits against current Most Favoured Nation (MFN) rates. Without action, they said, consumers could face rising prices and job losses across the footwear supply chain. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
