Water win a bottler for Greens faithful
The Green Party caucus may have swallowed a dead rat on the wakajumping bill but they have won a concession over bottled water that may appease unhappy supporters.
Just over 200 party members are in Palmerston North this weekend for the party’s annual general meeting.
If co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson were nervous about the reception the caucus would receive following the fallout from its decision to back the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill, they didn’t show it.
In his speech yesterday, Shaw reminded members what the caucus had achieved — three ministers, an undersecretary and a slew of positive gains.
He also reminded the audience they were in it together, punctuating his speech with acknowledgments of their support and hard work to get their eight MPs into Parliament.
Shaw argued that the Green Party was even stronger in its values now that it was in government.
“Our values, our Green kaupapa, are being tested in ways we didn’t face when we were in Opposition. So we will continue to be the strongest voice in Parliament for progressive politics.”
Davidson received loud and long applause when she took the stage.
But the loudest applause was for her announcement that the Green caucus had secured a commitment from its government partners that the issue of water sales, particularly to overseas bottling companies, would be looked at for inclusion in any Overseas Investment Act changes.
Work is under way on a second round of amendments to the Overseas Investment Act. The review will now consider whether water extraction should be a factor considered when weighing up whether a sale should be approved.
“Water should not be for sale to the highest bidder. Changing the law is a key step towards protecting it for the generations ahead,” Davidson said.