NZ held to ransom, say Greens

Co-leaders Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod Donald speaking to the media after meeting Labour Party leaders. Picture / Mark Mitchell

Despite trumpeting policy gains out of the new Labour-led Government, the Green Party leadership could not hide its disappointment yesterday.

Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said that although New Zealand First leader Winston Peters and United Future leader Peter Dunne had "held New Zealand to ransom and Labour allowed them to do so", the Greens had negotiated substantial policy agreements to benefit the country.

The deal involves the Greens abstaining on confidence and supply votes for the next three years in return for an enhanced energy efficiency programme, including solar panels for homes, and a "Buy Kiwi Made" campaign.

But no Greens will hold ministerial posts either inside the new Government's Cabinet, or outside it, a victim of the wishes of Mr Peters and Mr Dunne.

Greens co-leader Rod Donald, speaking at a media conference held in the unusual venue of the Beehive basement, said many of the policy and budgetary demands Labour had accepted from New Zealand First and United Future were "socially, economically or environmentally destructive".

"I'm very disappointed for the people of New Zealand with the Government we have now got. I think it will be a reactionary Government rather than a progressive one."

Ms Fitzsimons said that although the Greens had said before the election they would support a Labour-led Government, they would not support "any old Labour-led Government".

"We did not have in mind a Labour Government that was hostage to the policies of New Zealand First and United Future.

"So this is a Government we cannot support on confidence and supply, but at the same time we will not bring them down and allow [National leader Don] Brash to form a government, so we will be abstaining on confidence and supply throughout this term."

In recognition of that the Greens had negotiated what she called "a very substantial policy agreement" that would let her be a Government spokeswoman on energy efficiency and solar programmes and Mr Donald a spokesman for the Buy Kiwi Made programme.

Labour had also agreed to include expanding public transport capacity, increased eligibility for student allowances, reducing child poverty, increasing the minimum wage to $12 an hour by the end of 2008, and increasing certainty around the ability of non-GM producers to maintain GM-free production.

Ms Fitzsimons admitted it was not what the Greens sought to achieve.

"But you play the hand that you are dealt.

"We are not going to walk away from what the voters have delivered and we believe we can make a real difference over the next three years."