"The first 100 days"

In the first 100 days the Greens would want to develop open, co-operative processes to work constructively with Labour and the Alliance, appoint a Royal Commission on GE, end the West Coast beech and rimu logging, bring a halt to new motorway projects in Auckland and Wellington and spend the money on the public transport systems, and pass Jeanette Fitzsimons' Energy Efficiency Bill.

Extracts from Jeanette Fitzsimons' campaign closing speech

Our first task next week will be to build the team processes so our new MPs can work well together in Parliament - based on consensus, not hierarchy, where diversity is valued, not suppressed.

We also want to develop open, co-operative processes to work constructively with Labour and the Alliance so the policy debates and agreements can be transparent, not traded off behind closed doors.

Most of our policies are about long term change, but there are some urgent actions we need in the first 100 days to prevent irreversible damage.

We need to appoint a Royal Commission on GE, stop any further approval of field trials of GE crops, and speed up action on labelling.

We must end the West Coast beech and rimu logging and put resources into real economic development for the Coast.

We want a halt to new motorway projects in Auckland and Wellington that will create more traffic and congestion, and spend the money on the public transport systems they desperately need.

We could also pass my Energy Efficiency Bill in the first 100 days and begin the process of saving money and tackling climate change.

There are also urgent steps we should take to reduce the stress on people and we fully support measures to start rolling back the burden of student loans, raise the minimum wage and introduce income related rents for State Houses.

Then we will really begin Thinking Beyond Tomorrow. I want to meet with the organics industry and start implementing our package of advisory services, research, and mortgage support for farmers wanting to become certified organic producers.

And I want to put together a focused team to help communities develop their local economy. There is so much local initiative around, but it needs venture capital, mentoring, help with training, and a network of community banks which will invest in their local economy rather than sending profit, and jobs, overseas.

Jeanette Fitzsimons: 025 586 068

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