The Green Party is this week celebrating a year of political achievements, with the week's highlight being "Green Day" - December 7 - one year since the successful election to Parliament as a party in its own right.

"The Greens' election has ensured stability for the minority Labour-Alliance coalition government without undermining the Green Party's independence," Co-Leader Rod Donald said today.

"Greens around New Zealand and at Parliament are marking the week in a wide range of ways, for example with parties, organic stalls, open days, music and public events," he said.

"There are dozens of reasons to celebrate, but in line with the number seven theme - December 7 and seven MPs - we are highlighting seven significant achievements:

* Jeanette Fitzsimons' Energy Efficiency and Conservation Bill passing into law. The first ever piece of legislation in this country designed specifically to address climate change.

* Fifteen million dollars during the last budget round for a package of Green Party initiatives - biosecurity, conservation, organics, quit smoking assistance, energy efficiency, environmental education, complementary health care.

* Ensuring the end of native forest logging on the West Coast.

* The much needed Royal Commission of Inquiry on Genetic Modification - as requested by the 100,000 New Zealanders who signed the Green Party's petition.

* The adoption of the current select committee review into the most appropriate and effective legal status of cannabis. Getting cannabis onto parliamentary agenda - leading public debate on better ways to minimise the harm of cannabis.

* Promoting the economic, social and environmental advantages of New Zealand as an organic nation - the producer of the cleanest, greenest, safest food in the world. Select committee inquiry into organic production as requested by Ian Ewen-Street.

* Continuing to represent all people concerned with global equity - representing these people outside the World Economic Forum in Melbourne, pushing hard for fair, safe and ecologically sustainable trade instead of free trade and initiating a select committee inquiry into the human rights implications of New Zealand's foreign policy.

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