I love Aotearoa. I love this place. I love its people.
But right now, there are parts of NZ that need a lot more love.
Loving NZ, to me, is about more than just appreciating what we have now.
It's also about realising our potential and just how great NZ could be.
UPLIFTING GUITAR MUSIC
UPLIFTING ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
When one in four kids is living in poverty, something is going seriously wrong.
National is cutting funding to vital services like health and to education,
which is the pathway out of poverty.
When I was a young mum, I would bring my daughter here every morning before going to university.
Studying law was a major turning point in our lives,
and I could not have done it without government support and the training incentive allowance,
which paid for my study and childcare.
This was the same allowance that Paula Bennett used for her study, which she then scrapped,
pulling the ladder out after her.
We have a responsibility to strengthen each rung of the ladder as we climb,
clearing the path for those who follow.
I grew up in a Housing Commission street similar to this but in Brisbane.
Back then we had the universal child benefits,
and the government made sure there was opportunities for everyone.
So whether you were the daughter of the petrol-tank driver, Mr Lax, up the road
or the train driver, Mr Cord, who lived next door, everyone got opportunities,
the likes of which our parents could only dream of.
And it was because the people that came before us supported us, gave us some chances,
and we were all better off.
A party vote for the Greens is a vote for a fairer society.
We have a plan to make a $1 billion investment in our children.
Our policies will reduce child poverty and protect our most vulnerable.
They also make economic sense. Investing today in our children's health and education
is a smart way to ensure they have the best shot at a great future.
It's good for everyone.
The Greens will create a more equal NZ, where there's enough for every child to thrive.
UPLIFTING ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
National has done nothing to help NZers out with the basics.
You shouldn't have to be a millionaire to buy a house in Auckland,
and your wages should be enough to pay your groceries and your bills.
Ah, check it out — a classic Mitsubishi Magna.
I spent a couple of years putting on the left front headlight and a few other bits and pieces
in a giant factory with 4000 other guys.
And it was pretty tough work, but we looked after each other and we looked out for each other.
And when I left that factory,
I always promised myself I'd remember those guys and the lessons that they taught me.
When I was 16, I used to work in a dairy similar to this one,
and I would apologise to the customers for the price of the milk and bread.
When I was 19, I worked as an advocate for the Unemployed and Beneficiaries Rights Centre.
And after National's 'mother of all budgets' in the '90s,
I was on the front line with those families who had lost their jobs
and were then treated by government as if they didn't matter.
Good jobs and a strong economy don't just build themselves.
A party vote for the Greens is a vote for building an economy that benefits everyone.
We have a plan to lower NZ's carbon emissions by charging polluters
but returning that money to you in the form of tax cuts.
On average, households will be $300 a year better off.
The Greens will support businesses to innovate and create more jobs.
The benefits of a smarter, greener economy need to be shared by everyone.
NZ has the potential to build a clean, green economy
where we protect our environment and care for our people.
It's not economy or environment — we can have both.
UPLIFTING ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
Our beaches, our dolphins, our rivers are all at threat because of National's pollution agenda.
National are prioritising oil companies and pollution ahead of our environment.
I remember bringing my daughter here to play at Piha all the time.
And I remember one time especially, when you were really small,
where you were running in these great loops down the beach, chasing our dog — Sam, our little dog.
You remember that?
Yeah.
Now, I want to make sure that our rivers and our beaches stay clean and protected
so that Piu's future kids...
(LAUGHS)
...and grandkids can come and play here too, and she'll get to watch them just like I watched her.
When I was 15 years old, I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma.
I was lucky because I was diagnosed early. But it made me realise a couple of things.
Firstly, the value of a good public health system.
Secondly, when I was in that cancer ward and there were people dying around me,
it made me realise how short and how valuable life is and that you need to focus on the important things.
And what's important to me is to protect this planet — places like this —
for future generations and for our kids.
A party vote Green is a vote for a cleaner environment.
The Greens will make our rivers and beaches clean enough to swim in again.
We will adopt clear rules for water quality and support communities and industries to meet them.
We will protect our beaches from risky deep-sea oil drilling
and work with the fishing industry and scientists to do everything possible
to save our Maui's dolphins from extinction.
We have travelled different paths, and they have led us here.
We are the co-leaders of the Green Party, and we are ready to lead the Greens into government.
The Green Party is NZ's fastest-growing political movement.
We are an experienced and united political team
that values honesty and integrity and shares a clear vision for a better NZ.
We have fresh-thinking and up-to-date solutions
to the big issues that other parties are not tackling.
A vote for the Greens is both a vote for a new government and a new direction.
We love Aotearoa. We want to protect it, cherish it and make it even better.
Love NZ.
Party vote Green.