Green Party.

• Position: ELECTION 2005 - Political party

The Green Party believes that the main problem in the world is the huge differences in wealth and power within and between countries. The agenda of the rich nations, for free trade and investment agreements, and for privatisation, is making it more difficult to overcome these differences in wealth and power. Many nations languish while more of the world's resources and productive capacity come under the control of multi-nationals based in the rich countries.

New Zealand should be a champion of fair trade, not so-called free trade (which is never on a level playing field) and the rights of nations to determine their own economic and social destiny.

We should ally ourselves with poorer countries, and the more socially and environmentally minded rich countries, mainly in Europe, to try to address the world's most important political, economic and environmental problems.

This means joining with such nations in opposition to unilateral military interventions by big powers, in their own economic interests, as in the United States-led invasion and occupation of Iraq.

It also means working with the more progressive nations on implementing the Kyoto agreement despite opposition from the United States and others.

We should continue in the New Agenda Coalition promoting nuclear disarmament against the resistance of governments from the nuclear states, particularly the Bush administration.

Our nuclear-free status has shown how we can be an important part of the moral conscience of the world, and inspire others. Our small size, and geographical separation from conflict zones, can be turned to our advantage. The fact that we are not seen as a threat to anyone puts us in a good position to he an advocate of peace, social justice, human rights, and ecological sustainability.

The Greens want us to work with other small countries, like Norway, on these matters. I have visited Norway to study its exemplary peacemaking, and seen how they do it successfully on the ground in Sri Lanka. We can do more peacemaking, building on our good work in Bougainville. For a start, we can actively support a process of self-determination in West Papua, involving the Pacific Islands Forum and re-involving the United Nations.

We must not be intimidated in our in our promotion of human rights, as many countries are when confronted with such big players as the Chinese regime, which is violating the rights of its citizens, and those in Tibet, and denying the right of the people of...