The Minister was speaking as he welcomed a report by the Equality Commission following its review of governance, practices and procedures at the Ulster Boxing Council.

The Executive Office today launched a competition to appoint a new Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI).

A new resource has been published which focuses on career opportunities in the fast-growing Cyber Security sector in Northern Ireland.

Former Labour group leader on Carmarthenshire County Council Cllr Robert James has defected to the Green Party. 

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has welcomed Robert, who represents Lliedi ward on Carmarthenshire County Council, to the Green Party.  

The defection comes as the party meets in Cardiff to celebrate almost tripling its membership in two months and to plan a Senedd breakthrough in 2026. 

Announcing the defection at Wales Green Party conference, Zack said:

“I know this will be the first of many councillors who we will be welcoming to the Wales Green Party.  

“I’m delighted to be welcoming Robert in person at this historic Wales conference where members are planning how to break through into the Senedd in the elections in 2026. 

“This defection of a country councillor shows that the momentum is building and more breakthroughs will follow. 

“Rob is a pioneer – he was the youngest Labour group leader in Wales, and now the first councillor in Wales to join the Green Party from Labour. 

“He won’t be the last – I know there are many more weighting up their decision.” 

Cllr James said:

“During a time when our communities are the most divided in decades and the struggles our residents face continue to grow, I have joined a party that puts people and this planet first – by tackling crippling inequality, protecting public services and safeguarding the future of our environment. 

“As a Green Councillor I will continue to fight for the interests of those living in Lliedi and Carmarthenshire, more widely, to get the changes we desperately need.” 

Rob has led campaigns to divest pension funds from fossil fuels, for a locally owned bus company for school pupils and against cuts to local public services. 

Anthony Slaughter, Wales Green Party leader, said:

“The moral courage Rob has shown is exactly why he makes a brilliant Green councillor. It also shows the political tectonic plates are shifting in Wales. Our membership in Wales has nearly tripled in two months, closing in on six thousand.  

“Our call to make hope normal again has galvanized the public to action, and the momentum around the party is going to carry us into the Senedd in May. We’ll be there to shake up the complacent and tired government that has forgotten the people it’s supposed to serve.” 

Adblock test (Why?)

Anthony Slaughter will use his Wales Green Party conference leader’s speech on Saturday to lay out how Greens in the Senedd will ‘improve people’s lives’, and warn that the country must make the most of a ‘once in a generation’ chance to elect a new government.  

Anthony Slaughter will say:

“We’ve been waiting for this opportunity for many years. We can finally replace this tired, clapped-out, complacent Welsh government with one that’s buzzing with excitement about making Wales better.  

“But we also need to be bold – to make sure we don’t replace one cautious, timid government with one that still won’t stand up to vested interests. We need a government that won’t bow down to landowners, landlords and corporations.  

“Caution is the last thing we need right now.”  

He will also point to Scotland as an example of how Greens have “changed people’s lives for the better.” He will say:

“A few weeks ago, I was in Scotland listening to how our colleagues there won rent controls. How they cut child poverty. How they scrapped peak rail fares, and made buses free for young people. How they won record funding for climate and nature.  

“Scotland shows it takes Greens, it takes bold politics to deliver the best deal possible for people.  

“So imagine what we can do here with Greens putting pressure on a new government.  

He will also announce a series of priorities for Green Senedd members:

“We will make your life better. We’ll bring wealth taxes to Wales – by replacing council tax with a system where wealthy property owners pay more. We can start putting money back into our councils to provide better local services.  

“We can build tens of thousands of new council homes. We can nationalise water, so we can cut bills and clean up our rivers.  

“We can create good jobs across Wales in clean energy and insulating our cold and damp homes.”  

Adblock test (Why?)