“We all care about the environment”
During the TV3 leaders’ debate, Rodney Hide made a comment to the effect that “all parties care about the environment”. Well, Forest and Bird begs to differ. In the latest edition of its Conservation News, it marks all the parties’ conservation policies, given them one or two ticks, a cross or a question mark for sixteen policy areas. In their lead story, Forest and Bird writes:
In little more than a month the decision that you make in a polling booth will shape the future of New Zealand. It is important to make your two votes count.
This election will be crucial for the future of conservation in New Zealand. The choices voters make may determine whether New Zealand gains more marine reserves or sees increased plunder of the oceans; whether New Zealand gains more publicly owned high country parks or sees the land privatised; or even whether New Zealand retains a strong focused and effective Department of Conservation (DOC).
There are two main camps in Parliament on conservation. Labour and the Greens generally support conservation, while ACT, National and United Future oppose many important conservation measures. New Zealand First is strong in some areas and weak in others. United Future and ACT are perhaps the least enthusiastic parties when it comes to conservation.
Both major parties, National and Labour, have shown some disappointing trends in the last term. National appears to have abandoned its traditional moderate approach in favour of DOC bashing and new anti-conservation policies.
Labour, while being strong on high country protection, new marine reserves and pest control, has backtracked on its traditional support for sound sustainable resource management planning, has failed to halt mining on conservation land and has yet to come to grips with major environmental challenges in energy production and freshwater management.
The Greens have strongly supported conservation policies over the last term and have placed a welcome increased emphasis on pest control.
To make things simple for you, I have tabulated the results of Forest and Bird’s survey. The Greens are way out in front, and Labour is the only other party to get a pass mark. Meanwhile, half of Parliament’s parties scoring an F. Act deserves a special mention for being the only party to get a single digit percentage mark!
Anyway, it’s fairly clear: only a Green/Labour Government will stand up for our environment.
| Party | Mark | % | Grade |
| Greens | 29/32 | 91% | A+ |
| Labour | 19/32 | 59% | C+ |
| NZ First | 13/32 | 41% | D |
| United | 7/32 | 22% | F |
| Maori | 5/32 | 16% | F |
| National | 5/32 | 16% | F |
| Progs | 5/32 | 16% | F |
| Act | 2/32 | 6% | F |
August 19th, 2005 at 2:45 pm
Your argument is circular. You define “caring for the envirnment” to be “agreeing with Green polices”.
I’m a Labour voter, and believe it or not I “care” for the envorinment. And just like the vast majority of NZers, I don’t vote Green.
The Green Party’s We Are the One True Way attitude is not that different to some unhealthy religious groups.
August 19th, 2005 at 2:52 pm
No, I define “caring for the environment” as “what Forest and Bird says are policies that promote conservation”. I don’t think only Green voters care about the environment, and I do think that Labour and the Greens would make a great team on conservation
August 19th, 2005 at 3:00 pm
sock thief, you are trying to polarise an argument when in fact a range of opinions exist. The F&B survey shows that the Greens have stronger enviro policy than Act. Labor and NZ First are in the middle somewhere.
Alan
August 19th, 2005 at 5:10 pm
big deal fwwog, just means we can pick up yo best ideas, not who have policy fwwog, it what get done,
August 19th, 2005 at 6:42 pm
my favourite thing from that Forest and Bird newsletter was their mention of what ACT propose for the DoC.
See I always thought, especially after reading the comments of ACT supporters on frogblog, that ACT were in favour of cutting waste in government expenditure by reducing the amount of different government agencies - down with beaurocracy!
Yes, it seems that while United No-future want to split DoC into two different agencies, it is apparantly ACT’s plan to split DoC into three separate agencies! I think that both of those party’s proposals must surely mean more repetition and more wasted money.
August 19th, 2005 at 8:58 pm
Stuey,
“…I think that both of those party’s proposals must surely mean more repetition and more wasted money. ”
No, not if you cut their tasks back as well. Make a whole lot of things ‘outside the scope’ of these new agencies, and hey presto, no repetition and wasted money.
Well, apart from replication of admin and management of course.
So maybe we end up with a slight decrease in budget with a large decrease in service. Hard to say, until we saw it for real, which fortunatley, is unlikely to happen.
August 20th, 2005 at 10:44 am
Anyone know what Rodney Hide’s degree is in?