Questionnaire Results
Summary of results
VOTE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
October 1999
PARTY RESPONSES TO VOTE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT QUESTIONNAIRE

INTRODUCTION
 

At the end of August 1999 the four major environmental groups released their fourth Vote for the Environment Charter for the coming election. The groups involved are the Environment and Conservation Organisations (ECO), Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, Federated Mountain Clubs and Greenpeace.

The charter contains a range of policies that have been widely debated in the environmental community and developed over the previous year. The groups consider them a set of robust policies for all political parties to adopt as their environmental policies.

The approach taken by the groups is non-partisan. They do not intend to indicate which party they support or wish people to vote for. Rather they have used the charter to provide information on good environmental policy and as a benchmark to rate parties’ approaches to the environment. Copies of the charter were send to all MPs and political parties with MPs in Parliament.

Questionnaire
At the end of September the groups wrote to eight political parties with a questionnaire based on the Vote for the Environment Charter. The 172 question questionnaire was sent to: the ACT, the Alliance, the Greens, Labour, National, NZ First, Mauri Pacific and United. These parties were selected on basis of presence in parliament and polling at the end of September.

We asked parties to respond by 6 October and we followed the letter by phone contacts were possible. All responses by late October are included in this analysis.

Responses:
Questionnaires were completed by the Alliance, the Greens, Labour, National, NZ First and United. Where the responses where qualified this has been indicated in the analysis.

National responded with a two page letter from Jenny Shipley, Prime Minister, stated the "National-led Government has worked hard to advance environment and conservation issues. Sustainability is the underlying principle of [National’s] environmental policies with the focus on long-term strategies which we are continually developing. Some of the issues [in the questionnaire] we have no intention of implementing, some we may implement in whole or in part."

In our analysis we have therefore assessed National on the basis of published policy, policy statements, previous budgets, Environment 2010 and budget Policy statements. This approach was also carried out in 1996 and Simon Upton, also then Environment Minister considered we had been "too generous" National.

ACT spokesperson, Ken Shirley, advised that while they supported the biosecurity and in principle supported the Treaty of Waitangi policies (although they would go further) they opposed the other policies which they considered had too much Government involvement. The groups also considered previous comments from ACT on a range of environmental issues including forestry, Resource Management Act, and biodiversity.

Mauri Pacific responded that they have "a policy of not responding to questionnaires". As Mauri Pacific are formally part of the current coalition Government we could have assessed them in the same way as National but as they have no published environmental or conservation policy their position could not be determined.

Labour provided some commentary on their answers and qualified some of their yes/no/undecided answers. They stated "we thought it more helpful to simply state what our position on the issue is, rather than attempt ourselves to sit it into the answer categories provided". The groups have therefore considered the response and determined whether it fits with the key issues in the question or not.

The Greens provided a commentary on their responses

The Alliance added that environmental education was also an important issue.
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OVERALL RESULTS
 
Overall ratings of the parties based on their responses to the VFE Charter questionnaire and announced policy is:
 
Overall percentage support for charter:

Greens(95%),
Alliance (92%),
Labour (79%),
NZ First (67%),
United (44%),
National (28%),
ACT (15%).

 Overall Results graph.
Percentage support for key commitments:

Greens and Alliance (89%),
Labour (44%),
NZ First (33%),
United (33%),
National (11%),
ACT (0%)

 Key Commitments graph
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STAR/TREE RATINGS
 
The star or tree ratings for the parties was derived from their rankings based on the overall questionnaire results based on a six point scale.
Parties Overall
Greens 5 star *****
Alliance 5 star*****
Labour 4 star****
NZ First 3 star***		 United 2 star**
National 1 star*

ACT no star
Based on:
0-17% no star
18-33% 1 star
34-50% 2 star
 51-67% 3 star
68-83% 4 star
84-100% 5 star
 
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KEY ENVIRONMENTAL ELECTION ISSUES:
 
Some of the key questions asked of political parties as part of the Vote for the Environment campaign, and the responses:
a= yes,
r = no,
aq = qualified yes,
rq = qualified no,
Ud = undecided
Forest and habitat protection Alliance  Labour  Greens  NZ First  United  National  ACT
Protect from logging the 130,000 hectares of West Coast rainforest currently mismanaged by Timberlands West Coast.  a aq a rq r r r
Disestablish Timberlands and transfer the management of West Coast exotic forests to a new body providing economic local benefits. a a a rq r r r
Reject the Forests Amendment Bill proposals to allow the export of indigenous logs and chips. a a a r r r r
And instead support measures to ensure greater accountability and increased public involvement in sustainable forest management plans. a Ud a r a r r
End the clearance and logging of all natural kiwi habitat and fund the establishment of eleven 10-20,000 hectare kiwi zones to ensure the survival of kiwi on the mainland. a aq a a Ud Ud r
Amend the Conservation Act and the Crown Minerals Act to establish a public process for consideration of prospecting, exploration and mining applications on conservation land. a a a a a rq r
Government funding Alliance Labour Greens NZ First United National  ACT
Increase baseline Department of Conservation funding by $200 million over three years, with priority given to threatened species, habitat protection and restoration, pastoral lease property purchases, pest control and conservation advocacy. aq Ud aq aq Ud rq r
Biosecurity Alliance Labour Greens  NZ First United National  ACT
Replace the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry with a Ministry of Biosecurity, incorporating MAF Quarantine, and a Ministry of Food. aq aq Ud r Ud Ud r
Reallocate MAF’s residual functions to the Ministry for the Environment (sustainable land management and indigenous forests management) and Ministry of Commerce. aq r Ud r Ud r q r
Marine Alliance Labour Greens NZ First United  National  ACT
Establish a Ministry of Marine Environmental Management with integrating legislation to achieve comprehensive management of the marine environment consistent with the UN Law of the Sea, the UN Fisheries Agreement and the Convention on Biodiversity. Protection of marine mammals, seabirds and marine reserves should stay with the Department of Conservation. Ud Ud a Ud Ud Ud r
Retain Government control and administration of fisheries management, research and enforcement, rather than devolving these functions to the fishing industry. Key action: reject the devolution and co-management proposals in the Fisheries Amendment Bill. a rq a rq Ud rq r
Provide safe refuges for marine life and enhance sustainable fisheries management by establishing marine protected areas including protecting 5% of New Zealand’s marine area as no-take marine reserves or marine protected areas by 2002. a aq aq Ud Ud rq r
AND 20% protected by 2010 Ud Ud aq Ud Ud r r
Amend the Marine Reserves Act 1971 to extend the purposes of marine reserves to include education, recreation, and protection of natural heritage values. a aq a a Ud aq r
Reduce seabird and marine mammal deaths in fisheries to negligible levels approaching zero by 2002. Key species: albatross and petrels in longline fishing, sea lions and seals in trawl fishing. a aq aq a Ud Ud r
Resource Management Alliance  Labour Greens NZ First United  National  ACT
Oppose the amendments to the Resource Management Act which restrict public participation or weaken environmental assessment provisions. a a a aq a rq r
Support the RMA (Costs) Amendment Bill 1998 which seeks to protect community and environmental groups representing a genuine public interest from having costs awarded against them by the Environment Court. a aq a r r Ud r
Priority for additional Ministry for the Environment funding should be given to: a) establishing and implementing National Environmental Standards and National Policy Statements on - a aq a Ud a r r
· Biodiversity; a aq a aq a Ud r
· Sustainable Land and Water Management; a aq a aq a N r
· Energy and Climate Change; a aq a aq a N r
b) Providing training to local government; a a a aq a a q r
c) energy and marine management (including fisheries), and waste minimisation. a a a a a r q r
Energy and Climate Change Alliance  Labour Greens NZ First  United  National  ACT
Adopt at least a 20% cut in 2008-2012 greenhouse gas emissions over 1990 levels and ratify the Kyoto Protocol to the Framework Convention on Climate Change. a Ud a a a r r
A significant fiscally neutral carbon charge should be applied at a rate greater than $50/tonne CO2. a Ud aq Ud Ud r r
Pass the Energy Efficiency Bill and develop minimum energy performance standards. a a a a rq Ud r
Treaty of Waitangi Alliance Labour  Greens NZ First  United National  ACT
Resolve Treaty of Waitangi grievances by using productive Crown resources (eg SOE land and other resources) in the settlement of Treaty claims. Conservation land should only be used in special circumstances (eg urupa and notable pa sites). a a a Ud a aq r
Genetically modified organisms  Alliance  Labour Greens  NZ First United  National  ACT
Establish a five-year moratorium on the field testing and commercial release of genetically engineered organisms while a comprehensive public review and assessment of the long-term effects and risks is undertaken. a rq a a Ud r r
Antarctic and Southern Ocean  Alliance  Labour  Greens NZ First United  National  ACT
Promoting the development of marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean including in the Ross Sea and within 50 nautical miles of Scott and the Balleny Islands, and prevent fishing vessels from fishing in these areas. a aq a a Ud aq r
Introduce a moratorium on toothfish fishing in the Southern Ocean to prevent unsustainable, illegal and unregulated fishing and to protect albatross and petrel populations. a rq a a a rq r
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Full Results

KEY TO RESPONSES

Below are the responses from the six political parties who provided a detailed response to the questionnaire. The abbreviations used are:
Parties:

Alli = Alliance
Lab. = Labour
Gr = Greens
NZ1st = NZ First
ACT = ACT
U = United

 Responses:

Y = Yes
Yq = Yes qualified
N = No
Nq = No qualified
Ud = Undecided
- = no answer
Below are links to the various sections in the Questionaire

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Will your party, if elected to Parliament, strive for Government to adopt and implement this measure?
KEY COMMITMENTS Alli Lab Gr NZ1st ACT U
1 i. Protect from logging the 130,000 hectares of West Coast rainforest currently mismanaged by Timberlands West Coast. Key sites: Okarito, Saltwater, Poerua, East Bank Maruia, Orikaka, Granville, Charleston, east Paparoas, Otira-Kopara, and Inangahua. Y Yq Y Nq N N
1 ii. Disestablish Timberlands and transfer the management of West Coast exotic forests to a new body providing economic local benefits. Y Y Y Nq N N
2. Increase baseline Department of Conservation funding by $200 million over three years, with priority given to threatened species, habitat protection and restoration, pastoral lease property purchases, pest control and conservation advocacy. Yq Ud Y Yq N N
3 i. Replace the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry with a Ministry of Biosecurity, including MAF Quarantine, and a Ministry of Food. Yq Yq Ud N Ud N
3 ii. Reallocate MAF’s residual functions to the Ministry for the Environment (sustainable land management and indigenous forests management) and Ministry of Commerce. Yq N Ud N Nq N
4. Shift the emphasis of taxation away from expenditure and jobs and instead onto charges for environmentally damaging activities1.
 Y Ud Y N Nq N
5 i. Adopt a 20 percent or greater cut in 2008-2012 greenhouse gas emissions over 1990 levels.
 Y Ud Y Y N N
5 ii. Introduce a significant fiscally neutral carbon charge at a rate greater than $50/tonne CO2. Y Ud Yq Ud N N
6. Establish a five-year moratorium on the field testing and commercial release of genetically engineered organisms while a comprehensive public review and assessment of the long-term effects and risks is undertaken. Key action: amendment to HSNO Act to provide a 5 year moratorium.
 Y Nq Y Y N N
7. Phase out chlorinated PVC plastic, chlorinated solvents and the small number of chlorinated anti-sapstain and timber treatment chemicals still in registered use by December 20022.
 Y Ud Yq Y Ud N
1 For example a fiscally neutral switch from GST or income tax to environmental bads such as greenhouse gases emissions or the destruction of forests or the marine environment would lighten the tax burden while sending price signals to discourage environmental damage and encourage people to take account of true environmental costs.
2 This applies to chlorothalonil and chlorinated pyrethroids.
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Will your party, if elected to Parliament, strive for Government to adopt and implement this measure?
KEY COMMITMENTS, continued Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
8. Oppose the amendments to the Resource Management Act which restrict public participation or weaken environmental assessment provisions. Key action: Review the Resource Management Amendment Bill. Y Y  Y  Yq  Nq  N
9. Reform the management of the marine environment with the aim of establishing a Ministry of Marine Environmental Management with integrating legislation to achieve comprehensive management of the marine environment consistent with the United Nations Law of the Sea, the UN Fisheries Agreement and the Convention on Biodiversity. Note: Protection of marine mammals, seabirds and marine reserves should stay with the Department of Conservation.
 Ud Ud Y Ud Ud N
10. Retain Government control and administration of fisheries management, research and enforcement, including the preparation of sustainability plans, fisheries research for the purposes of fisheries acts and the catch and effort data bases, rather than devolving these functions to the fishing industry. Key action: reject the devolution and co-management3 proposals in the Fisheries Amendment Bill.
 Y Nq Y Nq Nq N
11. Introduce requirements for environmental and impact assessments for fishing and include a requirement for the Minister of Conservation's concurrence with any measure (including a decision to have no measure) to protect marine life from the impacts of fishing. Key action: assessment of areas of known or potentially significant biodiversity, and of damaging methods and new and exploratory fisheries.
 Y Yq Y Y Nq N
12 i. Provide safe refuges for marine life and enhance sustainable fisheries management by establishing marine protected areas including protecting 5% of New Zealand’s marine area as no-take marine reserves or marine protected areas by 2002. [For immediate action: Kaikoura, Nuggets (Otago), Stewart Island, Sub-antarctic Islands, Nelson, Waiheke Island, Wellington south coast.]
 Y Yq Yq Ud Nq N
 12 ii. AND 20% protected by 2010.
 Ud Ud Yq Ud N N
3 Co-management is a term used by industry and government to mean quota holders taking over fisheries management, services and planning.
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Will your party, if elected to Parliament, strive for Government to adopt and implement this measure?
KEY COMMITMENTS, continued Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
13. Resolve Treaty of Waitangi grievances by using productive Crown resources (eg SOE land and other resources) in the settlement of Treaty claims. Conservation land should only be used in special circumstances (eg urupa and notable pa sites). Y Y Y Ud Yq Yq
14. Maintain and enhance public foot access to the public conservation estate, and along the coast and waterways (including the Queen’s chain) except where ecologically damaging.
 Y Y Y Ud Yq Nq
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Will your party, if elected to Parliament, strive for Government to adopt and implement this measure?
PRINCIPLES Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
Principle 1 Economic policy should be integrated with and constrained by environmental policy. Economic activities should not be at the expense of the environment. Y Y Y Y Yq N
Principle 2 The public has a right to be informed and participate in public policy making. Barriers to participation should be removed. Y Y Y Y Yq N
Principle 3 Anyuse of land, air, water and biota should be ecologically sustainable. Y Y Y Y Y N
Principle 4 The intrinsic values4 and Mauri5 of the natural world should be respected and protected. Y Y Y Y Ud N
Principle 5 The potential of resources to meet the needs of future generations should be safeguarded. Y Y Y Y Y N
Principle 6 The precautionary principle6 should underpin environmental decision making. Y Y Y Y Y N
Principle 7 The polluter-pays7 and degrader-pays8 principles are desirable mechanisms to reduce environmental degradation and pollution. Y Y Y Y Y N
Principle 8 Indigenous biodiversity should be protected and restored. Y Y Y Y Yq N
Principle 9 Environmental protection and conservation management are core government responsibilities that should be adequately funded. Y Y Y Y Yq N
Principle 10 Public access to the public estate should be maintained and enhanced where ecologically appropriate. Y Y Y Y Yq N
4 Intrinsic value – the value that inheres in something, independent of utility to others, which implies independent ethical standing.
5 Mauri - life-force; life-force, ethos, essence; coherence and harmony with nature.
6 Precautionary principle – When there may be appreciable adverse environmental effects or the environmental effects are unknown, the principle requires a risk averse approach.  This requires taking action to avoid irreversible losses (eg extinctions).  When there is uncertainty the lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing taking action to prevent environmental degradation.
7 Polluter pays principle – the principle now well established and adopted by the OECD that polluters (resource users and consumers) are required to meet the cost of any damage that they impose on the environment, others or future generations.
8 Degrader pays principle – this is an obligation on resource users and consumers to cover paying for all kinds of environmental degradation – eg of habitat, damage to biophysical systems etc.  The effect is that goods and services using less environmentally degrading methods will gain an edge on their environmentally damaging competitors.
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Will your party, if elected to Parliament, strive for Government to adopt and implement this measure?
BIODIVERSITY Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
1. Introduce a Threatened Species and Habitats Act, modelled on Australian federal and state legislation and covering terrestrial, freshwater and marine biota. Y Yq Yq Ud Ud N
2. Increase enforcement provisions and penalties for offences under the Wildlife Act to realistic deterrent levels.
 Y Y Y Y Yq N
3. Adopt and advocate a National Policy Statement under the Resource Management Act that will ensure the maintenance and enhancement of native forest, wetlands, tussock grasslands and other natural habitats, including aquatic ecosystems. Key actions: end the clearance of native forest, the drainage of wetlands and the burning and cultivation of tall tussockland.
 Y Yq Y Y Ud N
4. Amend the Conservation Act and the Crown Minerals Act to establish a public process for consideration of prospecting, exploration and mining applications on conservation land.
 Y Y Y Y Nq N
Freshwater Biodiversity
5. Establish a network of protected freshwater ecosystems (faunistic reserves) for the protection of indigenous freshwater flora and fauna. Key sites: South Westland, inland Otago, Waikato, Taranaki, Bay of Plenty, and Northland.		 Y Yq Ud Y Ud N
6. Develop recovery plans for threatened freshwater species and give legal protection to all threatened native fish and ensure no further loss in the current range of indigenous species. Key species: dwarf inanga, blue gilled bully, Northland mudfish, giant kokopu, and short-jawed kokopu.
 Y Yq Y Y Ud N
7. End the use of toxic lead shot and lead fishing weights.
 Ud Ud Y Y Ud N
8. Initiate water conservation orders for key unprotected wild and scenic rivers. Key rivers: Clarence and Whanganui.
 Ud Yq Y Y Ud N
Terrestrial Biodiversity
9. Reject the Forests Amendment Bill proposals to allow the export of indigenous logs and chips.		 Y Y Y N N N
10. And instead support measures to ensure greater accountability and increased public involvement in sustainable forest management plans. Y Ud Y N N N
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Will your party, if elected to Parliament, strive for Government to adopt and implement this measure?
Terrestrial Biodiversity, continued Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
11. Expand New Zealand’s national park, conservation park and ecological reserve system to improve the representation of lowland forest, tussock grassland and coastal environments. Key sites: national park or conservation park status/investigations as appropriate for Kauri forests, Tongariro-Erua forests, inland Marlborough, Torlesse, Arrowsmiths/ Ashburton Lakes, Garvies-Remarkable Ranges. National park additions: Whanganui, Abel Tasman foreshore, Nelson Lakes, Mt Cook, Rangataua forest to Tongariro National Park, Stewart Island and southern South Westland. Y Y Y Y Yq N
12. End the clearance and logging of all natural kiwi habitat and fund the establishment of eleven 10-20,000 hectare kiwi zones to ensure the survival of kiwi on the mainland. Key sites: Whanganui, Coromandel, Taranaki, Tongariro, Urewera, Northland, North-West Nelson, Buller, South Westland, inland Canterbury, Fiordland. Ud Yq Y Y Ud N
13. Protect New Zealand’s indigenous biota from the ravages of introduced weeds and pests.  Y Yq Y Y Ud N
14. Eradicate thar, wallaby and isolated deer herds and ensure the sustained reduction of deer numbers elsewhere to levels low enough to allow the regeneration of key palatable species. Key sites: Kaweka Conservation Park, Stewart Island, Northland, Taranaki (deer), Central Southern Alps (thar), Rotorua, Kawau Island, South Canterbury (wallaby). Y Yq Y Y Nq N
15. Retain in public ownership all natural habitats currently owned by the Crown that have predominant conservation values. Key sites: Waiouru Army Training Area, indigenous forests managed by Forest Research. Y Y Y Y Ud N
16. Carry out tenure review in the South Island High Country so that land of predominant conservation value returns to full Crown control. Ud Y Y Yq Yq N
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Will your party, if elected to Parliament, strive for Government to adopt and implement this measure?
BIOSECURITY Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
Border control and management
1. Protect New Zealand's biodiversity and primary industries, including agriculture, horticulture, forestry, and fisheries, by upgrading border biosecurity to prevent, as far as possible, the introduction and spread of alien pests and diseases.		 Y Y Y Y Y Y
Key actions include:
a) Mandatory offshore decontamination and quarantine clearances of high-risk imports such as used vehicles and machinery.		 Y Y Y Y Nq Y
b) Major upgrade of container biosecurity regimes including six-sided inspections.
 Y Y Y Y Ud Y
c) Enhanced biosecurity educational programme to raise public, industry and overseas visitor awareness of the importance of biosecurity.
 Y Y Y Y Yq Y
d) Ensure wider public input into the development of a national biosecurity policy and priorities by appointing two representatives, of primary industry and environmental organisations, to the Biosecurity Council.
 Y Y Y Y Y N
e) Ensure comprehensive pest and disease surveillance programmes, particularly around ports and airports, with prompt, well-resourced eradication operations if serious pests breach New Zealand's border defences.
 Y Y Y Y Yq Y
f) The development and enforcement of effective protocols for ship ballast water and hull fouling.
 Y Y Y Y Yq Y
g) Increased resourcing through Vote Biosecurity for the above actions and for the development and revision of Import Health Standards for risk pathways.
 Y Y Y Y Ud Y
Regional measures
2. Develop, in partnership with Australia and the South Pacific island states, a regional biosecurity programme to minimise the risk of new alien species invasions within the South Pacific-Oceania region.		 Y Y Y Y Ud Y
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Will your party, if elected to Parliament, strive for Government to adopt and implement this measure?
Regional measures, continued.. Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
3. Ensure the strictest biosecurity regimes apply to the Ross Dependency and advocate for similar regimes to apply to all of Antarctica. Y Y Y Y Yq Y
Pest management strategies
4. Develop priorities, and a timetable for the introduction of national pest control strategies, for the major pests and diseases that threaten the environment and/or New Zealand's primary industries.		 Y Y Y Y Ud Y
5. Effectively control, and eradicate where achievable, alien weeds, pests and diseases destroying New Zealand's biodiversity and harming primary production causing $800 million in economic damage each year.
 Y Y Y Y Y Yq
Key actions include:
a) Ensuring, through the Biosecurity Council, the development of national priorities and programmes for the eradication, containment and sustained control of pests and diseases by government agencies to complement the biosecurity programmes of regional councils.
 Y Y Y Y Yq Y
b) Identifying and addressing legislative and policy deficiencies that compromise biosecurity objectives, including a greater emphasis on freshwater and marine biosecurity. Y Y Y Y Yq Y
c) Ensuring the Department of Conservation is funded to undertake efficient and effective pest control and eradication across the public conservation estate, including riverbeds. Y Y Y Y Nq N
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Will your party, if elected to Parliament, strive for Government to adopt and implement this measure?
CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
Long-term goals
1. A staged reduction towards a long-term goal of reducing by 2020 greenhouse gases to levels that do not affect the climate. A 60% reduction in carbon dioxide and a 25% reduction in methane is required.9		 Y Yq Y Y Ud N
Specific goals
2. Reject the "net" approach10 while it suffers from great information uncertainties over the size and state of potential and actual carbon sinks and may not result in an actual reduction in atmospheric carbon dioxide.		 Y Y Y Ud N Nq
3. Develop a national policy statement on climate change under the Resource Management Act to provide national consistency for the management of sources and potential sinks of greenhouse gases.
 Y Yq Y Y N N
Energy transition measures
4. Pass the Energy Efficiency Bill and develop minimum energy performance standards.		 Y Y Y Y Yq N
5. Implement a transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources, in particular wind and solar energy, including:
 Y Y Y Y N N
a) Removal of barriers to energy efficiency with the aim of an initial improvement by the year 2005 of 20 percent on 1995 levels and implementation of mandatory minimum energy performance standards.
 Y Y Y Y Ud N
b) Shift the Government’s entire energy research and development budget into energy efficiency and renewable energy by the year 2000 round of science funding decisions;
 Y Y Y Y Ud N
c) Continue the energy saver fund of $2.5m per year, to address the institutional and information barriers to energy efficiency.
 Y Yq Yq Ud N N
9 These targets are based on the cuts suggested by the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to stabilise atmospheric greenhouse gas levels.
10 The "net" emissions approach involves counting changes in sinks (eg plantation forestry) against emissions, particularly CO2.
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Will your party, if elected to Parliament, strive for Government to adopt and implement this measure?
CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, continued Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
6. Remove government subsidies, tax breaks, and promotion activities on fossil fuel exploration and mining. Y Yq Y Ud N N
Electricity sector
7. Overhaul energy pricing to reward consumers who conserve energy. This should include removal of fixed line charges.		 Y Yq Y Y N N
8. Reject any sale to private interests of publicly owned electricity generation, transmission and distribution enterprises or assets until effective policies promoting energy efficiency, environmental protection and the protection of other public interests have been enshrined in law. Y Yq Y Y N N
9. Oppose new hydro dams11 and thermal power stations in favour of sustainable alternatives and set goals for the installation of new renewable electricity sources by the year 2005. (Note renewables do not include medium and large-scale hydro). Y Yq Y Ud N N
ENVIRONMENT AND THE ECONOMY Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
1. Require natural capital impact reporting of all public and medium and large scale private entities. Key actions: Y Yq Y Y Ud N
a) Amend the Public Finance Act and the Local Government Act to require disclosure in annual reports of public agencies’ environmental impact and use of natural resources; Y Y Y Y Ud N
b) Require impacts on the environment to be reflected in national, public sector and private sector accounting and/or reporting; Y Y Y Y Nq N
c) Require by the year 2002 that degradation or depletion of natural capital, including environmental debt, be accounted for and publicly reported in National and Public Accounts (including Gross Domestic Product, Gross National Product, and the balance of payments); Y Yq Y Ud Nq N
d) Amend the Companies Act and Financial Reporting Act to require statutory disclosure of environmental impacts by companies in annual reports. Y  Ud Y Y Ud N
11 This does not include micro hydro and run of the river projects which have no significant adverse effects.
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Will your party, if elected to Parliament, strive for Government to adopt and implement this measure?
FUNDING ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCIES Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
Conservation Funding:
1. Increase funding for protection of ecological values on private land and acquisition of conservation land including:		 Y Y Y Y Nq N
a) A baseline annual allocation of $20 million for Nature Heritage Fund, indexed to inflation, to enable the protection of areas of important indigenous forest and non-forest natural habitats on private land including coastal areas, wetlands and tussock grasslands through purchase, lease or covenant.12 Ud Ud Yq Ud Nq N
b) Increase funding to the Nga Whenua Rahui Fund for Maori Land protection to $5 million to better achieve the objectives of the fund. Y Ud Y Y Nq N
Environment Ministry, and other funding:
2. Strengthen the Ministry for the Environment's role by increasing its annual vote to a level sufficient to carry out its functions. An increase of 50% by 2001 should be provided. Priority for additional spending should be given to:		 Y Yq Y Ud N N
a) establishing and implementing National Environmental Standards and National Policy Statements on:
  • Biodiversity;
 Y Yq Y Y Ud N
  • Sustainable Land and Water Management;
 Y Yq Y Y N N
  • Energy and Climate Change;
 Y Yq Y Y N N
b) providing training to local government; Y Y Y Y Yq N
c) energy and marine management (including fisheries), and waste minimisation. Y Y Y Y Nq N
Reduce funding or increase revenue sources
3. End the $55m government funding from the Tourism Board.		 N N Nq Ud N Ud
4. Disestablish inappropriate functions of the Ministry of Commerce including its minerals advocacy and mining promotion activities. Y Ud Y Ud N N
5. Refocus the Public Good Science Fund (PGSF) and other public research funding to genuine public good science. Increase funding for biodiversity and environmental protection and safeguarding the environment. Y Yq Y Y N N
12 The $20 million includes the current funding in Vote Conservation for the Nature Heritage Fund of $4.514 million.
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Will your party, if elected to Parliament, strive for Government to adopt and implement this measure?
CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
1. Separate the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a new Trade entity. Nq N Nq N N N
Functions
2. Strengthen the Ministry for the Environment's role by:
a) Amending the Environment Act to include "advocacy" for environmental protection and returning to the Ministry for the Environment its previously held oversight and "control"13 functions;		 Y Yq Y N N N
b) Incorporating the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Procedures (EP&EP) as a statutory requirement of the Environment Act. Action: Environmental impact reports should be a statutory requirement of all public sector, state owned enterprises, Crown Entities and Local Authority initiatives. Y Yq Y Y N N
13 "Control" function - this is the right to comment on any policy initiative, proposal or government function and structure. Treasury and State Services Commission have these control functions.
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Will your party, if elected to Parliament, strive for Government to adopt and implement this measure?
HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES, TOXIC WASTE AND GENETIC ENGINEERING Alli Lab Gr NZ1st Nat ACT
Genetically Engineered Organisms
1. Require compulsory labelling of food containing any genetically engineered material, whether for human or animal consumption.		 Y Yq Y Y Nq N
Hazardous substances
2. Phase out persistent organic pollutants (POPs) by December 2000.14		 Y Ud Yq Ud Ud N
3. Recognise the unique biosecurity needs of NZ and the need to protect indigenous biodiversity, adopt the goal of phasing out the use of dangerous or bioaccumulative organochlorine biocides by 2005 with processes for exempting certain uses to protect New Zealand’s borders from alien pest incursions, and for alien pest control needed to protect indigenous biodiversity or when there are no safer alternatives to protect New Zealand’s primary industries.
 Y Yq Y Y Ud N
4. Fund a phased review to be completed by 2005 of other currently registered chemicals with priority given to those known to be bioaccumulative, mutagenic, carcinogenic, ozone-depleting or otherwise known to or suspected to cause significant human health impacts or adverse environmental impacts.
This review is to be implemented via a public process based on HSNO criteria and should examine the biosecurity need, efficacy, alternatives, advantages and disadvantages, to classify those that should be:
  • banned immediately;
  • phased out;
  • further restricted;
  • allowed to remain in use with current restrictions.
 Y Yq Y Ud N N
Toxic Waste Trade
5. Ratify the Waigani Treaty15 on waste trade in the South Pacific.		 Y Yq Y Y Ud N
14 This applies to the 12 POPs targeted by UNEP. The phase out applies to dioxins and furans contained in industrial-scale emissions such as chlorinated pulp mill effluents and commercial-scale waste incinerators.
15 This is the South Pacific Regional agreement banning trade in hazardous wastes from OECD to non-OECD countries.
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Will your party, if elected to Parliament, strive for Government to adopt and implement this measure?
HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES, TOXIC WASTE AND GENETIC ENGINEERING, continued Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
Legislation and ERMA
6. Amend the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO) within the next parliamentary term to:
a) Reform the Environmental Risk Management Authority to change it into a government department with a CEO responsible to a Minister;
 Yq N N Y N N
b) Include the management of radioactive substances;
 Y Ud Y Y N N
c) Include provisions to implement the Basel Convention and ratify the 1994 amendment to this Convention which bans the export of hazardous waste for disposal or recycling from OECD to non-OECD16 countries by 2001.
 Y Ud Y Y Ud N
d) Increase penalties, and enable performance and compliance bonds to be set at levels similar to those in the Commerce Act or the Trade in Endangered Species Act.
 Y Ud Y Y N N
7. Introduce the use of environmental user charges, as provided for in the HSNO Act, to act as a "hazard tax" to accelerate the phase-out, in the first instance, of industrial-scale chlorine use. Yq Ud Y Ud Ud N
Waste reduction and pollution
8. Adopt a waste minimisation strategy and require waste reduction at source: by 2002 reduce annual solid waste production to 50% of 1990 levels.		 Y Yq Yq Y Y N
9. By 2001 set national environmental standards (NES) under the Resource Management Act for all pollution discharges. These standards should be at least as good as international best standards and include a phased timetable to achieve standards by 2005. Yq Yq Yq Y Ud N
10. Commit to introducing a national Toxics Use and Release Inventory (TURI) by 2001 with the goal of a 50% reduction in use and emissions by 2005. Y Ud Y Y Nq N
Ozone depleting substances
11. Phase-out the use of ozone depleting substances, including methyl bromide17 and HCFCs by 2001.		 Y Yq Y Y Nq N
16"Basel Convention" is the 1989 international convention which controls the "transboundary movement of hazardous waste and their disposal".
17This excludes quarantine use.
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HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES, TOXIC WASTE AND GENETIC ENGINEERING, continued Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
Contaminated Sites
12. Commit to the introduction of a national policy statement on hazardous waste by the end of 2001.		 Y Ud Y Y N N
13. Commit to a national strategy for the safe disposal of hazardous wastes and clean up of contaminated sites to at least best international standards. The strategy should include: Y Y Y Y Yq N
a) Decontaminating sites by 2005, including the 20 worst contaminated sites or 30% of the sites, whichever is higher, by 2002. Yq Yq Yq Ud Nq N
b) Amend the Resource Management Act to identify, control and clean up ''orphan'' or contaminated sites. Changes to the Act should include: Y Yq Y Ud Yq N
i. Ensuring liability for clean up and restoration is clearly identified and not left solely to current landowners; Y Y Y Ud Yq N
ii. Introducing a clean up fund derived from mandatory industry levies such as a hazard tax; Y Yq Y Ud Nq N
iii. Requiring regional council permits for all hazardous sites, including manufacture, processing and waste treatment sites, and mandatory public consultation regarding siting; Y Y Y Ud N N
iv. Requiring bonds to cover long-term environmental damage liability. Y Ud Y Ud Ud N
Marine pollution
14. Ratify MARPOL annexes IV (sewage disposal) and VI (air pollution) and promote the development of an annex to control the spread of alien species in ballast water and hull fouling.		 Y Yq Y Y Yq N
15. Promote the protection of the marine environment by the introduction of measures to reduce land and sea-based sources of marine pollution from human activities. To this end, amend the Maritime Transport Act to: Y Yq Y Yq Y N
a) Transfer to the Ministry for the Environment the administration of controls on marine pollution, marine dumping, oil pollution, incineration and storing of waste out to 200 nautical miles; Y Nq Y Ud N N
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Marine pollution, continued Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
b) Introduce public participation procedures that are at least as rigorous as those in the Resource Management Act;
 Y Ud Y Ud N N
c) Include environmental costs and benefits in the objectives of the Maritime Safety Authority and in the establishment of maritime safety rules;
 Y Yq Y Ud N N
d) Provide nominees of the Minister for the Environment on the Maritime Safety Authority.
 Y Ud Y Ud N N
MARINE ECOSYSTEMS Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
Fisheries Management
1. Ensure fisheries are managed according to the precautionary principle so that:		 Y Y Y Y Yq N
a) depleted fish stocks are rebuilt through controls which allow only limited fishing or closures as appropriate;
 Y Y Y Y Nq N
b) all fish stocks are managed to ensure populations do not fall significantly below unfished population levels (eg 70%);
 Y Nq Yq Y N N
c) fishing is strictly limited or not permitted for fish stocks for which information on population levels or fishing impacts is absent, seriously inadequate, or indicates significant adverse effects.
 Y Y Y Ud N N
2. End fishing practices that cause significant adverse impacts on the marine environment including an end to the use of set nets and bottom trawling. Key sites: seamounts, Spirits Bay, Golden Bay, Tasman Bay, and Hector’s dolphin habitat. Y Yq Yq Ud Nq N
3. Reduce seabird and marine mammal deaths in fisheries to negligible levels approaching zero by 2002. Key species: albatross and petrels in longline fishing, sea lions and seals in trawl fishing.
 Y Yq Yq Y Ud N
4. Set limits on marine farming and ensure all marine farming licences are subject to the full provisions of the Resource Management Act. Key action: pass the Resource Management Amendment Bill (No 3).
 Y Yq Y Ud Ud N
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Will your party, if elected to Parliament, strive for Government to adopt and implement this measure?
MARINE ECOSYSTEMS continued Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
Marine Protected Areas
5. Amend the Marine Reserves Act 1971 to extend the purposes of marine reserves to include education, recreation, and protection of natural heritage values. Develop a marine protected areas act providing for a range of protective mechanisms in addition to the Marine Reserves Act.		 Y Yq Y Y Yq Nq
6. Establish a network of marine mammal sanctuaries covering the major feeding and breeding grounds of New Zealand's marine mammals. Key sites: Kaikoura, Cape Palliser, Cape Foulwind, Canterbury Coast, Auckland Islands (out to 100 km surrounding), Campbell Islands. Y Yq Y Y Ud N
7. Amend the National Parks Act to allow the protection of marine areas adjacent to national parks (eg Fiordland). Y Yq Y N Ud N
8. Create marine parks that give priority to marine conservation and protection in Fiordland, the Hauraki Gulf and the Bay of Islands. Y Yq Y Ud Y N
9. Support the creation of taiapure and mataitai areas as key elements in an extended network of marine conservation areas. Y Y Y Y Y N
10. Prohibit the further holding of whales, dolphins, seals and penguins in captivity unless as part of an approved threatened species recovery strategy. Y Yq Yq Y Ud N
ANTARCTICA AND THE SOUTHERN OCEAN Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
1. Promoting the development of marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean including in the Ross Sea and within 50 nautical miles of Scott and the Balleny Islands, and prevent fishing vessels from fishing in these areas. Y Yq Y Y Yq N
2. Introduce a moratorium on toothfish fishing in the Southern Ocean to prevent unsustainable, illegal and unregulated fishing and to protect albatross and petrel populations. Y Nq Y Y Nq N
3. Press for speedy negotiation of a new annexe to the Antarctic Environmental Protocol on liability for environmental damage with the inclusion of environmental non-governmental organisations as observers. Y Y Y Y Yq N
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NUCLEAR FREE Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
1. Advocate internationally, within the Conference on Disarmament, for a comprehensive treaty banning all plutonium separation and use for any purpose. Y Y Y Y Ud N
2. Work with the South Pacific Forum nations to develop a new protocol to the South Pacific Regional Environment Protocol banning the transit of shipments of plutonium, mixed oxide (MOX) fuels and high level radioactive wastes through the region. Y Y Y Y Ud N
3. Legislate to exclude all nuclear shipments from waters under New Zealand jurisdiction. Y Yq Y Y Nq N
4. Advocate internationally, within the Conference on Disarmament, a Nuclear Weapons Free Convention that reduces all nuclear arsenals to zero within a specified time. Y Y Y Y Yq Yq
POPULATION Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
1. Developing a population policy aimed at stabilising New Zealand's population by 2010. Y Yq Ud Y Nq N
SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
1. Develop an action plan for hill country erosion as required by the Sustainable Land Management Strategy. The plan should: Y Y Y Y Y N
a) develop a policy framework and delivery mechanism for central government intervention and assistance to combat hill country erosion, including the East Coast sustainable land management project; Y Y Y Ud N N
b) be funded at a level not less than $20 million/year with a review of the adequacy of the funding after three years; Ud Ud Yq Ud Nq N
c) be integrated and fully consistent with the Biodiversity Strategy; Y Y Y Ud Ud N
d) identify lands requiring retirement; Y Y Y Ud N N
e) provide adjustment assistance to enable indebted landowners to relocate away from eroding hill country land and for the amalgamation and reconfiguration of properties retiring land not capable of sustainable production. Y Y Y Ud N N
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PUBLIC PARTICIPATION & DISCLOSURE Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
1. Remove barriers to public participation and providing financial assistance to empower communities and environmental groups to take part in resource management, fisheries and conservation processes. Funding of a minimum of $5 million/year should be provided to ensure adequate access to legal advice and representation, expert witnesses and research assistance. Y Yq Y Ud N N
2. Amend the operation of the Environment Court so that it is accessible, user friendly and fair. This should include being able to undertake inquiries into a matter before it, the ability to employ consultants and legal counsel18, and establishing an advisory service to assist parties. Y Yq Y Y Nq N
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ACT Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
1. Strengthen the environmental provisions of the Resource Management Act for the preparation of Assessments of Environmental Effects by introducing a system of independent environmental auditing to ensure the effects of development proposals are thoroughly evaluated. Y Yq Yq Yq N N
2. Support the RMA (Costs) Amendment Bill 1998 which seeks to protect community and environmental groups representing a genuine public interest from having costs awarded against them by the Environment Court. Y Yq Y N Ud N
PUBLIC ACCESS/ OUTDOOR RECREATION Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
1. Retain in public ownership and control the land or waters administered by local or central Government, with predominant conservation or access values. Y Y Y Y Yq N
2. Ensure adequate funding for a system of basic huts, tracks and other facilities, thus allowing New Zealanders to access and enjoy their publicly owned natural lands and waters. Y Y Y Y Yq N
3. Curb the development of elaborate recreational facilities on public conservation land eg 40 bunk huts and great walk type tracks. Nq Yq Yq Y N N
18 This is similar to counsel for the child in the Family Court.
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TRADE AND THE ENVIRONMENT Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
1. Ensure environmental protection is the over-riding constraint on trade regulation and is incorporated into the World Trade Organisation (WTO) trade rules and the work of its environment sub-committee. Y Yq Y N Nq N
2. Support and work to achieve the incorporation of environmental and biosecurity regulations and policies into international trading agreements (World Trade Organisation, Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary Agreements and APEC) to ensure that trade liberalisation does not result in additional environmental degradation or enhanced biosecurity risks. Y Y Y Y Ud Nq
3. Support trade bans on certain products including toxic waste, endangered species, ozone depleting substances and high biosecurity risk goods.
 Y Yq Y Y Yq Yq
4. Work to ensure that consultation, reporting and decision making structures for international trade agreements (World Trade Organisation, Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary Agreements and APEC) are open and based on democratic principles, allowing non-governmental organisation (NGO) observers and participation in procedures.
 Y Y Y Ud Ud N
5. Ensure trade agreements do not undermine national environmental legislation and policies or environmental conventions.
 Y Yq Y Y Nq N
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TRANSPORT Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
1. Introducing traffic reduction targets for all city councils. Regional land transport strategies would be the mechanism to plan for reduction, and the means of measuring and reporting on how targets are being met. Legislation should be introduced by 1 July 2000, with an initial goal of 10% reduction over 1999 levels by 2005. Y Ud Yq Ud Nq N
2. Retaining national and regional land transport strategies under the Land Transport Act to ensure integrated transport planning so that integration between modes and land-use needs are planned for. For example, goals should be established for reducing pollution, resource use and community impacts. Y Y Y Y N N
3. Ensuring community control of the land transport system through the rejection of proposals to corporatise road management and funding since this leads to incentives to maximise road use. Y Y Y Y N N
4. Introducing internationally recognised emissions standards for new vehicles. Implement new standards and charges by 1 July 2000 including the introduction of annual vehicle emission testing as part of the warrant of fitness. Y Yq Y N Ud N
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TREATY OF WAITANGI Alli Lab Gr NZ1st U ACT
1. Ensure that in the settlement of Treaty claims:
a) the rights and interests of the environment are protected and conservation and environmental protection is achieved and
 Y Yq Y Y Yq Yq
b) the Government adequately consults with the people of New Zealand.
 Y Y Y Y Y Yq
2.i. Resolve Treaty of Waitangi grievances by using productive Crown resources (eg SOE land and other resources) in the settlement of Treaty claims. Y Y Y Y Y Yq
2.ii. These resources should not be disposed of to other interests if they may be required for a settlement.Conservation land should only be used in special circumstances (eg urupa and notable pa sites). Y Y Y Y Ud Yq
2.iii. Settlement instruments such as topuni, deeds of recognition and naming which were used in the Tainui and Ngai Tahu settlements could be used. Y Y Y Y Yq Yq
3. Recognise the importance to Maori of some native plant and animal materials by:
a) promoting the conservation and restoration of native species of particular significance to Maori, such as eel, pingao, flax and totara.
 Y Y Y Y Yq Ud
b) and to allow for customary use subject to:
i. No taking of live wildlife protected under the Wildlife Act or Marine Mammals Protection Act or in contravention of other conservation legislation;
 Ud Y Y Y Yq Yq
      ii. No felling of live trees on conservation land;
 Nq Yq Nq Ud Nq Yq
      iii. That any harvest is sustainable and has minimal environmental impact;
 Y Y Y Ud Y Yq
      iv.Establishment of banks of cultural materials (eg feathers and wood) for use when required.
 Y Y Y Y Y Yq

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