“The inescapable conclusion is they don’t care about the public’s estate or the public’s recreational values associated with rivers, fisheries, native forests or other resources.” –CORANZ

Lack of interest about the natural world

The environment and outdoor recreation has slipped badly down in political party agendas, says the Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations of NZ (CORANZ).

The conclusion was based on a pre-election questionnaire that CORANZ put out to the parties currently competing in the election and to three judged to be credible outside Parliament.

CORANZ administration officer Tony Orman said the failure of parties, especially those in Parliament, reflected a disinterest in the environment and the outdoors. Political parties had been given three reminder emails during the 15 day response period.

“The inescapable conclusion is they don’t care about the public’s estate or the public’s recreational values associated with rivers, fisheries, native forests or other resources.”

10 searching questions to respond to

The ten questions were especially wide ranging even covering the credibility of the current economic system relative to the environment; population planning relative to demand on resources; foreign ownership controls and restoring full democracy to select committee hearings.

The other six questions dealt with issues like

• advocating formal enquiries into the integrity of fisheries Quota Management System
• use of poisons such as 1080 and brodifacoum
• the loss of productive farmland to unmanaged “carbon forests”
• the competency of the Department of Conservation
• strengthening the laws prohibiting the sale of fishing and hunting rights.

How did they do?

Of the three parties in the coalition government, ACT’s response came out top with 14 out of 20, followed by National with 12.5. NZ First failed to respond.

Outside of Parliament Outdoors and Freedom ranked top with 20 out of 20 followed by the Conservative Party with 19.

Tony Orman expressed surprise that the Greens scored 0 for not replying, despite three reminders after the initial e mail.

“Basically it seems, there is no party currently in Parliament cares much about the environment. The CORANZ panel commented that the Green Party seemed to have sacrificed its environmental roots built under the late Rod Donald and Jeanette Fitzsimons for social issues.

Most Kiwis are “green” in their outlook

“That’s a real pity – almost tragic – there’s no party in Parliament dedicated to environmental and outdoor recreation advocacy,” said Tony Orman. ”After all most Kiwis are green in their positive leanings to the outdoors and environment. Over a million New Zealanders go sea fishing, hundreds of thousands go tramping, mountaineering, trout fishing, duck shooting and other outdoor recreation forms. It’s a gigantic voting bloc. It’s a sleeping voter giant. It needs awakening.”

He said voters in this year’s election need to seriously weigh up voting options.

“Other issues such as cost of living will inevitably be to the fore, but if you value clean rivers, public lands not being hocked off to the highest bidder, well-managed sea fishery resources, the need for game animal management, if you abhor the aerial scattering of ecosystem poisons over public lands, plus others, then choose your party vote wisely.”

Need to apply pressure in the future

Tony Orman said outdoor organisations and “green minded individuals” should ramp up efforts before the 2029 election to lobby the new government if it’s elected, or the coalition government if returned, to raise issues  around the environment, public resources and outdoor recreation, to the top of priority issues for the next term of government.

“If it comes to voting for a party outside Parliament, so be it. Some will say wasted vote, others might say, the education of politicians has to start somewhere, sooner rather than later,” he added, referring to the two top high scores by Outdoors and Freedom, and Conservative parties.

APPENDIX

Party scores assessed in order, were:-

• Outdoors and Freedom 20
• Conservative 19
• ACT 14
• National 12.5
• Labour, Greens, NZ First, Opportunity 0 –  i.e. they did not respond despite three reminders