Conservation

While we at Edulection aren't the only ones to collect information on where all the major political parties stand, we are the only one to bring you a wide selection of topics.

Obviously there are organisations which care about various issues. One such organisation is the Royal Forest and Bird Society. They put together a great PDF which you can access here that brings together information on what the major political parties think on a wide range of topics related to conservation.

The twenty questions below were put to Labour, National, New Zealand First, Greens, Maori and United Future. Go to Forest and Bird's very informative Envirovote section to see how they answered.

• Introduced pests, such as deer, thar, chamois and wild pigs, inflict significant damage to our natural environment, yet some among the hunting lobby want the law changed to see them “managed” as a “resource.” Will you uphold existing legislation and policy that supports control of these species and allows continued access for hunters to the conservation estate?
• Introduced pests are not controlled over a large proportion of the conservation estate, and threaten native species such as kiwi. Will your party commit to expanding regular pest control to at least 30% of the conservation estate within three years (focusing on key areas of most urgent concern: Kaimai-Mamaku, Ruahine, Waitutu, Puketi-Omahutu)?
• Pest-free offshore islands provide vital havens for some of our most critically endangered species. Will you commit to funding pest eradication on the Auckland Islands?
• The Department of Conservation is responsible for protecting a land area covering nearly 30% of New Zealand’s land mass that is habitat for much of our unique biodiversity, yet is not adequately resourced to carry out this guardianship role. Will you adequately resource DOC so it can fulfil its core biodiversity protection responsibilities?
• Forest & Bird has advocated for a network of conservation parks to protect our vulnerable South Island high country. Does your party support the creation of further high country parks, including the nomination of the Ashburton lakes as a World Heritage Site?
• South Island high country lakes and their surrounds form some of New Zealand’s most iconic landscapes. Recently lakeside pastoral leases were excluded from tenure review because of their special scenic values. Will you also support similar protection for properties with special conservation and biodiversity values?
• The Mokihinui River Valley on the West Coast is clad in pristine native forest, including rimu, kahikatea and beech, and is important habitat for native birds, including kiwi. However, the valley would be flooded if a proposal by power company Meridian to build an 80-metre-high dam across the river valley goes ahead. Will your party stop the proposal to dam the Mokihinui River?
• Canterbury is already suffering environmental damage due to intensification of agriculture, especially dairy farming. However the Central Plains Water Scheme is progressing before major strategic studies on the region’s water use can be completed. Will your party withdraw the Central Plains Water Scheme requiring authority and call a moratorium on all other major water takes till the studies are completed?
• The outstanding conservation and recreational values of our braided rivers, and the many endangered plants and animals they support, merit protection. Is your party committed to reversing the decline of the indigenous biodiversity of our braided rivers?
• Hector’s dolphins are in decline and under serious threat, most significantly from set nets. Does your party support a ban on set nets throughout the dolphins’ range?
• Maui’s dolphins are the world’s rarest marine dolphin, with just 111 individuals remaining. Do you support the establishment of the marine mammal sanctuary proposed by Forest & Bird to protect Maui’s dolphins from risk of extinction?
• The practice of shark finning – cutting fins off sharks and throwing away their bodies – is contributing to the decline of shark populations and is banned in many countries. Does your party support a requirement for fishers to land whole sharks, rather than take only the fins, to discourage this practice?
• Significant numbers of the endangered New Zealand sea lion are killed each year as by-catch in the southern squid fishery. Does your party support extending the marine mammal sanctuary around the main breeding colony on the Auckland Islands to waters up to 500m deep to provide more adequate protection?
• Nearly a third of New Zealand’s land mass is protected in the conservation estate, but just 0.3% of our coastal waters and EEZ are protected. Will your party commit to establishing a comprehensive network of no-take marine reserves covering at least 10% of the EEZ by 2010?
• of New Zealand’s fisheries are over-fished and/or cause damage to marine environments, yet current law does not allow the Minister of Fisheries to take a cautious approach to setting catch limits when fish stocks are in decline. Do you support amendments to the Fisheries Act that would ensure that fisheries management takes a precautionary approach towards environmental sustainability?
• The Upper Waimangaroa Valley north of Westport contains untouched and spectacular landscapes that are home to many endangered and threatened species. Will your party protect this important conservation area from threat of mining by directing State-owned Solid Energy to exclude the upper Waimangaroa Valley from mining?
• The proposed emissions trading scheme and afforestation grant scheme don’t include incentives to protect areas of native vegetation (and may even encourage its destruction).Do you support a scheme which would also recognise the carbon-storing value of native vegetation?
• New Zealand is one of the least efficient users of electricity in the OECD, which contributes to demand for environmentally damaging electricity generation, such as new hydro
• schemes. Will your party require electricity companies to invest in energy efficiency before they can invest in increasing generation?
• Developed countries, including New Zealand, agreed at the Bali meeting to greenhouse gas reductions of 25-40%. However, within New Zealand we have yet to commit to a target within this range. Does your party support a 30% reduction target by 2020?
• The Resource Management Act provides a legal framework for communities to be involved in protection of biodiversity in their area. Often they must fulfil this responsibility against opposition from well-resourced developers. Will your party commit to increasing the funds available to assist communities in their RMA advocacy?

If you happen to be in Wellington on the 18th of September (I arrive on the 19th - I'm gutted) Forest and Bird are holding a pre-election conservation forum where you can put your conservation questions to the parties. It will be held at Victoria University, on the 18th Sept from 6.30- 8.30pm. For more information, head here.