Environment
United Future supports the principle that people form an integral part of the ecosystem and have a right to sustainably operate in and utilise the ecosystem.
As a consequence, the basic needs and activities of people are the foundation upon which our environmental policy is based.
Regulatory framework
United Future would:
- seek greater use of multi-stakeholder decision-making processes and voluntary agreements over all aspects of environmental management (including on the Conservation estate)
- remove the powers of the Minister of Conservation to block any development or activity that has been through the Environment Court and has subsequently received a resource consent
- continue to push for the establishment of National Environmental Standards on key environmental factors such as water quality that will protect the environment as well as giving local councils, businesses and individuals certainty as to what is required on a consistent nationwide basis
Pollution Reduction
- provide additional funding to Regional Councils for a program to clean up all of New Zealand's lakes and rivers that are suffering from accumulated pollution such as agricultural runoff
- implement a well-funded programme to rapidly clean up contaminated sites around New Zealand
- assist poorer communities and local authorities with the improvement (or provision) of wastewater and sewerage treatment scheme facilities by expanding the Sanitary Works Subsidy Scheme and increasing the maximum financial assistance rate to 80% of total cost.
Resource Management Act
- continue to ensure that the Resource Management Act is a balanced piece of enabling legislation by requiring a biennial review of its operation with regard to the costs, delays and uncertainty faced by users
- require the Ministry for the Environment to monitor and benchmark Regional Authorities' administration of the Resource Management Act
Genetic Modification
- proceed with caution on all aspects of genetic modification technology using the Environmental Risk Management Authority's (ERMA) robust case-by-case assessment regime