ACT's Environment Policy
ACT supports property rights-based approaches to environmental management, voluntary conservation, reforming the RMA to reduce compliance costs, and opposing what they call 'extreme' environmental regulations. They want environment rules based on sound science, not precaution.
In simple terms
Use property rights and market incentives to protect the environment, simplify planning rules, and base environmental regulations on proven science.
Green Party's Environment Policy
The Green Party proposes tripling the conservation estate, establishing a Nature Fund for biodiversity, restoring freshwater ecosystems, phasing out single-use plastics, and banning deep sea mining. They support a rights of nature framework and indigenous-led conservation.
In simple terms
Triple the amount of protected conservation land, restore rivers and lakes, ban plastics and deep sea mining, and give nature legal rights.
Labour's Environment Policy
Labour passed the Natural and Built Environment Act replacing the RMA, introduced the Essential Freshwater package to clean up waterways, increased conservation funding, and declared a biodiversity emergency. They established the Jobs for Nature programme to fund conservation work.
In simple terms
Reform environmental law, clean up rivers and lakes, fund conservation jobs, and declare biodiversity a national emergency requiring urgent action.
National's Environment Policy
National has repealed parts of the Natural and Built Environment Act and the Spatial Planning Act, replacing them with a revised RMA. They support freshwater reform reviews, oppose certain conservation restrictions on farming, and aim to balance environmental protection with economic activity.
In simple terms
Simplify environmental laws, review freshwater rules that affect farmers, and find a balance between protecting nature and allowing economic activity.
NZ First's Environment Policy
NZ First supports a balanced approach to conservation, protecting New Zealand's clean green brand for tourism and exports, controlled use of natural resources, and opposing extreme conservation measures that harm farming and regional economies.
In simple terms
Protect NZ's environment as a brand asset for tourism and exports, manage natural resources sensibly, and avoid extreme rules that hurt farming communities.
Te Pāti Māori's Environment Policy
Te Pāti Māori advocates for kaitiakitanga (guardianship) of the environment as a Treaty obligation, legal personhood for rivers and natural features, Māori co-governance of conservation estates, restoring native biodiversity, and phasing out all single-use plastics.
In simple terms
Apply the Māori concept of guardianship to protecting nature, give rivers legal rights as living entities, and let Māori co-govern conservation areas.