Press Release
Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations of New Zealand (CORANZ)
The environment and outdoor recreation has slipped badly down in political party agendas says the Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations of NZ (CORANZ).
The comment was based on a pre-election questionnaire that CORANZ put out to the parties currently in Parliament and to three, judged to be credible, outside Parliament.
Tony Orman CORANZ administration officer said the failure of parties, especially those in Parliament, and with three reminder e mails during the 15 days given to respond, reflected a disinterest in the environment and outdoors.
“The inescapable conclusion is they don’t care about the public’s estate or the public’s recreational values associated with rivers, fisheries of whichever resource.”
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 and use of poisons such as 1080 and brodifacoum, the loss of productive farmland to unmanaged “carbon forests”, the competency of the Department of Conservation and strengthening the laws prohibiting the sale of fishing and hunting rights.
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.
Zero Score
Tony Orman expressed surprise that the Greens scored zero for not replying, despite three reminders after the initial e mail. Similarly Labour and NZ First failed to respond both also scoring 0.
“Basically there is no party currently in Parliament that cares 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.
“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.”
Vote Wisely
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 chose your party vote wisely.”
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 party outside of 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.
Contact: Tony Orman 03 577 7875 or 027 362 0075
If you are bored and disgusted by politics and don’t bother to vote, you are in effect voting for the entrenched Establishments of the two major parties, who please rest assured are not dumb and who are keenly aware that it is in their interests to keep you disgusted and bored and cynical and not voting.
Re “Squire” comment, I like Abraham Lincoln’s quote:-
“Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”
― Abraham Lincoln
Looks like the Greens are much more interested in being woke, rather than advocate for water quality and the environment. Oh for the days of Rod Donald and Jeanette Fitzsimons! True environmental warriors. This latest bunch of Greens spend too much of their time showing off their woke dress sense and weird hairstyles in Parliament.
More like the “Preens” than the “Greens”.
The Greens response, or lack of, is weird. Perhaps they have an incorrect impression of CORANZ. Let us remind both Greens and labour that they are on notice of CORANZ monitoring their every move if elected.
This really shows you what the true values of the Greens are, the Green Party say they will putTe Tiritio Waitangi at the heart of modern day New Zealand founded on a real partnership between Tangshan Whenua and the crown, doesn’t this sound just like Labour and exactly what Willie Jackson said on National TV a few months back that is Labours agenda as well, the environment isn’t of any concern to either of these party’s
If you want to see New Zealand’s economy and economic growth collapse, these are the parties for you.
As for New Zealand First, all you’ll be doing is feeding a continuous corruption trail.
Our choices are few.
New Zealand First