Special report
Productive farms are being lost to short-sighted carbon farming speculations – one of CORANZ’s questions
The Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations of New Zealand (CORANZ) is seeking policies relating to the environment and the public’s outdoor recreation such as tramping, hunting, fishing and other pursuits.
CORANZ chairman Andi Cockroft of Wellington said with media focus on issues like the Treaty, cost of living, education, health and others getting the attention of the wider media, the outdoor and environment issues had been over-shadowed.
“Rivers and water quality were among the top issues leading up to the 2017 election and again in 2020. But that doesn’t mean the same deep public concern has gone away,” he said. “In fact with issues like toxic nitrate leaching into rivers and aquifers, wilding pines, the short-sighted folly of carbon farming and proposals to exploit resources of public lands and others, the environment and public’s estate is under increased threat.”
CORANZ took a broad brush approach to the environment hence questioning the economic model of GDP and the need for a population failure policy.
Economics-Environment Link
“The GDP model apart from it’s economic failure with the current massive debt of $185 billion, demands wholesale exploitation of natural resources while the population issue is simply based on the more people the more the quality of life declines while there’s an increased demands on resources.”
New Zealand’s clean green image is important to not only the economy but also to the environment and the public.
CORANZ has e-mailed all parties of significance and will examine responses and be publicising them prior to the election.
Andi Cockroft said CORANZ represents the interests of the hundreds of thousands of the outdoor sporting and environmental public through its member bodies, affiliations and liaisons. The environment allied with outdoor recreation is of growing importance as population grows and the demand on resources increases. In addition increasing numbers of New Zealanders are seeking recreation in the outdoors be it sea fishing, tramping, trout fishing, hunting, shooting, 4 wheel drive activities and others.
New Zealand’s clean green image is important to not only the economy but also to the environment and the public.
Individual subjects tackled in the questionnaire are more urgent than others such as economic and population policy which while important, are more long term.
Failed QMS
“Fisheries management under the commercially-biassed Quota Management System is very important to the one million Kiwis who go recreational saltwater fishing,” he said. Collapsing over-exploited fisheries like orange roughy, east coast tarakihi, crayfish, scallops and kahawai are testimony to a failed management system,” he said.
Over one million New Zealanders go fishing – a potentially huge voting bloc.
Recreational fishing in New Zealand contributes approximately $1 billion in direct spending and $1.7 billion in total economic activity nationwide. Recreational fishers account for a minor portion of the overall catch-estimated at roughly 3% to 6% of the total annual marine harvest, yet generate substantial downstream economic benefits and people’s wellbeing said Andi Cockroft.
Over one million Kiwis go sea fishing – a huge voting bloc
Luxon – won’t/can’t give a straight answer.
Hipkins – will tell you what you want to hear while crossing his fingers behind his back.
Winston – will blame it all on Asian immigrants.
Seymour – will tell us that it’s not important if it doesn’t “grow” the economy.
Quilae – won’t know what you’re talking about but will give a stupid answer anyway.
Chloe – will say that Palestinians and LBGTQ++ are the real focus.
Rawiri – will say that it all belongs to “Maori”, meaning himself and the other Maori elites.
Sadly few in the media emphasise the effects of forestry litter acidity on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Our green image now refers to the colour of our drinking water. Lets hope that God, Allah, Buddha, Joe Bloggs, etc give us a government that understands the simple health, mental well-being and economic wealth benefits of pristine natural environments. Why do they think that everybody wants their roads of national importance (or is it impotence). Auckland’s mayor doesn’t.
A major threat to getting rightful recognition for the environment is the negative influence of corporates. Their only goal is maximum profits and to hell with the environment.
Corporates are unprincipled, often donating heavily to MPs and Ministers so to get special favours and concessions at the expense of the people’s environment.
Yes Jack, fisheries mismanagement is a graphic example. AI says “New Zealand First MP and Minister Shane Jones has faced multiple inquiries and public scrutiny regarding political donations linked to his campaigns and the New Zealand First party, notably from the fishing, mining, and property development sectors.”
Excellent stuff CORANZ. Pity some other organisations weren’t pro-active.
My bet is such is the ignorance of politicians, some parties won’t reply.
Be interesting to see which ones do rspond and the answers they give.
The political culture is screwed awry. Politicians are public servants, their salaries and expenses (often perks) come from the public purse.