Our environment is at
the heart of our economy.
That’s one reason we say ‘Love it protect it’
...because we need it.
According to Tourism New Zealand’s 100% Pure New Zealand Facts and Figures, the 100% Pure New Zealand brand is worth approximately US$13.6 billion.
100% Pure New Zealand Facts and Figures PDF
If the value is converted into New Zealand dollars (using exchange rate of US$0.7374), then the value is approximately $18.4 billion.
When we look after our environment, we look after our economy and we look after all our people.
That’s the heart of
smart Green economics.
Some other political parties say it’s a trade-off, that we have to mine our national parks for short term profits. We say clean and green is the foundation of our prosperity.
No environment, no economy.
Our export brand is clean and green.
It is the best brand you could ask for as the world becomes more and more environmentally conscious. It’s already worth $18 billion to New Zealand, and can be worth much more in the future.
But it has to be 100% Pure, not 50% Pure.
Extremely expensive weather
Cost of the 2007-08 drought : The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Regional and National Impacts of the 2008 Drought report. This report is available from the MAF website
According to this July 2009 Report (p.3) –
As is shown in Table 1.1, output declined by $1.49 billion over the two-year period of the drought. The impacts of the drought on output are a combination of the difference in farm gate sales and the difference in changes in capital livestock2. Farm value added (net income) declined by $1.89 billion over the two-year period of the drought. This arose from a combination of the decline in output and an increase in the cost of inputs. There was a further loss of value added associated with a run-down in reserves of on-farm feed, and this was probably about $0.1–0.2 billion. There was little discernible change in direct farm employment or household income.
It is also contained in Hon David Carter’s media release ‘Drought costs NZ $2.8 billion’ dated 14 August 2009.
Drought has cost our economy billions of dollars in recent years. And there’ll be more economic hurt as climate change increases the amount of extreme weather we experience in New Zealand.
Rather than just paying for the damage it causes, it makes sense to also reduce carbon pollution and climate change.
That is what an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) should help do.
We support a proper price on carbon to reduce pollution and the costs of extreme weather.
But New Zealand’s current ETS subsidises big polluters. We want the polluter to pay rather than the taxpayer.
Healthy water, healthy dairy
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/fonterra-eyes-massive-organic-growth-2014-123351
Our dairy industry relies on clean water. So to look after our $10 billion of export earnings, we have to look after our water.
Dairy exports $10 billion: http://www.wds2010.com/dairystats.html
Sadly, many of our waterways are already suffering greatly from farm run-off.
Cattle can’t even drink from these rivers.
In the Waikato, water is unsuitable for stock to drink in 75% of the sites monitored: Environment Waikato Regional Council
We’re set to nearly double diary production over the next 20 years if the industry keeps growing at its current rate. But that sort of growth would destroy the natural resource that our farms
rely on.
To determine that diary production is set to nearly double over the next 20 years if industry keeps growing at its current rate:
We measured the current rate of growth to be the growth in milk solids production over the last decade.
Data for milk solids production is found on page 5 of the New Zealand Dairy Statistics 2009/10.
We determined the annual average percentage change: (((1438/1096)^(1/9))-1)x100=3.06%
A rough rule to calculate the number of years to double output is to divide 72 by the annual rate of growth.
So we divided 72 by 3.06 to get 23.5 Given our current rate of growth, milk solids production would double in 23.5 years. In other words, we are set to double diary production over the next 20 years if the industry keeps growing at its current rate.
It is smarter to produce sustainably for the long-term. That means sustainable stocking rates, streamside planting and fencing, and organic production which earns farmers a premium.
Our tourism is gold
Beautiful beaches, magnificent mountains, fantastic fiords, birds and bush
…what’s not to like?
No wonder nearly 2.5 million tourists visit New Zealand every year. We live in a beautiful place.
2010 2,525,044
2009 2,458,382.
Source: Statistics New Zealand, International Travel and Migration: December 2010.
Those tourists represent $9.5 billion in export earnings – one of our country’s biggest earners. They also create jobs for more than 90,000 New Zealanders.
2010 Tourism Employment figures. Statistics New Zealand
So the smart money says we should protect this industry, and that means protecting natural assets like our National Parks.
They are intrinsically beautiful, they are part of our national identity, and they earn us a lot of money. That’s why the Green Party wants to protect our parks from mining - forever.
Clean Energy, Green Economy
“At the new Te Uku wind farm, being built in the Waikato, 800 people have been inducted to work on the site. More than $30 million has already been invested in the Waikato economy through the project.” New Zealand Herald Article
Clean energy is big business and more proof that what’s good for the environment is good for the economy.
For example, Mighty River Power is exporting geothermal expertise to California and Chile, generating export earnings from Kiwi know-how.
Mighty River 2010 Annual Report
Page 12 ‘International Geothermal Investment’
Likewise, Solid Energy is sending wood pellets to Europe. Its $34 million plant near Taupō sold more than 23,000 tonnes within a year of opening.
Solid Energy 2010 Annual Report
Page 21 ‘Renewable Energy’
And clean energy projects benefit local communities as well. In the Waikato, for example, one local wind farm injects $30 million a year into the regional economyAMENDMENT: In the Waikato, for example, the construction of one wind farm injected $30 million into the regional economy.
One local wind farm injects $30 million a year into the regional economy New Zealand Herald Article.
Help for the homeless, Win - Win
The links between our environment, our economy and our people work in all directions.
So when we look after our fellow New Zealanders, we can also look after the environment and enjoy an economic benefit.
An example is state housing. It helps those who are most in need, it supports our construction industry, and it’s an investment that’s repaid in health and education benefits.
Right now, we have more than 10,000 families on the waiting list for a state home in New Zealand.
As at 28 February 2011 there were 8,789 people on the waiting list.
We also have third world rates of rheumatic fever that come from overcrowding and that cost our health system $10 million every year.
" Third world rates of rheumatic fever:Voxy news 'Horrific 3rd world health status'
Hansard: Rheumatic Fever to Cost New Zealand
We’d like to see another 6000 state homes built over the next few years to ease our housing crisis. It would reduce the pressure on our health system and it would reduce the number of days lost from school and work each year.
Building state houses is a big ask at a time of great fiscal strain, but we believe looking after all New Zealanders must be our highest priority.
These new generation state houses can also be eco-friendly and energy efficient which is a win for the environment as well.
Clean, Green and … Warm
We’re making 180,000 New Zealand homes warm and dry.
We’re working with the Government on a $323 million scheme to retrofit New Zealand homes with insulation. We’re about halfway through a four year program and so far we’ve insulated about 90,000 houses, right on target.
Energy Wise New Zealand Government website
The HeartSmart scheme means families use less energy keeping warm in winter, and they save money on power bills. Parents and kids stay healthier and miss fewer days of work and school due to sickness. Meanwhile, as a country, we’re using energy more efficiently. Plus, at a time of record youth unemployment, more than two thousand jobs are being generated.
More than two thousand jobs are being generated. Hansard:Warm up New Zealand Heat Smart Number
This $323 million is an investment in our common future, and it’ll repay us many times over with savings in health, energy and education.
This is smart Green economics in action. It shows how we can look after our environment, our economy and our people all at the same time.
Find out more about the HeatSmart scheme at
www.greens.org/heatsmart
Christchurch Earthquake
The Christchurch earthquakes brought much heartbreak, but also some hope.
To the New Zealanders who lost loved ones, who were injured and who are enduring hardship in the aftermath, please know that our thoughts and karakia remain with you at this heartbreaking time.
Hope comes from the strength of Cantabrians and the outpouring of support from all around our country. It’s heartening that New Zealanders will look after each other.
The healing and the re-building will take a long time and there is a heavy financial cost on top of the terrible human cost.
It is more important than ever to think carefully about how we manage our economy so that it is resilient and so that we can look after all
New Zealanders in their times of need.
Metira Turei and Russel Norman
Co-leaders of the Green Party
