ACC shouldn’t prop up Ruataniwha Dam

The Green Party is calling on the ACC Fund to not invest public money in the Ruataniwha dam.

ACC is reportedly part of a consortium of public investors who are likely to fund 100 percent of the dam’s build costs, along with Crown Irrigation Investments and regional council-controlled Hawke’s Bay Regional Investment Company. Most of the rivers in the Ruataniwha catchment already exceed acceptable nitrate levels.

“The case for the Ruataniwha dam doesn’t stack up economically or environmentally, and ACC shouldn’t pour New Zealanders’ money into it when private investors won’t,” Green Party water spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said.

“Destroying precious rivers to fit more cows on the land is exactly the wrong way to spend public money at the moment.

“It’s totally wrong that this dam could be entirely funded by public money while the benefits of it will go to private users.

“Why should New Zealanders risk our own public money building a $300 million dam, that’ll lead to more pollution in one of the Hawke’s Bay’s most beautiful rivers?

“ACC should be using its investment power to help clean up our rivers, not contribute to their decline by funding projects like the Ruataniwha dam,” Ms Delahunty said.

Latest Environment Announcements

Story

NZ needs strong protection against water privatisation

New Zealanders deserve strong protection against the future privatisation of water assets, the Green Party says.
Read More

Story

Nature missing in RMA reform

The Government has missed a crucial opportunity to redesign the resource management system with climate and nature at its heart. 
Read More

Story

Report shows reducing actual farming emissions vital

Evidence shows that relying on offsets to reduce agriculture’s impact on the climate will not work, the Green Party says.
Read More

Story

Budget 2022: Greens call for urgency with nature-first climate investments

Budget 2022 shows progress on conservation commitments in the Green Party’s cooperation agreement Green Party achievements in the last Government ...
Read More

Story

Nature needs us to act right now

The Green Party welcomes the release of the implementation plan for Te Mana o te Taiao Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy and calls on the ...
Read More

Story

Urgent action needed to bring natural environment back from the brink

The release today of Environment Aotearoa 2022 is a sobering reminder of what is at stake if the Government does not step up and take urgent action...
Read More

Latest Water Announcements

Story

Changes needed to three waters plans

Greater local oversight and control, seven instead of four entities, stormwater staying with councils, and stronger safeguards against privatisatio...
Read More

Story

National reckless on rivers

The opposition’s dangerous plan to scrap rules to improve the health of rivers and lakes around Aotearoa highlights the importance of having a stro...
Read More

Clean Water

From the maunga to moana, water is a taonga which must be protected, but too many rivers, lakes, and wetlands have been polluted over the years, an...
Read More

Story

Strongest ever water reforms mean swimmable rivers within a generation

The Green Party says major freshwater reforms announced today provide the strongest ever protections of our waterways, to help ensure the next gene...
Read More

Story

Flood of support for Top of the South catchment

Work to look after nature and restore freshwater quality in Te Hoiere/Pelorus River catchment is getting a significant boost, thanks to new Governm...
Read More

Story

OIA reforms mean more attention to nature and cultural values

The Green Party welcome proposed changes to the Overseas Investment Act (OIA) that will see stronger controls on applications by overseas interests...
Read More

Latest Primary Industries Announcements

Petition

Take action to protect our oceans

We’re taking the health of our oceans seriously and our Thriving Oceans Plan sets out exactly how the Green Party will protect them so we all can e...
TAKE ACTION

Thriving Oceans

Oceans are the lifeblood of our planet and home to thousands of taonga species, providing us with nourishing food to feed our families, supporting...
Read More

Farming for the Future

Here in Aotearoa, we can have a thriving and sustainable farming sector that is good for farmers, good for people, and good for the planet. By mak...
Read More

Petition

Supporting farmers to be part of the solution

Our farmers are already leading the way toward climate-friendly agriculture - but governments must support them to go further, faster.   The Green ...
SIGN ON

Policy

Agriculture and Rural Affairs Policy

Click here for our 2020 Farming for the Future Plan A strong and diverse agricultural sector is an important part of an economically viable and en...
See More

Policy

Forestry Policy

Protecting and growing our forests cleans the air and lowers greenhouse gas emissions, creates jobs and economic value, sustains the soil and clean...
See More