Tourism and conservation bump: meagre

National's tourism funding announcement falls short of what’s needed to cope with skyrocketing tourist numbers, and a bump in DOC funding for tourist facilities will do nothing to halt the loss of our threatened species, the Green Party said today.

Tourism Minister Paula Bennett today announced a $15 million-a-year increase to tourism infrastructure funding, and $76 million over an unspecified period of time for the Department of Conservation (DOC) to develop tourist facilities.

“Paula Bennett's tourism fund is mostly a rehash of existing spending with a small top up. In total, it’s less than a quarter of the $100-$150 million the tourism industry says is needed every year," said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw.

“Tourism will become a poisoned chalice for the country if the Government doesn’t make up for its massive underinvestment in basic infrastructure like wastewater, sewage and public toilets.

“It’s bizarre that National remains allergic to putting in place a tourism border levy. It makes sense that tourists help pay for the facilities they use, and it would be a sustainable, ongoing funding source that increases as tourist numbers do.

“The extra funding for DOC for tourist facilities is welcome, but it does not address the serious funding shortfall for the most critically important areas of DOC’s core work – conservation and the protection of threatened species like kiwi, kea and tuatara.

“DOC’s funding has been chopped by some $336 million since National came to power so DOC remains woefully underfunded.

“The Green Party is the only party that can be trusted to protect nature," said Mr Shaw.

Action

Protect Nature

Volunteer

The Greens are proud to be driven by passionate people like you. Today we need your help to take action on the biggest issues facing Aotearoa. Volu...

Action

Save Auckland's Climate Budget

Sign the petition to stop Mayor Wayne Brown's proposal for dangerous cuts to climate and environmental programmes that protect us from extreme weat...

Action

No New Mines 2023

Action

Expand Voting

Now more than ever, young people in Aotearoa are impacted by Government decisions, and they deserve to have a say. We are calling on all Members of...

Action

End Intensive Winter Grazing

Sign the petition to Labour Ministers, to move faster in bringing regulations into force and end intensive winter grazing.

Action

Trains for Climate

Add your name to our open letter urging the Minister for Finance Grant Robertson to save our passenger trains between Wellington, the Wairarapa and...

Action

Healthy Oceans 2022

Join our Healthy Oceans Crew to help us keep the health and protection of our oceans high on the Labour Government’s political agenda.

Action

It's time: A Ministry for Rainbow Communities

Join our call asking the Prime Minister to establish a Ministry for Rainbow Communities that can champion Rainbow issues.

Action

No new mines on conservation land

Sign the open letter asking Labour Ministers to stick to their promise of banning new mining projects on conservation land.

Action

Allow community ownership of our buses

Public transport is an essential service and helps to tackle the climate crisis by reducing our carbon emissions. But there are barriers to communi...

Action

Local Events

We have activists across Aotearoa / New Zealand who are working hard to build a brighter future for our kids and grandkids. This page lists upcomin...

Latest Environment Announcements

Story

Scrapping Significant Natural Areas shows significant neglect

The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife ...

Say hello to NZ’s most anti-environment government in decades

The Government is giving big industry a free pass to bulldoze New Zealand’s precious native wildlife.

Govt trashing nature for its industry mates

The Government’s repeal of the Natural and Built Environment Act is rushed, ideologically motivated, and will be hugely damaging to the health of o...

Green Party calls for stronger action by Auckland Council to protect urban trees and native forest

The Green Party is calling on Auckland Council to do more to protect urban trees and housing developer Aedifice Property Group to restore and repla...

You wood not believe it: Greens secure win for urban trees

The Green Party’s advocacy has secured an amendment to the Natural and Built Environment Bill at a crucial stage of the Parliamentary process to en...

Forestry sector must compensate for slash damage

The Green Party welcomes today’s release of the report of the Ministerial Inquiry into slash and sediment, and are clear that the forestry industry...

Story

Labour must deliver on No New Mines

The Green Party is disappointed tonight that the Government has voted down Eugenie Sage’s members’ bill to stop new mining on conservation land. Th...

Inquiry into forestry slash and land use welcome, but more needed

Today’s news of a Ministerial inquiry into forestry slash and land use in Te Tarāwhiti/Gisborne and Wairoa is welcome, but the forestry sector shou...

Time for Labour to deliver on No New Mines

The Green Party is today welcoming reports of Government progress towards having no new mines on conservation land.

Urgent action needed at home following global deal for nature

The Green Party welcomes an historic new global agreement to protect 30% of the planet for nature by the end of the decade and calls on the Governm...

Swimmable rivers and healthy lakes could soon be out of reach

The Green Party is calling on the Government to tighten the rules on synthetic fertiliser use and intensive land use, including intensive winter gr...

Bill to ban mining on conservation land pulled from biscuit tin

Following months of work by the Green Party and community and environmental organisations, Parliament will have the opportunity to pass legislation...

Story

Green Party welcomes PCE report that calls for more sustainable tourism

The Green Party welcomes the report that calls for more sustainable tourism by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.

Green Party releases tourism policy

Today the Green Party’s conservation spokesperson Eugenie Sage went kayaking on Akaroa Harbour to highlight the greater protection achieved for Hec...

Greens pleased with Labour’s support for Matariki Day

The Green Party welcomes Labour backing a Matariki public holiday.

Tourism

Tourism is important to Aotearoa, but it’s been hit hard by COVID-19. Our clean, green image and spectacular nature is what draws people to visit. ...

Greens call for additional public holiday for Matariki

The Green Party is calling for Matariki to become a public holiday, allowing New Zealanders to celebrate the Māori New Year over a long weekend.

Tourism Policy

Reforming tourism to be part of a regenerative economy requires a strategic and collaborative approach, which must recognise the importance of lead...