ACT PARTY
Understanding and Alignment with Key Principles Evidence Score Nature of evidence
1 Sustainable economics - Notion that environment and economics are interdependent
1 Party policy demonstrates: a. An understanding that a robust economy is based on sustainable resource use and clean technology. Insufficient 0 ACT does not correlate its Economic policies to issues of sustainability. Principally, they wish to
b. Recognition of the importance of ecosystem services in economic analysis. a) maintain sound economic management, including (but not limited to) a balanced
c. An understanding that economic, environmental, social and cultural factors will guide government government budget, price stability and a free and open market economy; and b) enhance living
decision making. standards for all New Zealanders through sustainable economic growth and international
competitiveness;
2 Party policy demonstrates a commitment to: a. Developing a robust economy that is based on sustainable resource use and clean technology. Insufficient 0
b. The incorporation of ecosystem services in economic analysis.
c. Integrating economic, environmental, social and cultural factors in government decision making
3 Evidence suggests a track record of: a. Developing a robust economy that is based on sustainable resource use and clean technology Insufficient 0
b. Incorporating ecosystem services in economic analysis.
c. Integrating economic, environmental, social and cultural factors in government decision making.
Score 0.00
2 Informed decision making
1 Party policy demonstrates an understanding a. Knowledge and research should be used to guide decision-making and policy development. Oppose -1 ACT challenged the faulty New Zealand temperature record put forward by government agency
that: b. Knowledge, research and innovation are important to a sustainable future NIWA (now before the Courts) in spite of this being peer reviewed evidence.
2 Party policy demonstrates a commitment to: a. Using knowledge and research to guide decision-making and policy development Insufficient 0
b. Fostering research and innovation that can contribute to a sustainable future
3 Evidence suggests a track record of: a. Using knowledge and research to guide decision-making and policy development Insufficient 0
b. Fostering research and innovation that can contribute to a sustainable future
Score -1.00
3 Good governance
1 Party policy demonstrates an understanding a. Good governance includes vision and leadership for a sustainable future. little 0.3 Local Government is in many ways the most important level of government in New Zealand. It
that: b. Engagement and co-management with the community are important. is responsible for the roads, water, sewers, and public transport that people use every single
day. Local government owns extremely valuable infrastructural assets, and collects billions of
dollars of rates every year. Because Local Government is important, it is important that councils
function as efficiently as possible. Because councils do not have the kind of opposition-
government structure of the parliament, it is harder for ratepayers to hold them to account.
Rates have risen significantly over the past decade as councils have strayed into new areas of
activity and struggled to maintain vital infrastructure. There is a need to refocus councils on
their core role of providing vital infrastructure, and ensure that they do it in an accountable and
efficient manner.
2 Party policy demonstrates a commitment to: a. A vision and leadership for a sustainable future little 0.3 Reformed the Local Government Act to improve transparency, accountability and financial
b. Engagement and co-management with the community. management in local government across New Zealand.
3 Evidence suggests a track record of: a. Using vision and leadership for a sustainable future Oppose -1 Merged the seven cities of Auckland into a more efficient Super City that is better able to cut
b. Practicing engagement and co-management with the community are important. costs through economies of scale and sharing of best practices, as well as coordinate regional
infrastructure development; • Undertook some modest reform of the Resource Management
Act, which is administered by Councils, to reduce delays in development; Score of oppose has
been given due to incoherence in terms of support for sustainable good governance
Score -0.40
4 Putting the clean and green back into New Zealand
1 Party policy demonstrates an understanding a. The need to restore waterways to provide clean water for future generations and to minimise little 0.3 ACT believes that NGOs should have the main role in environmental protection. Continue
of: contaminants in our soils and air. pushing the government to introduce more market pricing of water; • Continue supporting
b. The need to protect the capacity of our land and soils to ensure a sustained profitable production for onshore and offshore mineral exploration; mining decisions should at least be informed by
coming generations. sufficient information
c. The need to balance the needs for production (e.g. agriculture, forestry, mining etc) with the
requirement to maintain and enhance our environment.
2 Party policy demonstrates a commitment to: a. Restore waterways to provide clean water for future generations and minimise contaminants in our little 0.3
soils and air.
b. Protect the capacity of our land and soils to ensure sustained profitable production for coming
generations.
c. Balancing the needs for production (e.g. agriculture, forestry, mining etc) with the requirement to
maintain and enhance our environment.
3 Evidence suggests a track record of: a. Restoring waterways to provide clean water for future generations and minimising contaminants in Oppose -1 Considered opening up Schedule Four conservation land to find out whether there might be the
our soils and air. potential to create wealth with minimal environmental impact. Delayed full implementation of
b. Protecting the capacity of our land and soils to ensure sustained profitable production for coming the Emissions Trading Scheme which is a costly scheme with negligible environmental benefit;
generations. ACT challenged the faulty New Zealand temperature record put forward by government agency
c. Balancing the needs for production (e.g. agriculture, forestry, mining etc) with the requirement to NIWA (now before the Courts).
maintain and enhance our environment.
Score -0.40
5 Sustainable built environment
1 Party policy demonstrates an understanding a. The need to support development of green buildings and infrastructure. Insufficient 0 Continue pushing the government to introduce road pricing as a way to reduce congestion and
of: b. The need to provide an integrated transport system which is efficient, low in emissions and includes emissions on our roads;
an effective network of public transport, cycleways and walkways.
c. The need to maximise (i) renewable, ecologically sustainable energy generation and (ii) energy
efficiency.
2 Party policy demonstrates a commitment to: a. Support development of green buildings and infrastructure. Insufficient 0
b. Provide an integrated transport system which is efficient, low in emissions and includes an effective
network of public transport, cycleways and walkways.
c. Maximise (i) renewable, ecologically sustainable energy generation and (ii) energy efficiency.
3 Evidence suggests a track record of: a. Developing green buildings and infrastructure. Oppose -1 ACT has demonstrated conflicts between statement and policy, i.e. support for roading where
b. Developing integrated transport system which is efficient, low in emissions and includes an effective in fact they didnt meet the BCR of above 1, eg. claim 'Built more roads where they met cost
network of public transport, cycleways and walkways. benefit analysis'. Moved towards the proper tolling of roads instead of fuel taxes as a sensible
c. Maximising (i) renewable, ecologically sustainable energy generation and (ii) energy efficiency. and low cost way to reduce congestion and emissions from our roads; Reformed the RMA in
order that transport infrastructure projects can be improved; • Began a dialogue about moving
towards more road pricing; Reformed Auckland Governance (the Super City) so that transport
in the region works in a more efficient and integrated fashion.
Score -1.00
6 Natural heritage and biosecurity
1 Party policy demonstrates an understanding a. The need to enhance and restore our unique native plants, animals and ecosystems. Insufficient 0
There is minimal reference to issues around Natural Heritage or biosecurity. Principally ACT
of: b. The need to effectively manage and control threats (e.g. pests, development) to the integrity of our
wishes to explore and implement practical and innovative ways to protect the natural
natural heritage.
environment;
c. The value of integrating natural and human made environments.
2 Party policy demonstrates a commitment to: a. Enhance and restore our unique native plants , animals and ecosystems. Insufficient 0
b. Effectively manage and control threats (e.g. pests, development) to the integrity of our natural
heritage.
c. Integrating natural and human made environments.
3 Evidence suggests a track record of: a. Enhancing and restoring our unique native plants , animals and ecosystems. Insufficient 0
ACT led the campaign against the ETS both inside and outside Parliament; ACT challenged the
b. Effectively managing and controlling threats (e.g. pests, development) to the integrity of our natural
faulty New Zealand temperature record put forward by government agency NIWA (now before
heritage.
the Courts).
c. Integrating natural and human made environments.
Score 0.00
7 Sustainable education
1 Party policy demonstrates an understanding a. That universal access to quality formal education from early childhood to tertiary and continuing Insufficient 0 While education for many children is among the best in the world, we have a well-known “long-
that: community education for all citizens is important. tail” of underachievers, who become the next generation of under skilled, unemployed,
b. That support and resources for sustainability education in both formal and community education are disengaged citizens. After 70 years of state controlled and mandated education, we have a
required situation where around 20% of our children left school last year unable to read or write
sufficiently to fill out a job application.
2 Party policy demonstrates a commitment to: a. Provide universal access to quality formal education from early childhood to tertiary, and continuing Insufficient 0 ACT believes that if we continue to do what we’ve always done, we will continue to get the
community education for all citizens same results that we’ve always had. The education system must do better for these New
b. Provide support and resources for sustainability education in both formal and community education Zealanders. What we have done for too long is run education as a centrally planned,
Wellington-dictated bureaucracy that gives little autonomy to schools and little choice to
parents.
3 Evidence suggests a track record of: a. providing universal access to quality formal education from early childhood to tertiary, and little 0.3 Introduced Aspire Scholarships, allowing disadvantaged children to access any school of their
continuing community education for all citizens choice, public or private; Value the special education sector more, with a special education
b. providing support and resources for sustainability education in both formal and community review resulting in new directions described in the report Success for All: Every school, every
education child.
Score 0.30
8 Social justice
1 Party policy demonstrates an understanding a. Of the importance of economic, social and cultural equality and fairness, tolerance of diversity and little 0.3
ensure that all New Zealanders have access to quality health care and have security in
of: the right to participate within communities.
retirement;
b. That all citizens have the right to health and a healthy environment.
2 Party policy demonstrates a commitment to: a. Economic, social and cultural equality and fairness, tolerance of diversity and the right to participate little 0.3
maintain social and econmic support for those unable to help themselves and who are in
within communities.
genuine need of assistance;
b. All citizens having the right to health and a healthy environment.
3 Evidence suggests a track record of: a. Fostering economic, social and cultural equality and fairness, tolerance of diversity and the right to Insufficient 0
participate within communities.
b. A commitment to all citizens having the right to health and a healthy environment.
Score 0.60
Total Score -8%