Labour pledges strong stand on environment

Press, 29 October 1981, Page 26

Labour pledges strong stand on environment

PA Auckland The Labour Party has pledged to pass legislation if it becomes the Government tb ensure that the Commission for the Environment can “speak out fearlessly.” The Deputy Leader of the party (Mr Lange) said at a meeting in Howick that the Government had made it known its displeasure with the commission when the commission performed its auditing role, especially in relation to the "think big” projects. Presenting Labour's environmental policy, Mr Lange said that the commission existed as “a creature of a Cabinet minute, a very uncertain future indeed.” Labour would make the

commission legislatively independent. The commission and not the Cabinet would decide when an environmen-tal-impact report was required. Mr Lange said, “We are going to give the commission its integrity and independence by legislation so that it can be highly mobile, effective, and hard-hitting. Certainly at times it will embarrass us as government but that means the commission is doing its job.” Mr Lange said that present restrictions which stopped the commission from investigating social and economic aspects of projects would be ended. The commission would have an important and expanded role

and its apart from being independent, would be broadened. Labour would ensure that all environmental and planning legislation would bind the Crown. Labour would also reform the Environmental Council to ensure that it was truly independent and able to back up the Commissioner for the Environment in his role as public advocate. The council, which includes representatives of environmental groups, would no longer have Government representatives on it and would provide external, independent advice to the Government on environmental matters. It would act as a guardian of the environment.

Labour saw the environment as being as much concerned with jobs, industry, health, and safety as it was with flowers and endangered species. The National Party regard the environment in an isolated fashion, separate from economic issues. Labour would also review and consolidate all planning and environmental legislation.

Under National, a robber economy had developed. Labour would build a sustainable economy where conservation and development were fully integrated. Details of Labour’s policy include.

@ Inventories would be established of wetlands and rivers with special qualities. Legislation would protect rivers identified as having special qualities. ® The Water and Soil Conservation Act, 1976, and the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act, 1941, would be revised and consolidated.

© All legislation relating to prospecting and mining would be reviewed. Labour would ensure that the review guarantees effective public participation. © All mining proposals, particularly large-scale opencast schemes, would be carefully scrutinised to ensure that they are in New Zealand’s interest and represent the best use of land resources. Labour would reject large-scale open-cast mining on the Coromandel Peninsula.

© A resource recovery . and management unit would be established in the Trade and Industry Department. It would investigate recycling and would initiate legislation relating to matters such as the banning of non-return-able bottles. Tax reform, loans, interest rates, and

grants would make conservation and recycling more attractive to industry and commerce.

® The National Development Act would be repealed. ® The “more environmentally sound” low-dam hydroelectricity scheme on the Clutha River would be supported “if it was practicable to change the decision.” © The price of electricity to South Island domestic consumers would be reduced by 25 per cent.

® An independent committee would be established to evaluate overseas reports and studies about the possible danger from the use of the chemical 2,4,5-T. The committee would consider whether any form of inquiry should be conducted in New Zealand and would advise generally on the question. A clear, firm decision on the matter would be made within a year of the committee’s reporting.

@ Legislation would be enacted to free coastal and inland waters from pollutants. A working party under the Environmental Council would prepare a scheme for protecting the coastline, coastal waters, and the seabed.

@ The Town and Country Planning Act would be amended so that the Minister of National Development would be able to advise the Planning Tribunal that a particular issue was of national importance and should be dealt with as a matter of priority. The Government would not be able to over-ride the tribunal's decision or limit appeal in the courts.

©labour would recognise the “valuable” work done for the environment by volunteer groups, would encourage local authorities to support such groups, and would offer accommodation for environment centres in main cities. Labour “sees volunteer environmental organisations as the Minister’s best friends and partners in a common cause, not as threatening enemies from whom information must be kept.” Mr Lange said that citizens would be encouraged to play an active role in environmental planning. This would be aided by freedom-of-information legislation, an education programme on public participation in environmental matters, support for volunteer groups, and better arrangements for responsibilities in Government departments.