Our Freshwater Policy
New Zealand is blessed with 1,100 rivers, 4,000 lakes and 600 billion cubic metres of annual precipitation. Of this, 11 billion cubic metres of freshwater is consumed (taken out and not returned) by human activity. Although this sounds, literally, like a drop in the ocean, the fact is that most of it falls where it is not consumed and conversely most is consumed where it does not fall.
The biggest consumer of freshwater is irrigation schemes, primarily for dairy pasture. Excluding hydro schemes this comprises 80% of all consented freshwater takes. In Canterbury alone the conversion of dry tussock plains into dairy pasture uses half of all our consumed water, despite the region having only 10% of the countries natural water supply.
Our Marine Fisheries Policy
Depletion of our inshore fisheries affects both the marine environment and the people who rely on the sea for fishing, for their livelihoods, leisure and sustenance.
Restoring depleted fish stocks to international best practice standards would mean more fish in the water and a more resilient marine environment.
For a fishery such as snapper this best practice standard is defined as at least 40% of the original stock size that existed in the absence of fishing. This is commonly referred to as B40. For slower growing species the standard is higher i.e. B50 or B60. We want our fisheries to be managed at B40 as a minimum. The Outdoors Party will work with Ministry officials and the commercial sector to commit to restoring abundance to this level.
Our Game Animal Policy
The NZ Outdoors Party believes that our wild deer, tahr, chamois and pigs are a valuable recreational, social and food resource. Hunting is an integral part of our history and culture and it should continue to be so, forever.
Currently the Department of Conservation is responsible for the management of our game animals in the conservation estate, with the Game Animal Council providing a lesser consultation role only.
DoC’s performance in this respect has been both varied and conflicted.
The Game Animal Council (GAC) was established to give the whole hunting sector a far greater say in game management but is beset with three problems.
Our Aerial Toxins Policy
Cholicalciferol, Cyanide, Brodifacoum and 1080 are all used by public and private organisations to poison mammals.
In addition some of these organisations, deliberately or otherwise,will use toxins to poison feral deer, goats, pigs and other game animals.
The aerial dispersal of brodifacoum and 1080 is a hugely contentious subject. Many believe without it rodents and mustelids would annihilate our bird populations, particularly the ground nesters. Others believe the impactof poisoning non-target species is under-estimated and unquantified. We know that deer are particularly susceptible to 1080 poisoning and find the cereal pellets highly palatable.
The NZ Outdoors Party policy is “the immediate cessation of all aerial toxin drops”.
Our Firearms Policy
The philosophy of allowing only ‘fit-and-proper’ persons to possess firearms and ammunition is the most effective way to ensure the safety and security of firearms.
However, its enforcement and policing is piecemeal and inconsistent across NZ regions.