Baldock: Green conspiracy theory doesn't stack up

The Greens are big on conspiracy theories, but sadly lacking on understanding of how MMP works, judging by their criticism of United Future-driven RMA amendments, the party's environment spokesman Larry Baldock said today.

"For Jeanette Fitzsimons to suggest that United Future only backed the RMA amendment bill because our amendment on heritage provisions was guaranteed from day one is just ludicrous," he said.

United Future last week successfully had the terms "spiritual", "cultural landscapes" and "ancestral landscapes" removed from the Resource Management Amendment Bill (No2).

"This is the stuff that the most bizarre conspiracy theories are made of.

"Is it really credible to think that fully six months ago, we hatched a plot with Labour to introduce an amendment in the committee stage? It would have been even before the proposal to redraft the Bill into the No. 2 version had been conceived.

"If they will believe that, they'll believe anything - and that goes some way to explaining many Green policies.

"The reality is that such thinking comes from a failure to make the transition from first-past-the-post to MMP politics.

"We're making MMP work, and that is something that our critics have not yet cottoned on to. No dramas, no pretend select committees, just quietly, constructively working for a better New Zealand through good legislation," Mr Baldock said.

"I am delighted that the Bill finally passed into law so we can now meet some of the long-awaited expectations for reform within the RMA, and move on to other aspects that need fixing. Watch this space!

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