Another Government strategy fails

An increase in the number of threatened species in New Zealand signals a failure of Labour’s environmental policies, says National’s Conservation spokesman, Dr Nick Smith.

The Department of Conservation today released updated figures showing the number of threatened species has increased by over 400 since the last review in 2002, with 2788 species under threat. Another 984 species have been listed as "data deficient".

“The Government launched the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy amid much fanfare in 2000, vowing to restore the dawn chorus and halt the decline in New Zealand’s native species.

“Today’s announcement shows they have failed and follows a raft of environmental strategy failures in the last seven years.

“In 1999, the Government promised to implement a national policy statement for threatened species under the Resource Management Act. They promised it again in 2002 and every year since, but we still have no such plan. It is little wonder that New Zealand’s biodiversity is so in decline when the Government does nothing more than talk about a national plan.

“This is not the only environmental failure. A review of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy found that energy efficiency improvements had got worse since the strategy was launched. The Renewable Energy Strategy has failed, water quality remains in serious decline, and no progress has been made to improve air quality.

“Today’s announcement is another brick in the wall of failure for Labour’s environmental record.”

Ends

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