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Dumb & Dirty Growth

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Income, wealth, economics life is about more than these, more than just about money. Wellbeing,
whether of the individual, the community or the nation incorporates many things, some of which are
threatened if we blindly pursue opulence. The challenge for policymakers is to provide a climate in which
wellbeing, in all its various forms, can be maximized.
Many things contribute to our wellbeing. Money does of course, as it allows us to purchase goods and
services that make our lives easier or more comfortable. Yet some of the best things in life are free. But
boy, do we notice it when theyre gone. There is no point in pursuing economic growth if it destroys the
most enjoyable parts of our existence in the process. That would be growth at too high a cost dumb
and dirty growth. The Chinese are discovering this now as they battle air pollution that in some cities
makes a chain smokers vapour trail look ft to inhale.
Economists and scientists are starting to recognise and value all the things we get for free. Some of
things like great scenery - create tangible benefts such as tourism. Others, like the value of swimming,
or mahinga kai (food gathering) or our 100% Pure New Zealand brand, are much harder to value. These
are those special privileges we do notice once theyre gone. Saving endangered species even though their
existence might not matter one jot to my personal environment, may just be something I value
immensely for its intrinsic value. As these things become rarer, we risk denying future generations their
heritage. Protecting that heritage for future generations is known to Maori as kaitiaki guardianship.
Image source: news.asiantown.net
Introduction
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The challenge we face is how to encourage society to protect and nurture these aspects of well-being that
do not have a simple market price. A starting point is to acknowledge that not every dollar in income we
generate is actually worth the same to us as a society. For example, in GDP accounting a dollar earned
through increasing farming counts the same as a dollar earned say educating a child or caring for a de-
pendent. But the dollar from farming may well add to water pollution yet we dont include this damage in
our GDP calculation, in fact if we spend money to clean up pollution that adds to GDP as well two dol-
lars for the price of one! Yeah right.
The Christchurch earthquake rendered incalculable harm to peoples lives, yet rebuilding the city is all
good GDP while its destruction wasnt. Nuts again.
By all means we should pursue economic growth, chasing opulence. But we have to recognise the costs
of that growth. Not all growth is the same, some adds a lot more to the quality of our lives even though
in accounting terms every extra dollar of national income is the same. Increasingly, thinking that dumb
and dirty growth is no diferent to clean and clever growth, is a delusion that is wreaking havoc with our
well-being. New Zealand has a real opportunity if we get this right. As the rest of the world destroys their
environment, and pursues maximum income irrespective of the costs of that greater purchasing power,
we could become increasingly attractive as a destination for tourism, for others to migrate to, and for us
to protect from damage.
The Government wants to reform the Resource Management Act (RMA) because they feel it is an unnec-
essary brake on economic growth. We all oppose pointless bureaucracy, so speeding up the processes
are both welcome and necessary. However, the need to set environmental limit bottom lines remains
crucial to limiting the harm from dumb and dirty growth. This aspect of the RMA must not be compro-
mised in the name of economic efciency. Sadly, it is totally under threat by the governments pro-
posed reforms, as the Commissioner for the Environment has pointed out.
Image source: news.asiantown.net
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Dumb and dirty growth increases our GDP but makes us all poorer. That is why it is important for
businesses to face the full cost of the environmental and/or social damage they wreak. Anything else is
false economics and the economy as a whole which values your and my wellbeing goes backwards.

Example: What makes us wealthier dairy or wetland?
As we destroy more and more ecosystems the remaining ones become more important, and their value
increases. For example, New Zealand has drained more than 90% of its wetlands, making them one of
our rarest and most valuable ecosystems. While a farmer might increase their proft by draining a
wetland and converting it to dairy, we would all be worse of as a result.
What is Dumb & Dirty Growth?
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Economic growth doesnt have to stop, but we have to get smarter with how we do it, how we use
technologies and how we evaluate which sort of growth we are happy with and which were not. The
only way to ensure this is to make sure we price all the benefts and costs into our investment decisions.
Developers should not, for example, be able to pass on the costs of their activity to others. They should
incur those costs themselves.
Example: Sustainable Farming
We have long been proud of our competitive advantage from using our pastoral system to produce high
quality food, sustainably. For instance, we are already ahead of the pack in terms of emissions per kg
of food, because our cows go out and get their own grass (rather than tractors bringing the food to the
sheds theyre housed in).
But our farming system has downsides too. One is the impact on water quality from having more cows
peeing in the paddocks. The nitrogen is too concentrated for the soil to take up, it ends up in groundwa-
ter and, eventually, rivers and lakes.
The policy response has been to put in place some bottom lines for water quality. While there are some
questions over what the limits should be, in principle having a limit is a good step. There has been some
concern that the new water quality limits would restrict our ability to keep increasing agricultural produc-
tion and ultimately impinge on our ability to grow.
But this not only fails to recognize that the economic growth is coming at an awful cost, increasingly
unacceptable to more and more citizens; but it also denies the opportunity that such a problem presents.
That opportunity is to lead the world on water quality and sustainable farming just as we do in other
ways. No one else in the world has cracked this problem in Europe farmers are told how to farm in
order to limit their environmental damage. This prevents them from fnding innovative ways to reduce
their impact. We are looking at the biggest opportunity for the New Zealand agricultural business to
innovate its way to further afuence since the removal of on-farm subsidies in the 1980s drove productiv-
ity to new heights. Already, putting hard limits on water degradation is leading to new techniques, exper-
tise and technology, which we will be able to sell to the world as well as use to make our own farming
industry more resilient.
Can We Have Clean & Clever Growth?
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Our farmers, small businesses and Crown Research Institutes hold a lot of great innovations that can lift
proft and improve the environment at the same time. No doubt more will no doubt be created in coming
years. How can we ensure our own farmers are taking up the innovations, and that we leverage them
overseas?
Now lets look at examples of how we are choosing dumb and dirty growth over clean and clever growth.
Well also rate the three main parties on their policies giving them a score out of 3.
Craige using an electromagnetic sensor to survey his farms soil - a service he now ofers to other farms.
Example: Precision Agriculture
Craige and Roz Mackenzie run an intensive arable operation in Canterbury. They are obsessive about
using all their resources efciently (apparently their Scottish heritage is to blame) which is good for the
environment and the bottom line.

They use leading edge technology and precision agriculture to maximise sustainable production. Where
it doesnt exist, they have made it themselves. Electromagnetic soil mapping gave them a clear picture of
how their soils respond to watering and they also have real time moisture sensors in the soil. Using smart
irrigation they can water only the bits that need it, cutting water use by 32%. They fgured a similar idea
could be applied to fertiliser, so they invented a machine that can detect cow urine patches and avoids
putting more fertiliser in that spot. This all saves money, and is good for the environment. It is an
innovation that could also potentially earn them a lot of money even though that wasnt why they did it.

This focus on resource efciency doesnt mean they cut production - in 2010 Roz and Craige narrowly
missed an attempt to win a place in the Guinness Book of Records by producing the world record for the
heaviest wheat crop per hectare.
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How we Measure Progress
Dumb & Dirty Growth Clean & Clever Growth
At the moment our aim is to
maximise gross domestic product
per capita. This tallies up all
transactions (when money
changes hands) in the economy.
This is a statistical hangover from
WWII and has little resemblance
to our wellbeing. For example, the
economic activity created by the
Christchurch rebuild shows up as
a huge positive in our GDP statis-
tics. But no one is really better of
for the earthquake.
Governments all around the
world stick with GDP because it is
measurable and links well to tax
revenue.
We need to fnd new ways to measure progress, ones that focus on
well-being. We need to know whether people are getting healthier
& happier. Or are they just getting richer at the expense of the
environment and society generally?
Policymakers acknowledge this, but are doing bugger-all about it.
They are paying lip service to the reality that well-being includes
far more than dollar incomes. This is not going to bring an end to
that dirty and dumb production that causes more harm than good
despite the cash income generated. What is required at least is to
ensure all business activity faces the full cost of the damage it
causes to the environment.
But much more is required if were to maximize well-being rather
than simply income; one example stronger public social services
to make up for the harm done to family life from two income
families being forced to neglect children. The list is long but the
policy responses need to be coherent and coordinated so private
benefts do not accrue at the expense of public costs.
Political Parties Rating: National has promised better monitoring of environmental impacts, but only
the Greens have promised any action on actively measuring our progress (they have suggested the
Genuine Progress Index).
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Dumb & Dirty Growth Clean & Clever Growth
Economic development is at the heart of growth
in prosperity. But only dumb and dirty growth
lets that come at a cost to wellbeing overall. For
example, we allow industries to expand despite
having a negative impact on the environment.
One example of this is in the fresh water policy
section below.
The Government wants to weaken environmen-
tal protections under the RMA in the name of
opening land for housing. Do we want Auckland
to expand over the Bombay hills - the best
agricultural land in the country?
The RMA exists to protect the environment in
the face of the natural tendency of the market
to destroy it for the sake of economic gain. By
changing the RMA to balance the environment
and economy, as the Government proposes,
this would tilt the playing feld towards further
development at the expense of the
environment.
We could encourage productive investment and more
efcient use of land by taxing housing in the same
way we treat other assets.
The RMA needs to be stronger and more fexible. The
ideal resource management regime would do what
the RMA says it does maintain or improve the
environment. This wouldnt stop development, just
ensure that any impact on the environment gets
ofset (for example the developer causing the
damage would invest to improve the environment in
other ways).
We cant continue to degrade our environment
indefnitely eventually we will hit the limits of what
ecosystems can bear. Why not stop the degradation
now while we still have an environment that is the
envy of the world? Ultimately it is in our own
interest our environment is why many talented
people choose to come here, either as tourists or to
live.
Economic Development
Political Parties Rating: Every party seems to have their pet sectors to support, with no apparent
rationale behind it. National will reform the RMA to balance the environment and economy, and invest in
regional roads (discussed below). Labours regional policy is little more than a slush fund, and their
housing policy is an excuse to play Bob the Builder. Labour also wants to reform monetary policy to
bring down the dollar while all parties want to invest in R&D these are solutions we wouldnt need if we
got rid of the tax and banking distortions around housing. Overall however, the deciding factor here is
Nationals proposed dilution of sections 6 & 7 of the RMA neither Labour nor the Greens are
contemplating that dark hole.
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Political Parties Rating: While we have serious questions on the quality of the growth being pursued,
we acknowledge National are the most committed to growth overall as indicated by their reluctance to
impose additional costs on business, their pursuit of international free trade deals and commitment to
a simple, low-rate income tax system. The other parties are too quick to ofer solutions to the quality of
growth and the issues of social and economic justice, through merely raising the tax burden on those
creating wealth. That is not the smart way to address these issues at all at the heart of the win-win
should lie increased efciency in applying the tax revenues already collected, ensuring regulations that
restrict environmental damage enhance rather than reduce business competition, ensuring tax loopholes
are shut, and ensuring public services reach those who struggle to participate in our society.
Dumb & Dirty Growth Clean & Clever Growth
We still need income growth in order to have
progress and cope with a rising population.
Growth is often strongly linked to other
progress indicators like health and education.
Another way of looking at this is that we have
to have successful businesses that earn our
income before we can worry about sharing it
fairly.
We need to lift our productivity this means working
smarter, not harder. New Zealanders work hard, for
comparatively little reward.
In order to achieve this, we need to lift our investment
in skills, innovation and capital (machines) that can help
us achieve more in the workplace. This is a continual
challenge and government policies must facilitate but
certainly shouldnt have to fund these investments.
Business Growth
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Dumb & Dirty Growth Clean & Clever Growth
We have many diferent players using the
ocean commercial fshers, aquaculture,
recreational fshers, miners, oil drillers,
energy generation, shipping
In some areas, diferent users are coming
into confict.
Usually, the environment is what really
loses out. Less than 1% of our EEZ is
protected in marine reserves.
Oil exploration is non-notifed activity
this means there is no public participa-
tion in the decision around exploration.
This is one of the riskiest parts of the
drilling process. By the time oil is found,
any consent would not realistically be
rejected.
As discussed in Hook Line & Blinkers, we need to manage
our oceans in the same way we manage our land.
Marine zoning and tradable rights would provide business
certainty alongside environmental protection.
Marine reserves setting aside some areas of the EEZ and
with diferent levels of protection would be part of this.
Extracting fossil fuels are fne as long as they are used to
help our transition to renewable energy. We need an in-
dependent review of deep-sea oil exploration safety and
royalties to
ensure there is truly a net beneft to New Zealand.
Commercial fshers need to minimise their impact on
non-target species, and recreational fshing needs to be
brought inside the Quota Management System.
Oceans Policy
Political Parties Rating: National is promising a long-overdue review of marine reserves legislation, but
they are short on detail. Labour are pledging to ensure 30% of our oceans are under some form of
protection (hopefully their 30% doesnt include the already-Benthic Protected Areas as that would make
theirs a far less signifcant proposal). The Greens are similarly comprehensive on the protection front,
but their staunchness on some aspects of environmental protection goes too far in restricting the
economy. No party is talking about zoning and tradable rights.
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Dumb & Dirty Growth Clean & Clever Growth
Income tax doesnt work some of New Zealands wealth-
iest people dont pay the top rate of income tax and many
of them are not our top taxpayers.
We have a $7 billion loophole in our tax system, largely
thanks to the way we treat housing and land. We dont tax
the benefts people receive from their assets (e.g. houses
provide shelter, farmland provides capital gain because of
its tax shelter).
The more complicated we make our tax system, the more
ways there are for people with means to fnd their way
around paying tax.
A good tax system should be simple and
fair and should interfere in peoples lives as
little as possible. That means a broad base
and low rates.
Even if income tax was a fat rate our tax
system would still be progressive if we
taxed all assets the same way we tax bank
deposits. Extending our tax base to incor-
porate a comprehensive capital tax would
ensure all efective income from capital
is taxed as well as enabling a fat rate of
income tax.
Tax
Political Parties Rating: National have promised vague tax cuts that are barely worth discussing.
Labour and the Greens are trying to tax capital, but they are doing it in a complex and virtually impotent
way a capital gains tax with exemptions for family homes. Labour and the Greens get a point for trying
to address the tax loophole around capital, but lose them for exempting housing, for narrowly focusing
on capital gains only, and for pledging to increase the top rate of income tax a move that would
further increase the complexity of the tax system. They may as well do the same as National nothing.
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Political Parties Rating: National are not acting on climate change. Labour has promised to restore the
Emissions Trading Scheme, while the Greens are opting for a simpler carbon tax (which they will use to
give everyone a tax cut a step towards our unconditional basic income see below). Given the
international uncertainty in carbon trading, the Greens option is probably the better bet, although they
are including methane from dairy farming, which the science doesnt support. Both Labour and the
Greens are promising an independent climate change authority and carbon budgets.
Dumb & Dirty
Growth
Clean & Clever Growth
New Zealand has
promised to reduce
our emissions by 5%
by 2020 (compared
with 1990), but instead
we are on track for
a 25% rise. We have
no plan or policy to
achieve this goal.
The Emissions Trad-
ing Scheme has been
eroded by policy
tinkering (such as the
Governments 2 for 1
ofer for redeeming
emission units) and
trading in low quality
international units.
Despite international negotiations stalling, climate change is not going away. It
is only a matter of time until disasters mount and the international community
acts.
While we shouldnt strangle our economy, we need to put incentives in place
so that we make the right long term investments now. That way we will still be
competitive when the world acts on limiting emissions.
We need to put a real price on carbon to provide long-term certainty for
investors. We should exclude methane given the uncertainties over its impact
relative to carbon dioxide, and while the agriculture industry works out how to
mitigate it.
As part of the Big Ask, Generation Zero challenged the government to create:
A Climate Change Act
An Independent Climate Change Authority
Carbon Budgets to ensure we are on track for our goals
Climate Change
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Political Parties Rating: National will increase paid parental leave to 18 weeks, Labour to 26 weeks.
Labour and the Greens are also promising additional payments to some parents, but this is all targeted.
These policies all just add to an already complicated mess.
Image source: Sage K. on Flickr
Dumb & Dirty Growth Clean & Clever Growth
Our welfare system tries to target
according to need. This creates
selection bias, reduces choices,
stigmatises recipients, embeds
poverty traps and necessitates
bureaucracy.
We could have an unconditional basic income.
Everyone would get it, regardless of what they did. This ensures
people are free to pursue a fulflling life whatever that entailed:
parenting, retraining, starting a business or unpaid work.
Benefciaries would not be penalised for moving into paid work.

We are a rich nation, we can aford it.
Welfare
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Dumb & Dirty Growth Clean & Clever Growth
The Government has recently put in
place some bottom lines below which
the quality of our fresh water cannot
fall. We reviewed this policy with a
panel of scientists and found that
while their policy is a step forward, it
doesnt go far enough to protect our
waterways.
Firstly their aspiration is too low.
Waterways will only be safe for wad-
ing in so whatever you do dont fall
over!
Also we cannot be certain that the
measures put in place will prevent
ecological collapse in a waterway
because the policy limits individu-
al factors, but not their combined
efects.
We also cannot be certain that the
quality of our local river or lake will
be maintained and improved from
now on.

There is no reason not to have the aspiration of swimmable riv-
ers and lakes it is simply a question of how long it takes us to
get there. If communities really want to degrade their
local waterway to the extent of the statutory bottom lines, they
should have the option to do so, but that should be the
exception rather than the default position.
All waterways should be maintained or improved from here.
This can be measured and monitored using the Macroinverte-
brate Community Index (MCI) which is the best measure of the
life in a river (and so its ecological health).
This doesnt have to come at the expense of our dairy industry.
Conversions can continue, if consequent water quality
degradation is reduced or at least ofset by making
improvements elsewhere.
We should have tradable water use rights so that water is used
in the most efcient way possible. This could also be used to
resolve outstanding Maori Treaty rights over water. Holders
of rights would pay a resource rental, which could be used to
improve our rivers.
As mentioned above, New Zealand has a massive opportunity to
sell clean, green healthy food to the world, as well as exporting
our know-how.
Fresh Water
Reference: My River (2014)
Political Parties Rating: Nationals policy is a step forward, but doesnt go far enough. Labour and the
Greens both have goals of swimmability, and will place a charge on irrigation to pay for the clean up. The
Greens will also require riparian planting, establish a protected rivers network, and have also ruled out
building new dams on wild rivers. Ruling out dams seems odd since that in some circumstances water
storage schemes can improve water quality. No parties are talking about the need to maintain or
improve waterways, or creating tradable rights.
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Political Parties Rating: All parties want to invest more in primary care - Labour on pregnant mothers,
over 65s and those with chronic disease, National on under 13 year olds, and the Greens up to 18 years.
The Greens edge this one out with their promise to put nurses in low decile schools to pick up any kids
slipping through the net. Nationals record on improving efciency is best (under Labour health has been
a money bonfre), but they tend to reinvest that money saved in more operations, not the stuf that
matters. None of the parties are talking about the tough stuf such as cutting back on treatments with a
low health beneft.
Selmaemiliano, Flickr
Dumb & Dirty Growth Clean & Clever Growth
Our precious health dollar is not
spent on where it is most
efective in terms of helping us
live longer, happier, healthier
lives.
Instead the squeaky wheel gets
the health dollar we operate on
whoever yells loudest and writes
letters to the Minister. That
usually ends up being the
educated, wealthy people, not
the people that really need
treatment.
We need to spend our precious public health dollar wisely - where it
gets the best health return. Pharmac does this for drug spending
why not use a similar approach across the health sector?
That would mean more is spent on prevention and primary care
which has four times the beneft of hospital treatment.
Currently enormous resource is spent on things that have little
health return like hospital treatment for people in their last year of
life, and keeping clunky regional hospitals afoat. We can save mon-
ey by having fewer, larger hospitals, and spend that money in the
regional communities.
Health
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Political Parties Rating: National are promising more of the same, while Labour and the Greens are
both pushing for greater renewable energy investment. However, Labour and the Greens have got
distracted with their plan to reduce electricity bills (at least in the short term), rather than focus on the
real issues. The Greens Green Investment Bank adds little that the private sector couldnt do, and the
Solar Schools policy is just a gimmick. We have already covered the most efective policy in this
area putting a price on carbon.
Dumb & Dirty Growth Clean & Clever Growth
The Government has encouraged fossil fuels:

Funding for NZ Petroleum & Minerals (which aims to
maximise the gains to NZ from the sector) is up 200%
since 2009.
Special treatment to the industry in order to woo
investors, including $850k for a conference & the
Rugby world cup soiree.
According to WWF, the tax sub sidies for oil exploration
amount to around $40m pa, and New Zealands royalty
rates are low compared to the developed world.
Developing a Petroleum Action Plan.
Meanwhile renewable energy has been shelved:
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise work on clean
technology dropped.
NZ has no plan to achieve our goal of 90% renewable
energy.
In 2013 New Zealand dropped out of top 40 countries for
renewable energy investment after seven years with a
lack of formal incentives and an energy surplus. We were
replaced by Kenya.
The Government prevented Meridian from marketing
itself as 100% renewable energy a popular choice for
consumers and businesses overseas.
There has been no success from mining
and oil exploration thus far what could
we have achieved by putting 6 years of
efort into clean & clever growth? Why
dont we ofer the same assistance to
renewable energy as we do to fossil fuels?
New Zealand is a world leader in renew-
able energy generation why not make
the most of it? We have opportunities in
selling our expertise to the world for
example in thermal generation and
managing a renewable grid.
New Zealands electricity could easily
be 100% renewable which would be a
selling point for the exporting business-
es based here. We are a perfect testing
ground for electric vehicles. We just need
a plan.
A price on carbon would boost our
forestry industry, and encourage greater
innovation such as the investment in
wood pellet furnaces that was made by
Fonterra.
Energy
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Rhode Street School, Hamilton
Political Parties Rating: Few parties have made clear commitments around the issues that matter.
The Greens are promising school lunches in low decile schools an untested and expensive policy
which is a massive logistical ask of schools. On the positive side the Greens want to reintroduce
nutrition standards for food sold in schools a policy which Labour seems to have backed away from.
Dumb & Dirty Growth Clean & Clever Growth
We are eating ourselves to death. Two thirds
of Kiwis are obese or overweight. One in four
people is at risk of developing diabetes. This
threatens to overwhelm our health system at the
same time that baby boomers will be retiring and
asking for hip and knee operations.
Over half of Kiwis are confused on how to eat
well, so they cant make an informed choice.
Those that do choose to eat junk food face no
penalty they can eat what they like, the
taxpayer will pick up their health bills.
People need to be informed of this issue so that
they can truly make an informed choice. We need to
educate people, ban junk food adverts to kids, and
ensure that labels and advertising are not mislead-
ing people to think energy-intensive, nutrient-lite
fake processed food is healthy. Compulsory front
of pack nutrition labeling (and education about what
it means) is essential.
However, when people choose to eat junk, the only
thing that will change their choices is changing the
price that they pay. Like smoking this would help
reduce the problem and also ensure people
contribute to the future health costs that they are
creating.
Food
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Political Parties Rating: It is not clear that any party has a grasp of the opportunities presented here.
Dumb & Dirty Growth Clean & Clever Growth
We need to live up to our 100% Pure brand, otherwise
people will continue to see through it and it becomes a
source of ridicule.
The Government has overlooked a slew of opportunities
to progress clean, clever growth:
The work of Pure Advantage.
The Governments own Green Growth Advisory Group.
PWC reported that the Clean Economy (low carbon
and environmental goods and services) could add
$12 27 billion to NZs economy by 2025.
The opportunity for NZ to be the Southern
Hemisphere HQ of Bransons B Team.
Our 100% Pure brand has a value. It attracts
tourists, talented people and adds a
premium to our exports. This value is likely
to grow in the future as other countries
despoil their environment.
This is not arguing for Think Big style
subsidies (any more than the oil and gas
industry gets subsidies now). All we need is a
plan so that we are prepared for
opportunities as they arise, and ensure that
increasingly the way we earn our income is
environmentally sustainable, and unambig-
uously raises national well-being, not simply
income.
Leadership
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Tuis in Khandallah image credit: Tony Stoddard
Political Parties Rating: National have acted with the Battle for our Birds, and while Labour and the
Greens are promoting increased spending on eradicating or controlling predators, there is no funding
attached. No party has signed up to the vision of Predator Free New Zealand, nor do they mention cat
management.
Dumb & Dirty Growth Clean & Clever Growth
New Zealands native fora and fauna has been
hit hard by the arrival of humans, development
and the predators they brought with them. For
example over a third of New Zealands native bird
species are extinct, and another third are
endangered. We need to protect and restore
what we have left, providing safe havens for our
native wildlife to fourish.
New Zealand leads the world in predator
eradication, however greater investment is
needed to prevent losing more species. Concerns
over the use of poison are preventing dealing
with the threat posed by predators. Also the main
predators in urban areas domestic cats are
free to wander and kill at will.
A predator free New Zealand would bring many
benefts:
Attract tourists and talented people to live in
New Zealand
Protect our 100% Pure brand
A premium for our exports
Expertise & health benefts from eliminating
predators
The intrinsic value of saving our native species
To achieve this, we need to stay at the forefront of
predator eradication. We also need to manage cats
like we already manage dogs.

Conservation
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Political Parties Rating: National have promised more of the same the Roads of National Signifcance,
plus $212m more for regional roads and $100m for cycling. The Greens have promised to invest in
public transport. Labour have promised a more rational approach to transport spending, and then leap
to what they think that means without clear evidence. While investing in public transport is likely to be
more efective for cities than building more roads, we would like to see evidence rather than politics
driving our infrastructure spending. That spans the issues of where to invest, how much, and on what
transport types.
Image source: Phillip Capper, Flickr
Dumb & Dirty Growth Clean & Clever Growth
The Government has
been investing in Roads
of National Signifcance
on the basis of dubious
cost beneft arithmetic.
We need to depoliticise funding across roads and public transport.
Government should make public the cost beneft ratios of all transport
options so that the public is fully informed about what alternatives are being
overlooked in order to invest in the Roads of National Signifcance. Transport
spending also needs linking up to an economic development strategy.
We also need to ensure a long-term price of carbon is built in to all
calculations, to make sure our decisions are future-proofed.
Transport
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Image source: Phillip Capper, Flickr
Treaty of Waitangi, Wikipedia
Dumb & Dirty Growth Clean & Clever Growth
Political democracy in New Zealand is under
siege. The culprit is successive governments
predilection for power sharing with Maori as a
way to address issues that concern Maori,
beyond those of natural resources and cultural
treasures, which are covered by Article 2 of the
Treaty of Waitangi.
By granting political power to a group in this way,
the political rights of all New Zealanders are
being compromised, in contradiction not only
of the natural justice of democracy but also of
Clause 3 of the Treaty and Clause 46 of the UN
Declaration of Rights of Indigenous People. The
trend will deepen racial division in New Zealand.
We need to more aggressively use existing legisla-
tion to address all 3 components of rangatiratanga
- self-determination, political power, ethnic bias in
disadvantage:
There are ways to increase freedoms for groups
without compromising rights of others;
Political power for a group is a constitutional issue
that is most appropriately addressed in a trans
parent public process, such as citizen assembly;
The Human Rights Act 1993, and the Bill of Rights
1990 should have enough grunt in them to ad
dress the ethnic bias in disadvantage.
Constitutional
Reference: Are we there yet? (2015, forthcoming)
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Growing the economy doesnt have to be dumb and dirty - coming at the expense of our environment
and society. If we are clean and clever, we can innovate and grow in diferent ways.
We can have it all.