Bridges pledges $5m for grassroots conservation
A $5 million fund will be available for community conservation groups under a National government, says leader Simon Bridges.
Speaking at the annual National Party BlueGreens Forum, held in Nelson, he highlighted National’s past record on environmental issues, calling it the party of ‘‘practical environmentalism’’.
Bridges’ highlights reel of National’s accomplishments included presiding over a period of increasingly renewable energy, their policies on housing insulation, and on electric vehicles.
However, despite promising that ‘‘you will see significant policy from us in the environmental space’’, he said he didn’t think addressing climate change needed to be done at all costs.
‘‘I don’t subscribe to the view that we need to drastically realign and damage our economy.’’
Instead, he said environmental action needed to involve the community from the bottom up, citing as his inspiration groups such as the Sea Cleaners, who volunteered to clean up beaches and marine environments around the country.
‘‘It’s expensive work, it’s almost all done voluntarily ... I see great benefits in this kind of environmentalism,’’ he said.
It was to support this voluntary work that he announced National’s new $5m fund, partnering with groups like Keep New Zealand Beautiful and the Sea Cleaners.
‘‘This fund will allow local groups to have the ability to manage and purchase services needed to aid in clean-ups.’’