Forest & Bird Youth Wellington is urging all Wellingtonians to carefully consider the environmental policies and attitudes of their local candidates when voting in upcoming local body elections.

The environmental group has collected information on candidate’s environmental policies, and will host an event to discuss those policies at Victoria University on 30 September.

“Nature is in crisis,” said George Hobson, Co-Coordinator of Forest & Bird Youth Wellington

“Climate change is already affecting the Wellington Region, and its impacts will continue to become more severe without urgent action,

“New Zealand has more than 4000 native species at risk of extinction, many of which can be found in the Wellington Region.

“When casting a vote in upcoming elections, it’s more important than ever that Wellingtonians consider how their local candidates plan to address the threats facing our biodiversity,” says Mr Hobson.

Forest & Bird Youth Wellington is calling on all candidates for local and regional councils to make the protection of nature a high priority in their campaign, and commit to taking meaningful conservation action if elected.

All Councils in the Wellington Region have a responsibility to conserve and protect our treasured environment, however the largest responsibility lies with Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC).

Under the Resource Management Act, GWRC has a responsibility to manage biodiversity.

Forest & Bird Youth Wellington sent five questions to the 23 candidates for the GWRC Pōneke/Wellington Constituency, relating to each candidate’s environmental policies.

Of those 23 candidates, 14 responded with answers.

“We were impressed with many of the responses we received, and it’s encouraging to see these candidates taking the protection of nature seriously,” says George Hobson.

All environmental policy statements provided by GWRC Pōneke/Wellington Constituency candidates can be found at: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1HHCmatgnB2dU69F7tKfoZu0TxDQeVEwe

The 14 GWRC Pōneke/Wellington Constituency candidates who provided statements on their environmental policies are:

Alexander Garside

Bryce Pender

Daran Ponter

Gavin Bruce

Helene Ritchie

Jill Ford

John Klaphake

Roger Blakeley

Sam Somers

Thomas Nash

Tony De Lorenzo

Troy Mihaka

Victoria Rhodes-Carlin

Yvonne Legarth

Forest & Bird Youth Wellington has invited all 23 candidates to join us for a panel discussion, to delve into each candidate’s environmental policies in more detail.

This panel will be held on the 30th of September, 6pm at Victoria University - https://www.facebook.com/events/446279799564112/

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