5 August 2002

Prosperity Needed to Ensure Sustainable Development

The Parliamentary Commission for the Environment’s (PCE) view that sustainable development should be a higher priority than economic growth is unwise and ignores fundamental realities of life, says Tourism Industry Association Chief Executive John Moriarty.

In commenting on the PCE’s report “Creating our Future: Sustainable Development for New Zealand”, Mr Moriarty says that without business viability all concepts of sustainable development take second place.

“While we welcome reports that look at how to achieve balanced growth in New Zealand, we suggest that these need to amplified with an understanding that New Zealand must have growing prosperity so that it continues to have the wealth to effectively manage the environment that sustains us.”

Mr Moriarty says that he is surprised that, based on TIANZ’s investigations, no one in the tourism industry was consulted in the preparation of the PCE report.

“In our industry, hundreds of companies are already involved in tourism-specific environmental initiatives, and our roadshows and conferences are now ‘carbon neutral”. It is quite incomplete to suggest that business is unaware of its responsibilities towards the environment.”

Mr Moriarty urged the PCE to involve the private sector more closely in its investigations.

“Such involvement is critical to ensure that industry takes these reports seriously, and has a stake in the recommendations of any investigation. We don’t want reports gathering dust on our shelves.”

ENDS

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