A new political party based on the Outdoors..

I am pleased to announce the formation of the OUTDOORS PARTY, a new New Zealand political party based on the values of our outdoors environment and communities.

1. The aim of the party will be to lobby and develop policy based on protecting and enhancing the wonderful New Zealand outdoors environment.

2. The party would concentrate on its key policy areas around protecting the environment and the New Zealand way of life with little or no emphasis on economic and other areas that small parties have little or no influence on.

3. The New Zealand way of life has always been based around our outdoors heritage and the wonderful community support that is uniquely New Zealand. This will be our mission to protect and enhance those values.

The sponsor of the party, Alan Simmons said the "he believed for a political party to thrive it needs to stick to its basic principals and to only engage in its area of expertise in a positive manner. Our role will be to develop and engage in alternative ideas showing a positive way forward."

Mr Simmons said that the sort of issues the party would concentrate on include:

Water quality and keeping freshwater fresh, Climate change, Land use changes, encouraging alternatives to pine forest such as planting of Manuka forest, fishing both recreational and commercial, Rural issues such as loss or rural communities & corporate farming, Aquaculture, Clean farming methods and alternative value added crops, access issues bought about by foreign ownership, trout farming, helihunting and in general promote the egalitarian principals New Zealand was founded on.

Membership would be encouraged from all outdoor groups such as trampers, anglers, hunters, biking enthusiasts, boaties, mountain clubs, environmental enthusiasts, those interested in climate change, or just with a general love of the bush and mountains. However by being a centre of the road party we would hope to attract people from a number of outdoors groups including everyday New Zealanders who are just sensible conservationists.

Membership applications had been flooding in since the website went live on Friday and Mr Simmons said that "he was thrilled New Zealanders realised the need for such a party as he did." He said "he wanted to inject the words "positive" and "sensible conservation" into the political debate about our wonderful environment while focussing on the sort of world we are leaving for future generations.

Alan Simmons
Promoter. New Zealand Outdoors Party
www.outdoorsparty.co.nz

ENDS

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