Political Party Policies as they affect Ruataniwha dam and freshwater

2026 General Election

Political Party policies as they affect the proposed Ruataniwha dam and local water management

Green

1.        The Green Party holds the longstanding position of opposing the Ruataniwha dam;

2.        We are committed to reviewing Fast Track projects that do not meet the threshold of full community engagement and environmental sustainability, including Ruataniwha.

3.        We commit to upholding the status of conservation land and do not support land swaps or disposals for economic purposes, such as the public conservation land parcel associated with the Ruataniwha dam fast track application.

Te Pati Māori

Te Pāti Māori believes the wellbeing of our people is inseparable from the wellbeing of our environment.  Our Freshwater and Climate Policies are grounded in kaitiakitanga, mana motuhake and the protection of taonga for future generations.

As communities face increasing pressures from climate change and resource use, decisions must prioritise the health of our waterways, uphold mana whenua leadership, and invest in solutions that deliver long-term environmental, cultural and economic resilience.

Our Freshwater Policy will:

1.        Put the mauri of taonga waterways first - Prioritise the health of awa such as the Mākāroro River over increased extraction and irrigation expansion. - Ensure decisions protect waterways for future generations.

2.        Empower mana whenua leadership - Strengthen hapū and iwi involvement in freshwater decision-making. - Embed kaitiakitanga and intergenerational responsibility in water governance.

3.        Restore rivers, not intensify pressure on them - Invest in river restoration, catchment management and sustainable land-use practices. - Focus on improving water quality and reducing pollution rather than enabling further environmental degradation.

Our Climate Policy will:

1.        Invest in regenerative solutions - Support climate resilience through environmental restoration, biodiversity protection and sustainable water management.

2.        Ensure responsible public investment - Require major projects to demonstrate clear environmental, community and economic benefits before significant public funding is committed. - Protect taxpayers from carrying excessive financial risk where benefits are uncertain.

3.        Apply strong environmental scrutiny - Ensure major infrastructure projects undergo robust environmental and cultural assessment. - Protect freshwater ecosystems and the health of taonga species and waterways.

For communities concerned about the future of the Mākāroro River and the proposed Ruataniwha Dam, these policies provide a clear pathway that prioritises river health, mana whenua leadership, environmental restoration and responsible investment for generations to come.

Opportunity:

1.     Opportunity understand the need for smarter and more efficient water management in Hawke's Bay, and believe a mosaic of solutions need to be implemented to meet the variety of water-use needs we face into the future.

2.     Hawke's Bay needs to investigate water supply solutions (including water storage), as well as water use and demand.

3.     Most importantly, we need to bring all Hawke's Bay communities along with any proposed solution, and ensure that environmental and water quality outcomes are not only not impacted, but improved upon.

4.     We support local solutions and would back councils to lead this work, and would strongly support the use of Citizen's Assembly processes where there is disagreement within the community.

5.     On principle, we are guided by evidence, including business cases, community impacts and environmental impact reporting.

6.     We do not support any 'zombie' project proposals that have been resurrected under Fast Track legislation that have already been rejected via court processes in the past, so on this note we do not support the Ruataniwha Dam project (Tukituki Water Storage Project).

7.     We are open to reviewing renewed evidence should this project address significant environmental and community concerns, and show evidence of a robust business case.

8.     As part of the solution, Opportunity have proposed in our Healthy Land and Water policy www.opportunity.org.nz/healthy_land to embed rainwater collection in the building code, and streamline consenting and incentivise on-farm water storage projects that also have positive biodiversity outcomes."

Labour:

1.        Labour is opposed to the current Fast Track process;

2.        In government we will put environmental protections and community input back into the Fast Track process so that environmental protections are not overridden.

3.        If this project is approved and Labour is elected, we will not cancel the consents, but would have the project’s conditions reviewed based on the environmental effects.

The wash-up: Strong voices for the Mākāroro river will be needed in negotiations to ensure a more solid commitment from Labour.   

VOTE for the Mākāroro river and a clear commitment to protect our shared environment for future generations!