The increasing threats of climate change, such as intensified storms, wildfires, and rising sea levels, have ignited a debate in New Zealand regarding the managed retreat of communities at high risk of natural disasters. Here is a concise overview of major political parties’ stances:
- Green Party:
- Supports legislation for managed retreat.
- Believes in shared cost bearing by the Government, councils, and homeowners for families needing to move from high-risk areas.
- Advocates for limiting development in hazard-prone zones and ensuring that council LIM reports include hazard warnings for potential homebuyers.
- Opposes government-subsidized insurance.
- Labour Party:
- Supports a managed retreat act.
- Did not specify payment responsibilities or restrictions on at-risk development.
- Has investigated some form of coverage for when private insurers pull out but hasn’t clearly expressed its stance on government-subsidized insurance.
- Te Pāti Māori:
- Backs managed retreat legislation.
- Advocates for cost sharing among central and local governments and homeowners for community relocations.
- Supports limitations on development in high-risk areas and believes in informing homebuyers about potential hazards.
- Endorses government-subsidized insurance.
- Has lobbied for an “equity-based adaptation fund” for uninsured disaster victims and proposes a $1B Māori Taiao Relief fund for restoration post natural disasters.
- National Party:
- Supports a managed retreat law.
- Proposes shared responsibility among the Government, councils, and homeowners for relocation costs.
- Advocates for warning potential homebuyers about risky areas and believes in restricting further development in areas selected for Cyclone Gabrielle buy-out.
- Opposes new regulations to restrict development in other at-risk zones and government-subsidized insurance.
- Act Party:
- Does not back a managed retreat law.
- Believes that the Government, councils, and homeowners should share relocation costs.
- Supports restricting development in areas where Cyclone Gabrielle buy-out was offered.
- Opposes hazard warnings for homebuyers, further restrictions on development in at-risk zones, and government-subsidized insurance.
- Proposes repealing the current Resource Management Act in favor of new environmental and urban development legislation.
The issue remains contentious as New Zealand grapples with the imminent challenges of climate change, forcing the nation to consider tough decisions for its at-risk communities.
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