The Green Party has described the National Party's environment policy as an attack on the country's rivers and lakes.
National's policy includes slowing down the implementation of the Emissions Trading Scheme, introducing a new system for testing water quality and using money from asset sales to fund irrigation projects.
Green Party co-leader Russel Norman told Morning Report there are real environmental concerns about large scale irrigration projects.
He said the fund for the projects will subsidise the conversion of large amounts of land to dairying which will lead to huge water quality problems later on.
However National says the policy balances the difficult economic times, with the need to protect the environment.
Environment spokesperson Nick Smith told the programme the policy will improve water and air quality, result in better management of the sea and reduce waste, while not putting extra pressure on households.
Dr Smith says environment policies are never strong enough for the Green Party.
