Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Lobby group protests influx during Rugby World Cup

Updated at 3:02 pm on 24 January 2010

A Wellington environmental lobby group says next year's rugby world cup will destroy New Zealand's clean green image.

The group, called the Island Bay World Service, demonstrated at the Green Party's annual picnic in Wellington, to protest against government funding for the 2011 event.

The group's leader, John Robinson, says the carbon emissions generated by people flying to New Zealand to see the games will be enormous.

He says the Government's support of the event shows it is not serious about tackling climate change, and that the promotion of New Zealand as an environmentally sound tourist destination is a farce.

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