17 Mar 2009

Cancellation of environmental projects angers Greens

11:45 am on 17 March 2009

The Green Party has accused the Government of undoing good work by cancelling a long list of environmental projects.

Last year the National Government scrapped a $1 billion insulation scheme for private homes. More recently it cut programmes run by the Ministry for the Environment.

Ms Fitzsimmons believes the motivation for some of the changes may have been to undo what Labour had achieved, which she says is childish.

However she says National has approached her party to work together on insulation projects.

The Government says the Green Homes scheme did not go ahead because there was no funding.

It says its first goal is to insulate state houses before looking at what can be done for the private sector.

Sustainable Business Network

Earlier, the party said the withdrawal of government funds for the Sustainable Business Network will greatly disadvantage local companies.

The network, which shows businesses how to adopt practices seen as environmentally friendly and socially responsible, had three-years of fund worth $750,000 from the Ministry for the Environment.

The Ministry has confirmed that the final $250,000 instalment will not go ahead.

It says the funding cut is necessary, as all government departments are being required to reduce expenditure.

The Green Party says the move is a step backwards for businesses, which will miss out opportunities offered by what the party describes as an impending 'green economic revolution'.