Internet Party pushes for fracking moratorium

File photo / NZ Herald

The Internet Party wants a moratorium on what it calls "risky energy and mining industry practices" such as fracking, dumping of oil wastes and deep-sea and undersea extraction.

In its final environment policy released today the internet Party also sought to restore the "absolute right" of New Zealanders to protest at sea against deep-sea oil exploration.

"National has been pushing New Zealand towards a greater dependence on the extractive industries at a time when climate change and land and water protection demand the opposite," said internet Party leader Laila Harre.

"We will place moratoria on the hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells, and deep-sea drilling. The direct safety risks of these industries have not been adequately investigated or managed.

"Their impact on climate change would also have to be countered before any resumption of these activities would be considered. In the case of deep sea drilling we do not see any likelihood that benefits to New Zealand will be shown to outweigh the risks."

The cost of an accident to New Zealand's marine and coastal environment would be simply too high, she said.

The internet Party would also repeal the National Government's law change to ban protests against deep sea oil exploration.

"The law flies in the face of the very democratic rights we hold dear," said Ms Harre. "We will immediately repeal what is an unjust act that bans lawful protest."

The party also backed the Greens Party's proposed carbon tax as the starting point for policy negotiations post-election.

However, it was not persuaded by the provision that all revenue raised should be spread across all households.

"Compensating low income households for the average $2 a week extra cost of a carbon tax should be the priority, but a tax bonus for high income households would be a much lower priority for us than investing in renewables and environmental enhancements," Ms Harre said.