Will New Zealanders Vote for Dolphins?
New Zealand has a national election campaign running until 20 September. Until now it was difficult to tell where each political party stood on the matter of saving the endangered New Zealand (Hector’s and Māui) dolphin. This smallest of all the dolphins with the rounded dorsal fin is beloved around the world but they’re being wiped out by fishing nets.
Working with groups in New Zealand, WDC has put together a Voters’ Guide to rate the parties and to show how to vote for healthy seas and healthy dolphin populations.
In WDC’s recent economic study with Economists at Large, we found that New Zealanders by a large majority want to save their iconic dolphin and most would be willing to pay more for fish and chips and even a dolphin tax to help the species recover. Now with this Voters’ Guide everyone knows precisely where the parties stand — which ones are willing to help and which are not. The ruling National Party, for example, and Act are the worst! Of course any party can change their stance if they don’t like their position in the guide. It’s up to them. But after the election, WDC will be working hard to help ensure that whoever wins takes action to help save these dolphins.
For more information, about each Party and their position, go here.
