RNZ has a great Policy Q&A site up. They list policy under many topic areas (Climate Change, Economy, Education etc.), with questions that they put to the parties, and the answers that they received. Here’s a sample from the Agriculture & Primary Industry section:
What will you plan to do to counter declining fresh water quality and will that include toughening regulations on intense farming and other users?
National
Declined to answer this question.
Labour
Labour’s water policy supports irrigation from sustainable sources but says taxpayers should not be asked to fund new water schemes. Labour will investigate and work with farmers and other major water users to develop a resource rental charge as an economic and environmental tool that would encourage wise use of water. It will vary by region to reflect differing climates and be spent locally on new irrigation schemes, the clean-up of polluted waterways and improved drinking water supplies.
National declined to answer the question? Too hard? Nope, check any question you like (even the one on keeping National Standards). National declined to answer them all. Nothing. Nada.
This could have been an excellent resource for voters. Elections should be about options for the future, and Key tries to deflect attention from the teapot tape fiasco by saying that National wants to focus on the serious issues. But National’s non-participation shows that they’re too arrogant to even bother engaging on policy.
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