Environment, Arts, and Heritage

• The only announcement in this area this week is the Greens' promise of $200 million for the promotion of te reo Māori.

This page details the election promises related to the environment, arts and heritage (including tourism), including:

• conservation and recreation;
• arts, culture and heritage; and
• tourism.

Conservation & recreation
The Greens again have the largest commitment in this category: $1.5 billion over four years, or $747 per household. This includes $200 million to introduce a price on agricultural emissions; expand Jobs for Nature based on reinstating the previous Government's $1.25 billion fund, $90 million to restore the Ministry for the Environment, and $13.5 million to boost funding for the Environmental Protection Agency and community environment groups, calculated at 10 percent of the EPA's 2026/27 functions budget.

We have costed the Opportunities Party's proposals at $750 million over four years, or $362 per household, split between $100 million for ocean conservation policies and at least $650 million to support sectors reducing emissions and adapting to climate change. The figure on the latter was based on the 'Government Investing in Decarbonising Industry' (GIDI) funding provided by the last Government.

Labour, National, ACT and NZ First have not announced costed conservation or recreation policies this election.

Arts, culture and heritage
The Greens have proposed $200 million in funding to promote te reo Māori.

Tourism
No party has announced costed tourism policies this election.

Note: Te Pāti Māori has not announced any costed policies for the environment, arts and heritage.

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