Replace the ETS with a carbon tax and ban mining on conservation land
What it actually does
The environment policy would replace the Emissions Trading Scheme with a carbon tax, put electricity generation and retail fully in public ownership with a focus on renewables, and prohibit mining in national parks, conservation areas and other protected public land. Extractive industries would be brought into public ownership as they are wound down.
Source: allianceparty.nz · 2026-09
The Trump take
“A carbon tax? That's a tax on air. They tax the air now! And no mining? You've got beautiful rocks down there, folks, tremendous rocks, and they want to leave them in the ground.”parody
Why it scored this way
Climate
Carbon tax to replace the ETS
-2
Hates it
Energy
Mining bans and winding down extractive industries
-2
Hates it
On the same topics
Fast-track Approvals Act
Passed in December 2024 along party lines, the Act created a one-stop consenting process for listed infrastructure, housing, mining and energy projects. Final approval decisions sit with expert panels rather than standard resource consent processes.
Fast-track Approvals Act 2024
Creates a one-stop consenting regime for listed infrastructure, housing, energy and mining projects, with expert panels deciding applications and ministers holding a role in referrals. Passed its third reading on 17 December 2024 on coalition votes and received royal assent in December 2024.
Remove the ETS charge from fuel
NZ First would abolish the Emissions Trading Scheme charge on fuel over the next term, which it says added about 12 cents a litre to petrol and 14 cents to diesel over the past year. The party says the ETS took $850 million from consumers and businesses for carbon credits in that period.