From: rick@planet.actrix.gen.nz (Richard Swan)
Subject: For ma Wgtn residents :  A GreenPrint for Wellington
Organization: PlaNet Communications,  Wellington New Zealand
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 09:38:10 GMT

Green candidates for Wellington 1992 Local Body Elections

                                     Mayor of Wellington: Stephen Rainbow

Regional Council: Denis Foot

Wellington City Council
Lambton: Stephen Rainbow, Liz Thomas, Myra Giese
Southern: Merrin Downing, Celia Wade-Brown
Eastern: Sue Kedgley, Lorna Sandeman
Western: Sheila Ahern, Alex Ewing, James Shaw
Northern: Anne Duncan
Onslow: Martin Wilson

     please ring Celia on 383-6691 if you want more information or if you can help us.HIGHLIGHTS


A Green majority in the Wellington City Council will introduce:-
   

*    A pro-active economic and employment strategy based on heritage protection and enhancing our natural environment.

*    A proposal for a light rail system from the airport to the railway station.

*    A comprehensive policy to revitalise our inner city by attracting more people and fewer cars into our inner city area.

*    An energy conservation plan to conserve Wellington's energy and water resources through incentives for energy-saving schemes such as home and business insulation

*    An eco-tourism strategy to attract back-packers into Wellington and capitalize on our unique attractions such as the harbour and town belt.

*    Immediate cancellation of the motorway extension, replacing it with small-scale traffic improvements to alleviate peak hour congestion.

*    A limit to airport expansion so that any development occurs within existing facilities.

***  Kerbside recycling for every home in Wellington.

***  A wind farm to convert Wellington's wind into an energy asset.

***  A Centre for Sustainable Living on the vacant Chase site in Courtenay Place; a dynamic demonstration of small scale alternative technology.

***  A major planting programme of native trees throughout the city.

***  A strategy to attract people to live in the inner city by converting vacant buildings into pleasant residential living quarters.

***  A comprehensive cycling network.

***  An Urban Design Unit within Wellington City Council.



     * within one year             ***  within three years
                                                    CONTENTS


HIGHLIGHTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    1

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    4

ECONOMIC POLICY  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    5
     Cost savings  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    5
     Central Business District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    5
     Centre for Sustainable Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    6
     Enterprise and Investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    6
     Eco-tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    7
     Accounting practices & Taxation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    7

ENERGY POLICY  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    8
     Actions as a corporation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    8
     Energy education  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    8
     Practical help  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    9
     Local authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    9
     Wind farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   10

TRANSPORT POLICY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   11
     Public Transport  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   11
     Bicycles  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   12
     Pedestrians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   12
     Traffic Management  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   12
     WCC Policy  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   13

NATURAL RESOURCES POLICY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   14
     Coastal Ecosystems & Wellington Harbour . . . . . . . . . . . . .   14
     Town Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   15
     Revegetation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   15
     Open space  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   15
     Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   16
     Other policy areas  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   16

SOCIAL POLICY  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   17
     Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   17
     Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   17
     Safety  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   17
     Community Centres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   18
     Cultural Diversity  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   18
     Other policy areas  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   18

EMPLOYMENT POLICY  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   19
     Refurbishment of Wellington's Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . .   19
     Energy conservation & Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   19
     Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   20
     Fulfilment  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   20
                           CONTENTS (continued)

WASTE MANAGEMENT POLICY  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   21
     Minimisation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   21
     Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   22
     Public Education  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   22
     Use of former landfills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   22

CIVIL DEFENCE POLICY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   23
     Legislative Aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   23
     Co-operation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   23
     Commitment  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   23

HERITAGE POLICY  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   24
     Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   24
     Demolition  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   24
     Enhancement - Financial Aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   24
     Enhancement - Strategies  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   25
     Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   25
     Specific Buildings  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   25

ANIMAL WELFARE POLICY  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   26
     Domestic animals  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   26
     Exotic animals  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   26
                               INTRODUCTION




Wellington is a unique and attractive city with magnificent natural assets and a charm of its own.


We want it to become a better and more friendly place to live in, a city with close-knit local communities which have their own local flavour, linked through an excellent public transport system to a vibrant inner city and a harbour which is accessible to all Wellingtonians.


We want Wellington to become an environmentally friendly city as well; one that is a model for the world. 


To this end we will consider all matters that come before the Wellington City Council from the perspectives of cost effectiveness, social justice and ecological sustainability.


We will also ensure that any development taking place in the city will enhance the small-scale charm of our city, be human in scale and be based on the principle of sustainable development (that is, it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs).



                              ECONOMIC POLICY

                                   AIMS:

                      IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL
                                     
                             ERADICATE POVERTY
                                     
                           USE RESOURCES WISELY

Sustainable economic development in the city will improve the quality of life for all Wellingtonians without destroying our natural or human-created heritage. Wellington is currently competing in a growth race which is destructive and unsustainable. Wellington will prosper by preserving and enhancing its unique advantages, including its quality of life, its physical environs, and its built heritage.

We believe that major growth areas of the economy lie in products and services presently overlooked by conventional political groups.

1 Cost savings

The Green Council will:

     1.1  Save money by applying more stringent criteria to major capital projects (such as new buildings) and by stopping other projects, such as the urban motorway extension.

     1.2  Reduce, re-use and recycle - implementing this motto will save money as well as other resources.

     1.3  Develop an energy conservation strategy for Wellington.

     1.4  Rationalise the Council's property holdings and cease all Council involvement in subdivisions, thereby freeing up the subdivision fund for heritage purposes.

     1.5  Use quality management principles to improve services to ratepayers without increasing costs.

2 Revitalising the Central Business District (CBD)
 
The inner city is the heart of Wellington and must not be allowed to decay. We will work with commercial interests, the Capital Forum, and others, to find the best ways of transforming our inner city into a lively, attractive and profitable place.
The Green Council will:

     2.1  Ensure that rent levels on the 'Golden Mile' encourage continued viability of the CBD.

     2.2  Find ways of encouraging more people and fewer cars into the inner city, increasing retail profitability in the area.

     2.3  Purchase locally made goods when possible, to stimulate the local economy and reduce wasted energy in transportation.

     2.4  Advocate 'Think Small' developments on the harbour-front.

3 Centre for Sustainable Living

Create a Centre for Sustainable Living in the wasteland site of the intended Wakefield Centre in Courtenay Place.  This Centre will include a model energy efficient home, an urban garden based on recreating the original vegetation in the area, workshops for the development of environmentally-friendly technologies, restaurants and retail outlets based around healthy living. The Centre will have an educative function (e.g for school-children and home-owners), and will be a significant tourist venue in the ci

ty. It could also become the site for a Hundertwasser building for Wellington.


4 Encourage Enterprise and Investment

The Green Council will:

     4.1  Actively promote Wellington as a model of an environmentally-friendly city. Encourage tourism and desirable new investments, particularly in the field of environmentally-based technology development.

     4.2  Promote Wellington as a desirable conference venue. Work with M.E.R.T. to ensure that Wellington hosts a major international environmental conference within three years.

     4.3  Develop Wellington's reputation as a centre for the development of environmentally- friendly technologies, through the Centre of Sustainable Living and through the encouragement of environmentally-based industries in the Councils' New Venture Units.

     4.4  Direct a proportion of the Council's own investment funds to environmentally-friendly companies where they are also predicted to give a good return on investment.

     4.5  Support financial institutions catering to disadvantaged groups as well as the mainstream banks.

     4.6  Provide facilities for Gamma Foundation, the Foundation for Social and Economic Development and other organisations seeking to develop alternatives to current social and economic policies

     4.7  Encourage small scale information technology and communications companies so Wellington can become a centre for the Information Revolution.


5 Eco-tourism

The Green Council will:

     5.1  Develop an eco-tourism strategy for Wellington within three  years, focusing on sites including the Otari Museum, the South Coast, Somes Island and the Centre for Sustainable Living. This strategy will be aimed particularly at back-packers, the fastest growing segment of the tourist market (and ignored by the current Council strategies).

     5.2 Establish a camping ground.


6 Accounting practices & Taxation

The Green Council will:

     6.1  Create a full set of resource accounts for Wellington City which will be incorporated into measurements of Wellington's wealth. Unwise depletion of natural resources would appear as a reduction in the city's wealth.

     6.2  Implement a programme of Polluter Pays which offers financial incentives for environmentally friendly behaviour and raises revenue from negative activities. Enterprises will be encouraged to internalise environmental costs.
                               ENERGY POLICY

                                   AIMS:
     
                       MINIMISE TOTAL USE OF ENERGY

                     MAXIMISE USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY

                            MINIMISE POLLUTION

Energy in New Zealand is mainly provided by burning fossil fuels and hydro-electric power.  The burning of fossil fuels contributes to air pollution and the greenhouse effect.  Land is lost by damming river catchments for hydroelectric power. 

Renewable sources of energy such as sun and wind, both generously available in Wellington, could satisfy many of our energy needs without degrading the environment.

A systematic policy of energy efficiency will reduce household bills and help businesses achieve competitive advantage.

1 Actions as a corporation 

These policies are designed to save energy and reduce Wellington's rates. Some of the money saved will be targeted for energy education programs. 

The Green Council will:

     1.1  Aim to save at least 30% of the Council's annual power bills by carrying out energy audits on all commercial premises owned or used by the WCC.

     1.2  Implement savings already identified for swimming pools and council housing. 

     1.3  Use CNG/LPG in all council vehicles and use the Council's fleet to trial electric and other vehicles.

2 Energy education

Many energy savings can be made at little or no cost. Real examples of savings will give incentives to consumers to improve their own properties, both residential and commercial.

The Green Council will:

     2.1  Publicise savings WCC makes due to implementing energy audit findings.

     2.2  Carry out energy audits on all Wellington's community centres and implement recommended improvements, displaying details about what has been achieved. 

     2.3  Promote an Energy Fair for students.

     2.4  Design and build a show-home which demonstrates energy-efficient principles as part of the Centre for Sustainable Living.

3 Practical help

Some energy reduction measures are relatively expensive to install although they save money in the long run.

The Green Council will:

     3.1  Offer interest free loans for domestic ratepayers who implement energy efficiency measures with a payback period of five years or less.

     3.2  Offer rate rebates to domestic landlords implementing energy saving measures.

     3.3  Use the Council's Economic and Business Development Unit as a mechanism to encourage the establishment of 'energy-friendly' small businesses in Wellington e.g. solar heating companies.  Companies specialising in home grown technology would be given priority. Businesses could be grouped together as a Theme Park, in conjunction with the Centre for Sustainable Living.

4 Local authority

Local government has a significant role in energy management strategies. 

The Green Council will:

     4.1  Maintain majority share-holding in Capital Power to ensure Capital Power achieves energy efficiency and at the same time meets social objectives.

     4.2  Work with the business community to establish an effective system of incentives to reduce energy use in private enterprise.

     4.3  Implement energy saving measures in all council housing along the lines of those already implemented at the Newtown Park Flats.

     4.4  Remove building code obstacles to the use of renewable power in new or existing buildings. Modify planning and building codes to require: minimum levels of insulation in extensions to existing buildings; consideration of solar orientation for all new buildings; good natural light levels; design avoiding air-conditioning where possible; solar access for all.

     4.5  Determine which is the best street lighting technology available to safely illuminate pedestrian and transport areas while minimising energy use.

     4.6  Evaluate current co-generation of power for Wellington Hospital and investigate its use for Council swimming pools.

     4.7  Encourage planning for neighbourhood zones, suburban and CBD, which include all facilities, including public transport connections, to minimise dependence on the private car.

     4.8  Encourage decentralised concentrations of building in semi-rural areas rather than ribbon development of buildings one deep beside trunk roads.


5    Wind farm

The Green Council will:

Set up a wind farm to convert Wellington's wind into usable energy, using as much local labour and componentry as possible.TRANSPORT POLICY


                                   AIMS:

                            MINIMISE ENERGY USE

                            MINIMISE POLLUTION

                          MAXIMISE ACCESSIBILITY



1    Public Transport

The use of public transport will be encouraged and promoted throughout the region. Significantly lower levels of private car use are necessary. We want a well-integrated public transport system in which old and new technologies work together to provide efficiency and passenger comfort.

The Green Council will:

     1.1  Ensure all city dwellers have access to community services and facilities by providing an efficient, reliable public transport system at a reasonable cost.

     1.2  Create a user-friendly public transport system including transfer tickets, upgrading of shelters and seats, increased reliability of services, increased off-peak service levels, more convenient interchange facilities, establishment of significant concession rates for low income earners and off-peak travellers.

     1.3  Give priority to public transport on roads (transit lanes, favourable traffic light phasing etc).

     1.4  Bring in disincentives for use of the private motor car on main arteries and limitations on inner city parking.

     1.5  Halt plans for extension of the Wellington Urban Motorway and reassess (involving the community) of use of the designated land.

     1.6  Ensure the survival of existing electric modes of public transport i.e. trains and trolley buses.  In particular, retain the Johnsonville train service.

     1.7  Assess an electric light rail system which would run from the railway station via Courtenay Place to the Eastern suburbs. 
 2   Bicycles

The Green Council will:

     2.1  Establish a Cycling Action Group to advise Council on policy and traffic management issues and develop a comprehensive cycling network.

     2.2  Provide free, secure bicycle parking at appropriate locations in the city, especially in the Civic Centre, suburban shopping centres and public transport termini.  
     2.3  Promote a wide variety of cycle events.

     2.4  Establish a cycle route along the city waterfront from the ferry terminal to Oriental Bay.

     2.5  Upgrade and signpost the cycle route along the Kaiwharawhara Road from Wellington to Lower Hutt.

3    Pedestrians

Pedestrians are essential to a lively, safe, inner city. 

The Green Council will:

     3.1  Create clean, car-free, pedestrian-friendly zones in retail areas (both central and suburban). 

     3.2  Improve wheelchair and pushchair access to all Council buildings.

     3.3  Construct low kerbs on all pedestrian crossings.


4    Traffic Management 

Effective traffic management will enhance the nature of the city and handle traffic flows as expediently and safely as possible.  Reduced traffic flows are to be expected as a result of policies to encourage restrictions on car use.  

The Green Council will:

     4.1  Use traffic calming as a low cost way of improving traffic flows, easing congestion and improving safety.

     4.2  Create transit lanes to promote peak period car pooling and to give priority to public transport.

     4.3  Establish additional park and ride facilities to encourage train and bus use and to reduce the number of private cars coming into the CBD.


5    WCC Policy 

The Wellington City Council will develop a comprehensive policy in the area of public transport, reflecting the aims and objectives outlined above.  WCC needs a vision and a strategy rather than ad hoc planning measures. 

The Green Council will:

     5.1  Establish a Public Transport Unit within the WCC. This will require a commitment of staff and resources over and above those currently allocated.

     5.2  Review of parking policy in the CBD.  Refer to the "Parking in Wellington" pamphlet produced by the WCC several years ago.

     5.3  Establish a joint public transport marketing group involving WCC, WRC, users, retailers and operators to promote public transport throughout the region.  The emphasis in this group's work must be on co-ordination and co-operation rather than competition.

     5.4  Limit airport expansion to development within the existing facilities.

     5.5  Strengthen existing airport noise bylaws.NATURAL RESOURCES POLICY

                                   AIMS:

            RETAIN OUR NATURAL HERITAGE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

                        LIMIT LOSS OF NATURAL RESOURCES
                                     
                   ENHANCE RECREATION USE AND FACILITIES
                                     
             PROVIDE FOR CULTURAL, SOCIAL & EDUCATIONAL NEEDS


Wellington's unique geography is home to many species of animal and plants that are threatened by current activities. All indigenous species of flora and fauna, both rare and commonplace, will be protected. Representative samples of all classes of natural ecosystems will be protected.

Resource management must recognise the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and take account of the views of the tangata whenua concerning the environment. Scenic, scientific, recreational and cultural values must be included in determining how a resource shall be used. 




1 Coastal Ecosystems & Wellington Harbour

The Green Council will:

     1.1  Preserve access for the public to and along the seacoast, its bays and inlets and along river and stream banks. Protect them from unnecessary and inappropriate development.

     1.2  Protect blue penguin nesting sites around the Wellington coastline.

     1.3  Support the development of a South Coast Marine reserve, including the coast from Palmer Head to Sinclair Head.

     1.4  Promote the reclassification of Tapu Te Ranga island as a scientific reserve. 

     1.5  Prevent or mitigate land use activities which are detrimental to habitats of the maataitai and fisheries resources of coastal waters.

     1.6  Promote Somes and Ward Islands as recreational assets of Wellington Harbour, phasing removal of the quarantine station to another locality.

     1.7  Prevent or limit inappropriate and environmentally detrimental use of the Evans Bay, Lambton Harbour and Kaiwharawhara coastal marine areas.



2 Town Belt

The Green Council will:

     2.1  Prevent inappropriate use of the Town Belt.

     2.2  Work towards restoring the original area set aside for town belt.

3 Revegetation

The Green Council will:

     3.1  Provide "islands" of appropriate native vegetation throughout the Wellington city territory, to create corridors of habitats for native birds.

     3.2  Plant native plants on unused Council land, especially steep and erosion prone areas.

     3.3  Sell native plants, from the Wellington area, at cost to groups wishing to establish and plant suburban reserves.

     3.4  Use a higher proportion of our beautiful native trees for amenity and street beautification programmes, rather than exotic species.

4 Open space

The Green Council will:

     4.1  Protect the natural landscape values and ridge-lines of the Wrights Hill, Hawkins Hill, Polhill, Karori Park to Johnsonville Park areas.

     4.2  Protect the Frobisher Street skyline in Island Bay.

     4.3  Restrict new sub-divisions while city living spaces remain empty. 

5 Water

Currently, our water demand is increasing and our water pipes are leaking.  Treatment of more water would increase costs and disrupt natural waterways, therefore we must aim to decrease wastage of this precious natural resource.

The Green Council will:

     5.1  Introduce water metering in order to save water. Frugal water users will get a partial refund of their water rates.

     5.2  Implement the existing plan to discover and repair water leaks from substandard piping and prevent infiltration of sewage. This will be funded by reduced costs of water treatment, due to water saved.

     5.3  Use plants for parks and Council maintained gardens that do not require watering other than at establishment time.

     5.4  Modify building codes to encourage waterless toilets in new buildings. Encourage installation of dual flush toilets in refurbishment of existing buildings. Allow the re-use of 'grey water' where practicable and safe.

     5.5  Ensure water saving devices such as low volume, high pressure shower heads are available at the Centre for Sustainable Development.

6 Other policy areas

The Green Council will:

     6.1  Protect the intrinsic, natural and cultural values of Spooky and Te Kopahou Gullies.

     6.2  Recognise and promote Miramar Peninsula as an area having important values as waahi tapu and Maori taonga.

     6.3  Convert Council gardens to an organic gardening regime.

     6.4  Eliminate the use of environmentally detrimental herbicides and pesticides on all Council properties.

     6.5  Stage a programme of total eradication and ongoing prevention of Old Man's Beard (Clematis vitalba) on all Council properties and provide incentives and expertise to ratepayers for the same eradication process on private property.

     6.6  Publicise natural features, e.g. notable tree tours.
                               SOCIAL POLICY
                                     
                                     
                                   AIMS:
                                     
                                     
        GIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR FULL DEVELOPMENT TO ALL WELLINGTONIANS
                                                  

                MAKE WELLINGTON AN ENJOYABLE & LIVELY CITY


Introduction


The Greens believe that every person in Wellington is entitled to develop to their fullest human potential.  A Green Council will encourage every opportunity for this to occur. We will consult with citizens, local organisations and private enterprise to develop further strategies for social development.


1    Housing

The Green Council will:

     1.1  Improve and enhance existing housing stock.  In particular, energy-saving measures will be introduced.  This will be of benefit to both the Council and tenants.
        
     1.2  Design any future Council housing in consultation with tenants and potential tenants.

     1.3  Make Council land available for use as allotments on which food can be grown.


2    Safety

The Green Council will:

     2.1  Improve lighting in public places, including bus stops.

     2.2  Improve lighting in Council housing areas.

     2.3  Employ caretakers in all council housing blocks. This will also reduce vandalism.

     2.4  Support the community constable schemes.

     2.5  Maintain Wellington Harbour as a nuclear-free port.

3    Community Centres

To enhance the role of community centres, the Green Council will: 
     3.1  Provide basic workshop facilities at community centres.

     3.2  Encourage community workers to organise skilled volunteers to teach those wanting to learn new skills, especially practical ones.

     3.3  Encourage skilled volunteers to provide a local community repair service.

4    Cultural Diversity

The City of Wellington should celebrate the cultural diversity of those who live therein.

The Green Council will:

     4.1  Encourage the development of close-knit local communities with their own local flavour. 

     4.2  Stimulate active local participation in Council decision making, by holding consultations within each ward.

     4.3  Support Maori initiatives such as the Tapu Te Ranga Marae.

     4.4  Modify Council procedures to enable maximum sensitivity to the city's different ethnic groups.

     4.5 Adopt street names reflecting the multi-cultural nature      of the city.


5 Other policy areas

The Green Council will:

     5.1  Ensure Council employment practices do not discriminate on the grounds of sex, race, age or religion. 

     5.2  Upgrade Council child care facilities in the inner city. 

     5.3  Set up an Urban Design Unit within Council to steadily  increase the attractiveness of Wellington City.
                             EMPLOYMENT POLICY

                                   AIMS:
     
                               GENERATE JOBS

                         IMPROVE EDUCATION LEVELS

We want all Wellingtonians to have access to a full and meaningful life, even where they don't work in a conventional paid job.  Our economic policies involving eco-tourism and encouragement of environmentally-friendly enterprises, will generate jobs.  We support small scale projects which create more jobs per dollar than Think Big projects.

1 Refurbishment of Wellington's Buildings

The City has a huge investment in its building stock. Refurbishment of existing buildings is more employment-intensive than constructing new buildings; creating significant numbers of refurbishing jobs on an on-going basis for the building trades and related industries.

The Green Council will:

     1.1  Work towards the target of investing approx. 5% annually of the Capital Amenities Fund in the preservation and enhancement of Wellington's built heritage. 

     1.2  Institute a major programme of converting excess inner-city office space to residential development, to meet a variety of housing needs.


2 Energy conservation & Recycling

The Green Council will:

     2.1  Create ongoing jobs through its programme of energy conservation for the city; including double glazing, the installation of shades on CBD office buildings, insulating existing buildings and so on.

     2.2  Create permanent jobs through the introduction of kerbside recycling for all Wellington homes within three years.

3 Education

The Green Council will:

     3.1  Work with the Polytechnic, Victoria University and other training institutions to increase the educational levels of Wellingtonians and develop new ventures in environmentally-friendly areas.

     3.2  Hold a Festival for Jobs within one year, to bring together young people, training opportunities and employment prospects in a single gathering.

     3.3  Set up an annual Environment Prize for Design students at the Wellington Polytechnic.

4 Fulfilment

The Green Council will:

     4.1  Work towards providing all people in Wellington with a meaningful social role by the year 2000.

     4.2  Create an Arts Centre in the former District Court Complex on Lambton Quay.

     4.3  Work with community groups to place volunteers on works programmes where these contribute to social or environmental objectives, e.g. the eradication of Old Man's Beard

     4.4  Encourage cultural programmes as employment generators..WASTE MANAGEMENT POLICY


                                   AIMS:

                               MINIMISATION

                               SELF-FUNDING


1    Minimisation

Reduction in the amount of waste to an absolute minimum is vital.  In order to achieve this end, an integrated series of measures including public education must be undertaken. 

The Green Council will:

     1.1  Support all efforts to reuse, recycle and reduce goods. 
     1.2  Set up depots for receipt of all reusables. These depots will take material from the public without charge.  The centres will be funded from landfill charges and may be assisted initially by direct funding from the Council. 

     1.3  Liaise with established charities operating second-hand stores to discourage people from dumping sound furniture.

     1.4  Set charges at landfills at a scale designed to seriously restrict landfill use in the short term. 

     1.5  Reduce the number of landfills in the city in the long term, with only one landfill operating on an on-going basis.

     1.6  Provide arrangements for the safe storage or disposal of toxic waste.

     1.7  Reorganise domestic refuse collection with collection of recyclables to occur on the same day. Kerbside collection will be required under this system.

     1.8  Set an example to the community by purchasing and using recycled and recyclable products.

     1.9 Support the use of bottles above other milk containers. 
     1.10 Investigate uses of sewage sludge.

     1.11 Investigate the gathering and use of methane from       landfills.2   Funding         

The system of waste disposal will work towards becoming self-funding.  

The Green Council will:

     2.1  Use landfill fees towards supporting recycling and reusing centres.


3    Public Education

A system of reusing and recycling will require a high volume of recyclables in order to function in a self- funding manner.  Education of the public is a vital part of this programme and will help to create the high levels of returnables required for the system to operate well.

The Green Council will:

     3.1  Demonstrate commitment to the recycling system by running a public education programme on the benefits of partaking in such a scheme.

     3.2  Increase scope of kerbside recycling so that all homes will enjoy this service within three years.


4    Use of former landfills

Former landfills will become available for other uses.  The Green team will investigate former landfills for use as archaeological sites before other uses are considered.




                           CIVIL DEFENCE POLICY

                                   AIMS:

                        MAXIMISE SAFETY OF CITIZENS
                                     
                     SATISFY LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS
                                     
                                     
1    Legislative Aspects

The Wellington City Council needs to satisfy central government legislative requirements with regard to civil defence in the area. 

The Green Council will:

     1.1  Consider Civil Defence issues when all planning decisions are made.

     1.2  Support and encourage the work of Civil Defence in the city and ensure all legislative requirements are met.

2    Co-operation

Civil defence is a regional issue.  It is vital that Wellington City work co-operatively with other territorial and regional authorities to ensure the city is as prepared as possible to cope with any civil disaster.


3    Commitment

The Green Council will commit adequate resources to the work of Civil Defence in the City:

     3.1  Support initiatives to fund civil defence work from rates.

     3.2  All green councillors will be available to participate in at least one civil defence exercise per term in order to demonstrate their commitment to civil defence in the city.

     3.3  Actively encourage involvement by volunteers in civil defence.

                              HERITAGE POLICY


                                   AIMS:

            ENCOURAGE RETENTION OF WELLINGTON'S BUILT HERITAGE



Introduction:

The Green Council will ensure that what is left of Wellington's built heritage will be retained.  The degree of destruction which occurred during the 1980s will never happen again.  This will be ensured by both legislative and financial means.


1    Demolition

The Green Council will:

     1.1  Prohibit the demolition of heritage buildings where no alternative plans for the site have been approved by Council.


2    Enhancement - Financial Aspects

Preservation and enhancement of the built environment is essential to ensure cityscapes of variety. 

The Green Council will:

     2.1  Increase funding for the Council's heritage strategy, working towards an annual commitment of 5% of the Capital Amenities Fund for incentives to encourage the preservation of the city's built heritage.

     2.2  Establish a Heritage Loans Fund to which owners of heritage buildings can apply for loans for approved works.  Initially, the Fund will be funded by reallocation of monies from the Subdivision Fund.  The Subdivision Fund will subsequently be abolished.

     2.3  Lobby central government to introduce tax incentives (based on the American example) which encourage the retention of heritage buildings.



3    Enhancement - Strategies

The Green Council will:

     3.1  Develop a separate heritage strategy for large commercial buildings in the CBD.

     3.2  Expand the heritage strategy to include suburban areas. Each suburb of Wellington has key buildings, whether shops or homes or hotels, that contribute to its local flavour. 

     3.3  Promote Wellington as a key heritage destination in the South Pacific.

     3.4  Introduce Historic Precincts in the District Plan.  This will include Thorndon and Mount Cook as well as other areas.

     3.5  Expand and maintain the inventory of heritage buildings currently held by the Council.  The new inventory will include the entire city.

     3.6  Encourage sympathetic restoration of ordinary residential buildings.



4    Resources    

The Green Council will:

     4.1  Employ a building conservator with special responsibilities for finding new uses for heritage buildings.

     4.2  Establish a Wellington Heritage Centre, possibly in conjunction with the Maritime Museum, to fill the gap left by the lack of local museum in Wellington.


5    Specific Buildings

The Council will set an example by maintaining and preserving the heritage buildings in its own possession and will encourage preservation of the following buildings:

     5.1  The Waring Taylor Street Police HQ.

     5.2  The St. James Theatre.

     5.3  The Maritime Museum.

                           ANIMAL WELFARE POLICY

                                   AIMS:

                         MINIMISE ANIMAL SUFFERING

                       MINIMISE NUISANCE TO CITIZENS


1 Domestic animals

The wellbeing of indigenous animals such as blue penguins, wetas and seals is covered in our Natural Resources Policy. The condition of other animals is also of concern: there are too many stray dogs and cats in Wellington. These animals suffer and cause a nuisance to citizens by noise, excrement and fear of attack. Additionally, pet cats, dogs, horses and other companion animals are neglected due to cruelty or ignorance.

     1.1  Encourage the SPCA's spaying and neutering programme for cats and dogs.

     1.2  Give an incentive for desexing dogs by increasing the difference in registration fee for neutered dogs as opposed to 'entire' dogs.

     1.3  Enforce existing animal control policies with regard to beaches, pavements and noise nuisance. 

     1.4  Investigate the issue of dangerous dogs.

     1.5  Review the licensing of petshops to ensure pets are well looked after and prospective owners educated in care of animals purchased.

     1.6  Consult animal welfare and animal rights groups in order to promote effective public education campaigns.

     1.7  Offer rebates on registration fees for owners completing canine obedience classes.

2 Exotic animals

     2.1  Enact bylaws to protect the wellbeing of exotic animals while within the City boundaries.

     2.2  Review aims and conditions of Wellington zoo.