Robert MacCulloch
Robert MacCulloch is a native of New Zealand and worked at the Reserve Bank of NZ before travelling to the UK to complete a PhD in Economics at Oxford University.
The topic of corporate social responsibility is becoming undermined in economics by the prevalence of ‘green washing’, which happens when firms pretend they are doing stuff which is good for the environment, but it’s all just part of a marketing campaign to try to increase sales and not sincere.
So who gets the prize for Biggest Green Washer in NZ? Could it be Fonterra? Or Fletcher Building? Or Air New Zealand, that tells us how the airline “has committed to a target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Our Sustainability Framework [works to] decarbonize our operations, reduce our impact and support our people and communities.” But the prize surely has to go to the Green Party of Aotearoa NZ.
How come? First, this past decade the Greens have revealed their main concern is global climate change and jumping on Greta Thunberg’s bandwagon. They are all for “net zero” to meet Paris, Doha, Kyoto, or some other foreign place’s carbon targets, even as emissions soar in nations like India and China.
But did the Greens raise a protest when tons of sewerage poured in Auckland Harbour this past week due to overflowing storm water caused by heavy rain? No. Have the Greens helped improve the quality of freshwater rivers and lakes in NZ this past decade? No. The Greens barely care a jot about local matters which are top of our day-to-day concerns. They call themselves Green because the name gets votes amongst young people. The more times the party screams, “United Nations Global Environmental and Development Goals” the Greens hook a few more children and convince them that the world may end without The Party. Yes, the Greens have become NZ’s Chief Green Washers.
As for a related Green-washing issue, these wolves-in-sheep’s clothing have gone and added to the end of their Green brand name the word, Aotearoa. Why? To hook the Māori vote away from Labour and Te Pāti Māori, of course. It’s green-washing on a grander scale than even the pretense that the Greens care about local environmental issues over saving the universe. Why?
Where the Green Party stands on moral issues and traditional family values makes most Māori and Pasifika families run for the hills and hide. Those stances scare the pants off anyone who holds dear the values and beliefs of their ancestors. Together with Arthur Grimes, a former reserve bank chair, I once wrote a paper about such values. Nearly 80 per cent of Māori say its one’s duty to respect one’s parents and nearly 70 per cent say “abortion is never justified”. I can’t imagine Green Leader Swarbrick has the faintest sympathy for such views. Green Party Aotearoa NZ is Green washing on indigenous affairs, as well as the environment.
Let’s finish our argument that the Greens deserve the Green-washing Award with how they are (not) helping the poor people of Gaza. Party Leader Swarbrick chanted, “from the River to the Sea”. It’s a line which supports the “One State Solution” in the region, advocated by Iran. That is, take over Israel, call it Palestine and have it governed by Palestinians.
Of course, the consequence would be a war in which millions of people perished. But that’s not our point, which is, “What has the NZ Green Party ever done for the Gazans?” We’re back to Green washing. Green washing to get the votes of young vulnerable, impressionable Kiwis, recently out of school, who want to save the world. Good on our youngsters for that wish. But not good-on-the-Greens for pretending they’re helping our local environment, helping Māori & Pasifika in any meaningful way, let alone helping the cause of Middle East peace. Yes, the Prize for Biggest Hypocritical Green Washer goes to... Swarbrick’s PR-Marketing-oh-so-lovely-brand-name-with-nothing-behind-it, the Green Party of Aotearoa NZ.
This article was originally published by Down to Earth Kiwi.
