The Green Party is the first in Parliament to put a price on water.
They want bottling companies to pay 10c per litre they take to sell.
The tax would apply to both domestic sellers and exporters.
All revenue created from the policy will be divided equally between local councils and mana whenua.
Councils would be expected to return any money collected back into environmental programmes and drinking water management.
The party will also put an interim ban on any further resource consents for those wanting to take water to sell until there is a proper pricing scheme in place
But it’s not just bottlers the party has targeted – it also wants to charge farmers for irrigation, however has not set a price.
The Greens will establish a working group to determine how much farmers should pay.
The Opportunities Party’s water policy would see existing water consent holders charged ‘market rate’ for water, with future consents purchased by auctioned. New Zealand First’s water policy would place ‘a royalty’ on water exports.
https://a.msn.com/r/2/BBE171a?m=en-nz