Source: Greenpeace Aotearoa
National, ACT and NZ First have taken over $1 million in political donations from agribusiness-linked donors since 2022, new Greenpeace analysis reveals.
The finding is part of Greenpeace’s 2026 election scorecard, which exposes a stark divide between the parties over the future of New Zealand’s rivers, oceans, climate and conservation land.
Greenpeace says the figures should “set alarm bells ringing”, following revelations about Fonterra’s secret lobbying of the Government over the Smith climate case, and recent reports that major agriculture lobby groups privately lobbied Ministers for changes to new environmental laws – many of which were subsequently adopted.
Greenpeace campaigner Gen Toop says: “Our scorecard shows voters have fundamentally different choices for nature this election. Some parties are promising to restore environmental protections and tackle pollution, while others want more mining, fossil fuels and ocean exploitation.”
National, ACT and New Zealand First received the lowest possible grade each scoring an F, while Labour scored a C, The Opportunities Party a B, and the Greens and Te Pāti Māori received an A.
The scorecard looks at some of the biggest environmental decisions facing the next Government. It also puts political donations from major industries alongside the parties’ policy positions.
“We included donations data because people deserve to know which companies and wealthy individuals are funding the political parties vying for power this November”, says Toop.
“If you follow the money, a disturbing pattern emerges. The parties taking money from agribusiness, fishing, mining and fossil fuel interests are the parties promising policies that benefit those industries at the expense of our environment.”
The analysis shows since 2022, National, ACT and NZ First have collectively received $1,143,659 from agribusiness interests, $345,980 from mining interests and $314,261 from oil and gas companies. National and NZ First collectively received $172,812 from commercial fishing interests.
ACT alone received $771,761 from agribusiness-linked donors. ACT MP Simon Court is also the Ministerial Under-Secretary overseeing RMA reforms that environmental groups warn will gut protections against agricultural pollution, while ex-president of Federated Farmers, ACT MP Andrew Hoggard, is Associate Minister of Agriculture.
“Big industries may have deep pockets to pour into political donations, but ultimately voters decide who gets to govern”, says Toop.
“This election, voters have the power to choose whether our rivers, oceans, climate and wild places are protected, or whether the industries profiting from their destruction continue to get their way.”
Notes to editor
Full details on the scoring methodology and breakdown of political parties’ responses can be viewed here. Political donations analysis can be seen here.
Political parties were sent questions about their environmental policies and positions broken down by category – conservation land, oceans, freshwater, climate, and environmental law and democracy.