ACT wants to strip out language from the resource consenting process that it claims allows "iwi and tribal elites" to hold up hydroelectricity schemes.
The election pledge came as part of the party's energy policy, which supports National's promise to reverse the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration as well as scrapping the Lake Onslow scheme.
Under current polling, Christopher Luxon would require ACT's support in order to form a government after October's election.
Party leader David Seymour said the Labour Government had an "insistence on headlines rather than practical policies" when it came to sustainable power. He said ACT would instead focus on promoting carbon capture and fast-tracking offshore wind projects.
He said: "Taking away the option of natural gas has increased New Zealand’s reliance on coal. Reversing the ban would be a simple and effective way to reduce emissions and reliance on imported coal.
"Labour’s insistence on headlines rather than practical policies goes further than illogical bans. The Lake Onslow project has attracted controversy for its poor cost-benefit analysis and value for money and affordability criteria."
It's despite the cost quadrupling from the original price tag, Jarred McCulloch reports. (Source: 1News)
National has also said it would repeal the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration, originally enacted in 2018.
Seymour used his energy policy announcement to announce the party wanted to "remove Te Mana o te Wai from resource consenting," which his party suggested was holding up attempts to set up hydroelectricity schemes.
In ACT's energy policy document, the party claimed the approach meant "iwi and tribal elites have a right of veto over how water is used, and not just by electricity generators.
"Te Mana o te Wai has made the consenting of hydro schemes much more complex."
Seymour said today: "Removing Te Mana o te Wai from resource consenting would simplify the process by stripping vague spiritual concepts such as mauri, or the “life-force” of water from consideration.
"It adds complexity and costs to the consenting process. It has led to water users making large one-off and ongoing payments for 'cultural monitoring' services which do nothing for the environment but add decades of costs to power bills and disincentivises international investors."
Te Mana o te Wai, a mātauranga Māori approach to water, has been recognised as an "integral part of freshwater management" by the Environment Ministry since 2014.
However, the role of the principles has been emphasised in the past three years under the updated National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management and through the Labour Government's Three Waters reforms.
Obligations under its te ao Māori approach to water firstly prioritises the wellbeing of water bodies and ecosystems, secondly the health needs of people, and thirdly the ability of communities to provide for their economic, social, and cultural wellbeing.
Tweets made by Mark Cameron where he said people who think the planet is warming are “nut jobs” have come to light. (Source: 1News)
In his announcement, Seymour said ACT wanted to prioritise carbon capture schemes.
"ACT would emphasise the use of technology like Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage, which with the proper regulatory reform can reduce emissions at a much lower cost to Kiwis."
He added that the party wanted to introduce a "simplified permitting regime for offshore wind projects" modelled on standards from countries like Denmark.
“Wind projects have huge potential to help New Zealand meet its renewable energy targets and ensure New Zealanders have a supply of cost-effective energy."
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