Cabinet split won’t help stop factory farming
new-zealand-labour-party
Wed Jan 20 2010 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Cabinet split won’t help stop factory farming
Wednesday, 20 January 2010, 3:02 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
20 January 2010
Media Statement
Cabinet split won’t help stop factory farming in Mackenzie country
Cabinet divisions over how to deal with factory farming consents in the MacKenzie country may prevent the sort of the Government intervention that is required, says Labour’s water spokesman Brendon Burns.
Prime Minister John Key confirmed after yesterday’s Cabinet that there were ‘mixed opinions’ about intervening in the proposals to house and feed housing 18,000 cows in sheds above Lake Ohau for most of the year, Brendon Burns said.
However, prior to Christmas Mr Key had said of the huge factory farming consents being sought that he ‘shared the concerns’ being voiced, which included feared environmental impacts and those on New Zealand’s grass-fed export industry. Mr Key also advised Parliament that the Minister of Agriculture was seeking urgent advice on the animal welfare concerns raised.
Brendon Burns said that earlier this month he had discovered that Environment Canterbury had written to Environment Minister Nick Smith asking him to consider urgently having the Government call-in the consents. “So far all Dr Smith has done is kick for touch. When the approach from ECAN was made public, he talked about sending down an official to help.
“The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment is now backing a call-in for discharge consents for the factory farms. Dr Smith’s response has been to say that she has overlooked that this would cause a disconnect with the water-take consents already heard,” Brendon Burns said.
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“Dr Smith is providing no real leadership on this issue – and yet his brief as our Environment Minister includes looking after the precious Mackenzie country landscape and its breathtaking lakes. Does he not share the concern the Prime Minister voiced last year, or does he think Mr Key was out of line with those welcome comments?”
Brendon Burns says Dr Smith was a lion for the environment in Opposition but the signals from him in Government continue to be less than promising.
ENDS
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