Weak Water Announcement

new-zealand-labour-party

Thu Nov 07 2013 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Weak Water Announcement

Thursday, 7 November 2013, 1:59 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

Meka Whaitiri
Spokesperson on Water

7 November 2013

Weak Water Announcement

The Government’s long awaited response to the Land and Water Forum’s comprehensive range of recommendations is weak says Labour’s spokesperson on water, Meka Whaitiri.

“After years of work, the best this government can do is produce a framework that sets incomplete and weak minimum water standards across the country. This policy is just a skeleton without flesh.

“This policy simply doesn’t hold water. The Land and Water Forum have worked tirelessly on pulling together the disparate views of all the parties but the Minister has simply shown no vision with this report.

“Amy Adams has simply not taken on board all those recommendations of all those key stakeholders ranging from Dairy New Zealand to Fish and Game.

“The Land and Water Forum’s recommendations are set against a background of a huge variance in water standards enforced by our Regional Councils. Best practise models like CERA and the Waikato River Authority are setting these standards. Others are just doing the minimum they have to do.

“This continues the theme of the Government turning the Resource Management Act into an economic development act.

“My concern is that the standards set in this policy still are way below those of our best regional councils. For the good of New Zealand’s environment and primary producers water standards have to be at the high end or there will be a baleful effect on New Zealand’s productivity.”

ENDS

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