Government Puts Its Own Forum Under Threat

The Government’s own initiative through its Land and Water Forum to get the balance right on freshwater management is under threat because of its legislation axing Environment Canterbury, says Labour’s water spokesman Brendon Burns.

Brendon Burns says the Forum, established to allow stakeholders to develop solutions on freshwater management, is meeting today.

“A number of leading environmental groups belonging to the Forum have already been critical of unexpected changes to Water Conservation Orders included in the Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Bill, passed under urgency before Easter,” Brendon Burns said..

“Part 3 of the bill came out of nowhere; it gives the Government-appointed ECan Commissioners the power, without any Environment Court process, to introduce or remove Water Conservation Orders in Canterbury.

“These orders are a mechanism, introduced by a previous National Government, to help protect rivers judged to be of national significance, like the Rakaia and Rangitata. A hearing was about to start for the Hurunui River.

“Quite rightly, some groups represented on the Land and Water Forum are appalled at what the Government has done.

Brendon Burns says: “Nick Smith’s rush to create new water allocations in Canterbury without new environmental controls is now putting the Forum’s capacity to deliver a meaningful consensus view under threat.

"The Forum was designed to improve water quality. How can its members support legislation which allows for new water to be allocated without any move to require improved water quality?

"The recently-released Board of Inquiry report into the proposed National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management has affirmed that water should not be allocated for economic growth if it comes at the cost of maintaining, restoring and enhancing the values of fresh water,” Brendon Burns said.

"Nick Smith should, at the very least, remove Part 3 of the new Act.”

ENDS

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