EDS finds favour in Labour's Freshwater & High Country Policies
The Environmental Defence Society has expressed support for some elements of the Labour Party's Freshwater policy which
was released over the weekend.
"We are particularly pleased to see clear commitments to protect remaining wild and scenic rivers from damming, to
create a resource rental for major water users, and to strengthen the National Policy Statement on Freshwater
Management," said EDS Chairman Gary Taylor.
"Implementation of those three commitments would recalibrate freshwater policy to provide more weight to public over
private interests and would ensure improved environmental outcomes.
"EDS remains very supportive of any commitments to improve water quality, which continues to deteriorate in many lowland
areas, and is also supportive of policies that lead to most efficient use of the freshwater resource.
"There has obviously been some considered thought put into Labour's policy formulation. For example, we note Labour's
endorsement of the ongoing collaborative processes via the Land and Water Forum and the Mackenzie Country Forum.
"Those processes, which were initiated by EDS and endorsed and supported by the National-led government, are working and
it's good to see that Labour recognises that and is not opposing them for the sake of it.
"The endorsement of those two fora and support for the Land and Water Fourm's recommendations shows we have an element
of bi-partisanship emerging around many of the core freshwater policy settings.
"We are less positive about the suggestion that elected regional councils retain control over freshwater management. We
have seen some elected regional councils taking a soft line on polluters and putting in place weak and compromised
policies that don't cut the mustard in terms of improving water quality. We favour appointing some independent experts
to work with elected councillors at regional level.
"We also note that Labour has released its High Country policy and has pledged to stop the tenure review process. Tenure
review, whereby High Country pastoral leases are replaced by freeholding some land, seems to have lost its sense of
balance with conservation and landscape values not being properly considered.
"There are problems with tenure review and we are supportive of a rethink around the whole process. There may be
alternative ways of securing public benefits from High Country leasehold land that are fair to farmers and scoping them
would be worthwhile," Mr Taylor concluded.