Latest news with #TeManaoTeWai
Scoop
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
'Don't Be Fooled': Govt's Freshwater Reforms Means More Pollution In Your Water & Commercial Control Of Public Resources
Press Release – Choose Clean Water Choose Clean Water says its important for the public to make submissions on the changes (these can be made until 27 July 2025) but its just as important for the public to contact MPs and Ministers directly to voice their opposition. 29 May 2025 Freshwater campaigners are saying 'don't be fooled' by the Coalition Government's rhetoric in today's freshwater policy announcement. What it really means for New Zealanders is more pollution in rivers, lakes, and drinking water sources and the handing over of more power to commercial interests to control a fundamental public resource. The Coalition Government made its long-awaited announcement on freshwater policy reform today and Choose Clean Water's spokesperson Tom Kay says it confirms what has been feared. 'Ministers are using comforting words like 'balance' but the details of this policy demonstrate that this is not about balance or protecting the public. The Government is proposing to remove existing bottom lines and change the long overdue prioritisation of the health of people and waterways provided by Te Mana o Te Wai.' 'Don't be fooled, this is a massive blow for the health of our water and the health of our communities.' Te Mana o te Wai is a vastly improved decision-making framework in the existing National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020. It requires regional councils to provide for the protection of the health of waterways and the health needs of people (i.e. access to safe, good quality drinking water) before commercial uses can be considered. It was strengthened following the failure of previous National Policy Statements in 2011, 2014, and 2017 to improve the health of freshwater in New Zealand, and widespread public support for the Government to act. 'What Te Mana o te Wai finally provided, in the 2020 version of our national freshwater policy, was sufficient weight to the public interest and need for healthy water. Before this, people's drinking water and waterways were regularly losing out to commercial pressures, which we saw result in sick rivers and lakes, the drying up of rivers and groundwater, and undrinkable water sources around the country.' 'In the 2020 national policy statement, it was finally recognised that communities couldn't continue like that—it was unstable, unsustainable, and unhealthy.' The group says Minister Hoggard's ACT party has consistently misrepresented Te Mana o Te Wai and used race-baiting to generate misguided anger towards a policy that protects all New Zealanders. Leader of the ACT Party, David Seymour, has stated that Te Mana o te Wai is 'the same as waving crystals over the water to drive out evil spirits, and it's truly bonkers.' 'This is not only nasty and insulting but it's also plain wrong,' says Kay. 'Te Mana o te Wai is simply a framework that says we have to ensure our water is healthy enough to support itself and our people before it can support commercial interests. It doesn't rule out business—it just says that business can't occur at the cost of our communities' health.' Previous consultation on changes to freshwater policy under the Resource Management Act demonstrated most regional councils support Te Mana o te Wai. 'Not only that, groups from Water NZ to Seafood NZ to Forest & Bird to public health advocates support Te Mana o te Wai because it makes priorities clearer for decision makers and provides better protection for the health of waterways and people.' Minister Hoggard and Minister McClay's announcement is consistent with the Coalition Government's approach to handing over more power to extractive commercial interests and removing basic protections for New Zealanders. 'Polluting industries have massively influenced this freshwater policy. The Government is following the requests of groups like DairyNZ who have asked the Government to remove bottom lines and for industry control of instruments like farm plans. This Coalition Government is captured by big industries, we saw it with tobacco and now we're seeing it with agribusiness.' Choose Clean Water says it's important for the public to make submissions on the changes (these can be made until 27 July 2025) but it's just as important for the public to contact MPs and Ministers directly to voice their opposition. 'We have a good existing national policy statement for freshwater. It puts us all on the path to restoration and health over time and still allows for productive land use to support communities. The Coalition Government is making changes New Zealand simply doesn't need and that will take us backwards.'
Scoop
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
'Don't Be Fooled': Govt's Freshwater Reforms Means More Pollution In Your Water & Commercial Control Of Public Resources
29 May 2025 Freshwater campaigners are saying 'don't be fooled' by the Coalition Government's rhetoric in today's freshwater policy announcement. What it really means for New Zealanders is more pollution in rivers, lakes, and drinking water sources and the handing over of more power to commercial interests to control a fundamental public resource. The Coalition Government made its long-awaited announcement on freshwater policy reform today and Choose Clean Water's spokesperson Tom Kay says it confirms what has been feared. 'Ministers are using comforting words like 'balance' but the details of this policy demonstrate that this is not about balance or protecting the public. The Government is proposing to remove existing bottom lines and change the long overdue prioritisation of the health of people and waterways provided by Te Mana o Te Wai.' 'Don't be fooled, this is a massive blow for the health of our water and the health of our communities.' Te Mana o te Wai is a vastly improved decision-making framework in the existing National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020. It requires regional councils to provide for the protection of the health of waterways and the health needs of people (i.e. access to safe, good quality drinking water) before commercial uses can be considered. It was strengthened following the failure of previous National Policy Statements in 2011, 2014, and 2017 to improve the health of freshwater in New Zealand, and widespread public support for the Government to act. 'What Te Mana o te Wai finally provided, in the 2020 version of our national freshwater policy, was sufficient weight to the public interest and need for healthy water. Before this, people's drinking water and waterways were regularly losing out to commercial pressures, which we saw result in sick rivers and lakes, the drying up of rivers and groundwater, and undrinkable water sources around the country.' 'In the 2020 national policy statement, it was finally recognised that communities couldn't continue like that—it was unstable, unsustainable, and unhealthy.' The group says Minister Hoggard's ACT party has consistently misrepresented Te Mana o Te Wai and used race-baiting to generate misguided anger towards a policy that protects all New Zealanders. Leader of the ACT Party, David Seymour, has stated that Te Mana o te Wai is 'the same as waving crystals over the water to drive out evil spirits, and it's truly bonkers.' 'This is not only nasty and insulting but it's also plain wrong,' says Kay. 'Te Mana o te Wai is simply a framework that says we have to ensure our water is healthy enough to support itself and our people before it can support commercial interests. It doesn't rule out business—it just says that business can't occur at the cost of our communities' health.' Previous consultation on changes to freshwater policy under the Resource Management Act demonstrated most regional councils support Te Mana o te Wai. 'Not only that, groups from Water NZ to Seafood NZ to Forest & Bird to public health advocates support Te Mana o te Wai because it makes priorities clearer for decision makers and provides better protection for the health of waterways and people.' Minister Hoggard and Minister McClay's announcement is consistent with the Coalition Government's approach to handing over more power to extractive commercial interests and removing basic protections for New Zealanders. 'Polluting industries have massively influenced this freshwater policy. The Government is following the requests of groups like DairyNZ who have asked the Government to remove bottom lines and for industry control of instruments like farm plans. This Coalition Government is captured by big industries, we saw it with tobacco and now we're seeing it with agribusiness.' Choose Clean Water says it's important for the public to make submissions on the changes (these can be made until 27 July 2025) but it's just as important for the public to contact MPs and Ministers directly to voice their opposition. 'We have a good existing national policy statement for freshwater. It puts us all on the path to restoration and health over time and still allows for productive land use to support communities. The Coalition Government is making changes New Zealand simply doesn't need and that will take us backwards.'
Scoop
4 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Federated Farmers Welcomes Freshwater Regulations Review
Press Release – Federated Farmers Federated Farmers will be reading through the detail of todays announcement and going back to the Government with our position, on behalf of our members, in the next few weeks. Federated Farmers applauds the Government's announcements today on a comprehensive review of freshwater regulations. 'We're pleased to see all options are on the table and that consultation will be open until 27 July,' Federated Farmers freshwater spokesperson Colin Hurst says. 'The previous Government's freshwater rules were completely unworkable for farmers. In some cases, even if you converted a whole catchment to native forest, you still wouldn't have achieved the bottom lines. 'The current Government simply had to push pause on these rules – and now we're seeing steps towards more sensible national direction to local authorities.' Hurst says it's particularly welcome that the Government wants a more balanced approach to Te Mana o Te Wai. 'That concept, as pursued by the previous Government, has been unworkable and highly problematic. 'It was unclear how councils should interpret and apply what was a vague concept of protecting the mana and mauri of water under Labour's rules, and what that might mean for our farms and rural communities.' Under Te Mana o te Wai, the health and wellbeing of water is put ahead of all other considerations, including human health, and social, cultural and economic wellbeing. 'That seems wildly imbalanced. The Government's announcements today recognise such a strict hierarchy is flawed.' The consultation document says: 'Multiple objectives require councils to provide for multiple outcomes and can better reflect the interests of all water users.' 'Federated Farmers absolutely agrees with this. In fact, we believe it's worth considering whether Te Mano o te Wai is a concept that should be scrapped altogether, which is one of the options now on the table,' Hurst says. Another big question is whether it's worth making these freshwater changes right now under the current Resource Management Act (RMA), or if this should wait until the Government has reformed the RMA, with the freshwater changes to follow. 'Federated Farmers will be reading through the detail of today's announcement and going back to the Government with our position, on behalf of our members, in the next few weeks.'
Scoop
4 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
National Direction Changes Mark Dark Day For People And Planet
Press Release – Green Party The Government has really shown their cards today. It could not be clearer that they are hellbent on pushing our natural environment to the brink, exploiting everything they can for any profit that can be squeezed out of it. Today's sweeping changes to environmental protections paints a damning picture of a government hellbent on profit at all costs, openly allowing more environmentally harmful activities under the guise of progress. 'Today is a dark day for rivers, lakes, streams, beaches, forests and all who enjoy and rely on these taonga across Aotearoa,' says the Green Party's Environment Spokesperson, Lan Pham. 'Taking freshwater as one example, 'Te Mana o Te Wai' offered us a clear legal framework that prioritised the health of our waterways and the health of our communities above corporate greed. 'Instead, the actions of this Government will go down in history as the most anti-environment we have ever seen. Councils and communities could be stripped of their ability to control the harmful impacts of industries like forestry, intensive farming, and mining. 'Further, the Government is making changes to enable more mining on wetlands, significant natural areas, and in places where our most precious indigenous biodiversity is. 'The Government has really shown their cards today. It could not be clearer that they are hellbent on pushing our natural environment to the brink, exploiting everything they can for any profit that can be squeezed out of it. 'If this feels like this is straight out of a deliberate playbook, it's because it is. The language of 're-balancing', 'efficiency', 'cutting red tape', and 'enabling industry' is often used, but what's really happening here is a systematic and comprehensive erosion of environmental protections. 'Truly prosperous economic activity is only possible if our planet is also thriving. We depend on healthy nature and a stable climate for the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and the materials for life,' says Lan Pham.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Federated Farmers Welcomes Freshwater Regulations Review
Federated Farmers applauds the Government's announcements today on a comprehensive review of freshwater regulations. "We're pleased to see all options are on the table and that consultation will be open until 27 July," Federated Farmers freshwater spokesperson Colin Hurst says. "The previous Government's freshwater rules were completely unworkable for farmers. In some cases, even if you converted a whole catchment to native forest, you still wouldn't have achieved the bottom lines. "The current Government simply had to push pause on these rules - and now we're seeing steps towards more sensible national direction to local authorities." Hurst says it's particularly welcome that the Government wants a more balanced approach to Te Mana o Te Wai. "That concept, as pursued by the previous Government, has been unworkable and highly problematic. "It was unclear how councils should interpret and apply what was a vague concept of protecting the mana and mauri of water under Labour's rules, and what that might mean for our farms and rural communities." Under Te Mana o te Wai, the health and wellbeing of water is put ahead of all other considerations, including human health, and social, cultural and economic wellbeing. "That seems wildly imbalanced. The Government's announcements today recognise such a strict hierarchy is flawed." The consultation document says: "Multiple objectives require councils to provide for multiple outcomes and can better reflect the interests of all water users." "Federated Farmers absolutely agrees with this. In fact, we believe it's worth considering whether Te Mano o te Wai is a concept that should be scrapped altogether, which is one of the options now on the table," Hurst says. Another big question is whether it's worth making these freshwater changes right now under the current Resource Management Act (RMA), or if this should wait until the Government has reformed the RMA, with the freshwater changes to follow. "Federated Farmers will be reading through the detail of today's announcement and going back to the Government with our position, on behalf of our members, in the next few weeks."
