Hon Jim Anderton

Minister of Agriculture, Minister for Biosecurity
Minister of Fisheries, Minister of Forestry
Associate Minister of Health
Associate Minister for Tertiary Education

Progressive Leader

2 June 2008 Media statement

Green conspiracy on water ridiculous

Claims that an industry group on water issues will hold up official measures to clean up waterways are ridiculous, Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton said today.

He said the group cited by the Green party was set up to get the pastoral industry to participate constructively in water management.

“Assertions it was set up to challenge and delay measures to clean up waterways are unfounded, and yet another Green Party co-leader Russell Norman’s loony conspiracy theories.”

Jim Anderton said the group had met with him and Environment Minister Trevor Mallard, and the industry action plan was an industry commitment, not the Government’s.

“It is not approved, accepted, or endorsed by the Government, other than we support all positive steps anyone takes to improve water management.”

He said the Ministry for the Environment and the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry were working together in their joint leadership of the water programme, and the Govt was pressing on with a strong National Policy Statement on Freshwater, which will be binding on local government, and aimed at achieving the goal of swimmable rivers.

“The Greens know that progress is about to be made but are attacking farmers for cynical electioneering reasons. So much for the ‘ethical’ Greens!”

ENDS

© Scoop Media