Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Surf the net for new beach water quality data

Surf the net for new beach water quality data

Information on the water quality of 350 beaches around New Zealand is now accessible on-line as part of an initiative between regional councils, Cawthron Institute, Ministry for the Environment and the Tindall Foundation, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today.

“I want the millions of New Zealanders who go to the beach to swim, surf and play to have access to good information on water quality. It enables people to stay healthy and raises awareness of the importance of improving our water quality.”

www.lawa.org.nz is a national monitoring website launched in March 2014. It started with monitoring data of over 1100 river sites around New Zealand and is today being extended to coastal waters. LAWA stands for Land, Air, Water Aoteroa.

“New Zealand beaches generally have good water quality for swimming with 64% having low or very low risk, 22% an acceptable standard and 14% having high risk. LAWA will provide weekly beach monitoring data and seasonal indictors.

“This initiative is part of the Government’s programme of improving information on the quality of our environment. Next year we will be passing a new Environmental Reporting Act through Parliament to expand the quality and quantity of data. This work is about giving integrity to New Zealand’s clean green brand and highlighting areas where communities need to do better in managing water quality,” Dr Smith concluded.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.