12 April 2016

Private irrigation schemes should be privately funded, not out of New Zealanders’ pockets

The Green Party is calling on ACC not to invest public money in the hugely controversial Ruataniwha Dam, which could be a disaster for the Hawkes’ Bay environment.

ACC is reported today as refusing to say whether it’s considering investing in the dam, which has so far failed to secure any private investment and could end up replying fully on public funding.

“The case for the Ruataniwha Dam doesn’t stack up economically or environmentally, and ACC shouldn’t pour New Zealanders’ money into it when even private investors won’t,” Green Party water spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said.

“This irrigation scheme will only make the water more polluted - most of the rivers in the Ruataniwha catchment are polluted and exceed acceptable nitrate levels.

“Destroying precious rivers to fit more cows and other irrigation dependent land uses on the land is exactly the wrong way to spend public money at the moment.

“It’s totally wrong that this dam could be entirely funded by public money while the benefits of it will go to private users.

“Why should New Zealanders risk our own public money building a $275 million dam, that’ll lead to more pollution in one of the Hawke’s Bay’s most beautiful rivers?

“ACC should be using its investment power to help clean up our rivers, not contribute to their decline by funding projects like the Ruataniwha Dam,” Ms Delahunty said.

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