New Zealanders demand rivers clean enough to swim in

What: Freshwater Management and Infrastructure Conference
When: Today, 21 February 2017 at 4.10pm
Where: Te Papa Tongarewa, Cable Street, Wellington
Who: Green MP Catherine Delahunty will be on a panel addressing the freshwater crisis in New Zealand and how Green solutions can clean up waterways

New Zealanders are demanding rivers clean enough to swim in, but the Government is still making excuses for polluters, Green MP Catherine Delahunty will tell a conference of farmers, local government workers, and other water users today.

“We’re letting the Government know that the Green Party, along with 12,000 New Zealanders who have signed our petition, are tired of wading and waiting for swimmable rivers: we want swimmable rivers now,” says Ms Delahunty.

“The Green Party is the only party with the solutions that will make our rivers safe for swimming again. We’ll fight for our rivers because that’s what New Zealanders want and deserve.

“Amending the National Policy Statement for Freshwater so that all water bodies are required to be safe for swimming is a start.

“Cleaning up our rivers goes beyond changing the standards; we have to stop making excuses for polluters. We have to address the problem of too many cows on our farms.

“We will axe government subsidies for industrial irrigation, which creates high water dependency and enables destructive intensive agriculture. We can restore our waterways by fixing dirty dairying and our broken storm water and sewerage systems, and through better urban design.

“We have also called for a commercial price on water, because the irrigators and water bottling companies don’t seem to realise using water is a privilege, not a right.

“The Government has failed our waterways and those who love them. Our kids and grandkids are missing out on an essential experience – swimming in clean, healthy rivers.

“Dr Smith is to announce changes to freshwater policy this week. We hope that it is a change of standard to swimmable all the time, so that our kids and grandkids don’t miss out.

“We know a goal of swimmable rivers isn’t easy, and it means we will have to address the problem of too many cows on our farms. But we’ve never shied away from anything because it’s not easy,” said Ms Delahunty.

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