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

 

Urgent action needed on dirty rivers

David Parker

Environment Spokesperson

MEDIA STATEMENT
27 April 2017

Urgent action needed on dirty rivers

The Our fresh water environment 2017 report re-confirms that we need urgent action to clean up our rivers. Meanwhile, National is standing by as our rivers get even more polluted, says Labour’s Environment spokesperson David Parker.

“This report is yet more evidence that many of New Zealand’s rivers and lakes are in a bad way.

“Dairy cow numbers have increased by a million since National took office and now many New Zealanders can’t swim in their local river.

“Nitrogen pollution is getting worse. Many of our rivers are unsafe to swim in. Our native fish species are in trouble. Without change, things will get worse.

“We have reached, and in many places exceeded, the limits of what our environment can bear.

“Just because farmers were allowed to pollute last year doesn’t mean they should pollute this year or the next.

“We’ve got to return to Judge Sheppard’s National Policy Statement (NPS) that said increases to land use intensity causing more nutrient and faecal contamination to our waterways should no longer be a permitted activity.

“National ignored these recommendations and spiked the NPS. Its weak substitutes have not worked.

“Rules need to be more strictly enforced against those who are acting illegally. Bad farming practices like ‘spray and pray’, and cows in rivers are happening because there’s rarely any consequence to breaching even the lax rules we have.

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.

“The Environmental Protection Agency needs to be adequately funded so it can prosecute farm directors who are acting illegally.

“There must be nutrient caps for each catchment based on science and allocated fairly.

“It’s a Kiwi birthright to swim in your local river. If your local river and my local river are clean enough to swim in, then all our rivers will be clean. It's not too much to ask,” says David Parker.


ends

© 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.