Whangarei Waterways in Crisis

The sale of the Poroti Springs water is yet another example of government neglect in Northland, and its failure to properly engage with Maori values and local people, says Labour’s Whangarei candidate, Tony Savage.

“Right now there is no proper regulation because the National government doesn’t care if our water is exported, and local people are kept out of the picture.

“This is a disgraceful state of affairs. Pure fresh water is an extremely valuable resource.

“We should not be selling off water without first ensuring we have proper regulation.

“ We should be protecting this resource, and helping our iwi to look after it.”

Tony Savage says he’s been advised that the Waipao Stream was gazetted in 1885 as the water supply for the respective hapū of Poroti, namely Te Uri Roroi, Te Parawhau and Te Māhurehure. The three hapu of Whatitiri west of Whangarei were then granted legal title to the springs in 1896, as a water supply for local hapu, and managed the springs until 1967 when the Water And Soil Conservation Act handed control to local government – and this is now undertaken by the Northland Regional Council.

And since then, the hapū have been kept on the outer as far as the management and control of the resource is concerned. The change of management has led to the sale of Poroti water rights to overseas interests.

“This sort of arrogant takeover of Maori guardianship of the waters needs to be stopped, and reversed. ” Tony Savage says.

At the same time, the National government’s refusal to take ownership of the problem of dirty waterways – with no proper standards being upheld on the environmental damage to both land and waterways – has led to a huge increase in the pollution of all the fresh water streams and rivers which abound through Whangarei, and the north, Tony Savage says.

“This is also another matter which needs urgent attention – and remedying – but the government is not interested. It makes farcical statements about how waterways becoming a swimmable standard with an Ecoli level higher than it had for its “wadeable” standard – but none of this needs to happen for another 20 years or so.”

“This is a very bad situation, and the Labour is seriously worried about it.

“A Labour government will clean up New Zealand’s waterways,” Tony Savage says “ We’ll get onto it straightaway.

“A labour government will ensure our water is clean and safe and can be used by local people first.

“We'll fix our waterways and make then clean and safe”, Tony Savage says.

ENDS

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