18 March 2016 – for immediate release

IrrigationNZ slams Forest and Bird’s appeal as “cynical stalling tactic”

IrrigationNZ has slammed Forest and Bird’s appeal of the High Court judgement allowing the DOC land exchange that will pave the way for the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme as a “cynical stalling tactic”.

CEO of IrrigationNZ, Andrew Curtis, says his organisation is hugely disappointed that Forest and Bird has announced further delaying moves in a bid to impede the progress of the dam.

“The land exchange went through a sound and fair process and there’s no justification for Forest and Bird to prolong deliberations. The High Court has already overturned their earlier attempts to delay the scheme.”

“As far as we can tell, Forest and Bird have no intention of allowing any form of development to proceed. They seem to be trying to return everything to pre-industrial days and there’s no realism around how you future-proof the New Zealand economy.”

“It’s just ridiculous and the ratepayers of Hawke’s Bay need to be asking why Forest and Bird thinks it’s a good idea to keep blocking progress in their neck of the woods when there is no good reason,” says Andrew Curtis.

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