Dunstan Councillors to Seek ORC Policy Change for Manuherikia

& Cardrona River Minimum Flow Process – Current Policy “Unfair”

Dunstan Ward councillor Michael Laws has tabled a Notice of Motion for next week’s Otago Regional Council meeting in Dunedin to effectively halt the current minimum flow plan change for the Manuherikia, Arrow and Cardrona Rivers, “and deliver a much more sustainable, equitable and sensible approach that will meet community needs and repair the council’s reputation.”

The Otago Regional Council is currently in the midst of developing a policy plan change that will impose minimum flows in the above river catchments “and dramatically reduce the volumes of water available for irrigation in the Central Otago region.”

“ The proposed plan has the potential to be catastrophic to rural communities and the Central Otago economy. The fears and concerns expressed are entirely rational and understandable,” says Cr Laws.

“ The ORC is arguing that minimum flows will sustain the catchments’ ecology whilst phasing out deemed permits (mining rights) by 2021. In fact, the current scientific knowledge is so seriously deficient that no ecological conclusions can be properly argued.

Cr Laws said that the catchments and communities “are actually facing two plan changes in four years – the ORC minimum flow change and then the government’s national policy on freshwater management by 2025.”

“ I’m arguing, with Cr Graeme Bell’s support, that we should do it once, and do it properly. Do all the scientific, ecological, economic and social reports for all the affected catchments and do both the minimum flow and water allocation regimes at the same time.”

“ The great thing that this Dunstan ward notice of motion will achieve is certainty. Certainty backed by science. Certainty that factors in all the necessary law, central government guidelines and policy.”

The councillors’ Notice of Motion has been accepted by ORC policy chairperson Gretchen Robertson and will be discussed at the next committee round of the Otago Regional Council on Wednesday 12 September.

ENDS

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